IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

Arun has over 15 years’ experience covering the Technology sector. During this time, he has worked with technology start-ups and as an equity analyst in investment banks and independent research firms. He was formerly a Technology Analyst for Canaccord Genuity, Altium Securities, Espirito Santo Investment Bank, Noble Group and Clear Capital. He has a dual Master’s degree in Financial Engineering and Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. He is also a CFA charterholder.

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Will the Chinese Government Rescue Soho China (Potential Write Down of Assets)?

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Global Equity Research Ltd

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Event-Driven

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/soho-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4123:1" rel="noopener">Soho China Ltd (410 HK)</a> is a real estate company controlled by power couple Pan Shiyi and Zhang Xin. On Friday after market close, SOHO China announced that <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/blackstone-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27166:1" rel="noopener">Blackstone Group (BX US)</a> has withdrawn its pre-conditional voluntary conditional cash offer of HK$5.00 per share. The key pre-condition was SAMR anti-trust approval. On 2 August, the SOHO China/Blackstone case was accepted for SAMR review by normal procedure rather than a simplified procedure which can take 180 days. On 6 September, SOHO China noted that Blackstone has provided further documents in response to the SAMR’s requests for additional information. Blackstone had received further requests to provide additional information by SAMR and the statement noted that it remains uncertain when the review process will be completed. We previously argued in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/soho-china-s-spread-risk-reward-update" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:56578" rel="noopener">SOHO China's Spread Risk/Reward Update</a> that SAMR approval should be forthcoming due to Blackstone’s prior experience in securing SAMR approval for real estate deals, SOHO China will continue to be listed and the deal will not lead to a material increase in market concentration. Four days later 10 September, Blackstone and Pan Shiyi mutually agreed to terminate the offer as they concluded that the pre-condition (SAMR antitrust approval) will be unlikely to be satisfied on or before the Long Stop date (31 December 2021). Revealingly, the parties also agreed that there will be no extension to the Long Stop date suggesting that recent interactions with SAMR had headed downhill.  We think that Blackstone decided to walk away as it was unwilling to expend all its political goodwill to complete a single transaction. The transaction had caused disquiet in China with several Chinese press and social media posts urging SAMR to block the transaction due to the premise that the deal is unpatriotic for reasons highlighted in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/soho-china-s-spread-risk-reward-update" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:56578" rel="noopener">SOHO China's Spread Risk/Reward Update</a>. While we previously argued that the rationale presented in these articles for blocking the deal is poor, a SAMR antitrust approval would also not sit well with President Xi Jinping’s recent calls for wealth redistribution.On the other hand, Pan Shiyi is stuck between a rock and a hard place. The publicity from the pulled transaction means that potential buyers will stay away in the short term. When the dust settles, Pan Shiyi can pursue selling individual assets or sell his stake to a domestic private equity bidder or real estate firm. Long-term, we see a limited rationale for SOHO China to remain publicly listed.   <div class="content-highlight">With the offer terminated, the immediate focus turns to the extent of the share price drop on Monday. Our analysis suggests that the share price could fall between HK$2.45-3.25 per share range. At the last close price of HK$3.50 per share, our share price range represents a decline of -30% to -7%. </div>

Soho China Ltd (410 HK) is a real estate company controlled by power couple Pan Shiyi and Zhang Xin. On Friday after market close, SOHO China announced that Blackstone Group (BX US) has withdrawn its pre-conditional voluntary conditional cash offer of HK$5.00 per share. The key pre-condition was SAMR anti-trust approval. On 2 August, the SOHO China/Blackstone case was accepted for SAMR review by normal procedure rather than a simplified procedure which can take 180 days. On 6 September, SOHO China noted that Blackstone has provided further documents in response to the SAMR’s requests for additional information. Blackstone had received further requests to provide additional information by SAMR and the statement noted that it remains uncertain when the review process will be completed. We previously argued in SOHO China's Spread Risk/Reward Update that SAMR approval should be forthcoming due to Blackstone’s prior experience in securing SAMR approval for real estate deals, SOHO China will continue to be listed and the deal will not lead to a material increase in market concentration. Four days later 10 September, Blackstone and Pan Shiyi mutually agreed to terminate the offer as they concluded that the pre-condition (SAMR antitrust approval) will be unlikely to be satisfied on or before the Long Stop date (31 December 2021). Revealingly, the parties also agreed that there will be no extension to the Long Stop date suggesting that recent interactions with SAMR had headed downhill.  We think that Blackstone decided to walk away as it was unwilling to expend all its political goodwill to complete a single transaction. The transaction had caused disquiet in China with several Chinese press and social media posts urging SAMR to block the transaction due to the premise that the deal is unpatriotic for reasons highlighted in SOHO China's Spread Risk/Reward Update. While we previously argued that the rationale presented in these articles for blocking the deal is poor, a SAMR antitrust approval would also not sit well with President Xi Jinping’s recent calls for wealth redistribution.On the other hand, Pan Shiyi is stuck between a rock and a hard place. The publicity from the pulled transaction means that potential buyers will stay away in the short term. When the dust settles, Pan Shiyi can pursue selling individual assets or sell his stake to a domestic private equity bidder or real estate firm. Long-term, we see a limited rationale for SOHO China to remain publicly listed.   With the offer terminated, the immediate focus turns to the extent of the share price drop on Monday. Our analysis suggests that the share price could fall between HK$2.45-3.25 per share range. At the last close price of HK$3.50 per share, our share price range represents a decline of -30% to -7%. 

Soho China

SOHO China: Blackstone Walks Away