Category

Thailand

Brief Thailand: January Chip Revenues Down 15.6% Year-On-Year and more

By | Thailand

In this briefing:

  1. January Chip Revenues Down 15.6% Year-On-Year
  2. Delta Electronics (DELTA TB): Little Option but to Accept the Tender Offer
  3. Politics, Uncertainty and Bad Policy: The Third Wheels of Profits and the Investment Cycle
  4. Thai Telcos Struggle as All Three Seek to Gain Share While Spectrum Risk Looms Again in 2019.
  5. Snippets #19: Marijuana, Mergers, and More

1. January Chip Revenues Down 15.6% Year-On-Year

2019 03 04%20wsts%20monthly%203mma%20revenue%20history

The Semiconductor Industry Association in the US released the latest WSTS figures for January chip revenues.  Monthly revenues are down 15.6% from January of 2018.  While this is not a surprise to our clients it is frightening to those who anticipated that 2019 would be a continuation of the bonanza enjoyed in 2018.

2. Delta Electronics (DELTA TB): Little Option but to Accept the Tender Offer

Shareholding

Delta Electronics (2308 TT) (DEI) launched the conditional voluntary tender offer for Delta Electronics Thai (DELTA TB) (Delta), an electronics contract manufacturer, on 26 February 2019. The tender offer of THB71.00 cash per share values Delta at an EV of THB72 billion ($2.2 billion).

Delta and DEI have close links as they were both founded by billionaire Bruce Cheng. Consequently, the tender offer could be viewed as a mechanism for the Chen family to sell their stake to a “friendly” DEI. For minority shareholders, we believe that DEI’s tender offer is reasonable and it makes little sense for minority shareholders to hold on to their shares.

3. Politics, Uncertainty and Bad Policy: The Third Wheels of Profits and the Investment Cycle

G%20logic

Our positive view of the Asian region in 2018 was not reflected in stock market performance. But now is not the time to discard fundamentals and fundamental analysis. Unlike the US, the Asian region is in the early stages of a profit upcycle. As we have argued on many occasions, that is the building block required to kick start the investment cycle. But theoretical explanations of the growth process aside, is there any empirical support for the argument that profits and investment, and therefore growth, are related? We would answer in the affirmative and, in the following report, we try to show how the process works and where Asia stands on two of our Austrian Stress Indicators (ASIs). Market volatility aside, the conditions for good growth gains are firmly in place in most of the region.

4. Thai Telcos Struggle as All Three Seek to Gain Share While Spectrum Risk Looms Again in 2019.

Thai telcos struggle in past year with dtac recovering on survival relief ais dtac true chartbuilder

Chris Hoare met the Thai telcos recently but did not come away particularly enthused. His view is that the market probably remains tough this year. The good news is that the low priced, limited speed with unlimited usage, offers have mostly been withdrawn. It will take 2-3 quarters for this to work through, as these were 12 month plans, but it does suggest improved data monetization as the year progresses. A lack of data monetization was the key reason behind the revenue slowdown in 2H18. However, with data usage now so high (around 10GB/month), and content services unlikely to lead to revenue growth in the foreseeable future, overall revenue recovery is likely to be modest. 

5. Snippets #19: Marijuana, Mergers, and More

India%20pakistan

Five interesting trends/developments that could impact Thai equities in the recent period:

  • Legalization of medicinal marijuana. Thailand legalized medicinal use of marijuana at end of February and has already received immense interest from potential growers. At some point, pharma and healthcare companies could be beneficiaries of this trend.
  • Rumbles in the airline industry. Asia Aviation (AAV TB) , parent company of Thai Air Asia, acquires a stake in competitor Nok Air. This is one of the few signs of industry consolidation in this sector.
  • MOU signed between TMB and Thanachart. The deal may take longer than initially expected, but the two sides have agreed on some basics such as 70% equity financing and deal size of roughly Bt130-140bn.
  • Read-through from US Election 2020. Some of the Democrat policies advocated by candidates in 2020 could turn out to be positive for Asian equities.
  • BGrimm acquires Glow SPP1 for a bargain price of Bt3.3bn, or 55% of the expected price, opening the way for the GPSC-Glow merger, potentially the largest deal of 2019.

Get Straight to the Source on Smartkarma

Smartkarma supports the world’s leading investors with high-quality, timely, and actionable Insights. Subscribe now for unlimited access, or request a demo below.



Brief Thailand: Delta Electronics (DELTA TB): Little Option but to Accept the Tender Offer and more

By | Thailand

In this briefing:

  1. Delta Electronics (DELTA TB): Little Option but to Accept the Tender Offer
  2. Politics, Uncertainty and Bad Policy: The Third Wheels of Profits and the Investment Cycle
  3. Thai Telcos Struggle as All Three Seek to Gain Share While Spectrum Risk Looms Again in 2019.
  4. Snippets #19: Marijuana, Mergers, and More
  5. China – Eurozone Negative Feedback Loop.

1. Delta Electronics (DELTA TB): Little Option but to Accept the Tender Offer

Shareholding

Delta Electronics (2308 TT) (DEI) launched the conditional voluntary tender offer for Delta Electronics Thai (DELTA TB) (Delta), an electronics contract manufacturer, on 26 February 2019. The tender offer of THB71.00 cash per share values Delta at an EV of THB72 billion ($2.2 billion).

Delta and DEI have close links as they were both founded by billionaire Bruce Cheng. Consequently, the tender offer could be viewed as a mechanism for the Chen family to sell their stake to a “friendly” DEI. For minority shareholders, we believe that DEI’s tender offer is reasonable and it makes little sense for minority shareholders to hold on to their shares.

2. Politics, Uncertainty and Bad Policy: The Third Wheels of Profits and the Investment Cycle

G%20logic

Our positive view of the Asian region in 2018 was not reflected in stock market performance. But now is not the time to discard fundamentals and fundamental analysis. Unlike the US, the Asian region is in the early stages of a profit upcycle. As we have argued on many occasions, that is the building block required to kick start the investment cycle. But theoretical explanations of the growth process aside, is there any empirical support for the argument that profits and investment, and therefore growth, are related? We would answer in the affirmative and, in the following report, we try to show how the process works and where Asia stands on two of our Austrian Stress Indicators (ASIs). Market volatility aside, the conditions for good growth gains are firmly in place in most of the region.

3. Thai Telcos Struggle as All Three Seek to Gain Share While Spectrum Risk Looms Again in 2019.

Thai telcos struggle in past year with dtac recovering on survival relief ais dtac true chartbuilder

Chris Hoare met the Thai telcos recently but did not come away particularly enthused. His view is that the market probably remains tough this year. The good news is that the low priced, limited speed with unlimited usage, offers have mostly been withdrawn. It will take 2-3 quarters for this to work through, as these were 12 month plans, but it does suggest improved data monetization as the year progresses. A lack of data monetization was the key reason behind the revenue slowdown in 2H18. However, with data usage now so high (around 10GB/month), and content services unlikely to lead to revenue growth in the foreseeable future, overall revenue recovery is likely to be modest. 

4. Snippets #19: Marijuana, Mergers, and More

India%20pakistan

Five interesting trends/developments that could impact Thai equities in the recent period:

  • Legalization of medicinal marijuana. Thailand legalized medicinal use of marijuana at end of February and has already received immense interest from potential growers. At some point, pharma and healthcare companies could be beneficiaries of this trend.
  • Rumbles in the airline industry. Asia Aviation (AAV TB) , parent company of Thai Air Asia, acquires a stake in competitor Nok Air. This is one of the few signs of industry consolidation in this sector.
  • MOU signed between TMB and Thanachart. The deal may take longer than initially expected, but the two sides have agreed on some basics such as 70% equity financing and deal size of roughly Bt130-140bn.
  • Read-through from US Election 2020. Some of the Democrat policies advocated by candidates in 2020 could turn out to be positive for Asian equities.
  • BGrimm acquires Glow SPP1 for a bargain price of Bt3.3bn, or 55% of the expected price, opening the way for the GPSC-Glow merger, potentially the largest deal of 2019.

5. China – Eurozone Negative Feedback Loop.

Historically, Germany and China have depended on exports to lead growth. With the US unwilling to play the role of consumer of last resort and being determined to limit its current account deficit,  this avenue is not available anymore. In the absence of a rethink by German policy makers as to how to make German growth more self -sustaining a deflationary feedback loop is developing between the EU and China. 

Get Straight to the Source on Smartkarma

Smartkarma supports the world’s leading investors with high-quality, timely, and actionable Insights. Subscribe now for unlimited access, or request a demo below.



Brief Thailand: Politics, Uncertainty and Bad Policy: The Third Wheels of Profits and the Investment Cycle and more

By | Thailand

In this briefing:

  1. Politics, Uncertainty and Bad Policy: The Third Wheels of Profits and the Investment Cycle
  2. Thai Telcos Struggle as All Three Seek to Gain Share While Spectrum Risk Looms Again in 2019.
  3. Snippets #19: Marijuana, Mergers, and More
  4. China – Eurozone Negative Feedback Loop.
  5. The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma – Asian Currencies, Indonesian Media, and Shopee

1. Politics, Uncertainty and Bad Policy: The Third Wheels of Profits and the Investment Cycle

G%20logic

Our positive view of the Asian region in 2018 was not reflected in stock market performance. But now is not the time to discard fundamentals and fundamental analysis. Unlike the US, the Asian region is in the early stages of a profit upcycle. As we have argued on many occasions, that is the building block required to kick start the investment cycle. But theoretical explanations of the growth process aside, is there any empirical support for the argument that profits and investment, and therefore growth, are related? We would answer in the affirmative and, in the following report, we try to show how the process works and where Asia stands on two of our Austrian Stress Indicators (ASIs). Market volatility aside, the conditions for good growth gains are firmly in place in most of the region.

2. Thai Telcos Struggle as All Three Seek to Gain Share While Spectrum Risk Looms Again in 2019.

Thai telcos struggle in past year with dtac recovering on survival relief ais dtac true chartbuilder

Chris Hoare met the Thai telcos recently but did not come away particularly enthused. His view is that the market probably remains tough this year. The good news is that the low priced, limited speed with unlimited usage, offers have mostly been withdrawn. It will take 2-3 quarters for this to work through, as these were 12 month plans, but it does suggest improved data monetization as the year progresses. A lack of data monetization was the key reason behind the revenue slowdown in 2H18. However, with data usage now so high (around 10GB/month), and content services unlikely to lead to revenue growth in the foreseeable future, overall revenue recovery is likely to be modest. 

3. Snippets #19: Marijuana, Mergers, and More

Warren

Five interesting trends/developments that could impact Thai equities in the recent period:

  • Legalization of medicinal marijuana. Thailand legalized medicinal use of marijuana at end of February and has already received immense interest from potential growers. At some point, pharma and healthcare companies could be beneficiaries of this trend.
  • Rumbles in the airline industry. Asia Aviation (AAV TB) , parent company of Thai Air Asia, acquires a stake in competitor Nok Air. This is one of the few signs of industry consolidation in this sector.
  • MOU signed between TMB and Thanachart. The deal may take longer than initially expected, but the two sides have agreed on some basics such as 70% equity financing and deal size of roughly Bt130-140bn.
  • Read-through from US Election 2020. Some of the Democrat policies advocated by candidates in 2020 could turn out to be positive for Asian equities.
  • BGrimm acquires Glow SPP1 for a bargain price of Bt3.3bn, or 55% of the expected price, opening the way for the GPSC-Glow merger, potentially the largest deal of 2019.

