TMT/Internet

Brief TMT & Internet: Sea Ltd (SE US): The Bear Case – A One-Hit Wonder? and more

In this briefing:

  1. Sea Ltd (SE US): The Bear Case – A One-Hit Wonder?
  2. Sea Ltd (SE US): Placing Price Leaves Money on the Table

1. Sea Ltd (SE US): The Bear Case – A One-Hit Wonder?

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Despite burning through $700mn in cash in 2018, investors decided to give another $1.3bn to Sea Ltd (SE US) . We believe investors should treat Sea Ltd with caution for the following reasons:

A significant slowdown in e-commerce

Is the gaming division a one-hit wonder?

Expecting another 800mn cash burn into 2019

Consensus has priced in further upgrades while cash flow metrics worst in the sector

NB. Our team has taken both sides of the Sea Ltd investment case as we think this makes for better decision making and encourages unique thinking within our team. We strongly recommend that investors read my colleague Arun’s positive notes on the company listed below, if you have not already done so.

Sea Ltd (SE US): Placing Price Leaves Money on the Table

Sea Ltd (SE US): Placement a Good Opportunity to Enter an Attractive Story

2. Sea Ltd (SE US): Placing Price Leaves Money on the Table

Sea Ltd (SE US) announced that it would raise gross proceeds of $1.35 billion after increasing the size of its placement from 50 million to 60 million ADS. The placement is priced at $22.50 per ADS, 6.5% discount to its last close price. Tencent Holdings (700 HK), as well as one of Sea’s directors, are expected to buy 6.3 million ADS in the placement. The placing is expected to close on or about 8 March 2019.

In our previous note, we stated that we would participate in the public offering at or below the last close price of $23. While the share price will initially trade around the placing price, we believe that share price will recover as Sea post-placing fundamentals are now materially stronger.

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