Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Event-Driven

Kumho Tire Co., Inc. designs and produces tires.  The Company's main products include various automobile tires and tubes used in sedan, SUV, RV, truck, and bus.  Kumho Tire also provides racing tires.

<ul>
<li>Woori Bank completed a block deal sale of 11 million shares of Kumho Tire Co (073240 KS) (3.83% of outstanding shares) on 18 July. </li>
<li>After the recent sales by Woori Bank and the Export-Import Bank of Korea, the creditors' stakes in Kumho Tire has been reduced to 19.17%.</li>
<li><em><strong>Despite Kumho Tire's recent improvement in financial performance, we are more concerned about the additional stake sale by the financial institutions that still own 19.2% stake in the company.  </strong></em></li>
</ul>


Woori Bank completed a block deal sale of 11 million shares of Kumho Tire Co (073240 KS) (3.83% of outstanding shares) on 18 July. 
After the recent sales by Woori Bank and the Export-Import Bank of Korea, the creditors' stakes in Kumho Tire has been reduced to 19.17%.
Despite Kumho Tire's recent improvement in financial performance, we are more concerned about the additional stake sale by the financial institutions that still own 19.2% stake in the company.  


Block Deal Sale of Kumho Tire: More Shares Likely to Be Sold by Creditors

Equity Bottom-Up

Com2uS Corporation develops and markets game software based on digital convergence contents for internet mobile application.  The Company provides its products to domestic and overseas markets such as Asia, Europe, and North America.

<ul>
<li>Com2Us's net cash (including long-term financial investments) is 151% of its market cap. It is trading at P/B ratio of only 0.45x. </li>
<li>The company paid out 2,600 won in DPS in FY23. If we assume the same DPS, this would suggest a dividend yield of 6.7% at current price of 38,900 won. </li>
<li>Com2Us is a turnaround story. It had an operating profit of 1.2 billion won in 1Q 2024, improving from an operating loss of 13.3 billion won in 1Q 2023. </li>
</ul>


Com2Us's net cash (including long-term financial investments) is 151% of its market cap. It is trading at P/B ratio of only 0.45x. 
The company paid out 2,600 won in DPS in FY23. If we assume the same DPS, this would suggest a dividend yield of 6.7% at current price of 38,900 won. 
Com2Us is a turnaround story. It had an operating profit of 1.2 billion won in 1Q 2024, improving from an operating loss of 13.3 billion won in 1Q 2023. 


Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>Korea Value-Up index is finally expected to be launched in September 2024 which is likely to include at least 100 companies in KOSPI and KOSDAQ.</li>
<li>There are expectations that Korea's Value Up index could resemble JPX Prime 150 index which is a Japanese version of the value up index launched last year.</li>
<li>We provide 70 stocks in Korea that could be included in the Korea Value Up index. These 70 stocks could outperform the market in the next several months.</li>
</ul>


Korea Value-Up index is finally expected to be launched in September 2024 which is likely to include at least 100 companies in KOSPI and KOSDAQ.
There are expectations that Korea's Value Up index could resemble JPX Prime 150 index which is a Japanese version of the value up index launched last year.
We provide 70 stocks in Korea that could be included in the Korea Value Up index. These 70 stocks could outperform the market in the next several months.


Launch of Korea Value Up Index in September

SK Innovation Co., Ltd. refines, markets, and distributes oil.  The Company produces a variety of petroleum products, such as gasoline, kerosene, liquefied petroleumgas (LPG), and diesel oil.  SK Energy also manufactures petrochemical p roducts, including paraxylene, synthetic resins, styrene monomer, and ethylene.

<ul>
<li>On 17 July, SK Innovation (096770 KS) officially announced a merger with SK E&amp;S. The merger ratio between SK Innovation and SK E&amp;S has been set at 1 to 1.1917417.</li>
<li>We believe this is the wrong timing for this merger from SK Innovation's point of view. SK Innovation is trading at near three year lows.</li>
<li>This merger is likely to generate backlash from KKR which holds SK E&amp;S redeemable convertible preferred stock (RCPS) worth 3.1 trillion won.</li>
</ul>


On 17 July, SK Innovation (096770 KS) officially announced a merger with SK E&amp;S. The merger ratio between SK Innovation and SK E&amp;S has been set at 1 to 1.1917417.
We believe this is the wrong timing for this merger from SK Innovation's point of view. SK Innovation is trading at near three year lows.
This merger is likely to generate backlash from KKR which holds SK E&amp;S redeemable convertible preferred stock (RCPS) worth 3.1 trillion won.


SK Innovation's Merger with SK E&S: Bad Timing for SK Innovation and Higher Risks from RCPS

Doosan Enerbility Co., Ltd. manufactures and distributes construction machines. The Company produces gas turbines, engines, turbine generators, boilers, power plant equipment, and other related products. Doosan Enerbility also offers energy solutions for thermal power, nuclear power, and renewable energy.

<ul>
<li>The Czech Republic government is in the final stages of selecting companies to build four nuclear power plants which could cost nearly US$30 billion.</li>
<li>A Korean consortium including KHNP, Doosan Enerbility, KEPCO E&amp;C, and Daewoo E&amp;C is competing mainly against EDF, a French government owned electric utility company. </li>
<li>If the KHNP consortium is able to win this new order, Doosan Enerbility will be a key beneficiary as it will supply the nuclear reactors and steam generators.</li>
</ul>


The Czech Republic government is in the final stages of selecting companies to build four nuclear power plants which could cost nearly US$30 billion.
A Korean consortium including KHNP, Doosan Enerbility, KEPCO E&amp;C, and Daewoo E&amp;C is competing mainly against EDF, a French government owned electric utility company. 
If the KHNP consortium is able to win this new order, Doosan Enerbility will be a key beneficiary as it will supply the nuclear reactors and steam generators.


Doosan Enerbility: A Key Beneficiary of Potential Nuclear Power Projects Win in the Czech Republic

Nearly 25 years of experience in analyzing hundreds of companies, especially in Asia. Deep expertise in the following sectors:
- Technology (E-commerce, SaaS, Internet)
- Consumer 
- Special Situations/Deep Value Plays
- Holdcos/Stubs
- Asian Unicorns/Private Companies

Douglas Kim
Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs
• Douglas Research Advisory

Block Deal Sale of Kumho Tire: More Shares Likely to Be Sold by Creditors

Despite Kumho Tire's recent improvement in financial performance, we are more concerned about the additional stake sale by the financial...

Douglas Kim

Korea Small Cap Gem #29: Com2Us

Com2Us's net cash (including long-term financial investments) is 151% of its market cap. Com2Us is a turnaround story. It had an operating profit...

Douglas Kim

Launch of Korea Value Up Index in September

Korea Value-Up index is finally expected to be launched in September 2024 which is likely to include at least 100 companies in KOSPI and KOSDAQ.

Douglas Kim

SK Innovation's Merger with SK E&S: Bad Timing for SK Innovation and Higher Risks from RCPS

This merger between SK Innovation and SK E&S is likely to be value-destroying from SK Innovation's viewpoint. It is also likely to generate...

Douglas Kim

Doosan Enerbility: A Key Beneficiary of Potential Nuclear Power Projects Win in the Czech Republic

On 17 July, the Czech government announced that it picked South Korea consortium to build two new nuclear power units with the possibility of more,...

Douglas Kim