4. China – Eurozone Negative Feedback Loop.

Historically, Germany and China have depended on exports to lead growth. With the US unwilling to play the role of consumer of last resort and being determined to limit its current account deficit,  this avenue is not available anymore. In the absence of a rethink by German policy makers as to how to make German growth more self -sustaining a deflationary feedback loop is developing between the EU and China. 

5. The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma – Asian Currencies, Indonesian Media, and Shopee

This week’s offering of Insights across ASEAN@Smartkarma is filled with another eclectic mix of differentiated, substantive and actionable insights from across South East Asia and includes macro, top-down and thematic pieces, as well as actionable equity bottom-up pieces. Please find a brief summary below, with a fuller write up in the detailed section.

Macro Insights

In Widodo’s Generals Take Fire / Anti-Foreign Rhetoric Takes Toll / Land Hampers Adhi’s LRT / MRT Near, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Kevin O’Rourke provides his value-added views on political and economic developments in Indonesia over the last week. 

In Asia’s External Balances Signal Safety for Investors, Dr Jim Walker takes a close look at Asian currencies, their performance over the last year and highlights some interesting misperceptions. 

Equity Bottom-Up Insights

In the second company piece in a Smartkarma Originals series, Indonesia Property – In Search of the End of the Rainbow – Part 2 –  Bumi Serpong Damai (BSDE IJ), CrossASEAN Insight ProviderAngus Mackintosh looks in detail at leading township developer Bumi Serpong Damai (BSDE IJ), which has exposure ranging from landed housing, shophouses, condominiums, as well as the defensive and growing buffer of nearly 20% of revenues coming from recurrent rental income. 

In Procurri: Exit DeClout, Enter Novo Tellus. Company Remains Highly Undervalued at 4.4x 2018 EV/EBITDA, CrossASEAN Insight provider Nicolas Van Broekhoven revisits Procurri Corporation (PROC SP) and finds an overhang lifted for the stock.  

In Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring, Angus Mackintosh revisits this leading Indonesian media company and finds it on the cusp of a more digital future. 

In Blue Bird (BIRD IJ) – Transport Wizzard with a Twist, Angus Mackintosh revisits Indonesia’s leading taxi company after a meeting with management and comes back with some positive newsflow. 

In Sea Ltd: Further Share Re-Rating After a 35% Daily Gain? Why Not?, Johannes Salim, CFA circles back to Sea Ltd (SE US) after the post-results call with management. 

In Bank Danamon Goes Ex-Rights, Travis Lundy circles back to the ongoing merger between Bank Danamon Indonesia (BDMN IJ) and Mitsubishi Ufj Financial (8306 JP)

In BIMB: Market Gives Thumbs-Up to Results, Paul Hollingworth takes a close look at this Malaysian Bank. Bimb Holdings (BIMB MK) or BHB commands two subsidiaries, Bank Islam and Takaful Malaysia.

In Golden Land: Less An Offer, More A Consolidation Of Interests, event-driven specialist David Blennerhassett revisits this ongoing takeover situation. 

In Ho Bee Land – 4Q Earnings Hit by Unexpected Tax Provision, Royston Foo revisits the company post recent results. 

In SYNEX: New Smartphone Launches Help Drive Earnings Momentum in 2019, our friend at Country Group comment on Synnex Thailand (SYNEX TB) following recent numbers. 

In PRM: Thai Largest Tanker Fleets Assured of Consistent Growth, Country Group initiates coverage on Prima Marine PCL (PRM TB) with a BUY rating. 

Sector and Thematic Insights

In INDO Snippets: Second Presidential Debate, BNLI & PNBN – This Time Is Real?, CrossASEAN Insight provider Jessica Irene provides us with substantive and significant on the ground chatter that may potentially have a meaningful impact on the Indonesian Equity Market. This week she comments on the second presidential debate, Bank Permata (BNLI IJ) stake sale rumours, as well as ANZ’s potential disposal of its stake in Bank Pan Indonesia (PNBN IJ)

In Jakarta Trip – On the Ground Insight Feb 2019, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Henry Soediarko provides us with his value-added on the ground comments following a trip to Jakarta. 

In Singapore Real Deals (Issue 4): Purpose Built Workers Accommodation, an Alternative Asset Class, Anni Kum puts out her fortnightly property digest that takes you through the peculiarities of Singapore’s real estate market. In this issue, she examines Singapore’s Purpose Built Workers Accommodation (PBWA) industry landscape in light of the nation’s foreign workforce policy.

Get Straight to the Source on Smartkarma

Smartkarma supports the world’s leading investors with high-quality, timely, and actionable Insights. Subscribe now for unlimited access, or request a demo below.



Brief Thailand: Thai Telcos Struggle as All Three Seek to Gain Share While Spectrum Risk Looms Again in 2019. and more

By | Thailand

In this briefing:

  1. Thai Telcos Struggle as All Three Seek to Gain Share While Spectrum Risk Looms Again in 2019.
  2. Snippets #19: Marijuana, Mergers, and More
  3. China – Eurozone Negative Feedback Loop.
  4. The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma – Asian Currencies, Indonesian Media, and Shopee
  5. JKN: 4Q18 Earnings Grew Both YoY and QoQ

1. Thai Telcos Struggle as All Three Seek to Gain Share While Spectrum Risk Looms Again in 2019.

Thai%20market%20share

Chris Hoare met the Thai telcos recently but did not come away particularly enthused. His view is that the market probably remains tough this year. The good news is that the low priced, limited speed with unlimited usage, offers have mostly been withdrawn. It will take 2-3 quarters for this to work through, as these were 12 month plans, but it does suggest improved data monetization as the year progresses. A lack of data monetization was the key reason behind the revenue slowdown in 2H18. However, with data usage now so high (around 10GB/month), and content services unlikely to lead to revenue growth in the foreseeable future, overall revenue recovery is likely to be modest. 

2. Snippets #19: Marijuana, Mergers, and More

Warren

Five interesting trends/developments that could impact Thai equities in the recent period:

  • Legalization of medicinal marijuana. Thailand legalized medicinal use of marijuana at end of February and has already received immense interest from potential growers. At some point, pharma and healthcare companies could be beneficiaries of this trend.
  • Rumbles in the airline industry. Asia Aviation (AAV TB) , parent company of Thai Air Asia, acquires a stake in competitor Nok Air. This is one of the few signs of industry consolidation in this sector.
  • MOU signed between TMB and Thanachart. The deal may take longer than initially expected, but the two sides have agreed on some basics such as 70% equity financing and deal size of roughly Bt130-140bn.
  • Read-through from US Election 2020. Some of the Democrat policies advocated by candidates in 2020 could turn out to be positive for Asian equities.
  • BGrimm acquires Glow SPP1 for a bargain price of Bt3.3bn, or 55% of the expected price, opening the way for the GPSC-Glow merger, potentially the largest deal of 2019.

3. China – Eurozone Negative Feedback Loop.

Historically, Germany and China have depended on exports to lead growth. With the US unwilling to play the role of consumer of last resort and being determined to limit its current account deficit,  this avenue is not available anymore. In the absence of a rethink by German policy makers as to how to make German growth more self -sustaining a deflationary feedback loop is developing between the EU and China. 

4. The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma – Asian Currencies, Indonesian Media, and Shopee

This week’s offering of Insights across ASEAN@Smartkarma is filled with another eclectic mix of differentiated, substantive and actionable insights from across South East Asia and includes macro, top-down and thematic pieces, as well as actionable equity bottom-up pieces. Please find a brief summary below, with a fuller write up in the detailed section.

Macro Insights

In Widodo’s Generals Take Fire / Anti-Foreign Rhetoric Takes Toll / Land Hampers Adhi’s LRT / MRT Near, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Kevin O’Rourke provides his value-added views on political and economic developments in Indonesia over the last week. 

In Asia’s External Balances Signal Safety for Investors, Dr Jim Walker takes a close look at Asian currencies, their performance over the last year and highlights some interesting misperceptions. 

Equity Bottom-Up Insights

In the second company piece in a Smartkarma Originals series, Indonesia Property – In Search of the End of the Rainbow – Part 2 –  Bumi Serpong Damai (BSDE IJ), CrossASEAN Insight ProviderAngus Mackintosh looks in detail at leading township developer Bumi Serpong Damai (BSDE IJ), which has exposure ranging from landed housing, shophouses, condominiums, as well as the defensive and growing buffer of nearly 20% of revenues coming from recurrent rental income. 

In Procurri: Exit DeClout, Enter Novo Tellus. Company Remains Highly Undervalued at 4.4x 2018 EV/EBITDA, CrossASEAN Insight provider Nicolas Van Broekhoven revisits Procurri Corporation (PROC SP) and finds an overhang lifted for the stock.  

In Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring, Angus Mackintosh revisits this leading Indonesian media company and finds it on the cusp of a more digital future. 

In Blue Bird (BIRD IJ) – Transport Wizzard with a Twist, Angus Mackintosh revisits Indonesia’s leading taxi company after a meeting with management and comes back with some positive newsflow. 

In Sea Ltd: Further Share Re-Rating After a 35% Daily Gain? Why Not?, Johannes Salim, CFA circles back to Sea Ltd (SE US) after the post-results call with management. 

In Bank Danamon Goes Ex-Rights, Travis Lundy circles back to the ongoing merger between Bank Danamon Indonesia (BDMN IJ) and Mitsubishi Ufj Financial (8306 JP)

In BIMB: Market Gives Thumbs-Up to Results, Paul Hollingworth takes a close look at this Malaysian Bank. Bimb Holdings (BIMB MK) or BHB commands two subsidiaries, Bank Islam and Takaful Malaysia.

In Golden Land: Less An Offer, More A Consolidation Of Interests, event-driven specialist David Blennerhassett revisits this ongoing takeover situation. 

In Ho Bee Land – 4Q Earnings Hit by Unexpected Tax Provision, Royston Foo revisits the company post recent results. 

In SYNEX: New Smartphone Launches Help Drive Earnings Momentum in 2019, our friend at Country Group comment on Synnex Thailand (SYNEX TB) following recent numbers. 

In PRM: Thai Largest Tanker Fleets Assured of Consistent Growth, Country Group initiates coverage on Prima Marine PCL (PRM TB) with a BUY rating. 

Sector and Thematic Insights

In INDO Snippets: Second Presidential Debate, BNLI & PNBN – This Time Is Real?, CrossASEAN Insight provider Jessica Irene provides us with substantive and significant on the ground chatter that may potentially have a meaningful impact on the Indonesian Equity Market. This week she comments on the second presidential debate, Bank Permata (BNLI IJ) stake sale rumours, as well as ANZ’s potential disposal of its stake in Bank Pan Indonesia (PNBN IJ)

In Jakarta Trip – On the Ground Insight Feb 2019, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Henry Soediarko provides us with his value-added on the ground comments following a trip to Jakarta. 

In Singapore Real Deals (Issue 4): Purpose Built Workers Accommodation, an Alternative Asset Class, Anni Kum puts out her fortnightly property digest that takes you through the peculiarities of Singapore’s real estate market. In this issue, she examines Singapore’s Purpose Built Workers Accommodation (PBWA) industry landscape in light of the nation’s foreign workforce policy.

