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Daily Briefs

Daily Brief Industrials: Adani Enterprises, SK Square , LG Corp, Exponent Inc, Old Dominion Freight Line, Dun & Bradstreet Holdings , Teledyne Technologies and more

By | Daily Briefs, Industrials

In today’s briefing:

  • Adani Group’s Crucial Disclosure Lapses About Bribery & US Investigation
  • SK Square: A Solid Corporate Value Up Plan Likely to Lead to Continued Outperformance
  • LG Corp: Key Highlights from Its Corporate Value-Up Plan and Updated NAV Valuation
  • Exponent Inc’s New Game-Changing Strategies: Multidisciplinary Problem Solving at Its Best!
  • Old Dominion Freight Line: Dealing With Capacity Management Vulnerability & Other Challenges! – Major Drivers
  • DUN & BRADSTREET HOLDNGS INC (DNB) – Friday, Aug 23, 2024
  • Teledyne Technologies: Can They Capitalize On The Strengthening Defense & Energy Markets? – Major Drivers


Adani Group’s Crucial Disclosure Lapses About Bribery & US Investigation

By Nimish Maheshwari

  • Adani Group’s handling of U.S. FCPA investigation disclosures highlights significant lapses in transparency, including delayed and contradictory statements.
  • Inconsistent disclosures and wrong disclosure about US investigations raising red flags for regulatory compliance and governance.
  • Search warrants for Sagar Adani, Nephew of Gautam Adani issued in Mar-23, which is not disclosed in fundraising documents as well as Annual Report. 

SK Square: A Solid Corporate Value Up Plan Likely to Lead to Continued Outperformance

By Douglas Kim

  • SK Square (402340 KS) announced a solid corporate value up plan pushing up its share price by 8.8% to 87,500 won on 22 November.
  • Major highlights of the corporate value up plan included cancellation of 200 billion won of treasury shares, higher ROE target, and achieve 1x PBR ratio (nearly double the current ratio).
  • Our NAV analysis of SK Square suggests NAV of 15.2 trillion won or 112,822 won per share, representing 29% higher than current share price.

LG Corp: Key Highlights from Its Corporate Value-Up Plan and Updated NAV Valuation

By Douglas Kim

  • In this insight, we provide the major highlights of the solid Corporate Value Up plan announced by LG Corp on 22 November. 
  • The key highlights include about 500 billion won worth of share cancellation by 2026, improved dividend policy, and higher ROE target.
  • Our base case NAV valuation analysis of LG Corp suggests implied NAV of 16.1 trillion won or NAV per share of 102,426 won, which is 33.4% higher than current price.

Exponent Inc’s New Game-Changing Strategies: Multidisciplinary Problem Solving at Its Best!

By Baptista Research

  • Exponent Inc.’s third quarter 2024 financial results demonstrate both resilience and constraints in the context of evolving market dynamics.
  • The company reported a 6% growth in net income and an expansion in EBITDA margin, indicating effective cost management and resource utilization.
  • The overall revenue, however, remained flat compared to the previous year, reflecting a mixed performance across different sectors of operation.

Old Dominion Freight Line: Dealing With Capacity Management Vulnerability & Other Challenges! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Old Dominion Freight Line’s recent third-quarter earnings call for 2024 revealed several key aspects of the company’s performance amidst a challenging economic environment.
  • The company reported a decrease in revenue, which totaled $1.47 billion, down 3.0% from the prior year.
  • The decline in LTL (less-than-truckload) tons per day, which fell by 4.8%, was slightly mitigated by a 1.5% increase in LTL revenue per hundredweight.

DUN & BRADSTREET HOLDNGS INC (DNB) – Friday, Aug 23, 2024

By Value Investors Club

  • DNB is a speculative merger arbitrage opportunity with limited downside risk and significant upside potential
  • Recent news of the company exploring options for a potential sale has increased investor interest
  • Strong business performance and the possibility of a bid at 12x EBITDA or higher make DNB a valuable acquisition target with attractive multiples and a solid floor

This content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only. This article was originally published 3 months ago on Value Investors Club.


Teledyne Technologies: Can They Capitalize On The Strengthening Defense & Energy Markets? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Teledyne Technologies Incorporated reported an impressive performance for the third quarter of 2024, achieving all-time record sales with growth in each business segment.
  • This growth was fueled by robust demand in their longer-cycle defense, space, and energy sectors, though sales in most short-cycle commercial businesses have either stabilized or begun to recover sequentially.
  • The company continued aggressive capital management strategies during the quarter, including repurchasing approximately $354 million of its stock, completing two acquisitions valued at $125 million, and repaying $450 million in gross debt.

