Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Equity Bottom-Up

Teco Electric & Machinery / Equity Bottom-Up

Teco Electric & Machinery Co., Ltd. manufactures household appliances, industrial motors, and smart cards.  The Company produces air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, dryers, single-phase motors, three-phase motors, inverters, rotary compressors, stepping motors, gear motors, and generators.

<ul>
<li>Teco Electric &amp; Machinery (1504 TT) is one of the leading companies in Taiwan that specialize in electrical machinery and industrial automation.</li>
<li>Teco Electric &amp; Machinery provides high dividend payout and solid dividend yield. From 2020 to 2023, the company's dividend payout and dividend yield averaged 72.9% and 4.6%, respectively.</li>
<li>The company is one of the beneficiaries from the need to upgrade the global energy distribution and storage networks to support the higher usage of AI in the coming years. </li>
</ul>


Teco Electric &amp; Machinery (1504 TT) is one of the leading companies in Taiwan that specialize in electrical machinery and industrial automation.
Teco Electric &amp; Machinery provides high dividend payout and solid dividend yield. From 2020 to 2023, the company's dividend payout and dividend yield averaged 72.9% and 4.6%, respectively.
The company is one of the beneficiaries from the need to upgrade the global energy distribution and storage networks to support the higher usage of AI in the coming years. 


Asian Dividend Gems: Teco Electric & Machinery

Tuya Inc., doing business as Tuya Smart, provides IoT cloud platform. The Company offers solutions which enables brands, retailers, OEMs, and manufacturers to develop, launch, manage, and monetize software-enabled devices and services. Tuya Smart serves customers worldwide.

<ul>
<li>On 18 November, it was announced that 65 Equity Partners (backed by Temasek) will invest US$100 million (S$134 million) for a 13% stake in Tuya Inc (TUYA US). </li>
<li>Net cash as a percentage of market cap is currently at 92%. Tuya's sales growth and improvement in operating margin in 1Q-3Q 2024 have also been impressive this year.</li>
<li>Comps are trading at average EV/EBITDA of 13.7x in 2025 versus 2.3x for for Tuya. If Tuya continues its turnaround, its valuation gap versus its peers could decrease further. </li>
</ul>


On 18 November, it was announced that 65 Equity Partners (backed by Temasek) will invest US$100 million (S$134 million) for a 13% stake in Tuya Inc (TUYA US). 
Net cash as a percentage of market cap is currently at 92%. Tuya's sales growth and improvement in operating margin in 1Q-3Q 2024 have also been impressive this year.
Comps are trading at average EV/EBITDA of 13.7x in 2025 versus 2.3x for for Tuya. If Tuya continues its turnaround, its valuation gap versus its peers could decrease further. 


Tuya: Improving Sales Growth and Profit Margins Help to Clench Investment by 65 Equity Partners

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>One of the biggest trends impacting the fund flow in Korea this year has been the huge capital inflow into overseas equity ETFs. </li>
<li>The net asset value of the listed ETFs in Korea investing in overseas stocks surpassed the ETFs investing in domestic stocks for the first time in 17 years.</li>
<li>The ETFs that invest in overseas stocks were 35.8 trillion won on 12 November 2024, up 111% from 12 January 2024.</li>
</ul>


One of the biggest trends impacting the fund flow in Korea this year has been the huge capital inflow into overseas equity ETFs. 
The net asset value of the listed ETFs in Korea investing in overseas stocks surpassed the ETFs investing in domestic stocks for the first time in 17 years.
The ETFs that invest in overseas stocks were 35.8 trillion won on 12 November 2024, up 111% from 12 January 2024.


Overseas Equity ETFs Surpass Domestic Equity ETFs For the First Time in 17 Years

<ul>
<li>On 19 November, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) announced major rule changes on corporate mergers and acquisitions have been approved by the Korean government.</li>
<li>Revised rules have three specific goals: Improve rules on calculating and determining merger prices when M&amp;As take place between nonaffiliated business entities, strengthen disclosure duties, and improve external evaluation system.</li>
<li>If the Korean government is really serious about making positive rule changes, they need to apply these new laws not just for NON-AFFILIATED companies but more importantly for AFFIILATED companies.</li>
</ul>


On 19 November, the Financial Services Commission (FSC) announced major rule changes on corporate mergers and acquisitions have been approved by the Korean government.
Revised rules have three specific goals: Improve rules on calculating and determining merger prices when M&amp;As take place between nonaffiliated business entities, strengthen disclosure duties, and improve external evaluation system.
If the Korean government is really serious about making positive rule changes, they need to apply these new laws not just for NON-AFFILIATED companies but more importantly for AFFIILATED companies.


Major M&A Rule Changes Approved by the Korean Government

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. manufactures a wide range of consumer and industrial electronic equipment and products such as semiconductors, personal computers, peripherals, monitors, televisions, and home appliances including air conditioners and microwave ovens. The Company also produces Internet access network systems and telecommunications equipment including mobile phones.

<ul>
<li>Amid Samsung Electronics announcing a huge buyback of 10 trillion won, one of the issues that has resurfaced is the potential sale of Samsung Electronics by Samsung Life Insurance.</li>
<li>The total amount of Samsung Electronics that could be sold by Samsung Life Insurance and Samsung F&amp;M Insurance is 25.6 trillion won (at current prices). </li>
<li>We remain Positive on Samsung Electronics. The 10 trillion won buyback program is a positive sign on the company's willingness to provide higher shareholder returns.</li>
</ul>


Amid Samsung Electronics announcing a huge buyback of 10 trillion won, one of the issues that has resurfaced is the potential sale of Samsung Electronics by Samsung Life Insurance.
The total amount of Samsung Electronics that could be sold by Samsung Life Insurance and Samsung F&amp;M Insurance is 25.6 trillion won (at current prices). 
We remain Positive on Samsung Electronics. The 10 trillion won buyback program is a positive sign on the company's willingness to provide higher shareholder returns.


A Step Closer to Samsung Life Insurance Finally Selling Its Shares in Samsung Electronics?

Nearly 30 years of experience in the Korean/Asian equity research. Major sectors coverage include the following:
- Technology 
- Consumer 
- Special Situations/Deep Value Plays
- Tender Offers/M&As
- Holdcos/Stubs
- Asian Unicorns/Private Companies