5. JKN: 4Q18 Earnings Grew Both YoY and QoQ

Jkn%20update%201

The company’s 4Q18 net profit was at Bt46m (+298%YoY and +8%QoQ). The result was in line with our 2018 forecast and accounted for 97% of our full-year forecast.

  • A YoY surge in earnings was due to a 30% increase in revenue to Bt360m, mainly from export revenue (50% revenue contribution in 3Q18 from 0% in 4Q17). A QoQ gain was caused a reduction in extra expenses for holding an annual event ‘JKN mega showcase’ in early August.
  • 2019 earnings outlook is still decent on the back of 1.) higher revenue contribution from export market especially South East Asia (26% of revenue in 2018), 2.) CNBC studio commencement in 2Q19, and, 3.) revenue recognition from new channel subscribers (No.5, Thairath, Spring news, True4U, Nation and MONO)

We maintain our forecast and BUY rating for JKN with a target price of Bt8.80 based on 14.8xPE’19E mean of the Asia ex-Japan Consumer Discretionary Sector.

Get Straight to the Source on Smartkarma

Smartkarma supports the world’s leading investors with high-quality, timely, and actionable Insights. Subscribe now for unlimited access, or request a demo below.



Brief Thailand: Snippets #19: Marijuana, Mergers, and More and more

By | Thailand

In this briefing:

  1. Snippets #19: Marijuana, Mergers, and More
  2. China – Eurozone Negative Feedback Loop.
  3. The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma – Asian Currencies, Indonesian Media, and Shopee
  4. JKN: 4Q18 Earnings Grew Both YoY and QoQ
  5. Monthly Geopolitical Comment: Waiting for Trump and Xi to Clinch a Deal

1. Snippets #19: Marijuana, Mergers, and More

India%20pakistan

Five interesting trends/developments that could impact Thai equities in the recent period:

  • Legalization of medicinal marijuana. Thailand legalized medicinal use of marijuana at end of February and has already received immense interest from potential growers. At some point, pharma and healthcare companies could be beneficiaries of this trend.
  • Rumbles in the airline industry. Asia Aviation (AAV TB) , parent company of Thai Air Asia, acquires a stake in competitor Nok Air. This is one of the few signs of industry consolidation in this sector.
  • MOU signed between TMB and Thanachart. The deal may take longer than initially expected, but the two sides have agreed on some basics such as 70% equity financing and deal size of roughly Bt130-140bn.
  • Read-through from US Election 2020. Some of the Democrat policies advocated by candidates in 2020 could turn out to be positive for Asian equities.
  • BGrimm acquires Glow SPP1 for a bargain price of Bt3.3bn, or 55% of the expected price, opening the way for the GPSC-Glow merger, potentially the largest deal of 2019.

2. China – Eurozone Negative Feedback Loop.

Historically, Germany and China have depended on exports to lead growth. With the US unwilling to play the role of consumer of last resort and being determined to limit its current account deficit,  this avenue is not available anymore. In the absence of a rethink by German policy makers as to how to make German growth more self -sustaining a deflationary feedback loop is developing between the EU and China. 

3. The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma – Asian Currencies, Indonesian Media, and Shopee

This week’s offering of Insights across ASEAN@Smartkarma is filled with another eclectic mix of differentiated, substantive and actionable insights from across South East Asia and includes macro, top-down and thematic pieces, as well as actionable equity bottom-up pieces. Please find a brief summary below, with a fuller write up in the detailed section.

Macro Insights

In Widodo’s Generals Take Fire / Anti-Foreign Rhetoric Takes Toll / Land Hampers Adhi’s LRT / MRT Near, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Kevin O’Rourke provides his value-added views on political and economic developments in Indonesia over the last week. 

In Asia’s External Balances Signal Safety for Investors, Dr Jim Walker takes a close look at Asian currencies, their performance over the last year and highlights some interesting misperceptions. 

Equity Bottom-Up Insights

In the second company piece in a Smartkarma Originals series, Indonesia Property – In Search of the End of the Rainbow – Part 2 –  Bumi Serpong Damai (BSDE IJ), CrossASEAN Insight ProviderAngus Mackintosh looks in detail at leading township developer Bumi Serpong Damai (BSDE IJ), which has exposure ranging from landed housing, shophouses, condominiums, as well as the defensive and growing buffer of nearly 20% of revenues coming from recurrent rental income. 

In Procurri: Exit DeClout, Enter Novo Tellus. Company Remains Highly Undervalued at 4.4x 2018 EV/EBITDA, CrossASEAN Insight provider Nicolas Van Broekhoven revisits Procurri Corporation (PROC SP) and finds an overhang lifted for the stock.  

In Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring, Angus Mackintosh revisits this leading Indonesian media company and finds it on the cusp of a more digital future. 

In Blue Bird (BIRD IJ) – Transport Wizzard with a Twist, Angus Mackintosh revisits Indonesia’s leading taxi company after a meeting with management and comes back with some positive newsflow. 

In Sea Ltd: Further Share Re-Rating After a 35% Daily Gain? Why Not?, Johannes Salim, CFA circles back to Sea Ltd (SE US) after the post-results call with management. 

In Bank Danamon Goes Ex-Rights, Travis Lundy circles back to the ongoing merger between Bank Danamon Indonesia (BDMN IJ) and Mitsubishi Ufj Financial (8306 JP)

In BIMB: Market Gives Thumbs-Up to Results, Paul Hollingworth takes a close look at this Malaysian Bank. Bimb Holdings (BIMB MK) or BHB commands two subsidiaries, Bank Islam and Takaful Malaysia.

In Golden Land: Less An Offer, More A Consolidation Of Interests, event-driven specialist David Blennerhassett revisits this ongoing takeover situation. 

In Ho Bee Land – 4Q Earnings Hit by Unexpected Tax Provision, Royston Foo revisits the company post recent results. 

In SYNEX: New Smartphone Launches Help Drive Earnings Momentum in 2019, our friend at Country Group comment on Synnex Thailand (SYNEX TB) following recent numbers. 

In PRM: Thai Largest Tanker Fleets Assured of Consistent Growth, Country Group initiates coverage on Prima Marine PCL (PRM TB) with a BUY rating. 

Sector and Thematic Insights

In INDO Snippets: Second Presidential Debate, BNLI & PNBN – This Time Is Real?, CrossASEAN Insight provider Jessica Irene provides us with substantive and significant on the ground chatter that may potentially have a meaningful impact on the Indonesian Equity Market. This week she comments on the second presidential debate, Bank Permata (BNLI IJ) stake sale rumours, as well as ANZ’s potential disposal of its stake in Bank Pan Indonesia (PNBN IJ)

In Jakarta Trip – On the Ground Insight Feb 2019, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Henry Soediarko provides us with his value-added on the ground comments following a trip to Jakarta. 

In Singapore Real Deals (Issue 4): Purpose Built Workers Accommodation, an Alternative Asset Class, Anni Kum puts out her fortnightly property digest that takes you through the peculiarities of Singapore’s real estate market. In this issue, she examines Singapore’s Purpose Built Workers Accommodation (PBWA) industry landscape in light of the nation’s foreign workforce policy.

4. JKN: 4Q18 Earnings Grew Both YoY and QoQ

Jkn%20update%203

The company’s 4Q18 net profit was at Bt46m (+298%YoY and +8%QoQ). The result was in line with our 2018 forecast and accounted for 97% of our full-year forecast.

  • A YoY surge in earnings was due to a 30% increase in revenue to Bt360m, mainly from export revenue (50% revenue contribution in 3Q18 from 0% in 4Q17). A QoQ gain was caused a reduction in extra expenses for holding an annual event ‘JKN mega showcase’ in early August.
  • 2019 earnings outlook is still decent on the back of 1.) higher revenue contribution from export market especially South East Asia (26% of revenue in 2018), 2.) CNBC studio commencement in 2Q19, and, 3.) revenue recognition from new channel subscribers (No.5, Thairath, Spring news, True4U, Nation and MONO)

We maintain our forecast and BUY rating for JKN with a target price of Bt8.80 based on 14.8xPE’19E mean of the Asia ex-Japan Consumer Discretionary Sector.

5. Monthly Geopolitical Comment: Waiting for Trump and Xi to Clinch a Deal

In the past month, positive announcements from both sides stoked hopes for a trade deal between the US and China. Meanwhile, global security deteriorated, with two more regions finding themselves on a brink of war. A major terrorist act in Kashmir provoked a sharp increase in tensions between India and Pakistan. Venezuela’s opposition leader has called for foreign powers to intervene after deadly clashes on the Colombian border. On the other hand, investors should be relieved by the relatively calm situation in Nigeria where incumbent president Buhari won the election last weekend.  In Brazil, newly elected president Bolsonaro hopes to push through radical pension reform.

Get Straight to the Source on Smartkarma

Smartkarma supports the world’s leading investors with high-quality, timely, and actionable Insights. Subscribe now for unlimited access, or request a demo below.



Brief Thailand: China – Eurozone Negative Feedback Loop. and more

By | Thailand

In this briefing:

  1. China – Eurozone Negative Feedback Loop.
  2. The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma – Asian Currencies, Indonesian Media, and Shopee
  3. JKN: 4Q18 Earnings Grew Both YoY and QoQ
  4. Monthly Geopolitical Comment: Waiting for Trump and Xi to Clinch a Deal
  5. Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring – On the Ground in J-Town

1. China – Eurozone Negative Feedback Loop.

Historically, Germany and China have depended on exports to lead growth. With the US unwilling to play the role of consumer of last resort and being determined to limit its current account deficit,  this avenue is not available anymore. In the absence of a rethink by German policy makers as to how to make German growth more self -sustaining a deflationary feedback loop is developing between the EU and China. 

2. The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma – Asian Currencies, Indonesian Media, and Shopee

This week’s offering of Insights across ASEAN@Smartkarma is filled with another eclectic mix of differentiated, substantive and actionable insights from across South East Asia and includes macro, top-down and thematic pieces, as well as actionable equity bottom-up pieces. Please find a brief summary below, with a fuller write up in the detailed section.

Macro Insights

In Widodo’s Generals Take Fire / Anti-Foreign Rhetoric Takes Toll / Land Hampers Adhi’s LRT / MRT Near, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Kevin O’Rourke provides his value-added views on political and economic developments in Indonesia over the last week. 

In Asia’s External Balances Signal Safety for Investors, Dr Jim Walker takes a close look at Asian currencies, their performance over the last year and highlights some interesting misperceptions. 

Equity Bottom-Up Insights

In the second company piece in a Smartkarma Originals series, Indonesia Property – In Search of the End of the Rainbow – Part 2 –  Bumi Serpong Damai (BSDE IJ), CrossASEAN Insight ProviderAngus Mackintosh looks in detail at leading township developer Bumi Serpong Damai (BSDE IJ), which has exposure ranging from landed housing, shophouses, condominiums, as well as the defensive and growing buffer of nearly 20% of revenues coming from recurrent rental income. 

In Procurri: Exit DeClout, Enter Novo Tellus. Company Remains Highly Undervalued at 4.4x 2018 EV/EBITDA, CrossASEAN Insight provider Nicolas Van Broekhoven revisits Procurri Corporation (PROC SP) and finds an overhang lifted for the stock.  

In Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring, Angus Mackintosh revisits this leading Indonesian media company and finds it on the cusp of a more digital future. 

In Blue Bird (BIRD IJ) – Transport Wizzard with a Twist, Angus Mackintosh revisits Indonesia’s leading taxi company after a meeting with management and comes back with some positive newsflow. 