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Daily Brief Financials: Arthur J Gallagher & Co, Bitcoin, NIFTY Index, Atour Lifestyle Holdings and more

By | Daily Briefs, Financials

In today’s briefing:

  • Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.: These Are The 4 Biggest Challenges Responsible For Our Lack Of Optimism! – Major Drivers
  • Crypto Moves #53 – Are Markets Stupid? The 4-Year Bitcoin Cycle Strikes Again
  • EQD | NIFTY 50: State Of The Odds
  • [Atour (ATAT US, BUY, TP US$37) Review]: Small Differences Here & There but Overall Case Intact


Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.: These Are The 4 Biggest Challenges Responsible For Our Lack Of Optimism! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Arthur J.
  • Gallagher & Company reported strong financial results for the third quarter of 2024, showcasing a robust performance across its core segments, Brokerage and Risk Management.
  • The company’s revenue growth was impressive at 13%, with organic growth marking 6%.

Crypto Moves #53 – Are Markets Stupid? The 4-Year Bitcoin Cycle Strikes Again

By Mads Eberhardt

  • In the second edition of Crypto Moves, published almost exactly a year ago, I shared this conviction:“Perhaps the only thing you want to know is: Do we expect the Bitcoin halving to cause a new run?”“The short answer is yes.
  • In this edition of Crypto Moves, we assess Bitcoin’s current position in its historical 4-year cycle. The 4-year cycle is fundamentally tied to Bitcoin’s halvings, which occurs roughly every four years and halves the mining block reward.
  • This process has now taken place four times, reducing the reward from 50 bitcoins per block to just 3.125 bitcoins per block.

EQD | NIFTY 50: State Of The Odds

By Nico Rosti

  • After a period of prolonged sell-off, the NIFTY Index last week found support around the 23263 level and bounced.
  • Below we introduce a new “quantitative chart” tool called “QUANTCHARTS“: it displays in a compact format all the information you need to evaluate the probability of trend reversal.
  • As you will see the NIFTY Index closed just below the 25% (Q1) probability target, so it has room to rise further in the coming weeks, the CC is supportive.

[Atour (ATAT US, BUY, TP US$37) Review]: Small Differences Here & There but Overall Case Intact

By Eric Wen

  • Atour (ATAT) reported C3Q24 revenue 2.3% lower than our estimate but 4.8% higher than consensus. The net income beat our estimate/consensus by 6.6%/9.5%, thanks to disciplined cost controls.
  • Although RevPAR weakened in C3Q24 as expected, turnaround is coming already in C4Q24. We also expect moderate RevPAR growth in 2025.
  • We keep the TP at US$37/ADS and maintain a TOP BUY on Atour.

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Daily Brief TMT/Internet: Samsung Electronics Pref Shares, Cuscal , NVIDIA Corp, Tuya Inc, Globalstar Inc, Mediatek Inc, Monolithic Power Systems, Inc, Synaptics Inc, Ringcentral Inc Class A and more

By | Daily Briefs, TMT/Internet

In today’s briefing:

  • Dividend Tax Cut Decision Scheduled for 25th, Next Monday: Watch Sammy Prefs
  • Cuscal IPO Trading – Valuation Appears Reasonable
  • NVIDIA: Waiting on Blackwell, and the Networking Question
  • TUYA: Is The King of White Label IOT Ready to Charter a Different Course?
  • Globalstar Inc.: Expanding Market Opportunities & Service Offerings To Redefine the Industry! – Major Drivers
  • Tech Supply Chain Tracker (23-Nov-2024): IC design firms optimistic for 2025, cautious about 1Q25.
  • TUYA (TUYA.US): Depressed Valuation, $1B+ In Cash, Is Turnaround Story Ahead?
  • Monolithic Power Systems: Expansion in Diversified Markets Driving Our ‘Buy’ Rating! – Major Drivers
  • Synaptics Incorporated: Can Its Core IoT Growth & Pipeline Expansion Give Them A Competitive Edge? – Major Drivers
  • RingCentral Inc.: Strategic Partnerships & Market Penetration Driving Our ‘Outperform’ Rating! – Major Drivers


Dividend Tax Cut Decision Scheduled for 25th, Next Monday: Watch Sammy Prefs

By Sanghyun Park

  • The opposition’s pushing a Commercial Act amendment, and to gain ruling party support, they might strategically ease up on the dividend tax issue—classic quid pro quo.
  • The Samsung family’s collateral risk eased with a 10 trillion won buyback, but local markets are still cautious. Local traders now eye another 10 trillion won shareholder return.
  • The timing of the special dividend and tax deadlines may cause mismatches, but we should watch for earlier price moves in Samsung Electronics preferred shares.

