Daily Briefs

• China announced game approval for the June batch. The number of games approved remained at a higher level than 2023.
• The pace of China game approval appears to have accelerated to the same level as pre-tightening, though the number of approvals appears to be slower than March.
• Of companies that we are monitoring, Tencent and iDreamSky clinched one approval each.

• Shankara Building Products L (SHANKARA IN) is seeing a healthy topline growth in the last three years but this is accompanied with margin contractions.  
• As far as the forensics are concerned, the company does not have grave auditor red flags like earlier but there are still some eye-catching checks.
• Caution must be given to the finance costs of the company which look on a higher side vis-a-vis the borrowings. Moreover, inadequate provisioning might also expose out some receivables.

• Generative AI is driving hardware advancements and creating new industrial prospects, with Synopsys offering automation and analytics tools for chipmaking facilities in India.
• Cultivating global cash cows like CHPT and Chief Telecom to enhance revenue streams, Volkswagen is investing $5 billion in Rivian to create an EV software joint venture, while Poland’s CEZAMAT boosts photonics and chip goals in Europe.
• Indian electronic component production value is set to increase 5x by 2030, but slow data center expansion may affect chip sales, according to Nvidia CEO. SiFive also unveils 4th-gen essential product line to drive innovation in embedded applications.

• Otsuka Holdings (4578 JP) announced FDA acceptance of indication expansion filing for Rexulti for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. The FDA action date is February 8, 2025.
• Due to impairment loss associated with termination of a pipeline asset, the company has reduced operating and net profit guidance for 1H24. However, 1H24 revenue guidance has been raised.
• 2028 revenue is expected to reach ¥2.5T, an increase of ¥480B from 2023 results, that too after absorbing the negative impact of ~¥310B for loss of exclusivity of core drugs.

• Broadcom Inc. presented its second quarter fiscal year 2024 financial results, underscoring notable growth and strategic advancements, particularly through its semiconductor and software segments.
• The revenue recorded was $12.5 billion, a substantial 43% increase year-on-year, buoyed significantly by the inclusion of a full quarter’s financial contribution from VMware.
• Excluding this factor, revenue was up 12% from the previous year.

• Warner Bros. Discovery commenced the first quarter of 2024 with a focus on adjusting its operations for future sustainability in an industry marked by rapid disruption due to technological advancements.
• The company acknowledges the transformative necessities dictated by changing consumer behaviors and the technological landscape.
• On a positive note, Warner Bros. Discovery reported an encouraging increase in subscriber growth for its streaming service, Max, which saw an addition of 2 million subscribers across various regions, pushing its total Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) subscriber count towards 100 million.

• Revenue: JPY3.9bn (-4.1% YoY); Operating loss: JPY133mn; Recurring loss: JPY39mn; Net loss: JPY759mn.
• Revenue by product type: Adult diaper machinery JPY887mn (-48.8% YoY), Sanitary napkin machinery JPY1.1bn (+82.7% YoY).
• Gross profit margin rose to 18.0% from 12.9%; Net income improved due to JPY534mn gain on sale of securities.

• Coupang has commenced 2024 with a notable performance that underscores both strengths and areas in need of meticulous attention.
• During the first quarter, Coupang reported a robust 28% year-over-year growth in revenues in constant currency terms, attributed primarily to increased spending across customer cohorts, including its longest-standing customers.
• This points to successful customer retention and the appealing nature of its offerings.

• Clean Harbors reported a firm start to 2024, with various elements of the business performing strongly, though challenges linger primarily in pricing environments affecting some segments.
• The Environment Services (ES) division, a pivotal part of the company’s operations, showcased an impressive 10% revenue increase, bolstered by both organic growth and strategic mergers, including recent acquisitions like Thompson and HEPACO.
• With a particular strength displayed in technical services which saw an 11% spike driven by high operation volumes, ES stands out as a robust contributor to Clean Harbors’ overall financial health.

In our last BB Biotech (BION) review note, published in May 2024, we noted that the biotech sector was eagerly awaiting some key milestones, the most important being Alnylam Pharmaceuticals’ late-stage clinical trial of vutrisiran for patients with ATTR cardiomyopathy, a deadly heart disease. Alnylam, which comprised 4.3% of BION’s portfolio at end March 2024, released very positive, statistically significant, Phase III trial results this week. Assuming regulatory clearance, Alnylam expects that vutrisiran has the potential to become the new standard of care for the treatment of this disease, driving substantial future growth for the company. These results may have favourable implications for sentiment across the broader global biotech sector, and for Ionis Pharmaceuticals, BION’s largest portfolio position, which is also developing gene-silencing technology.