In today’s briefing:
- NWD 17 HK: Kitchen Sink Results, Overhang Removed, the BEST Stock to BUY in New Rate Cut Cycle
- PT Catur Sentosa Adiprana – One-Stop Shop for Homemakers
- ESDS Software Solution- Forensic Analysis
- BlackBerry Limited: Strategic Business Growth & Focus on IoT and Cybersecurity Driving Our ‘Buy’ Rating! – Major Drivers
- Uber to Partner With China’s WeRide for Autonomous Vehicles, Beginning in UAE
- Appian Corporation: Dealing With Geographic Expansion Challenges & Other Roadblocks! – Major Drivers
- PowerSchool Holdings: AI Integration and PowerBuddy Platform Can Really Catalyze Growth? – Major Drivers
- Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.: Focus on Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Initiatives & Leveraging Content Across Platforms To Drive Growth! – Major Drivers
- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.: Acquisition of Cornerstone Insurance to Strengthen Regional Expertise & Other Major Drivers
- Conagra Brands Inc.: Revamping Marketing Strategies & Focusing On Product Innovation! – Major Drivers
NWD 17 HK: Kitchen Sink Results, Overhang Removed, the BEST Stock to BUY in New Rate Cut Cycle
- NWD reported HKD20bn loss attributable to shareholders. There is no dividend declared. However, we view this as kitchen sink. The stock rallied 22% on Friday
- CEO Adrian Cheng stepped down and COO Eric Ma, former Secretary for Development for HK, is the new CEO. This represents a shift from family business to professional management
- As Fed initiated new rate cut cycle, NWD will benefit most given high gearing. With macro backdrop in U.S. and China, NWD is the Best stock to buy now
PT Catur Sentosa Adiprana – One-Stop Shop for Homemakers
- Catur Sentosa Adiprana (CSAP IJ) has grown rapidly from a building material distribution company into the leading retailer in building materials and home improvement through Mitra10 and shop-in-shop Atria.
- The company already has 52 Mitra10 superstores in Indonesia, with six distribution centres across the country, selling a range of home decoration products, with an increasing portion of private labels.
- CSAP has seen a market improvement in margins for Mitra10 through more private label and scale benefits, and margins will continue to improve. Valuations are attractive with earnings growth accelerating.
ESDS Software Solution- Forensic Analysis
- In this insight, we briefly study forensics of Esds Software Solution (1603279D IN) , currently unlisted, had tried to float an IPO back in 2021 but it was later withdrawn.
- The company offers managed cloud service and end to end multi-cloud requirements provider. Revenue growth has been moderate while margin erosion has been a concerning issue for the company.
- Key forensic takeaways include nature of contingent liabilities, inability to generate cash and liquidity woes, quality of receivables, etc.
BlackBerry Limited: Strategic Business Growth & Focus on IoT and Cybersecurity Driving Our ‘Buy’ Rating! – Major Drivers
- BlackBerry, a software company specializing in security software and services, recently discussed its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025.
- The company remains committed to its strategy, focusing on enhancing its Internet of Things (IoT) and cybersecurity divisions and driving cost efficiencies.
- Despite facing industry headwinds and the challenge of elongated sales cycles, BlackBerry’s performance this quarter reflects a robust operational momentum and strategic execution.
Uber to Partner With China’s WeRide for Autonomous Vehicles, Beginning in UAE
- Uber Technologies Inc. has entered into a partnership with Chinese autonomous driving startup WeRide Corp. to promote self-driving taxis on Uber’s global platform, with the first deployment set to take place in Abu Dhabi by the end of the year, the two companies said Wednesday.
- Founded in 2017, WeRide develops autonomous driving technology and is testing or deploying it commercially in 30 cities in seven countries.
In July 2023, the company was granted the United Arab Emirates’ first and only national license for self-driving vehicles, enabling it to test and operate its autonomous vehicles on public roads across the entire country.
Appian Corporation: Dealing With Geographic Expansion Challenges & Other Roadblocks! – Major Drivers
- Analyzing Appian Corporation’s Second Quarter 2024 financial results reveals a company actively balancing growth ambitions with operational efficiencies.
- The financial performance of Appian Corporation this quarter exhibits significant adherence to its core growth strategies while maintaining a prudent eye towards profitability.
- For the quarter, Appian reported a robust year-over-year revenue increase, with total revenue rising 15% to $146.5 million.
PowerSchool Holdings: AI Integration and PowerBuddy Platform Can Really Catalyze Growth? – Major Drivers
- PowerSchool has reported its first quarter 2024 earnings with positive results, continuing its momentum with a strong performance across key financial metrics.
- The company reported a total revenue of $185 million, marking a 16% year-over-year increase.
- This was driven predominantly by subscription and support revenues, which grew 18% year-over-year to $167 million and constituted 90% of the total revenue.
Warner Bros. Discovery Inc.: Focus on Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Initiatives & Leveraging Content Across Platforms To Drive Growth! – Major Drivers
- Warner Bros. Discovery recently held its Q2 earnings call for 2024, an event of crucial importance for investors and industry observers alike.
- The call encapsulated various dimensions of the business’s performance and strategic direction, touching on both high-performing areas and ongoing challenges.
- A primary highlight from the call was the robust performance of Warner Bros. Discovery’s direct-to-consumer (DTC) segment, notably in the streaming realm.
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.: Acquisition of Cornerstone Insurance to Strengthen Regional Expertise & Other Major Drivers
- Arthur J.
- Gallagher & Co. reported strong financial performance for Q2 2024, underpinned by significant growth in revenue and earnings.
- The firm’s combined Brokerage and Risk Management segments saw a 14% increase in revenue and a 7.7% rise in organic growth, with an adjusted EBITDAC margin expansion of 102 basis points to 31.4%.
Conagra Brands Inc.: Revamping Marketing Strategies & Focusing On Product Innovation! – Major Drivers
- Conagra Brands, in their Q4 and Fiscal Year 2024 earnings, presented a mixed set of results reflecting a transitional phase in consumer purchasing behavior and pricing adaptation.
- CEO Sean Connolly emphasized the gradual normalization of the operating environment as consumers adjust to new price benchmarks, a process he described as ongoing rather than immediate.
- Baptista Research looks to evaluate the different factors that could influence the company’s price in the near future and attempts to carry out an independent valuation of the company using a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) methodology.
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