Cuscal IPO Trading – Valuation Appears Reasonable

By Clarence Chu

  • Cuscal (1229Z AU) raised around A$337m (US$218m) in its Australia IPO.
  • Cuscal is an authorized deposit-taking institution (ADI) in Australia that primarily provides financial infrastructure and payment services in Australia.
  • We have looked at the company’s performance and valuation in our past notes. In this note, we talk about the trading dynamics.

NVIDIA: Waiting on Blackwell, and the Networking Question

By Douglas O’Laughlin

  • Nvidia posted earnings yesterday, and guidance was light of buy-side bogeys. I’m not going to step into the mind game of bogeys here, but there are some finer points to focus on.
  • NVIDIA reports Q3 EPS $0.81 ex-items vs FactSet $0.75. Reports Q3: Revenue $35.08B vs FactSet $33.17B (2 billion beat like clockwork)
  • Q4 Guidance: Revenue $37.5B +/- 2% vs FactSet $37.09B (a bit light). GAAP and non-GAAP gross margins are expected to be 73.0% and 73.5%, respectively, +/- 50 bps. (also light)

TUYA: Is The King of White Label IOT Ready to Charter a Different Course?

By Eric Wen

  • On November 18th, 2024, Temasek-affiliated investment fund 65Equity bought 13% of TUYA, an IOT hardware company and planned to bring the company to list on the Singapore Stock Exchange;
  • TUYA is trading at US$901mn market cap, equivalent to 3.2x 12TTM sales. This isn’t cheap. Xiaomi, a high flying stock, now trades at 2.0x 12TTM sales. TUYA is not profitable;
  • TUYA is a good and real company but in a bad business. Electronics inventory cycle and advanced stocking for Trump’s Tariff Hike shall support earnings in the next few quarters.

Globalstar Inc.: Expanding Market Opportunities & Service Offerings To Redefine the Industry! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Globalstar reported strong results for the third quarter of 2024, with notable growth in both revenue and adjusted EBITDA.
  • Total revenue grew by 25% from the previous year, reaching a record $72 million.
  • Service revenue increased by 28%, primarily driven by wholesale capacity revenue and the recognition of performance bonuses for 2023 and part of 2024.

Tech Supply Chain Tracker (23-Nov-2024): IC design firms optimistic for 2025, cautious about 1Q25.

By Tech Supply Chain Tracker

  • IC design firms remain positive about 2025 outlook despite uncertainties for 1Q25, showing resilience in the industry.
  • Taiwan evaluates consequences of Trump’s potential revocation of China’s trade status, highlighting potential geopolitical impacts.
  • JSR’s construction of new EUV photoresist plant in S. Korea demonstrates commitment to meeting semiconductor demand in the region and globally.

TUYA (TUYA.US): Depressed Valuation, $1B+ In Cash, Is Turnaround Story Ahead?

By Andrei Zakharov

  • 65 Equity Partners, a Temasek-backed global investment firm with $3B+ in AUM, took a ~13% stake in Tuya for ~$100M.
  • Jerry Wang, Tuya’s CEO and Founder, assumed that Tuya would consider a potential secondary listing in Singapore to strengthen company’s presence in the global capital markets.
  • With $1B+ in cash, revenue growth re-acceleration, non-GAAP op margin break-even and turnaround plan, I have a positive view on the stock longer-term.

Monolithic Power Systems: Expansion in Diversified Markets Driving Our ‘Buy’ Rating! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Monolithic Power Systems (MPS) recently reported a robust performance for the third quarter of 2024, epitomizing significant revenue growth and diversification across its product portfolio.
  • The company attained a record quarterly revenue of $620.1 million, marking a 22% increase from the previous quarter and an impressive 30% growth year-over-year.
  • This growth trajectory is attributed to MPS’s advancing market strategy diversity and the beneficial onset of revenue steams from past design wins.

