This weekly newsletter pulls together summaries of the top ten most-read Insights across Event-Driven and Index Rebalance on Smartkarma.
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1. India: Potential Free Float Changes & Passive Flows in February
- Companies in India have disclosed their shareholding pattern as of end-December in January. There are companies with significant float changes from end-September and/or end-June.
- The changes in free float could be reflected in domestic and global indices over the next few weeks and months resulting in action from passive trackers.
- Depending on the date that the shareholding was published, there could be 13 stocks with passive inflows from global trackers while 4 could see passive outflows in February.
2. FXI ETF: Potential Changes in the Year of the Snake
- There could be 1/2 changes to the iShares China Large-Cap (FXI) (FXI US) in March. Then there will be more changes as large Chinese companies list H-shares on the HKEX.
- Fast Entries and regular inclusion of newly listed H-shares will change the characteristics of the FXI and there could be further deviations from the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI INDEX).
- That will provide opportunities for index rebalance traders as well as volatility traders that are active on the iShares China Large-Cap (FXI) (FXI US) options.
3. Taiwan’s Yageo (2327 TT) Announces Hostile Tender on Shibaura Electronics (6957 JP) – I Have 
- Today, Taiwanese passive components maker Yageo Corporation (2327 TT) announced its Board had approved the launching of a Tender on Shibaura Electronics (6957 JP).
- It turns out YAGEO approached them in October, Shibaura stonewalled for 3mos, required an NDA to meet, and refused to budge. METI Corporate Takeover Guidelines were likely ignored.
- This could set off a flurry of activity including competition, an auction, promises of dividends, and who knows what. It will be exciting but it’s not C&F.
4. Barito Renewables Energy (BREN IJ): Global Index Inclusion Likely This Month
- Barito Renewables Energy (BREN IJ) stock has gone through a series of gyrations as index inclusion was announced and then retracted due to the concentrated holding of the stock.
- With pre-IPO PE/VC investors selling some stock, the increase in float could result in the inclusion of Barito Renewables Energy (BREN IJ) in a global index later this month.
- The inclusion of the stock in the index will require passive trackers to buy just over 400m shares of the stock. That is over 14x ADV and will be impactful.
5. STAR50/STAR100 Index Rebalance Preview: One Is Meh; The Other Is
- With the review period complete, we forecast 3 changes for the SSE STAR50 (STAR50 INDEX) and 8 changes for the STAR100 Index. There are a few migrations between the indices.
- We estimate turnover of 3.8% for the SSE STAR50 (STAR50 INDEX) and 9.9% for the STAR100 Index. The estimated net round-trip trade is CNY 13bn (US$1.8bn).
- The forecast adds to the STAR50 INDEX have underperformed the forecast deletes. For the STAR100 Index outright changes, the forecast adds have outperformed the forecast deletes by a lot.
6. Kyocera (6971) – Changes Policies – Will Sell KDDI Faster and Buy Back Shares
- Today, in conjunction with the release of Q3 earnings, Kyocera Corp (6971 JP) announced a change in its Corporate Governance Code doc, a change in Cross-holding Policy, and Buyback Policy.
- Full-Year earnings guidance revision was non-salutary. Revs -1%, OP -69%, Net Profit -72% vs previous predictions from 30 October (those were -1.5%, -38.2%, -36.6% vs April guidance at the time).
- Based on this disappointment, they announced they would speed up the sale of crossholdings and buy back shares this year and over the following three years.
7. KOSPI200 Index Rebalance Preview: 6 Potential Changes in June; LG CNS Listing Could Increase That
- Halfway through the review period, there could be 6 changes for the Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI200 (KOSPI2 INDEX) in June. The LG CNS (LGCNSZ KS) listing could increase that number.
- The impact on the potential inclusions ranges from 2.1-26 days of ADV while the impact on the potential deletions varies from 5-11 days of ADV.
- The forecast adds have outperformed the forecast deletes over the last few months and the performance gap is near its widest point.
8. KRX New Deal Index Rebalance Preview: Smaller Deal Than Usual
- The review period for the March rebalance ended on 31 January, changes will be announced first week of March and implemented at the close of trading on 13 March.
- We forecast two changes for the Bio Index and one change for the Internet Index. Plus there will be capping changes for all indices.
- The largest flows will be in Samsung SDI, LG Energy Solution, POSCO Holdings, Alteogen, Naver Corp, Legochem Biosciences, Netmarble and Celltrion Inc.
9. Osaka Steel (5449) Large Buyback At a Discount Ruins Fun For Activists
- Osaka Steel (5449 JP) is 65% owned by Nippon Steel Corporation (5401 JP). They make a relatively simple set of steel products used by shipbuilders, construction companies, and warehouse builders.
- Activist Effissimo Capital went over 5% in October 2016 and is still a top holder. Activist Strategic Capital went over 5% in December 2023 and now owns 10+% of votes.
- The “hope” had been that Nippon Steel buy out minorities and Osaka Steel would be rescued from mediocre capital returns. That was not to be. Activists are disappointed.
10. Korea: 11 Potential Index Deletions in February
- There are 11 stocks (maybe 12) in Korea that could be deleted from a global index in February and that will result in large selling from passive trackers.
- With announcement in a week and implementation in just over 3 weeks, there is positioning in a lot of the names.
- With short selling still banned, positioning will not be as high as the passive selling and the stocks could still drop over the next few weeks.
