Daily Event-Driven: Woori Bank Holdco Conversion: Current Status & Trade Approach and more

In this briefing:

1. Woori Bank Holdco Conversion: Current Status & Trade Approach
2. Samsung Electronics Share Class: Current Status & Trade Approach
3. DNO Closes In On Faroe
4. Healius (HLS AU): An Unattractive Bid

1. Woori Bank Holdco Conversion: Current Status & Trade Approach

• Woori Bank (000030 KS)‘s stock purchase period ended last Friday. We will enter trade suspension starting Jan 9 and until Feb 12. Dilution is only 0.6%. But overhang would be an issue.
• Local hedge fund-like institutions are shorting it mainly on overhang risk. Woori Investment Bank (010050 KS) and Woori Card moving up will worsen this overhang risk. Stock purchase is now over. The need to boost the price must have gone as well.
• I’d also short Woori Bank at this point. Jan 9~Feb 12 trade suspension would be too long to go without a hedge. Industrial Bank Of Korea (024110 KS) would make a good hedge. Woori and IBK have traditionally been highly correlated. They are also seen sufficiently cointegrated.

2. Samsung Electronics Share Class: Current Status & Trade Approach

• I initiated SamE short Common/long 1P trade on Nov 29. This trade delivered the highest yield on Dec 13 at 4.55% with Nov 29 as the reference date. We are now slightly below +1 σ.
• Common/1P relative price gap should get narrower. Price wise, 1P discount started at 19.81% on Nov 29 and reached the lowest at 16.38% on Dec 13. It reverted back to 18.69%, down 1.12%p. Market cap wise, Common/1P ratio is still higher than Nov 29. This suggests 1P’s catching up job isn’t over yet.
• Div yield difference is still at a record high for 1P. CJ Corp (001040 KS)‘s recent class B pref issuance should be another plus. It will play in favor of those ownership transfer related prefs. I’d continue to hold onto this position until we move into March OGM cycle.

3. DNO Closes In On Faroe

On 26 November 2018, 28.22%-shareholder DNO ASA (DNO NO) announced a cash offer for Faroe Petroleum (FPM LN) of GBP 1.52/share,  a 21% premium to the pre-announcement price on November 23rd, but a 44.8% premium to Faroe’s share price of GBP 1.05 as at 3 April 2018, the last business day before DNO announced its first acquisition of shares in Faroe. 

This is a hostile offer with DNO openly criticising the management’s corporate-governance culture, share performance, operational abilities, and deal-making. An indication of the level of this hostility can be found in the circular to shareholders (page 9):  “Since listing, no dividends have been paid and no capital otherwise returned to shareholders. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the Faroe directors have been awarded a high number of share options at nil cost.” In response, Faroe’s board describes the deal as “opportunistic, unsolicited, and inadequate”, and has advised the shareholders to reject the offer. 

The deal was initially conditional on receiving a minimum acceptance of 57.5% of Faroe’s total issued share capital; however after acquiring shares in the market, DNO announced yesterday it held 30% of issued shares in Faroe, triggering a mandatory offer, and Faroe is now therefore subject to takeover regulation, and the deal requires a lower acceptance threshold of 50%.

Currently trading slightly through terms. Together with shares accepting its offer, DNO currently has 43.1%. 

The offer has now automatically been extended until the 18 January and DNO has until the 27 January to improve or revise the Offer. This may need a slight kiss to push it over the line. 

4. Healius (HLS AU): An Unattractive Bid

Healius (HLS AU), formerly known as Primary Health Care (PRY AU), is a leading Australian owner of GP clinics and pathology centres. On 3 January 2018, Healius received an unsolicited and highly conditional proposal from Jangho Group Co Ltd A (601886 CH) for A$3.25 cash per share.