Synaptics Incorporated: Can Its Core IoT Growth & Pipeline Expansion Give Them A Competitive Edge? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Synaptics Incorporated’s recent earnings call provided a detailed overview of their first-quarter fiscal year 2025 performance, highlighting both positive and challenging aspects of their operations.
  • A positive takeaway from the call is the company’s solid financial performance in the quarter.
  • Revenue increased by 8% year-over-year to $257.7 million, surpassing the midpoint of guidance.

RingCentral Inc.: Strategic Partnerships & Market Penetration Driving Our ‘Outperform’ Rating! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • RingCentral’s third quarter 2024 results reflected a solid performance, demonstrating strength both in traditional business segments and new product areas.
  • The revenue exceeded guidance, supported by continued growth in the Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) sector and strong contributions from new products like RingCX.
  • This performance aligns with RingCentral’s strategic focus: further solidifying its UCaaS leadership, expanding total addressable market (TAM) through new AI-powered offerings, and enhancing reach through partnerships and geographic expansion.

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Daily Brief Consumer: Dongwon Industries, FineToday Holdings Co Ltd, Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc, Autozone Inc, Mcdonald’s Corp, Altria Group, Under Armour, Collektr, Deckers Outdoor, Hilton Grand Vacations and more

By | Consumer, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • KOSPI200 Dec24 Rebal: 4 ADDs, 5 DELs, Big ADV on Small Stocks
  • FineToday (289A JP): Fine In May & June 2025 for Global Index Inclusion
  • Nexstar Media Group’s Deregulation Agenda: A Game-Changing Strategy to Save Local Journalism! – Major Drivers
  • AutoZone Inc.: Tackling The International Market Dynamics & FX Impact! – Major Drivers
  • McDonald’s Corporation: An Enhanced Digital Engagement & Personalization & Other Major Drivers
  • Altria Group Inc.: E-Vapor Division Expansion (NJOY) As A Critical Growth Lever! – Major Drivers
  • Under Armour Inc.: These Are The 6 Biggest Factors Impacting Its Performance In 2025 &Beyond! – Major Drivers
  • Collektr bags US$1.3M to expand livestream collectibles platform across APAC | e27
  • Deckers Brands’ Bold Global Expansion: How Innovation & Sustainability Drive Market Leadership! – Major Drivers
  • Hilton Grand Vacations: Expansion & Integration As A Critical Growth Lever! – Major Drivers


KOSPI200 Dec24 Rebal: 4 ADDs, 5 DELs, Big ADV on Small Stocks

By Travis Lundy

  • The December 2024 index review results for the KOSPI Indices were announced after the close on Thursday 21st November 2024.
  • There will be four ADDs and five DELs for KOSPI 200 during the December 2024 index rebal event. 
  • We predicted 8 out of 9 changes correctly. We missed one of the DELs and we expected a couple extra changes which did not materialize.

FineToday (289A JP): Fine In May & June 2025 for Global Index Inclusion

By Dimitris Ioannidis

  • FineToday Holdings Co Ltd (289A JP) is scheduled to be listed on 17 December 2024, at the prime market of TSE at an expected valuation of ~$1.5bn.
  • Addition to the small-cap segment of both global indices is forecasted to take place at the May and June 2025 quarterly reviews.
  • Full exercise of the greenshoe can increase free float from 35% to 45% hence the security’s passive fund demand upon inclusion.

Nexstar Media Group’s Deregulation Agenda: A Game-Changing Strategy to Save Local Journalism! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Nexstar Media Group reported its third-quarter 2024 financial results, delivering record high revenues and showcasing strong operational performance in a challenging media landscape.
  • The company achieved its highest third-quarter total net revenue, driven by record-setting distribution and political advertising revenues.
  • The financial results reflect a solid balance between increasing revenues and maintaining cost efficiency, showcasing Nexstar’s ability to leverage its extensive media assets effectively.

AutoZone Inc.: Tackling The International Market Dynamics & FX Impact! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • AutoZone, Inc. delivered a robust performance in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year 2024, led by significant sales increases and growth strategies in both its domestic and international operations.
  • The company’s total sales surged by 9% in the fourth quarter, while earnings per share (EPS) increased by 11%.
  • Underpinning these results was a consistent focus on customer service excellence and strategic expansion, particularly in commercial sales and international operations.

McDonald’s Corporation: An Enhanced Digital Engagement & Personalization & Other Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • McDonald’s Corporation’s third quarter of 2024 saw mixed results amid a challenging quarter for the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) sector.
  • During the earnings call, CEO Chris Kempczinski addressed a recent E.
  • coli crisis linked to slivered onions, emphasizing the company’s rapid response and commitment to customer safety.

