ChinaDaily Briefs

Daily Brief China: Giordano International, IntelliCentrics Global Holding, Tencent, Akeso Biopharma Inc, Xtep International, PDD Holdings, Carote Ltd, Lufax Holding and more

In today’s briefing:

  • Giordano (709 HK): A Closer Look At The Shareholder Register Ahead Of The SGM
  • IntelliCentrics (6819 HK): Delisting and Special Dividend
  • Tencent (700 HK): 4Q23, Slower Growth, But Higher Margin, 37% Upside
  • Akeso Biopharma Placement (9926.HK) – Would Investors Be Willing to Take a Gamble?
  • Tencent 4Q2023: Gaming Declines Yet Again, Margins Have Further Upside
  • Akeso Inc Placement – A Small One to Digest, Momentum Has Been Strong
  • Xtep International (1368 HK):  Valuation Too Cheap For A >10% Growth Stock
  • PDD (PDD): 4Q23, Time for Low Price Goods, Revenue up by 123% YoY
  • Carote Ltd Pre-IPO Tearsheet
  • Quick Ideas #9


Giordano (709 HK): A Closer Look At The Shareholder Register Ahead Of The SGM

By David Blennerhassett

  • Last month, a Cheng family vehicle with 24.06% of Giordano (709 HK), requisitioned an SGM to remove CEO Peter Lau, and install Colin Currie as CEO, plus three other NEDs/INEDs.
  • That SGM will be held on the 3rd April. The director resolutions – both the removal and appointments – are “ordinary”, requiring a simple majority vote. 
  • The outcome will likely pivot off how the shareholders under Halcyon Securities will vote. So I dug a little deeper as to who these shareholders are, with some surprising results.  

IntelliCentrics (6819 HK): Delisting and Special Dividend

By Arun George

  • On 9 February, IntelliCentrics Global Holding (6819 HK) announced the disposal of most of its assets to symplr software. On 19 March, the antitrust condition was satisfied.
  • The consideration will be distributed to shareholders as a special dividend. The minimum and maximum special interim dividends are US$0.52 (HK$4.08) and US$0.55 (HK$4.30) per share.
  • The key condition is EGM shareholder approval. Due to the irrevocables from key shareholders, the EGM vote should comfortably pass. This is a done deal.

Tencent (700 HK): 4Q23, Slower Growth, But Higher Margin, 37% Upside

By Ming Lu

  • In 4Q23, Tencent experienced a one-digit growth, but its margin improved significantly.
  • We believe Tencent’s social networks will stop shrinking after the company sold movie assets to China Literature.
  • We believe the stock will have an upside of 37.5% and a price target of HK$397 for year end 2024. Buy.

Akeso Biopharma Placement (9926.HK) – Would Investors Be Willing to Take a Gamble?

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • Akeso’s product sales grew rapidly in 2023, mainly driven by off-label use of AK104. Since AK104’s commercialization potential on other indications was “overdrawn” in advance, sales growth would slow afterwards. 
  • The key investment logic of Akeso is whether/how much its BsAb pipelines would grab shares from PD-1. The high valuation has somewhat priced in AK112’s successful head-to-head trial with pembrolizumab.
  • If AK112 does beat Keytruda, valuation will reach a new level. If AK112 fails in critical clinical trials, it would cast a shadow on the entire BsAb pipeline of Akeso.

Tencent 4Q2023: Gaming Declines Yet Again, Margins Have Further Upside

By Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

  • Tencent (700 HK) reported 4Q results today. Both revenues and OP increased 7.1% and 42.0% YoY, however, both revenue and OP fell below consensus estimates.
  • The company also announced an increase to 2023 dividends and more than doublethe size of the company’s share buyback in 2024 compared to 2023.
  • We expect Internet VAS to grow at single-digits in 2024, however, high-margin new products to help boost margins in 2024.

Akeso Inc Placement – A Small One to Digest, Momentum Has Been Strong

By Clarence Chu

  • Akeso Biopharma Inc (9926 HK) is looking to raise US$155m from its primary placement.
  • Proceeds from the deal would be geared towards R&D expenditure for its preclinical programs, expediting clinical trials, and towards commercializing its existing approved products.
  • Accounting for 3% of shares outstanding, and representing 5.7 days of its three month ADV, the deal would be a relatively small one for the firm to digest.

Xtep International (1368 HK):  Valuation Too Cheap For A >10% Growth Stock

By Steve Zhou, CFA

  • Xtep International (1368 HK) announced in-line 2023 results, with net profit up 12% yoy and sales up 11% yoy.  2024 outlook was also satisfactory. 
  • The company paid out 50% of its earnings in dividend, which amounted to a 5% dividend yield at current share price of HKD5.04.
  • The company is currently trading at 10x 2024 PE (assuming a conservative 10% net profit growth in 2024).

PDD (PDD): 4Q23, Time for Low Price Goods, Revenue up by 123% YoY

By Ming Lu

  • Both advertising revenue and commission revenue grew dramatically in 4Q23.
  • Chinese consumers are seeking low price goods, after the economy went weak.
  • PDD’s overseas brand, TEMU, is expanding rapidly in the U.S.

Carote Ltd Pre-IPO Tearsheet

By Clarence Chu

  • Carote Ltd (CARO HK) is looking to raise around US$150m in its upcoming Hong Kong IPO. The bookrunners on the deal are BNP Paribas, and CMB International.
  • Carote is a distributor of kitchenware products. Expanding its lineup of products, the firm aims to meet its customers’ varied kitchen scenarios and enhance their culinary experience.
  • Initially engaged to provide original equipment manufacturing (OEM) overseas, the firm has since ventured into the online retail sector, introducing kitchenware products under its own brand name “CAROTE”.

Quick Ideas #9

By Turtles all the way down

  • Another quick trade idea. A continuation of the China theme (see my last post for more info).  Lufax holdings (LU). Again courtesy of JohnTill on Stocktwits.
  • A Chinese lending company, lending out directly and providing a peer to peer lending platform for the Chinese market.
  • With Ping An being a ~41% shareholder.

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