In Sea Ltd: Further Share Re-Rating After a 35% Daily Gain? Why Not?, Johannes Salim, CFA circles back to Sea Ltd (SE US) after the post-results call with management. 

In Bank Danamon Goes Ex-Rights, Travis Lundy circles back to the ongoing merger between Bank Danamon Indonesia (BDMN IJ) and Mitsubishi Ufj Financial (8306 JP)

In BIMB: Market Gives Thumbs-Up to Results, Paul Hollingworth takes a close look at this Malaysian Bank. Bimb Holdings (BIMB MK) or BHB commands two subsidiaries, Bank Islam and Takaful Malaysia.

In Golden Land: Less An Offer, More A Consolidation Of Interests, event-driven specialist David Blennerhassett revisits this ongoing takeover situation. 

In Ho Bee Land – 4Q Earnings Hit by Unexpected Tax Provision, Royston Foo revisits the company post recent results. 

In SYNEX: New Smartphone Launches Help Drive Earnings Momentum in 2019, our friend at Country Group comment on Synnex Thailand (SYNEX TB) following recent numbers. 

In PRM: Thai Largest Tanker Fleets Assured of Consistent Growth, Country Group initiates coverage on Prima Marine PCL (PRM TB) with a BUY rating. 

Sector and Thematic Insights

In INDO Snippets: Second Presidential Debate, BNLI & PNBN – This Time Is Real?, CrossASEAN Insight provider Jessica Irene provides us with substantive and significant on the ground chatter that may potentially have a meaningful impact on the Indonesian Equity Market. This week she comments on the second presidential debate, Bank Permata (BNLI IJ) stake sale rumours, as well as ANZ’s potential disposal of its stake in Bank Pan Indonesia (PNBN IJ)

In Jakarta Trip – On the Ground Insight Feb 2019, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Henry Soediarko provides us with his value-added on the ground comments following a trip to Jakarta. 

In Singapore Real Deals (Issue 4): Purpose Built Workers Accommodation, an Alternative Asset Class, Anni Kum puts out her fortnightly property digest that takes you through the peculiarities of Singapore’s real estate market. In this issue, she examines Singapore’s Purpose Built Workers Accommodation (PBWA) industry landscape in light of the nation’s foreign workforce policy.

3. JKN: 4Q18 Earnings Grew Both YoY and QoQ

Jkn%20update%203

The company’s 4Q18 net profit was at Bt46m (+298%YoY and +8%QoQ). The result was in line with our 2018 forecast and accounted for 97% of our full-year forecast.

  • A YoY surge in earnings was due to a 30% increase in revenue to Bt360m, mainly from export revenue (50% revenue contribution in 3Q18 from 0% in 4Q17). A QoQ gain was caused a reduction in extra expenses for holding an annual event ‘JKN mega showcase’ in early August.
  • 2019 earnings outlook is still decent on the back of 1.) higher revenue contribution from export market especially South East Asia (26% of revenue in 2018), 2.) CNBC studio commencement in 2Q19, and, 3.) revenue recognition from new channel subscribers (No.5, Thairath, Spring news, True4U, Nation and MONO)

We maintain our forecast and BUY rating for JKN with a target price of Bt8.80 based on 14.8xPE’19E mean of the Asia ex-Japan Consumer Discretionary Sector.

4. Monthly Geopolitical Comment: Waiting for Trump and Xi to Clinch a Deal

In the past month, positive announcements from both sides stoked hopes for a trade deal between the US and China. Meanwhile, global security deteriorated, with two more regions finding themselves on a brink of war. A major terrorist act in Kashmir provoked a sharp increase in tensions between India and Pakistan. Venezuela’s opposition leader has called for foreign powers to intervene after deadly clashes on the Colombian border. On the other hand, investors should be relieved by the relatively calm situation in Nigeria where incumbent president Buhari won the election last weekend.  In Brazil, newly elected president Bolsonaro hopes to push through radical pension reform.

5. Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring – On the Ground in J-Town

Screenshot%202019 02 28%20at%204.26.34%20pm

A meeting Surya Citra Media Pt Tbk (SCMA IJ) in Jakarta found management in a relatively ebullient mood. The share price performance has been slightly perplexing the fact that its digital strategy is close to coming to fruition, with upcoming acquisitions representing a positive catalyst.

The company will move forward on acquiring controlling stakes in digital streaming player www.vidio.com, internet company www.kapanlagi.com, and out of home media advertising player EYE Indonesia.

Total revenues from the digital and non-TV space will grow from less than 5% of SCMA’s total revenue to nearly 20% of the total, making it the biggest player in both free-to-air and a major player in digital adverting in Indonesia.

Vidio.com is especially interesting given how fragmented that market is currently. Iy=t already has 22m active users viewing its sport and local content but is looking to bring in a major global player to help finance original content and bring in more international content. 

Internet companies represent the biggest and fastest growing advertising customers outside FMCG. They are increasingly paying above market rates for up to two-hour exclusive slots on prime time, where they air their own programming which allows them to engage with the audience. 

The recent Kraft Heinz Co (KHC US) debacle may signal the end of zero-based budgeting, which may mean global players such as Unilever Indonesia (UNVR IJ) start to spend more on advertising. in the meantime, local FMCG players remain more aggressive on advertising their products on TV. 

Surya Citra Media Pt Tbk (SCMA IJ) remains the best quality proxy to the advertising market in Indonesia. The upcoming acquisitions in the digital space represent strong potential catalysts for the stock, which have not yet been factored into valuations. Its core business continues to register stable and rising growth, especially from local FMCG players, with the re-entry of the tobacco companies potentially representing another boon for this year, given there has been no excise tax increase. According to Capital IQ consensus, the company is trading on 15.3x FY19E PER and 13.8x FY20E PER, with forecasts EPS growth of +8.5% and +10.5% for FY19E and FY20E respectively.  The company is forecast to achieve an ROE of 33% in 2019, with a dividend yield of 4.2%. 

Get Straight to the Source on Smartkarma

Smartkarma supports the world’s leading investors with high-quality, timely, and actionable Insights. Subscribe now for unlimited access, or request a demo below.



Brief Thailand: The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma – Asian Currencies, Indonesian Media, and Shopee and more

By | Thailand

In this briefing:

  1. The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma – Asian Currencies, Indonesian Media, and Shopee
  2. JKN: 4Q18 Earnings Grew Both YoY and QoQ
  3. Monthly Geopolitical Comment: Waiting for Trump and Xi to Clinch a Deal
  4. Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring – On the Ground in J-Town
  5. Global EM Special: Andean Condors Vs Asian Elephants – Where Is the Growth in EM?

1. The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma – Asian Currencies, Indonesian Media, and Shopee

This week’s offering of Insights across ASEAN@Smartkarma is filled with another eclectic mix of differentiated, substantive and actionable insights from across South East Asia and includes macro, top-down and thematic pieces, as well as actionable equity bottom-up pieces. Please find a brief summary below, with a fuller write up in the detailed section.

Macro Insights

In Widodo’s Generals Take Fire / Anti-Foreign Rhetoric Takes Toll / Land Hampers Adhi’s LRT / MRT Near, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Kevin O’Rourke provides his value-added views on political and economic developments in Indonesia over the last week. 

In Asia’s External Balances Signal Safety for Investors, Dr Jim Walker takes a close look at Asian currencies, their performance over the last year and highlights some interesting misperceptions. 

Equity Bottom-Up Insights

In the second company piece in a Smartkarma Originals series, Indonesia Property – In Search of the End of the Rainbow – Part 2 –  Bumi Serpong Damai (BSDE IJ), CrossASEAN Insight ProviderAngus Mackintosh looks in detail at leading township developer Bumi Serpong Damai (BSDE IJ), which has exposure ranging from landed housing, shophouses, condominiums, as well as the defensive and growing buffer of nearly 20% of revenues coming from recurrent rental income. 

In Procurri: Exit DeClout, Enter Novo Tellus. Company Remains Highly Undervalued at 4.4x 2018 EV/EBITDA, CrossASEAN Insight provider Nicolas Van Broekhoven revisits Procurri Corporation (PROC SP) and finds an overhang lifted for the stock.  

In Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring, Angus Mackintosh revisits this leading Indonesian media company and finds it on the cusp of a more digital future. 

In Blue Bird (BIRD IJ) – Transport Wizzard with a Twist, Angus Mackintosh revisits Indonesia’s leading taxi company after a meeting with management and comes back with some positive newsflow. 

In Sea Ltd: Further Share Re-Rating After a 35% Daily Gain? Why Not?, Johannes Salim, CFA circles back to Sea Ltd (SE US) after the post-results call with management. 

In Bank Danamon Goes Ex-Rights, Travis Lundy circles back to the ongoing merger between Bank Danamon Indonesia (BDMN IJ) and Mitsubishi Ufj Financial (8306 JP)

In BIMB: Market Gives Thumbs-Up to Results, Paul Hollingworth takes a close look at this Malaysian Bank. Bimb Holdings (BIMB MK) or BHB commands two subsidiaries, Bank Islam and Takaful Malaysia.

In Golden Land: Less An Offer, More A Consolidation Of Interests, event-driven specialist David Blennerhassett revisits this ongoing takeover situation. 

In Ho Bee Land – 4Q Earnings Hit by Unexpected Tax Provision, Royston Foo revisits the company post recent results. 

In SYNEX: New Smartphone Launches Help Drive Earnings Momentum in 2019, our friend at Country Group comment on Synnex Thailand (SYNEX TB) following recent numbers. 

In PRM: Thai Largest Tanker Fleets Assured of Consistent Growth, Country Group initiates coverage on Prima Marine PCL (PRM TB) with a BUY rating. 

Sector and Thematic Insights

In INDO Snippets: Second Presidential Debate, BNLI & PNBN – This Time Is Real?, CrossASEAN Insight provider Jessica Irene provides us with substantive and significant on the ground chatter that may potentially have a meaningful impact on the Indonesian Equity Market. This week she comments on the second presidential debate, Bank Permata (BNLI IJ) stake sale rumours, as well as ANZ’s potential disposal of its stake in Bank Pan Indonesia (PNBN IJ)

In Jakarta Trip – On the Ground Insight Feb 2019, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Henry Soediarko provides us with his value-added on the ground comments following a trip to Jakarta. 

In Singapore Real Deals (Issue 4): Purpose Built Workers Accommodation, an Alternative Asset Class, Anni Kum puts out her fortnightly property digest that takes you through the peculiarities of Singapore’s real estate market. In this issue, she examines Singapore’s Purpose Built Workers Accommodation (PBWA) industry landscape in light of the nation’s foreign workforce policy.

2. JKN: 4Q18 Earnings Grew Both YoY and QoQ

Jkn%20update%203

The company’s 4Q18 net profit was at Bt46m (+298%YoY and +8%QoQ). The result was in line with our 2018 forecast and accounted for 97% of our full-year forecast.

  • A YoY surge in earnings was due to a 30% increase in revenue to Bt360m, mainly from export revenue (50% revenue contribution in 3Q18 from 0% in 4Q17). A QoQ gain was caused a reduction in extra expenses for holding an annual event ‘JKN mega showcase’ in early August.
  • 2019 earnings outlook is still decent on the back of 1.) higher revenue contribution from export market especially South East Asia (26% of revenue in 2018), 2.) CNBC studio commencement in 2Q19, and, 3.) revenue recognition from new channel subscribers (No.5, Thairath, Spring news, True4U, Nation and MONO)

We maintain our forecast and BUY rating for JKN with a target price of Bt8.80 based on 14.8xPE’19E mean of the Asia ex-Japan Consumer Discretionary Sector.