Altria Group Inc.: E-Vapor Division Expansion (NJOY) As A Critical Growth Lever! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Altria Group’s third-quarter 2024 earnings call revealed a company in transition, managing both resilience in traditional segments and growth in new areas, weighted against challenges such as regulatory pressures and changing market dynamics.
  • The company affirmed financial strength through robust earnings, ongoing share repurchases, and commitment to a progressive dividend, although its future hinges on regulatory landscapes and consumer shifts towards reduced-risk products.
  • Baptista Research looks to evaluate the different factors that could influence the company’s price in the near future and attempts to carry out an independent valuation of the company using a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) methodology.

Under Armour Inc.: These Are The 6 Biggest Factors Impacting Its Performance In 2025 &Beyond! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • The Under Armour earnings for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 presents a picture of both challenges and early successes in the company’s efforts to reposition itself in the highly competitive athletic apparel market.
  • On the positive side, Under Armour has managed to report profitability that exceeded expectations, with an adjusted operating income beat of approximately $50 million.
  • This is attributed to effective cost-control measures, a reduction in promotion and discounting activities, and ongoing product costing initiatives.

Collektr bags US$1.3M to expand livestream collectibles platform across APAC | e27

By e27

  • Collektr, a livestream collectibles platform based in the Asia-Pacific region, has raised US$1.3 million in a pre-Series A funding round led by AC Ventures Malaysia.
  • The round also saw participation from The Hive Southeast Asia, Creador Foundation, and 18 unnamed angel investors.
  • This follows a seed round led by First Move, bringing the total investment to date to US$1.3 million.

Deckers Brands’ Bold Global Expansion: How Innovation & Sustainability Drive Market Leadership! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Deckers Brands experienced a robust fiscal second quarter of 2025 under the leadership of newly appointed CEO, Stefano Caroti.
  • The company continues to uphold its long-standing strategy while integrating four core principles to drive future growth: consumer-first mindset, brandless philosophy, innovation forward, and a globally driven approach.
  • These principles have significantly contributed to Deckers Brands’ performance, positioning it for sustained success in the long term.

Hilton Grand Vacations: Expansion & Integration As A Critical Growth Lever! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Hilton Grand Vacations reported its third-quarter 2024 results, providing insights into its financial performance, strategic progress, and the impact of recent macroeconomic and environmental challenges.
  • The company’s performance this quarter was shaped by several key factors, including the integration of its Bluegreen acquisition, strategic reorganization, and external disruptions such as hurricane impacts.
  • Baptista Research looks to evaluate the different factors that could influence the company’s price in the near future and attempts to carry out an independent valuation of the company using a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) methodology.

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Daily Brief Utilities: Kansai Electric Power, Adani Green Energy, Spruce Power Holding and more

By | Daily Briefs, Utilities Sector

In today’s briefing:

  • Kansai Electric US$3.5bn Deal Updates – Has Delivered a Decent Correction, as Compared to past Deals
  • Adani Green Energy – Event Flash – US Charges Gautam Adani And 2 AGEL Executives
  • Adani Green Energy – ESG Report – Lucror Analytics
  • SPRU: Adjusting Estimates Post 3Q24 Results; Acquisition an Upside Risk to Our Outlook


Kansai Electric US$3.5bn Deal Updates – Has Delivered a Decent Correction, as Compared to past Deals

By Sumeet Singh

  • Kansai Electric Power (9503 JP) plans to raise up to US$3.5bn (including over-allocation) to partly fund its investment plans.
  • In our earlier note, we talked about the placement and ran the deal through our ECM framework.
  • In this note, we talk about the updates and share price performance since then.

Adani Green Energy – Event Flash – US Charges Gautam Adani And 2 AGEL Executives

By Tanvi Arora

  • The US indictment of key executives is a material credit negative for the Adani Group, with the allegations being more serious than those from Hindenburg Research’s short-sell report in January 2023.
  • In the near term, the US indictment is likely to constrain the group’s access to financing, particularly in the offshore market.
  • We note that the Justice Department’s charges are directed at the individual executives, not at Adani Green Energy or other group entities.

Adani Green Energy – ESG Report – Lucror Analytics

By Tanvi Arora

  • Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) is one of the world’s largest developers and operators of solar and wind power.
  • The company’s assets are geographically diversified across India, with total locked-in capacity of 20.4 GW (of which 10.9 GW was operational as of June 2024).
  • AGEL is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange of India. 

