In this briefing:
- Uzbekistan Is a Promising Latecomer, but Investors Need to Watch Out and Stay on Top of Data
- XL Axiata Results Show a Strong Turnaround Underway in Indonesia
- The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma -Indonesia’s Potential, Pure Gold, and Vietnam’s Consumers
- Singtel’s Weak 3Q18 Results but Dividend Looks Sustainable and Long Term Upside from Associates
1. Uzbekistan Is a Promising Latecomer, but Investors Need to Watch Out and Stay on Top of Data
Last week, Uzbekistan placed a debut Eurobond, which attracted high interest from investors. Following a change of leadership in 2016, the country embarked on a path or rapid development. So far, its reform record has been quite impressive. However, new challenges often arise during periods of rapid transition. We expect both demand and supply-related pressures to lead to a rise in headline inflation towards the 20% mark in the next 12 months. We think that given the evidence of a rapid deterioration in the trade and current accounts in 2018, further depreciation of the local currency should be expected in the short term. Investors who have bought the Eurobond, or consider participation in further placements by Uzbek corporate issuers in the coming months, should watch out for signs of the build-up of persistent imbalances in Uzbekistan’s economy.
2. XL Axiata Results Show a Strong Turnaround Underway in Indonesia
Xl Axiata’s (EXCL IJ) 4Q18 results triggered a very strong rally last week that continues this week. The market has been very concerned about competitive pressures in Indonesia and extremely low data prices. We believe that Indonesia is now past the worst and there is evidence that data pricing is starting to rise modestly. That is delivering a powerful tail wind for Indonesian telcos in 2019, with XL Axiata likely to report several very strong quarters.
XL Axiata now reporting strong sequential revenue growth (% QoQ)
3. The Week that Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma -Indonesia’s Potential, Pure Gold, and Vietnam’s Consumers
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 Indonesia: Waiting To Unleash The Potential, our friends at River Valley Asset Management cast their learned eye over the prospects for the Indonesian Stock market.
In Widodo Sets GIAA Fare / Ahok In PDI-P / Prabowo Still Misfiring / Oz Cepa / KPK on Beneficial Owners, Kevin O’Rourke comments on the most important political and economic developments in Indonesia over the past week.
Equity Bottom-Up Insights
In Valuetronics (VALUE SP): Trade War Uncertainty Continues, Downside Supported by Large Cash Position, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Nicolas Van Broekhoven circles back to this consumer electronics player and highlights the risks from the US-China Trace War.
In Puregold Price Club: Steady Grower with Provincial Expansion Story, Johannes Salim, CFA comments on this leading Philippines consumer play.
in Silverlake Axis (SILV SP): 2Q19 Results Again Confirm New 3-Year Growth Cycle; HNA Overhang Removed, Nicolas Van Broekhoven revisits Silverlake Axis (SILV SP) and sees blue skies ahead post its recent results.
In Delta’s Less-Than-Straightforward Tender Offer, events specialist David Blennerhassett comments on Delta Electronics Thai (DELTA TB) following a tender offer for the company.
In Indonesia Upstream Gas Asset Sale: Positive Read-Through to Other SE Asia Gas Companies, Anish Kapadia examines the recent sale of a stake in Mako gas field in Indonesia and its implication for other SE Asian energy plays such as Medco Energi Internasional T (MEDC IJ).
In Catch-Up Session with Intuch Group, Thai guru Athaporn Arayasantiparb, CFA revisits Intouch Holdings (INTUCH TB) following a meeting with management.
In GPSC To Proceed With Glow Takeover, But At What Price?, events specialist David Blennerhassett looks at the ongoing takeover of Glow Energy Pcl (GLOW TB) by Global Power Synergy Company Ltd (GPSC TB).
In UG Healthcare: Weak 2Q19 Driven by One-Off Issue, If 10% NPM Achieved in FY20 Trades at 4x FY20 P/E, CrossASEAN Insight Provider Nicolas Van Broekhoven revisits UG Healthcare (UGHC SP) after some weak results but remains positive on the long term story.
In M1 Ltd (M1 SP): Axiata Throws in the Towel, Delisting Looms, Arun George circles back to the acquisition of M1 Ltd (M1 SP) by Keppel Corp Ltd (KEP SP) and Singapore Press Holdings (SPH SP) after Axiata Group (AXIATA MK) decided to accept the offer.
In OUE C-REIT – Beware of the CPPU Timebomb, Royston Foo revisits this REIT and highlights some potential DPU dilution ahead for minorities.
in MINT Placement – Well Flagged Placement but Only Marginally Accretive, Past Deals Have Done Well, Sumeet Singh zeros in on a recent placement by Mapletree Industrial Trust (MINT SP).
Sector and Thematic Insights
In Top Consumer Themes in Vietnam, Dylan Waller looks at this high growth sector and highlights his top picks.
In Singapore Property – January Developers’ Sales Data Continues to Point Towards a Bleak Outlook, Royston Foo revisits the sector after January’s sales data.
In Singapore Real Deals (Issue 3): Integrated Mixed-Use Development in Pasir Ris, Anni Kum looks at a recent white site launch in Pasir Ris.
4. Singtel’s Weak 3Q18 Results but Dividend Looks Sustainable and Long Term Upside from Associates
Singtel (ST SP) recent 3Q18 results were relatively lackluster. Singapore revenue trends were encouraging, but EBITDA remains under pressure esp in the Enterprise segment. Optus saw good net subscriber additions, but this came at a cost – lower ARPU and mobile service revenue (MSR). We have lowered our forecast to reflect pressure on EBITDA and continued losses in Group Digital Life (GDL) but maintain a BUY on the stock with a target price of S$4.00. The near 6% dividend yield is the key support and we believe it can continue to be paid without resorting to increased leverage. Longer term, the fate of key associates (India and Indonesia in particular) are key to the stock’s performance
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