In this briefing:
- AsiaInfo Tech (亚信科技) IPO: What You Need to Know Before the Trading Debut
- Harbin Electric Expected To Be Privatised
- Luzhou City Commercial Bank IPO (泸州市商业银行) Trading Update – Low Liquidity, as Expected
- How the Bear Market Could End
- Discover HK Connect: Mainlanders Are Buying Shandong Gold, and Pharmaceuticals (2018-12-17)
1. AsiaInfo Tech (亚信科技) IPO: What You Need to Know Before the Trading Debut
AsiaInfo Tech priced its IPO at HKD 10.50/share and will start trading today. Prior to the trading debut, in this short note, we summarize the latest information with updates on our valuation.
Our Previous Insight on AsiaInfo Tech:
- AsiaInfo Tech (亚信科技) IPO: Cost Control Is the Key (Part 1)
- AsiaInfo Tech (亚信科技) IPO: Lessons from Privatization and Three Bearish Trends (Part 2)
- AsiaInfo Tech (亚信科技) IPO: Latest Numbers Showcase the Company’s Questionable Expansion Plan
- AsiaInfo Tech (亚信科技) IPO: Valuation Rich Vs Delisting and Peers
2. Harbin Electric Expected To Be Privatised
Power generation equipment manufacturer Harbin Electric Co Ltd H (1133 HK) is currently suspended pursuant to Hong Kong’s Codes on Takeovers and Mergers and Share Buy-backs, suggesting a privatisation offer from parent Harbin Electric Corporation (“HEC”) is pending.
HE is PRC incorporated, therefore a privatisation by way of a merger by absorption may be proposed, similar to Advanced Semiconductor Mfg Corp Ltd. (3355 HK) as discussed in ASMC’s Merger By Absorption.
HE has perennially traded at discount to net cash. As at its last traded price, the discount to net cash (using the 2018 interim figure of HK$12.4bn or HK$7.27/share) was 65%.
HE issued 329mn domestic shares (~47.16% of the existing issued domestic shares and ~24.02% of the existing total issued shares) to its parent in January this year, at HK$4.56/share or a 60.9% discount to the June 2017 book value. A similar discount to the June 2018 book value backs out HK$4.15/share, or ~67% upside from the undisturbed price, in line with the premium to ASMC’s Offer.
A privatisation would require a scheme-like vote for the H-shares. HEC holds no H shares. There are 675mn H shares and no single shareholder controls a 10% (or more) blocking stake.
Dissension rights are available according to HE’s articles of association, although what constitutes a “fair price” under those rights, and the timing of the settlement under such rights, are not evident.
There are likely to be the customary PRC regulatory approvals required, however as HEC is already the controlling shareholder and an SOE, these conditions are not in doubt.
Should an offer emerge, expect completion in ~6 months from the initial announcement.
3. Luzhou City Commercial Bank IPO (泸州市商业银行) Trading Update – Low Liquidity, as Expected
Luzhou Commercial Bank Co Ltd (1983 HK) IPO raised about US$222m at HKD3.18 per share, close to the bottom end of its price range. We have covered the IPO in our previous insight, Luzhou City Commercial Bank IPO (泸州市商业银行) – Earnings Lagging Asset Growth Owing to Tightening Spread.
In this insight, we will update on the deal dynamics, implied valuation, and include a valuation sensitivity table.
4. How the Bear Market Could End
Last week’s report generated much discussion (see The S&P 500 Is In A Bear Market). Some of the questions related to the duration and downside target in a bear market. How far can stocks fall? How long will it last? What might be the trigger for a buy signal?
To reiterate our thesis from last week. Poor technical action and a recession forecast for late 2019 or early 2020 prompted the equity sell signal. The recession forecast stems from the combination of near-recession conditions based on conventional U.S. macro indicators, evidence of global weakness in both Europe and China, and the near certainty of a trade war which would further tank global growth.
What might turn this bear thesis around, or put a halt to the bear market? Here are a few possible fundamental triggers:
- An end to the trade war
- More stimulus underpinned by the ascendancy of MMT in fiscal policy circles
At this point, the jury is out as to whether these positive catalysts can actually happen, so we remain “data dependent”.
5. Discover HK Connect: Mainlanders Are Buying Shandong Gold, and Pharmaceuticals (2018-12-17)
In our Discover HK Connect series, we aim to help our investors understand the flow of southbound trades via the Hong Kong Connect, as analyzed by our proprietary data engine. We will discuss the stocks that experienced the most inflow and outflow by mainlanders in the past seven days.
We split the stocks eligible for the Hong Kong Connect trade into three groups: those with a market capitalization of above USD 5 billion, those with a market capitalization between USD 1 billion and USD 5 billion, and those with a market capitalization between USD 500 million and USD 1 billion.