SPRU: Adjusting Estimates Post 3Q24 Results; Acquisition an Upside Risk to Our Outlook

By Water Tower Research

  • Following 3Q24 results, we update our outlook for Spruce, a leading owner-operator of residential solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) and solar lease agreements (SLAs).
  • Spruce grows through the acquisition of mature portfolios.
  • Its portfolio has expanded at a 29% CAGR since 2018 and Spruce now owns the cash flow from approximately 75,000 home solar assets and contracts.

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Daily Brief Quantitative Analysis: EQD | HKEX Weekly Equity Options off to a Strong Start and more

By | Daily Briefs, Quantitative Analysis

In today’s briefing:

  • EQD | HKEX Weekly Equity Options off to a Strong Start
  • ASX Short Interest Weekly (Nov 15th): ANZ, James Hardie Industries, Endeavour, Goodman
  • Hong Kong Buybacks Weekly (Nov 22nd): Tencent, AIA, Kuaishou Technology


EQD | HKEX Weekly Equity Options off to a Strong Start

By Nicholas Pezolano

  • HKEX has launched weekly stock options for 10 listed equities on 2024-11-04.
  • We explore recent HKEX volume trends and believe this may be a positive catalyst for HKEX.
  • HKEX may prove to be a catalyst for more equity option product development in the region.

ASX Short Interest Weekly (Nov 15th): ANZ, James Hardie Industries, Endeavour, Goodman

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • We analyzed the changes in short interest of ASX Stocks as of Nov 15th (reported today) which has an aggregated short interest worth USD24.6bn.
  • We tabulate league table for top short by value and short as multiple of ADT, as well as weekly increases & decreases in short value, short as multiple of ADT.
  • We highlight short interest changes in ANZ, James Hardie Industries, Endeavour, Goodman.

Hong Kong Buybacks Weekly (Nov 22nd): Tencent, AIA, Kuaishou Technology

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • We analyze statistics on top repurchases over one week, one month, one quarter and one year periods ended on Nov 22nd based on HKEx daily reports.
  • In the past 7 days, the top 3 companies that repurchased the most shares from the market were Tencent (700 HK), AIA (1299 HK), Kuaishou Technology (1024 HK).
  • In the past 30 days, the top 3 companies that repurchased the most shares from the market were Tencent (700 HK), AIA (1299 HK), Cosco Shipping (1919 HK).

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Daily Brief ESG: Nominating Committee Is Becoming More Active in a Few Companies and more

By | Daily Briefs, ESG

In today’s briefing:

  • Nominating Committee Is Becoming More Active in a Few Companies, but No Sign yet of Spreading to All


Nominating Committee Is Becoming More Active in a Few Companies, but No Sign yet of Spreading to All

By Aki Matsumoto

  • Even the companies with US type 3 committees, which is expected to have higher awareness of corporate governance, there’re differences in the status of nominating committee activities among the companies.
  • While doubts about whether the nominating committee is fulfilling its function have not been dispelled, there have been cases of low approval rates for proposals for the election of directors.
  • Since discussions in voluntary nominating committees are only advisory, more companies are expected to move to Company with US type 3 Committees, which have statutory nominating committees.

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Daily Brief Private Markets: Turing Space nets US$3M to expand digital identity solutions globally | e27 and more

By | Daily Briefs, Private Markets

In today’s briefing:

  • Turing Space nets US$3M to expand digital identity solutions globally | e27


Turing Space nets US$3M to expand digital identity solutions globally | e27

By e27

  • Turing Space, a Taiwan-based trust-tech company, has raised over US$3 million in a strategic funding round led by Profederal, a corporate counselling platform.
  • The company plans to use the capital to accelerate research and development of its digital identity infrastructure and expand its operations in Taiwan, Europe, and Japan, where it aims to develop more cross-border verification solutions.
  • A portion of the funds will also be used to hire new talent and enhance user experience in Taiwan.

