TMT/Internet

Brief TMT & Internet: A Trading Strategy for EcoproBM Post IPO and more

In this briefing:

  1. A Trading Strategy for EcoproBM Post IPO
  2. Delta Thailand’s Tender Offer: Updated Timetable
  3. Naspers: Softbank Buyback a Guide for Naspers?

1. A Trading Strategy for EcoproBM Post IPO

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  • In this report, we provide a trading strategy for Ecopro BM Co Ltd (247540 KS) IPO, which is expected to start trading on March 5th. The IPO price has been determined at 48,000 won, which is 19% higher than the mid-point of the original IPO price range of 37,500 won to 42,900 won. The institutional investors’ demand for the Ecopro BM IPO was extremely strong at 988 to 1. 
  • In our previous report Ecopro BM IPO: Valuation Analysis, we proposed the base case to high end of the company’s value to be between 56,000 won and 67,800 won. Given the enormous institutional demand for this IPO, it appears that our base case valuation (56,000 won), which is 17% higher than the IPO price, may be too conservative. 
  • A more likely scenario now is that the stock reaches about 65,000 won to 70,000 won in the first few hours of trading on the first day, overshooting its intrinsic value and sells off a bit for a few days/weeks, enters a consolidation phase and then resumes its higher share price again. 

2. Delta Thailand’s Tender Offer: Updated Timetable

With Form 247-3 (Intention to Make a Tender Offer) and the FY18 dividend  (Bt2.30/share) for Delta Electronics Thai (DELTA TB) having been announced, this insight briefly provides an updated indicative timetable for investors.

The next key date is the submission of Form 247-4, the Tender Offer for Securities, which will provide full details of the Offer.

Date

Data in the Date

Comment

1-Aug-18
Announcement
13-Jan-19
Pre-approvals fulfilled
18-Feb-19
Form 247-3 submitted
18-Feb-19
FY18 dividend announced
22-Feb-19
Form 247-4 to be submitted
As per announcement
25-Feb-19
Tender Offer open
Assume 1 business day after 247-4 is submitted
28-Feb-19
Last day to buy to be on the 4 Mar register
T+2 settlement
1-Mar-19
Ex-date for dividend
As announced
4-Mar-19
Date to be on the registry to receive full-year dividend
As announced
22-Mar-19
Last day for revocation of shares
20th day of Tender Offer1
29-Mar-19
Close of Offer
Assuming 25 business days tender period
2-Apr-19
AGM
As announced
3-Apr-19
Consideration paid under the Offer
Assume 3 business days after close of Offer
11-Apr-19
Payment of FY18 dividend
As announced2
Source: Delta, my estimates 
1 assuming the shareholder has not forfeited the right to revoke
2 the dividend is subject to a 10% WHT for non-residents.

This above indicative timetable assumes a conditional offer based on a minimum acceptance level of at least 50%. Payment under the offer may indeed be earlier, as explained below, which also ties in with a shareholders’ right to revoke shares tendered. 

In addition, investors should not tender once the offer opens – assuming the tender period commences on the 25 February – but wait until their shares are on the registry as at 4 March to receive the FY18 dividend.

Currently trading at a 2.2%/22% gross/annualised spread. Bear in mind the dividend is subject to 10% tax.

3. Naspers: Softbank Buyback a Guide for Naspers?

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Recently, Softbank’s (9984 JP) shares jumped +18% after announcing a $5.5bn share buyback. Using Smartkarma’s holdco monitor, the discount to NAV had widened to around 55% prior to the announcement but is now sitting around 40-45%. There were a few key reasons for the buyback: (1) the Softbank Corp (9434 JP) (KK) IPO netted $20bn, giving the company the flexibility to do the buyback, and (2) Softbank is taking a more disciplined approach to further platform investments.

Both these arguments are also available to Naspers (NPN SJ) management and a move to buy back 5% of market cap is feasible and we believe would narrow the discount. The question is whether management are listening. They have been dismissive of buybacks in the past but this could change.

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