Greater China Equity Long/Short Analyst

Eric Chen

Equity Bottom-Up

Alibaba Group Holding  / Equity Bottom-Up

Alibaba Group Holding Limited provides online sales services. The Company provides internet infrastructure, electronic commerce, online financial, and internet content services through its subsidiaries. Alibaba Group Holding offers its products and services worldwide.

<ul>
<li>Mixed June quarter results at first glance suggest corporate overhaul strategy is working, with clear evidence Taobao/Tmall is stabilizing in terms of market share and profitability.</li>
<li>Better platform monetization and clear timetable for achieving break-even by non-e-commerce business segments mean double-digit earnings CAGR by FY26 in our view.</li>
<li>We expect Alibaba’s upswing business cycle and moderating headwind of housing market slump are paving the way for the stock’s re-rating in the next 12-24 months. </li>
</ul>


Mixed June quarter results at first glance suggest corporate overhaul strategy is working, with clear evidence Taobao/Tmall is stabilizing in terms of market share and profitability.
Better platform monetization and clear timetable for achieving break-even by non-e-commerce business segments mean double-digit earnings CAGR by FY26 in our view.
We expect Alibaba’s upswing business cycle and moderating headwind of housing market slump are paving the way for the stock’s re-rating in the next 12-24 months. 


Yum China Holdings, Inc. operates chain restaurants. The Company offers pizza, entrees, pasta, rice dishes, appetizers, soups, vegetables, beverages, and desserts. Yum China Holding conducts its business worldwide.

<ul>
<li>We believe Yum China remains the best long-term China catering play. 2Q24 results highlight the resiliency and agility of its business model and management to navigate tough environment.</li>
<li>While cost optimization drove bottom-line beat, we share management’s view that it is not one-off exercise but will strengthen the company’s operation efficiency moat and market leadership.</li>
<li>Macro concerns are well known and fully priced in in our view. Otherwise investors won’t have the opportunity to own the name for low double-digit P/E.</li>
</ul>


We believe Yum China remains the best long-term China catering play. 2Q24 results highlight the resiliency and agility of its business model and management to navigate tough environment.
While cost optimization drove bottom-line beat, we share management’s view that it is not one-off exercise but will strengthen the company’s operation efficiency moat and market leadership.
Macro concerns are well known and fully priced in in our view. Otherwise investors won’t have the opportunity to own the name for low double-digit P/E.


Yum China (9987 HK): The Best Long-Term China Catering Play

Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) / Equity Bottom-Up

Beijing Capital International Airport Company Limited operates both aeronautical and non-aeronautical business in the Beijing airport.  The Company provides aircraft movement and passenger service facilities, safety and security services, fire-fighting services, and ground handling services.  In addition, Beijing Capital operates duty free and other retail shops and leases properties.

Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) (694 HK)

Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA)

<ul>
<li>Market's muted response to the airport's worse-than-expected 1H24 losses suggest investors are looking beyond.</li>
<li>While non-aviation businesses will remain under pressure in the near-term, potential for earnings growth from fare hike could be significant and is not at all reflected at current valuation.</li>
<li>Free cash flow turning positive in 2024 also open to door for restoring dividend payments, which will be another catalyst for stock re-rating. Risk reward payoff gets increasingly positive.   </li>
</ul>


Market's muted response to the airport's worse-than-expected 1H24 losses suggest investors are looking beyond.
While non-aviation businesses will remain under pressure in the near-term, potential for earnings growth from fare hike could be significant and is not at all reflected at current valuation.
Free cash flow turning positive in 2024 also open to door for restoring dividend payments, which will be another catalyst for stock re-rating. Risk reward payoff gets increasingly positive.   


BCIA (694 HK): Risk Reward Payoff Gets Increasingly Attractive

DPC Dash Ltd operates franchise fast food restaurants. The Company through its chain stores, supplies pizza, drinks, and other related snacks. DPC Dash conducts businesses in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

<ul>
<li>Company issued 1H24 profit alert after market yesterday which significantly beat even the high-end sell-side expectations. </li>
<li>Impressive SSSG and store-level unit economics imply sizable potential for operating leverage and earnings growth in the mid to long term.</li>
<li>The profit alert, along with 2Q operating data released earlier, reinforced our confidence in earnings estimates of RMB130 million/RMB300 million for FY24/25 respectively. </li>
</ul>


Company issued 1H24 profit alert after market yesterday which significantly beat even the high-end sell-side expectations. 
Impressive SSSG and store-level unit economics imply sizable potential for operating leverage and earnings growth in the mid to long term.
The profit alert, along with 2Q operating data released earlier, reinforced our confidence in earnings estimates of RMB130 million/RMB300 million for FY24/25 respectively. 


DPC Dash (1405.HK): 1H24 Profit Alert Validating Investment Case

Anhui Conch Cement Company Limited manufactures cement products. The Company produces silicate cements, slag silicate cements, composite silicate cements, cement clinkers, and other products. Anhui Conch Cement Cement markets its products throughout China and worldwide.

<ul>
<li>We believe Anhui Conch is near the end of a prolonged downturn. Earnings should have bottomed out in 1Q24, with highly visible sequential Q/Q improvements throughout the rest of 2024.</li>
<li>The recovery is not demand-driven but cost-led as implementation of new national standards resulting in higher production costs led to industry-wide price-hikes, benefiting Anhui Conch the low-cost producer.</li>
<li>We see mild rebound in cement demand in 2025 will pave the way for further price hikes, reinforce the company’s earnings recovery and catalyze valuation expansion.</li>
</ul>


We believe Anhui Conch is near the end of a prolonged downturn. Earnings should have bottomed out in 1Q24, with highly visible sequential Q/Q improvements throughout the rest of 2024.
The recovery is not demand-driven but cost-led as implementation of new national standards resulting in higher production costs led to industry-wide price-hikes, benefiting Anhui Conch the low-cost producer.
We see mild rebound in cement demand in 2025 will pave the way for further price hikes, reinforce the company’s earnings recovery and catalyze valuation expansion.


Anhui Conch (914 HK): Turnaround in Sight

With a blend of sell-side and buy-side perspectives, Eric has covered and researched hundreds of Greater China equities in TMT and consumer spaces - two sectors woven together by the overarching thesis of technology empowering consumption. 

Eric is highly experienced in fundamental equity long short strategy. He seeks to produce differentiated and original research that combines holistic qualitative framework, unique angles and robust modelling. The process helps gain deep insights into critical value drivers misunderstood by the market, which results in mis-priced stocks and hence long/short opportunities.