3. Monthly Geopolitical Comment: Waiting for Trump and Xi to Clinch a Deal

In the past month, positive announcements from both sides stoked hopes for a trade deal between the US and China. Meanwhile, global security deteriorated, with two more regions finding themselves on a brink of war. A major terrorist act in Kashmir provoked a sharp increase in tensions between India and Pakistan. Venezuela’s opposition leader has called for foreign powers to intervene after deadly clashes on the Colombian border. On the other hand, investors should be relieved by the relatively calm situation in Nigeria where incumbent president Buhari won the election last weekend.  In Brazil, newly elected president Bolsonaro hopes to push through radical pension reform.

4. Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring – On the Ground in J-Town

Screenshot%202019 02 28%20at%204.26.34%20pm

A meeting Surya Citra Media Pt Tbk (SCMA IJ) in Jakarta found management in a relatively ebullient mood. The share price performance has been slightly perplexing the fact that its digital strategy is close to coming to fruition, with upcoming acquisitions representing a positive catalyst.

The company will move forward on acquiring controlling stakes in digital streaming player www.vidio.com, internet company www.kapanlagi.com, and out of home media advertising player EYE Indonesia.

Total revenues from the digital and non-TV space will grow from less than 5% of SCMA’s total revenue to nearly 20% of the total, making it the biggest player in both free-to-air and a major player in digital adverting in Indonesia.

Vidio.com is especially interesting given how fragmented that market is currently. Iy=t already has 22m active users viewing its sport and local content but is looking to bring in a major global player to help finance original content and bring in more international content. 

Internet companies represent the biggest and fastest growing advertising customers outside FMCG. They are increasingly paying above market rates for up to two-hour exclusive slots on prime time, where they air their own programming which allows them to engage with the audience. 

The recent Kraft Heinz Co (KHC US) debacle may signal the end of zero-based budgeting, which may mean global players such as Unilever Indonesia (UNVR IJ) start to spend more on advertising. in the meantime, local FMCG players remain more aggressive on advertising their products on TV. 

Surya Citra Media Pt Tbk (SCMA IJ) remains the best quality proxy to the advertising market in Indonesia. The upcoming acquisitions in the digital space represent strong potential catalysts for the stock, which have not yet been factored into valuations. Its core business continues to register stable and rising growth, especially from local FMCG players, with the re-entry of the tobacco companies potentially representing another boon for this year, given there has been no excise tax increase. According to Capital IQ consensus, the company is trading on 15.3x FY19E PER and 13.8x FY20E PER, with forecasts EPS growth of +8.5% and +10.5% for FY19E and FY20E respectively.  The company is forecast to achieve an ROE of 33% in 2019, with a dividend yield of 4.2%. 

5. Global EM Special: Andean Condors Vs Asian Elephants – Where Is the Growth in EM?

Slide8

Global growth is expected to slow over the coming quarters, possibly years – and emerging market economies are certainly not immune from this. Nevertheless, within this diverse universe, the pace of deceleration will be uneven. Whilst some “open” EM economies are generally synchronized with growth dynamics in the rest of the world, others will be shielded by a combination of idiosyncratic forces – including renewed accommodative (monetary and fiscal) policies, cyclical recovery or upswing in domestic growth drivers and – for some – positive political developments and reform progress. Still, other EMs are less fortunate and a growth deceleration is likely to deepen in the near-term – held back by less policy flexibility, political uncertainty and various domestic or external shocks.

With 4Q18 GDP growth reports underway, we sifted through – and synthesized – various growth indicators to introduce a “Growth-Profile Framework” (GPF) to systematically evaluate – and rank – growth profiles in a data-driven, automated and standardized manner. The “GPF” not only takes into account GDP for the most recently-reported four quarters but also forward-looking forecasts and the latest economist revisions, which often take into account the latest data surprises and other material developments.

The observation universe is the “Emerging Markets-25” (EM-25) of large, investable EM countries most often found in benchmark indices such as MSCI EM and JPMorgan (GBI-EM and EMBI) indices. This opportunity set offers a breadth of diversity spanning across Asia, EMEA and LatAm and different stages of development. 

Source: Author’s assessment based on Growth Profile Framework (GPF)

Highlights: 

  • Introducing the “EM-25” Growth Profile Framework: This data-driven, automated and standardized model generates a ranking of the “EM-25” economies based on a composite of factors reflecting: 1/ The most recent GDP growth data (in relation to three look-back periods), 2/ Forward-looking consensus growth forecasts (in relation to the most recent four quarters of GDP) and 3/ Upgrades and downgrades to those forecasts.
  • Andean condors soar while Asian elephants amble along: LatAm – specifically the Andean economies (plus Brazil) – currently stand out as having the most attractive growth profiles among the EM-25. They are helped by a combination of – largely idiosyncratic – factors ranging from newfound reform optimism (Brazil), improving domestic confidence (Colombia), pent-up domestic demand (Peru) and stabilizing appetite for key commodities (Chile). This contrasts with export-oriented Asian manufacturers that dominate the bottom rankings. Elsewhere, the legacy of past macroeconomic policy choices – both painfully orthodox (Argentina) and otherwise (Turkey, Venezuela, Pakistan) – are taking their unique toll on certain other economies.
  • Does growth matter for investment strategy? Yes…: Simplistically speaking, economies with exemplary growth profiles are viable candidates for long or overweight positions in equity markets and external debt. Strong growth is often associated with stronger corporate earnings potential as well as lower debt-to-GDP levels, respectively. Growth implications for FX and local debt are more ambiguous, but to the extent that a robust growth outlook guides central banks to tighten policy or lifts the government’s fiscal revenues over time, then this may also be positive for currencies and rates, respectively.
  • …But it’s complicated: However, strong growth can detract asset performance if it is the result of unsustainable policies (e.g. overly loose fiscal or monetary actions) or if it leads to overheating conditions (e.g. runaway inflation or a wider current account deficit). An attractive growth profile, as with all data sets, needs to be judged against its context. Although high and improving growth is an end-goal for many policymakers, the road to strong – and sustainable – growth is far more important for its longevity (and for risk assets over the medium-term). For instance: Are growth prospects improving due to rising productivity (as it might from structural reform)? Or rather from overly-stimulative policies that risk fanning inflation or widening the current account deficit? To what extent do officials have the policy flexibility to stoke growth, smoothen downside growth risks or stave off a recession? We touch upon these questions in the individual country sections below.

  • While the narrative is almost always more important than the number itself, this GPF framework nevertheless offers a valuable screening tool that systematically evaluates growth profiles – on a stand-alone and relative basis – across the “EM-25” universe.

Growth Profile Framework (GPF) Rankings: Snapshot and Historical Movement

Source: Author’s Growth Profile Framework (GPF)
Source: Author’s Growth Profile Framework (GPF)

Get Straight to the Source on Smartkarma

Smartkarma supports the world’s leading investors with high-quality, timely, and actionable Insights. Subscribe now for unlimited access, or request a demo below.



Brief Thailand: JKN: 4Q18 Earnings Grew Both YoY and QoQ and more

By | Thailand

In this briefing:

  1. JKN: 4Q18 Earnings Grew Both YoY and QoQ
  2. Monthly Geopolitical Comment: Waiting for Trump and Xi to Clinch a Deal
  3. Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring – On the Ground in J-Town
  4. Global EM Special: Andean Condors Vs Asian Elephants – Where Is the Growth in EM?
  5. Political Pit Stop (March): Time of Controversy

1. JKN: 4Q18 Earnings Grew Both YoY and QoQ

Jkn%20update%202

The company’s 4Q18 net profit was at Bt46m (+298%YoY and +8%QoQ). The result was in line with our 2018 forecast and accounted for 97% of our full-year forecast.

  • A YoY surge in earnings was due to a 30% increase in revenue to Bt360m, mainly from export revenue (50% revenue contribution in 3Q18 from 0% in 4Q17). A QoQ gain was caused a reduction in extra expenses for holding an annual event ‘JKN mega showcase’ in early August.
  • 2019 earnings outlook is still decent on the back of 1.) higher revenue contribution from export market especially South East Asia (26% of revenue in 2018), 2.) CNBC studio commencement in 2Q19, and, 3.) revenue recognition from new channel subscribers (No.5, Thairath, Spring news, True4U, Nation and MONO)

We maintain our forecast and BUY rating for JKN with a target price of Bt8.80 based on 14.8xPE’19E mean of the Asia ex-Japan Consumer Discretionary Sector.

2. Monthly Geopolitical Comment: Waiting for Trump and Xi to Clinch a Deal

In the past month, positive announcements from both sides stoked hopes for a trade deal between the US and China. Meanwhile, global security deteriorated, with two more regions finding themselves on a brink of war. A major terrorist act in Kashmir provoked a sharp increase in tensions between India and Pakistan. Venezuela’s opposition leader has called for foreign powers to intervene after deadly clashes on the Colombian border. On the other hand, investors should be relieved by the relatively calm situation in Nigeria where incumbent president Buhari won the election last weekend.  In Brazil, newly elected president Bolsonaro hopes to push through radical pension reform.

3. Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring – On the Ground in J-Town

Screenshot%202019 02 28%20at%204.26.34%20pm

A meeting Surya Citra Media Pt Tbk (SCMA IJ) in Jakarta found management in a relatively ebullient mood. The share price performance has been slightly perplexing the fact that its digital strategy is close to coming to fruition, with upcoming acquisitions representing a positive catalyst.

The company will move forward on acquiring controlling stakes in digital streaming player www.vidio.com, internet company www.kapanlagi.com, and out of home media advertising player EYE Indonesia.

Total revenues from the digital and non-TV space will grow from less than 5% of SCMA’s total revenue to nearly 20% of the total, making it the biggest player in both free-to-air and a major player in digital adverting in Indonesia.

Vidio.com is especially interesting given how fragmented that market is currently. Iy=t already has 22m active users viewing its sport and local content but is looking to bring in a major global player to help finance original content and bring in more international content. 

Internet companies represent the biggest and fastest growing advertising customers outside FMCG. They are increasingly paying above market rates for up to two-hour exclusive slots on prime time, where they air their own programming which allows them to engage with the audience. 

The recent Kraft Heinz Co (KHC US) debacle may signal the end of zero-based budgeting, which may mean global players such as Unilever Indonesia (UNVR IJ) start to spend more on advertising. in the meantime, local FMCG players remain more aggressive on advertising their products on TV. 

Surya Citra Media Pt Tbk (SCMA IJ) remains the best quality proxy to the advertising market in Indonesia. The upcoming acquisitions in the digital space represent strong potential catalysts for the stock, which have not yet been factored into valuations. Its core business continues to register stable and rising growth, especially from local FMCG players, with the re-entry of the tobacco companies potentially representing another boon for this year, given there has been no excise tax increase. According to Capital IQ consensus, the company is trading on 15.3x FY19E PER and 13.8x FY20E PER, with forecasts EPS growth of +8.5% and +10.5% for FY19E and FY20E respectively.  The company is forecast to achieve an ROE of 33% in 2019, with a dividend yield of 4.2%. 