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Daily Brief Thematic (Sector/Industry): Ohayo Japan | Bitcoin Briefly Touched $99 and more

By | Daily Briefs, Thematic (Sector/Industry)

In today’s briefing:

  • Ohayo Japan | Bitcoin Briefly Touched $99,000
  • Japan Morning Connection: Risk-On for the AI Ecosystem
  • How Will Trump’s Renewed Stance on Renewables Impact Indian Energy Companies?
  • [Blue Lotus Daily]:1211 HK/TSLA US/1810 HK/NIO US/LI US/XPEV US/ZK US/9863 HK/LKNCY US
  • [Blue Lotus Daily-TMT Update]:Gaming Sector Update/NTES US/3690 HK/Douyin/BABA US/PDD US/JD US/700HK
  • WTR Small-Cap Spotlight Recap Tech Trends for 2025


Ohayo Japan | Bitcoin Briefly Touched $99,000

By Mark Chadwick

  • U.S. markets advanced Thursday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average leading gains, rising 1.1%
  • Honda Motor will begin test production of all solid-state EV batteries in January at a new facility in Tochigi prefecture,
  • Nissan Motor  plans to restructure its Thai operations by fall 2025, affecting around 1,000 employees at its two Bangkok-area plants.

Japan Morning Connection: Risk-On for the AI Ecosystem

By Andrew Jackson

  • Sentiment for AI related rising with NVDA de-risked and outlook strong, despite the marginal beat.
  • Kioxia IPO pricing at $4.84bn supportive for memory ecosystem names.
  • Deere numbers and outlook for farming lifting AG machinery names – watch Kubota.

How Will Trump’s Renewed Stance on Renewables Impact Indian Energy Companies?

By Sudarshan Bhandari

  • Trump’s new policy on renewables could have significant implications for Indian renewable players, particularly those who heavily rely on exports to the US market.
  • The potential rollback of the Inflation Reduction Act and the imposition of trade barriers and tariffs could lead to a decrease in demand for Indian solar modules in the US
  • Waaree Energies, Adani Enterprises, and Vikram Solar, which have a high concentration of exports in their overall revenue, are likely to be the most affected

[Blue Lotus Daily]:1211 HK/TSLA US/1810 HK/NIO US/LI US/XPEV US/ZK US/9863 HK/LKNCY US

By Eric Wen

  • 1211 HK/TSLA US/1810 HK/NIO US/LI US/XPEV US/ZK US/9863 HK:In the 46th week of 2024, market demand is booming and new brands gain market share.(///////////////)
  • XPEV US: Xpeng’s vehicle revenue and gross profit margin exceeded expectations in the third quarter, but service revenue was lower than expected, resulting in lower-than-expected profits.(/)
  • LKNCY US: Luckin Signs Memorandum for Brazilian Coffee Bean Purchases.(+)

[Blue Lotus Daily-TMT Update]:Gaming Sector Update/NTES US/3690 HK/Douyin/BABA US/PDD US/JD US/700HK

By Ying Pan

  • Gaming Sector Update/NTES US: NPPA Releases November Domestic and Imported Game Approvals(+)
  • 3690 HK/Douyin:Douyin Local Life’s Double 11 Sales Increase by 53% YoY, Indicating Rising Consumer Spending in China, Bodes Well for Meituan.(+)
  • BABA US/PDD US/JD US: Taobao/Tmall launches “Go Bargain” feature (+/+/+)

WTR Small-Cap Spotlight Recap Tech Trends for 2025

By Water Tower Research

  • AI Continues to Grab Investor Interest as Expectations Have It Affecting Nearly Everything AI is in every company now.
  • It has been having a major impact on the tech sector for some time, it accelerated in 2024, and is likely to continue driving tech in 2025.
  • Every company is now building neutral networks, and this is driving growth in data centers, hardware, and specifically GFP/AI chips. 

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Daily Brief Event-Driven: [JAPAN Activism]: Murakami Target Mitsui Matsushima (1518 JP) Getting Sold Down For a Reason and more

By | Daily Briefs, Event-Driven

In today’s briefing:

  • [JAPAN Activism]: Murakami Target Mitsui Matsushima (1518 JP) Getting Sold Down For a Reason
  • Arcadium Lithium (ALTM US/LTM AU): Scheme Vote on 23 December as Risks Mount
  • KOSPI 200 & KOSDAQ 150 December Rejig Lineup
  • KOSPI200 Index Rebalance: Adds in Line; Couple of Deletes Are Surprises
  • KOSDAQ150 Index Rebalance: 8 Changes a Side; Fadu Appears to Be a 4 Letter Word
  • Tuya Inc (TUYA US/2391 HK): Third Listing A Charm? Not So Fast …
  • EQD | Hang Seng (HSI) – Analysis of Option Strategies Recently Traded on HKEX
  • Rio Tinto/Arcadium: Trading Wide Ahead Of 23rd Dec Vote


[JAPAN Activism]: Murakami Target Mitsui Matsushima (1518 JP) Getting Sold Down For a Reason

By Travis Lundy

  • Mitsui Matsushima (1518 JP) was trading ¥2,800-3,200 earlier this year before Murakami-san bought a large stake. All the news of coal shut down and cash pile were in the price.
  • After he bought, the stock popped. It fell back, went sideways in a range, and for 5 weeks has been falling in a straight line. 
  • There’s a reason for that. But it may not be a great reason. And the stock is in a great place.