4. Global EM Special: Andean Condors Vs Asian Elephants – Where Is the Growth in EM?

Slide8

Global growth is expected to slow over the coming quarters, possibly years – and emerging market economies are certainly not immune from this. Nevertheless, within this diverse universe, the pace of deceleration will be uneven. Whilst some “open” EM economies are generally synchronized with growth dynamics in the rest of the world, others will be shielded by a combination of idiosyncratic forces – including renewed accommodative (monetary and fiscal) policies, cyclical recovery or upswing in domestic growth drivers and – for some – positive political developments and reform progress. Still, other EMs are less fortunate and a growth deceleration is likely to deepen in the near-term – held back by less policy flexibility, political uncertainty and various domestic or external shocks.

With 4Q18 GDP growth reports underway, we sifted through – and synthesized – various growth indicators to introduce a “Growth-Profile Framework” (GPF) to systematically evaluate – and rank – growth profiles in a data-driven, automated and standardized manner. The “GPF” not only takes into account GDP for the most recently-reported four quarters but also forward-looking forecasts and the latest economist revisions, which often take into account the latest data surprises and other material developments.

The observation universe is the “Emerging Markets-25” (EM-25) of large, investable EM countries most often found in benchmark indices such as MSCI EM and JPMorgan (GBI-EM and EMBI) indices. This opportunity set offers a breadth of diversity spanning across Asia, EMEA and LatAm and different stages of development. 

Source: Author’s assessment based on Growth Profile Framework (GPF)

Highlights: 

  • Introducing the “EM-25” Growth Profile Framework: This data-driven, automated and standardized model generates a ranking of the “EM-25” economies based on a composite of factors reflecting: 1/ The most recent GDP growth data (in relation to three look-back periods), 2/ Forward-looking consensus growth forecasts (in relation to the most recent four quarters of GDP) and 3/ Upgrades and downgrades to those forecasts.
  • Andean condors soar while Asian elephants amble along: LatAm – specifically the Andean economies (plus Brazil) – currently stand out as having the most attractive growth profiles among the EM-25. They are helped by a combination of – largely idiosyncratic – factors ranging from newfound reform optimism (Brazil), improving domestic confidence (Colombia), pent-up domestic demand (Peru) and stabilizing appetite for key commodities (Chile). This contrasts with export-oriented Asian manufacturers that dominate the bottom rankings. Elsewhere, the legacy of past macroeconomic policy choices – both painfully orthodox (Argentina) and otherwise (Turkey, Venezuela, Pakistan) – are taking their unique toll on certain other economies.
  • Does growth matter for investment strategy? Yes…: Simplistically speaking, economies with exemplary growth profiles are viable candidates for long or overweight positions in equity markets and external debt. Strong growth is often associated with stronger corporate earnings potential as well as lower debt-to-GDP levels, respectively. Growth implications for FX and local debt are more ambiguous, but to the extent that a robust growth outlook guides central banks to tighten policy or lifts the government’s fiscal revenues over time, then this may also be positive for currencies and rates, respectively.
  • …But it’s complicated: However, strong growth can detract asset performance if it is the result of unsustainable policies (e.g. overly loose fiscal or monetary actions) or if it leads to overheating conditions (e.g. runaway inflation or a wider current account deficit). An attractive growth profile, as with all data sets, needs to be judged against its context. Although high and improving growth is an end-goal for many policymakers, the road to strong – and sustainable – growth is far more important for its longevity (and for risk assets over the medium-term). For instance: Are growth prospects improving due to rising productivity (as it might from structural reform)? Or rather from overly-stimulative policies that risk fanning inflation or widening the current account deficit? To what extent do officials have the policy flexibility to stoke growth, smoothen downside growth risks or stave off a recession? We touch upon these questions in the individual country sections below.

  • While the narrative is almost always more important than the number itself, this GPF framework nevertheless offers a valuable screening tool that systematically evaluates growth profiles – on a stand-alone and relative basis – across the “EM-25” universe.

Growth Profile Framework (GPF) Rankings: Snapshot and Historical Movement

Source: Author’s Growth Profile Framework (GPF)
Source: Author’s Growth Profile Framework (GPF)

5. Political Pit Stop (March): Time of Controversy

In the recent weeks, the election race heated up, and that’s not surprising when the elections are happening on the 24th. Even by Thai standards, some of these developments were considered quite landmark. Here’s three of the top ones:

  • The Thai Raksa Chart Incident. After nominating the King’s eldest sister as Prime Minister, the smaller Thaksinite party faces prospect of dissolution and public backlash.
  • National Debate. In a rare Thai Rath event lasting more than an hour, seven political parties, including all the four main ones, get to voice their key policies and even a chance at shooting down each other’s campaign promises. MCorp Review provides some highlights on the debate.
  • Army budget. The Thaksinites recently declared that they would cut the defense budget by 10% if elected, touching on one of the most sensitive issues for the Army faction. This is arguably the hottest issue on the media right now.

Get Straight to the Source on Smartkarma

Smartkarma supports the world’s leading investors with high-quality, timely, and actionable Insights. Subscribe now for unlimited access, or request a demo below.



Brief Thailand: Monthly Geopolitical Comment: Waiting for Trump and Xi to Clinch a Deal and more

By | Thailand

In this briefing:

  1. Monthly Geopolitical Comment: Waiting for Trump and Xi to Clinch a Deal
  2. Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring – On the Ground in J-Town
  3. Global EM Special: Andean Condors Vs Asian Elephants – Where Is the Growth in EM?
  4. Political Pit Stop (March): Time of Controversy
  5. SGP: Ready for New Growth Cycle

1. Monthly Geopolitical Comment: Waiting for Trump and Xi to Clinch a Deal

In the past month, positive announcements from both sides stoked hopes for a trade deal between the US and China. Meanwhile, global security deteriorated, with two more regions finding themselves on a brink of war. A major terrorist act in Kashmir provoked a sharp increase in tensions between India and Pakistan. Venezuela’s opposition leader has called for foreign powers to intervene after deadly clashes on the Colombian border. On the other hand, investors should be relieved by the relatively calm situation in Nigeria where incumbent president Buhari won the election last weekend.  In Brazil, newly elected president Bolsonaro hopes to push through radical pension reform.

2. Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring – On the Ground in J-Town

Screenshot%202019 02 28%20at%204.26.34%20pm

A meeting Surya Citra Media Pt Tbk (SCMA IJ) in Jakarta found management in a relatively ebullient mood. The share price performance has been slightly perplexing the fact that its digital strategy is close to coming to fruition, with upcoming acquisitions representing a positive catalyst.

The company will move forward on acquiring controlling stakes in digital streaming player www.vidio.com, internet company www.kapanlagi.com, and out of home media advertising player EYE Indonesia.

Total revenues from the digital and non-TV space will grow from less than 5% of SCMA’s total revenue to nearly 20% of the total, making it the biggest player in both free-to-air and a major player in digital adverting in Indonesia.

Vidio.com is especially interesting given how fragmented that market is currently. Iy=t already has 22m active users viewing its sport and local content but is looking to bring in a major global player to help finance original content and bring in more international content. 

Internet companies represent the biggest and fastest growing advertising customers outside FMCG. They are increasingly paying above market rates for up to two-hour exclusive slots on prime time, where they air their own programming which allows them to engage with the audience. 

The recent Kraft Heinz Co (KHC US) debacle may signal the end of zero-based budgeting, which may mean global players such as Unilever Indonesia (UNVR IJ) start to spend more on advertising. in the meantime, local FMCG players remain more aggressive on advertising their products on TV. 

Surya Citra Media Pt Tbk (SCMA IJ) remains the best quality proxy to the advertising market in Indonesia. The upcoming acquisitions in the digital space represent strong potential catalysts for the stock, which have not yet been factored into valuations. Its core business continues to register stable and rising growth, especially from local FMCG players, with the re-entry of the tobacco companies potentially representing another boon for this year, given there has been no excise tax increase. According to Capital IQ consensus, the company is trading on 15.3x FY19E PER and 13.8x FY20E PER, with forecasts EPS growth of +8.5% and +10.5% for FY19E and FY20E respectively.  The company is forecast to achieve an ROE of 33% in 2019, with a dividend yield of 4.2%. 

3. Global EM Special: Andean Condors Vs Asian Elephants – Where Is the Growth in EM?

Em25%20 %20scatter%20latest%20vs%20outlook

Global growth is expected to slow over the coming quarters, possibly years – and emerging market economies are certainly not immune from this. Nevertheless, within this diverse universe, the pace of deceleration will be uneven. Whilst some “open” EM economies are generally synchronized with growth dynamics in the rest of the world, others will be shielded by a combination of idiosyncratic forces – including renewed accommodative (monetary and fiscal) policies, cyclical recovery or upswing in domestic growth drivers and – for some – positive political developments and reform progress. Still, other EMs are less fortunate and a growth deceleration is likely to deepen in the near-term – held back by less policy flexibility, political uncertainty and various domestic or external shocks.

With 4Q18 GDP growth reports underway, we sifted through – and synthesized – various growth indicators to introduce a “Growth-Profile Framework” (GPF) to systematically evaluate – and rank – growth profiles in a data-driven, automated and standardized manner. The “GPF” not only takes into account GDP for the most recently-reported four quarters but also forward-looking forecasts and the latest economist revisions, which often take into account the latest data surprises and other material developments.

The observation universe is the “Emerging Markets-25” (EM-25) of large, investable EM countries most often found in benchmark indices such as MSCI EM and JPMorgan (GBI-EM and EMBI) indices. This opportunity set offers a breadth of diversity spanning across Asia, EMEA and LatAm and different stages of development. 

Source: Author’s assessment based on Growth Profile Framework (GPF)

Highlights: 

  • Introducing the “EM-25” Growth Profile Framework: This data-driven, automated and standardized model generates a ranking of the “EM-25” economies based on a composite of factors reflecting: 1/ The most recent GDP growth data (in relation to three look-back periods), 2/ Forward-looking consensus growth forecasts (in relation to the most recent four quarters of GDP) and 3/ Upgrades and downgrades to those forecasts.
  • Andean condors soar while Asian elephants amble along: LatAm – specifically the Andean economies (plus Brazil) – currently stand out as having the most attractive growth profiles among the EM-25. They are helped by a combination of – largely idiosyncratic – factors ranging from newfound reform optimism (Brazil), improving domestic confidence (Colombia), pent-up domestic demand (Peru) and stabilizing appetite for key commodities (Chile). This contrasts with export-oriented Asian manufacturers that dominate the bottom rankings. Elsewhere, the legacy of past macroeconomic policy choices – both painfully orthodox (Argentina) and otherwise (Turkey, Venezuela, Pakistan) – are taking their unique toll on certain other economies.
  • Does growth matter for investment strategy? Yes…: Simplistically speaking, economies with exemplary growth profiles are viable candidates for long or overweight positions in equity markets and external debt. Strong growth is often associated with stronger corporate earnings potential as well as lower debt-to-GDP levels, respectively. Growth implications for FX and local debt are more ambiguous, but to the extent that a robust growth outlook guides central banks to tighten policy or lifts the government’s fiscal revenues over time, then this may also be positive for currencies and rates, respectively.
  • …But it’s complicated: However, strong growth can detract asset performance if it is the result of unsustainable policies (e.g. overly loose fiscal or monetary actions) or if it leads to overheating conditions (e.g. runaway inflation or a wider current account deficit). An attractive growth profile, as with all data sets, needs to be judged against its context. Although high and improving growth is an end-goal for many policymakers, the road to strong – and sustainable – growth is far more important for its longevity (and for risk assets over the medium-term). For instance: Are growth prospects improving due to rising productivity (as it might from structural reform)? Or rather from overly-stimulative policies that risk fanning inflation or widening the current account deficit? To what extent do officials have the policy flexibility to stoke growth, smoothen downside growth risks or stave off a recession? We touch upon these questions in the individual country sections below.