Arcadium Lithium (ALTM US/LTM AU): Scheme Vote on 23 December as Risks Mount

By Arun George

  • The Arcadium Lithium (ALTM US) scheme meeting relating to Rio Tinto Ltd (RIO AU)’s US$5.85 offer is on 23 December. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2025.
  • The high current 12.3% spread reflects risk related to regulatory and shareholder approvals. The numerous required regulatory approvals pose a risk to completion and/or timing.  
  • Despite depressed lithium prices, the offer remains unattractive on several fronts. Blackwattle, which opposes the offer, could rally others to force a bump. Rio conceding to a bump is uncertain. 

KOSPI 200 & KOSDAQ 150 December Rejig Lineup

By Sanghyun Park

  • KOSPI 200 & KOSDAQ 150 Dec reshuffle looks set—official lineup drops post-close today.
  • Passive flows for KOSPI 200 and KOSDAQ 150 are estimated at 40T KRW and 3.5T KRW, based on typical flow sizes until the effective date.
  • These predictions combine my sim results with reliable local intel. The accuracy’s solid enough to start pulling the trigger on trades.

KOSPI200 Index Rebalance: Adds in Line; Couple of Deletes Are Surprises

By Brian Freitas

  • There will be 4 additions and 5 deletions for the Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX) at the next rebalance to be implemented at the close on 12 December.
  • The 4 adds are exactly in line with our forecast but a couple of the deletions are surprises. Those two names were close deletes though.
  • The are some large shorts on a few deletes and there could be covering over the next few weeks as borrows are recalled and as the stocks drop.

KOSDAQ150 Index Rebalance: 8 Changes a Side; Fadu Appears to Be a 4 Letter Word

By Brian Freitas

  • There will be 8 additions and 8 deletions for the KOSDAQ 150 Index (KOSDQ150 INDEX) at the next rebalance to be implemented at the close on 12 December.
  • Most of the inclusions were forecast but there is a lot of variance among the list of deletions… index committee knows best!
  • Fadu (440110 KS) was ignored for yet another rebalance, while Snh Inc (051980 KS) has also not been included in the index.

Tuya Inc (TUYA US/2391 HK): Third Listing A Charm? Not So Fast …

By David Blennerhassett

  • Tuya Inc (TUYA US/2391 HK), a leading IoT cloud platform in China, was listed on the 18th March 2021 at US$21.00/ADS. The share price is currently down 92.5%. 
  • Tuya subsequently established a primary dual-listing in Hong Kong on the 5th July 2022, priced at HK$19.30/share. Those shares are down ~23% 
  • Temasek-Backed 65 Equity Partners has now acquired a 13% stake (equivalent to ~6.2% of the voting rights) in Tuya, with a view to establishing a secondary listing on the SGX.

EQD | Hang Seng (HSI) – Analysis of Option Strategies Recently Traded on HKEX

By Gaudenz Schneider

  • Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX) implied volatility fell across the term structure and skew. The skew displays a smile favoring specific option strategies.
  • The most traded HKEX traded tailor-made combinations are Call and Put Spreads. Straddles, Strangles and Butterflies have become less popular most recently.
  • While three quarters of all strategies take a long volatility position, there is a balance in bullish, bearish, and market-neutral strategies.

Rio Tinto/Arcadium: Trading Wide Ahead Of 23rd Dec Vote

By David Blennerhassett

  • Back on the 9th October, Rio Tinto Ltd (RIO AU) reached an agreement to buy Arcadium Lithium (LTM AU/ALTM US) for US$5.85/share (~A$8.70/share), a ~90% premium to undisturbed.
  • The proxy statement is now out, with a Scheme Meeting scheduled for 23 December. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2025. The long stop is the 9th October 2025.
  • Trading wide-ish at a gross spread of 11.9%, reflecting the timing to secure regulatory approvals – notably from China – as opposed the Offer Price being viewed as opportunistic.

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