  • While the narrative is almost always more important than the number itself, this GPF framework nevertheless offers a valuable screening tool that systematically evaluates growth profiles – on a stand-alone and relative basis – across the “EM-25” universe.

Growth Profile Framework (GPF) Rankings: Snapshot and Historical Movement

Source: Author’s Growth Profile Framework (GPF)
Source: Author’s Growth Profile Framework (GPF)

4. Political Pit Stop (March): Time of Controversy

In the recent weeks, the election race heated up, and that’s not surprising when the elections are happening on the 24th. Even by Thai standards, some of these developments were considered quite landmark. Here’s three of the top ones:

  • The Thai Raksa Chart Incident. After nominating the King’s eldest sister as Prime Minister, the smaller Thaksinite party faces prospect of dissolution and public backlash.
  • National Debate. In a rare Thai Rath event lasting more than an hour, seven political parties, including all the four main ones, get to voice their key policies and even a chance at shooting down each other’s campaign promises. MCorp Review provides some highlights on the debate.
  • Army budget. The Thaksinites recently declared that they would cut the defense budget by 10% if elected, touching on one of the most sensitive issues for the Army faction. This is arguably the hottest issue on the media right now.

5. SGP: Ready for New Growth Cycle

Sgp12345

We initiate coverage of SGP with a BUY rating and a 2019E target price of Bt14.00, derived from 10.9x PE’19E, which is +0.5 SD of its 3-year trading average. We believe that a new growth cycle is poised to act as a re-rating catalyst.

The story:

  • Regional LPG player with upstream transportation network
  • New businesses to drive new growth cycle
  • LPG price set to bottom out
  • Expected earnings to recover in 2019E

Risks: 

             Currency  fluctuation

             Raw material price fluctuation

             Overseas investment failure

Get Straight to the Source on Smartkarma

Smartkarma supports the world’s leading investors with high-quality, timely, and actionable Insights. Subscribe now for unlimited access, or request a demo below.



Brief Thailand: Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring – On the Ground in J-Town and more

By | Thailand

In this briefing:

  1. Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring – On the Ground in J-Town
  2. Global EM Special: Andean Condors Vs Asian Elephants – Where Is the Growth in EM?
  3. Political Pit Stop (March): Time of Controversy
  4. SGP: Ready for New Growth Cycle
  5. M&A: A Round-Up of Deals in February 2019

1. Surya Citra Media (SCMA IJ) – Digital Revolution in the Spring – On the Ground in J-Town

Screenshot%202019 02 28%20at%204.59.10%20pm

A meeting Surya Citra Media Pt Tbk (SCMA IJ) in Jakarta found management in a relatively ebullient mood. The share price performance has been slightly perplexing the fact that its digital strategy is close to coming to fruition, with upcoming acquisitions representing a positive catalyst.

The company will move forward on acquiring controlling stakes in digital streaming player www.vidio.com, internet company www.kapanlagi.com, and out of home media advertising player EYE Indonesia.

Total revenues from the digital and non-TV space will grow from less than 5% of SCMA’s total revenue to nearly 20% of the total, making it the biggest player in both free-to-air and a major player in digital adverting in Indonesia.

Vidio.com is especially interesting given how fragmented that market is currently. Iy=t already has 22m active users viewing its sport and local content but is looking to bring in a major global player to help finance original content and bring in more international content. 

Internet companies represent the biggest and fastest growing advertising customers outside FMCG. They are increasingly paying above market rates for up to two-hour exclusive slots on prime time, where they air their own programming which allows them to engage with the audience. 

The recent Kraft Heinz Co (KHC US) debacle may signal the end of zero-based budgeting, which may mean global players such as Unilever Indonesia (UNVR IJ) start to spend more on advertising. in the meantime, local FMCG players remain more aggressive on advertising their products on TV. 

Surya Citra Media Pt Tbk (SCMA IJ) remains the best quality proxy to the advertising market in Indonesia. The upcoming acquisitions in the digital space represent strong potential catalysts for the stock, which have not yet been factored into valuations. Its core business continues to register stable and rising growth, especially from local FMCG players, with the re-entry of the tobacco companies potentially representing another boon for this year, given there has been no excise tax increase. According to Capital IQ consensus, the company is trading on 15.3x FY19E PER and 13.8x FY20E PER, with forecasts EPS growth of +8.5% and +10.5% for FY19E and FY20E respectively.  The company is forecast to achieve an ROE of 33% in 2019, with a dividend yield of 4.2%. 

2. Global EM Special: Andean Condors Vs Asian Elephants – Where Is the Growth in EM?

Slide8

Global growth is expected to slow over the coming quarters, possibly years – and emerging market economies are certainly not immune from this. Nevertheless, within this diverse universe, the pace of deceleration will be uneven. Whilst some “open” EM economies are generally synchronized with growth dynamics in the rest of the world, others will be shielded by a combination of idiosyncratic forces – including renewed accommodative (monetary and fiscal) policies, cyclical recovery or upswing in domestic growth drivers and – for some – positive political developments and reform progress. Still, other EMs are less fortunate and a growth deceleration is likely to deepen in the near-term – held back by less policy flexibility, political uncertainty and various domestic or external shocks.

With 4Q18 GDP growth reports underway, we sifted through – and synthesized – various growth indicators to introduce a “Growth-Profile Framework” (GPF) to systematically evaluate – and rank – growth profiles in a data-driven, automated and standardized manner. The “GPF” not only takes into account GDP for the most recently-reported four quarters but also forward-looking forecasts and the latest economist revisions, which often take into account the latest data surprises and other material developments.

The observation universe is the “Emerging Markets-25” (EM-25) of large, investable EM countries most often found in benchmark indices such as MSCI EM and JPMorgan (GBI-EM and EMBI) indices. This opportunity set offers a breadth of diversity spanning across Asia, EMEA and LatAm and different stages of development. 

Source: Author’s assessment based on Growth Profile Framework (GPF)

Highlights: 

  • Introducing the “EM-25” Growth Profile Framework: This data-driven, automated and standardized model generates a ranking of the “EM-25” economies based on a composite of factors reflecting: 1/ The most recent GDP growth data (in relation to three look-back periods), 2/ Forward-looking consensus growth forecasts (in relation to the most recent four quarters of GDP) and 3/ Upgrades and downgrades to those forecasts.
  • Andean condors soar while Asian elephants amble along: LatAm – specifically the Andean economies (plus Brazil) – currently stand out as having the most attractive growth profiles among the EM-25. They are helped by a combination of – largely idiosyncratic – factors ranging from newfound reform optimism (Brazil), improving domestic confidence (Colombia), pent-up domestic demand (Peru) and stabilizing appetite for key commodities (Chile). This contrasts with export-oriented Asian manufacturers that dominate the bottom rankings. Elsewhere, the legacy of past macroeconomic policy choices – both painfully orthodox (Argentina) and otherwise (Turkey, Venezuela, Pakistan) – are taking their unique toll on certain other economies.
  • Does growth matter for investment strategy? Yes…: Simplistically speaking, economies with exemplary growth profiles are viable candidates for long or overweight positions in equity markets and external debt. Strong growth is often associated with stronger corporate earnings potential as well as lower debt-to-GDP levels, respectively. Growth implications for FX and local debt are more ambiguous, but to the extent that a robust growth outlook guides central banks to tighten policy or lifts the government’s fiscal revenues over time, then this may also be positive for currencies and rates, respectively.
  • …But it’s complicated: However, strong growth can detract asset performance if it is the result of unsustainable policies (e.g. overly loose fiscal or monetary actions) or if it leads to overheating conditions (e.g. runaway inflation or a wider current account deficit). An attractive growth profile, as with all data sets, needs to be judged against its context. Although high and improving growth is an end-goal for many policymakers, the road to strong – and sustainable – growth is far more important for its longevity (and for risk assets over the medium-term). For instance: Are growth prospects improving due to rising productivity (as it might from structural reform)? Or rather from overly-stimulative policies that risk fanning inflation or widening the current account deficit? To what extent do officials have the policy flexibility to stoke growth, smoothen downside growth risks or stave off a recession? We touch upon these questions in the individual country sections below.

  • While the narrative is almost always more important than the number itself, this GPF framework nevertheless offers a valuable screening tool that systematically evaluates growth profiles – on a stand-alone and relative basis – across the “EM-25” universe.

Growth Profile Framework (GPF) Rankings: Snapshot and Historical Movement

Source: Author’s Growth Profile Framework (GPF)
Source: Author’s Growth Profile Framework (GPF)

3. Political Pit Stop (March): Time of Controversy

In the recent weeks, the election race heated up, and that’s not surprising when the elections are happening on the 24th. Even by Thai standards, some of these developments were considered quite landmark. Here’s three of the top ones:

  • The Thai Raksa Chart Incident. After nominating the King’s eldest sister as Prime Minister, the smaller Thaksinite party faces prospect of dissolution and public backlash.
  • National Debate. In a rare Thai Rath event lasting more than an hour, seven political parties, including all the four main ones, get to voice their key policies and even a chance at shooting down each other’s campaign promises. MCorp Review provides some highlights on the debate.
  • Army budget. The Thaksinites recently declared that they would cut the defense budget by 10% if elected, touching on one of the most sensitive issues for the Army faction. This is arguably the hottest issue on the media right now.

4. SGP: Ready for New Growth Cycle

Sgp1234567

We initiate coverage of SGP with a BUY rating and a 2019E target price of Bt14.00, derived from 10.9x PE’19E, which is +0.5 SD of its 3-year trading average. We believe that a new growth cycle is poised to act as a re-rating catalyst.

The story:

  • Regional LPG player with upstream transportation network
  • New businesses to drive new growth cycle
  • LPG price set to bottom out
  • Expected earnings to recover in 2019E

Risks: 

             Currency  fluctuation

             Raw material price fluctuation

             Overseas investment failure

5. M&A: A Round-Up of Deals in February 2019

For the month of February, thirteen new deals were discussed on Smartkarma with an overall deal size of US$12.3bn.

This overall number includes the “offer” for Hanergy Thin Film Power (566 HK) which has no value, as yet, attached to the scrip component.

A firm number for Glow Energy Pcl (GLOW TB) has yet to be announced, which could result in a US$4bn+ deal.

The average premium to last close for the new deals was 27.5%.

New Deals

Industry

Deal size (US$mn)

Premium

Deal Type

Australia
Ruralco Holdings (RHL AU)Agriculture33644.0%Scheme
HK
Hanergy Thin Film Power (566 HK)Semiconductor EquipmentScheme
Xingfa Aluminium (98 HK)Aluminum2022.9%Off-Mkt
Japan
Veriserve Corp (3724 JP)IT Consulting14343.6%Off-Mkt
Jiec Co Ltd (4291 JP)Software17039.3%Off-Mkt
Nd Software (3794 JP)Software27028.7%Off-Mkt
U Shin Ltd (6985 JP)Auto Parts and Equipment28828.3%Off-Mkt
Thailand
Golden Land Prop Dvlp (GOLD TB)Diversified Real Estate6322.4%Off-Mkt
Glow Energy Pcl (GLOW TB)IPP and Energy Traders4,000Tender Offer (?)
UK
Dairy Crest (DCG LN)Dairy Products1,27212.0%Scheme
Ophir Energy (OPHR LN)Oil & Gas E&P51166.0%Scheme
RPC Group PLC (RPC LN)Financials4,10616.0%Scheme
China
Sichuan Swellfun Co Ltd A (600779 CH)Alcoholic Beverages33019.3%Off-Mkt
Source: Company announcements

Brief Summary of News in February of Arb Situations On Our Radar

Australia

Comments (with links)

At the Eclipx Group 2019 AGM, the Chairman mentioned that it was the board unanimously endorses this proposal and that a revised timetable will be announced when the contents of the Scheme Book are agreed upon with MMS.
At the GrainCorp 2019 AGM, the Chairman announced that the engagement between the two parties remains active, and the proposal is still indicative and non-binding.
On 6th February 2019, Greencross held a scheme meeting at which the shareholders approved the scheme of arrangement (99.67% of Greencross shareholders present and voting at the Scheme Meeting voted in favour). A dividend of AUD 0.19 was announced on 7th February (ex-date: 12-Feb-2019), to be paid on 20th February 2019, conditional on court approval of the scheme. The scheme received court approval on 11th February 2019, along with which the company suspended the trading of its shares on ASX from the close of trading on 11th February 2019. The Scheme was implemented on 27th February 2019.
On 1st February 2019 it was announced that Healthscope entered into an Implementation Deed with Brookfield, where Brookfield is to acquire all of the shares of Healthscope through a scheme at A$2.5/share and an off-market takeover offer A$4.2/share. A dividend of A$ 0.035 (ex-date:04-Mar-2019) announced on 14th February 2019, is included in the offer price.
The “go-shop” period in relation to the KKR Scheme, which allowed MYOB and its advisers to solicit a superior competing proposal, ended on 22nd February 2019, without any superior proposals emerging. As a result, the Directors of MYOB have reaffirmed their recommendation of the scheme. The Scheme Booklet is expected to be released in mid – late March 2019, with the Scheme meeting expected to be held in late April 2019.
On 18th February 2019, when the exclusivity period granted to BGH Consortium was to expire, Navitas announced that the exclusivity period is extended to 1st March 2019. This extension was granted in order to carry out a limited set of remaining due diligence, as per the announcement. The Directors of Navitas continue to unanimously recommend the Scheme.
On 20th February 2019, the company announced the offer becoming unconditional, along with which it was announced that ESR has an interest of 74.78% of Propertylink and that Centuria Capital Group in respect of their 19.51% ownership. The offer has been extended to the 8th March.
Ruralco has announced it has entered into a Scheme Implementation Deed in which Nutrien Ltd (NTR CN) has agreed to take Ruralco private at $4.40/share – a 44% premium to last close and the one-month VWAP.
In a market update released by Sigma Healthcare, on 11th February 2019, it was announced that high level due diligence is still underway with regard to the potential merger proposal.

Hong Kong

Comments (with links)

Hanergy announced on 26th February 2019, the intention of HMEH to privatise the company by way of a Scheme, at one SPV share for every Hanergy share. No price was given for the SPV.
The deadline to despatch the Composite Document was further extended to 29th March 2019, from its previous extension – 22nd February 2019.
The scheme document for the privatisation of Hopewell Holdings was dispatched on 24th February 2019.

The deadline to despatch the Composite Document has been extended to either 30th April 2019 or 7 days after the date of fulfilment of the conditions, whichever is earlier. This extension is required in order to prepare the Goldjoy Circular to convene the EGM and because completion is subject to the conditions of the Sale and Purchase Agreement being fulfilled.

On 13th February 2019, major shareholder of Xingfa Aluminium – Guangxin Aluminium, acquired 5,000 shares in Xingfa, which triggered the launch of a Madatory General Offer, as Guangxin’s stake in Xingfa exceeded 30%. The offer price is HK$5.60 cash/share.

India

Comments (with links)

The transaction is expected to close today

No Feb update

No Feb update

Indonesia

Comments

Based on the original schedule, BDMN has today gone ex-rights on being able to vote in the Shareholder Meeting on March 26 and also ex-rights on the ability to select the cash payment for your shares.

Japan

Comments (with links)

The offer closed today

On the 7th Feb, Descente announced that it was opposed to the deal. They can’t do much because the deal is launched. Shortly after, the employees union, a group of ex-employees, and a former president all came out against Itochu’s Tender Offer. On the 26th, the company announced that it would bring forward its announcement of its Medium Term Plan by a couple of months.

No update since launch on 31 January

On 12th February 2019, KDDI Corp announced that they intend to conduct a Tender offer for a minimum 45,758,400 shares of Kabu.Com Securities at ¥559/share. If they are able to acquire the minimum, it would lead to a Two Step Squeezeout, because when KDDI’s holding is combined with that of MUFJ Securities’, their total holding reaches 66.67%.
On 4th February 2019 after the close, Reno KK filed a Large Shareholder Report declaring a 5.83% position as of 28th January 2019, following which, on the 5th of February they announced that they had purchased an additional 2.49% on the 29th of January, increasing their holding to 8.31%. On the days that followed, along with their joint holder Aoyama Fudosan, the Reno group increased their stake to 9.55% by 1st February 2019 (which was announced on 8th February 2019). On 18th February, an article was published on toyokeizai.net which suggested that Mr. Nakatsuji (longstanding external shareholder) and Sakurai Mie (leader shareholder and descendent of the founder of Kosaido), were against the takeover. It was announced on 26th February 2019, that the tender offer close date had extended to 12th March 2019, from 1st March 2019.
Reportedly Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US) and Comcast will enter the race and have submitted initial bids to acquire Nexon. EA was also mooted as a participant in first round bidding.
On the 8 Feb, ND Software announced a Management Buy Out (MBO) sponsored by both the existing president, who owns 20%, and J-Will Partners to take the company private at ¥1700/share, which is a 28.7% premium to last trade and comes out to be roughly 7.2x trailing 12-month EV/EBITDA.
Pioneer has received all anti-trust approvals
The results of the Tender Offer was released on 20th February 2019. There were 32.43 million shares tendered, while the Tender Offer was only to buy 26.6666 million shares, which led to an 82.23% pro-ration. Following the closing of the Tender Offer, the Murakami grouping will own 4% of shares out and 5.7% of voting rights remaining.
On 14th February 2019, Minebea Mitsumi announced the launch of their Tender Offer to acquire U Shin Ltd at ¥985/share. The offer opened on 15th February 2019, and will close on 10th April 2019. The intention to make an offer to acquire U Shin Ltd was first announced back in November 2018.
After market close on 31st January 2019, Sumitomo Corp (8053 JP) consolidated subsidiary SCSK Corp (9719 JP) announced a Tender Offer to buy out minorities in Veriserve Corp (3724 JP). At the time of announcement, SCSK held 2,900,000 shares or 55.59% of voting rights. The Tender Offer is at ¥6,700/share

New Zealand

Comments

No Feb update

Singapore

Comments (with links)

Ascendas-Singbridge
No Feb update
The formal offer document was despatched on 1st February 2019, with the first closing date scheduled for 1st March 2019. On the same day a couple of hours later, due to irrevocable involved, the 50% shareholder acceptance condition was met, and the offer was declared unconditional. This allowed the company to extend the closing date of the offer to 15th March 2019 (final closing date).
On 15th February 2019, an announcement was published declaring the offer unconditional, this led to the extension of the closing date to 4th March 2019.
Singapore Exchange Securities Trading Limited approved PCI Limited’s application to delist the company from the official list of the SGX-ST, when the scheme becomes effective and binding in accordance with its terms

South Korea

Comments

Hyundai Oilbank
No update

Taiwan

Comments

On the 14th of February the company announced that in the board meeting held on 29th January 2019, two independent directors objected to the terms of the Tender Offer which had been agreed. There is reportedly an investigation into shareholder rights being conducted. It is to note that in the 14th Feb release, it became clear that Otis Elevator had bid TWD 63/share for Yungtay but the directors had not approved the bid.

Thailand

Comments (with links)

On 13th February 2019, Delta announced that the conditions precedent of the Conditional Voluntary Tender Offer was fully satisfied, following which on 18th February 2019 the Intention to Make a Tender Offer (Form 247-3) was announced along with the FY18 Dividend of Bt 2.30/share (which will be added). The Offer document was released on 22nd February 2019, announcing the Tender offer period – from 26-Feb-2019 to 01-Apr-2019.
In the “Management Discussions” attached to FY18 earnings of Global Power Synergy Company Ltd, they mentioned that they are collaborating with GLOW in order to decide on tender offer price for GLOW’s shares, after taking into consideration the disposal of one of GLOW’s plants.
On 25th February 2019, Golden Land Prop Dvlp announced that they had received information that Frasers Property intends to make a Voluntary Tender Offer to acquire all of Golden Land Prop Dvlp’s shares at Bt 8.5/share.
Thanachart Capital Public Company Limited (TCAP), as a major shareholder of Thanachart Bank Company Limited, announced on 26th February 2019, that they entered the Non-binding Memorandums of Understanding, in relation to the merger between Thanachart and TMB.

Europe/UK

Comments (with links)

On 21st February 2019, the offer period expiry date was extended to 7th March 2019 (previously 28th February 2019). As per the announcement on 22nd February 2019, the Anta Sports shareholders approved the deal to buy Amer Sports, with 99.19% of votes cast being for the deal. A couple of days later, on 25th February 2019, Mexico’s regulator approved the takeover, and this was the last of the approvals.
No Feb update
On 22nd February 2019, an announcement was released with the news that Saputo Inc had offered £6.20 cash/per share, to acquire all of the shares of Dairy Crest by way of a Scheme of Arrangement.
On 26th February 2019, Diageo made an announcement stating that they had been approached by Sichuan Swellfun, with a possible partial tender offer to increase their stake in Diageo to 70% (from 60%) at RMB 45/share.
Visa announced an increase in their offer to £0.37/share (from £0.30/share), on 7th February 2019. The following day Mastercard issued a stated that they were considering their options. On 11th February 2019, Visa posted their Offer Document, following which Mastercard announced that they no longer have any letters of intent acceptiig their offer. An announcement on 21st February 2019, mentioned that both the Court Meeting and General Meeting have been adjourned by the Chairman and the new date will be announced in due course. On 27th February 2019, the offer was extended to remain open till 8th March 2019.
It was announced on 30th January 2019 that Medco Energi Internasional T had reached an agreement to acquire Ophir Energy at an offer price of £0.55/share, by way of a Scheme of Arrangement.Petrus Advisors (3.5% shareholder) dialed up the pressure on its opposition for this offer, with a letter addressed to Ophir’s Chairman, on 19th February 2019.
Oslo Børs VPS Holding ASA
On 4th February Nasdaq AB published the Public Offer document, according to which the acceptance period is from 4th February 2019 to 4th
March 2019.
On 4th February 2019, Panalpina disclosed that their largest shareholder, the Ernst Göhner Foundation, does not support DSV’s indicative offer, which was made in January 2019. Following an announcement by Panalpina on 15th February 2019, regarding Panalpina pursuing a private combination with Agility Group, DSV informed the market that on 6th February 2019, they put forward an all-cash offer of CHF 180/share.
On the morning of January 23rd, 2019, after five PUSU extensions, RPC announced the recommended final cash offer by Apollo for 782p per share, or £3.323 billion.

 

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