HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

SITC International Holdings Company Ltd. offers marine shipping services.  The Company offers container liner shipping, freight forwarding, customs clearance, shipping agency, and ship brokerage services.  SITC operates in Asia.

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<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sitc-international-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15301:1" rel="noopener">SITC International (1308 HK)</a>'s management guided for a promising outlook for 2H24, with strong load performance in Jul-Aug, and better long-term contract rates YoY.  </li>
<li>Gross margin expanded 4.5pp in 1H24 despite a 5.3% drop in average freight rate, thanks to good cost control with lower chartered-in costs and more self-owned vessels.</li>
<li>Net cash increased 195% from end-FY23, and we are confident that its 70% payout ratio can be maintained. Its P/B is still below the 5-year average.</li>
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SITC International (1308 HK)'s management guided for a promising outlook for 2H24, with strong load performance in Jul-Aug, and better long-term contract rates YoY.  
Gross margin expanded 4.5pp in 1H24 despite a 5.3% drop in average freight rate, thanks to good cost control with lower chartered-in costs and more self-owned vessels.
Net cash increased 195% from end-FY23, and we are confident that its 70% payout ratio can be maintained. Its P/B is still below the 5-year average.


SITC International (1308 HK): Advancing Amid the Challenging Time

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

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<li>The companies that suffered exchange losses in FY23 due to Rmb depreciation will now benefit from potential Rmb appreciation in 2H24 and FY25. Meanwhile, gainers will become losers. </li>
<li>The beneficiaries are <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/air-china-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8239:1" rel="noopener">Air China Ltd (753 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-international-holdings-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen International (152 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-southern-airlines-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1078:1" rel="noopener">China Southern Airlines (1055 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/xinjiang-goldwind-science-technology-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10112:1" rel="noopener">Xinjiang Goldwind (2208 HK)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-eastern-airlines-co-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1079:1" rel="noopener">China Eastern Airlines (670 HK)</a>. </li>
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<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fosun-tourism-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27439:1" rel="noopener">Fosun Tourism (1992 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-east-education-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27843:1" rel="noopener">China East Education (667 HK)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-communications-construction-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:265:1" rel="noopener">China Communications Construction (1800 HK)</a> may need to book exchange losses (vs. gains in FY23). </li>
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The companies that suffered exchange losses in FY23 due to Rmb depreciation will now benefit from potential Rmb appreciation in 2H24 and FY25. Meanwhile, gainers will become losers. 
The beneficiaries are Air China Ltd (753 HK), Shenzhen International (152 HK), China Southern Airlines (1055 HK), Xinjiang Goldwind (2208 HK), and China Eastern Airlines (670 HK). 

Fosun Tourism (1992 HK), China East Education (667 HK), and China Communications Construction (1800 HK) may need to book exchange losses (vs. gains in FY23). 


China Strategy: Re-Assessing the Rmb Exchange Impacts

China East Education Holdings Limited provides vocational training educational services. The Company offers culinary education, internet technology education, automotive education, and other services. China East Education Holdings provides services in China.

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<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-east-education-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27843:1" rel="noopener">China East Education (667 HK)</a>'s 1H24 result is impressive with a 58% YoY increase in adjusted net profit. Good cost control is a key contributing factor. </li>
<li>Profitability has improved in all business segments. Its strategy to focus on higher-value courses has led to further improvement in annualised tuition per student. </li>
<li>The 1H24 result equals 68% of the full-year consensus, implying an upside in market expectations. Its net cash, at 35% of market capitalisation, is unmatched by peers.</li>
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China East Education (667 HK)'s 1H24 result is impressive with a 58% YoY increase in adjusted net profit. Good cost control is a key contributing factor. 
Profitability has improved in all business segments. Its strategy to focus on higher-value courses has led to further improvement in annualised tuition per student. 
The 1H24 result equals 68% of the full-year consensus, implying an upside in market expectations. Its net cash, at 35% of market capitalisation, is unmatched by peers.


China East Education (667 HK): Rock Solid Improvements

Tongcheng Travel Holdings  / Equity Bottom-Up

Tongcheng Travel Holdings Limited operates as an online travel agency. The Company provides transportation ticketing, accommodation reservation, value added travel products sales, and other services. Tongcheng Travel Holdings provides its services throughout China.

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<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tongcheng-travel-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27363:1" rel="noopener">Tongcheng Travel Holdings (780 HK)</a> is still suffering from cost pressure, with adjusted net profit increased by 10.9% in 2Q24, despite a 48.1% revenue growth.</li>
<li>Both GMV and MPU growth rates have slowed in 2Q24 when compared with 1Q24, and revenue may also decelerate in 2H24 given the higher base for comparison.</li>
<li>The market will need some time to see if the moderating earnings trend will sustain, negatively affecting investor interests. Potential earnings downgrade is also a challenge.</li>
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Tongcheng Travel Holdings (780 HK) is still suffering from cost pressure, with adjusted net profit increased by 10.9% in 2Q24, despite a 48.1% revenue growth.
Both GMV and MPU growth rates have slowed in 2Q24 when compared with 1Q24, and revenue may also decelerate in 2H24 given the higher base for comparison.
The market will need some time to see if the moderating earnings trend will sustain, negatively affecting investor interests. Potential earnings downgrade is also a challenge.


Tongcheng Travel (780 HK): Seems like a Cost Issue

JD Logistics, Inc. offers logistics services. The Company provides cargo transportation, cargo distribution, warehousing, and other services. JD Logistics is located in China.

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<li>Even after the 28% surge in share price since the 1H24 result, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jd-logistics-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31500:1" rel="noopener">JD Logistics (2618 HK)</a> still deserves a look as fundamentals have improved, especially with better cost control.</li>
<li>JDL is riding on scale economies with higher asset utilisation. Quarterly margins have sustained an uptrend, reaching the highest levels since 1Q21 and it will continue.</li>
<li>We like its lower reliance on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jd-com-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29043:1" rel="noopener">JD.com (9618 HK)</a> and net cash of HK$2.83/share (28% of the share price). There is a massive upside in consensus forecasts too.</li>
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Even after the 28% surge in share price since the 1H24 result, JD Logistics (2618 HK) still deserves a look as fundamentals have improved, especially with better cost control.
JDL is riding on scale economies with higher asset utilisation. Quarterly margins have sustained an uptrend, reaching the highest levels since 1Q21 and it will continue.
We like its lower reliance on JD.com (9618 HK) and net cash of HK$2.83/share (28% of the share price). There is a massive upside in consensus forecasts too.


JD Logistics (2618 HK): There Are More Rooms

Osbert Tang is an equity analyst with over 20 years of experience with focuses on China transport, infrastructure, industrials and utilities sectors. He has been based in Shanghai since 2003, accumulated nearly 20 years of on-ground knowledge on the Chinese economy and financial markets, and has a wealth of contacts with China corporates and government entities. 

Osbert has received votes from top-tier institutional investors and has been a highly-ranked transport and infrastructure analyst in the Asiamoney, Institutional Investors and Greenwich surveys. In addition to his extensive experience with international investment banks including RBS, ABN AMRO (both served as Shanghai Chief Representative), Paribas Asia Equity, Maybank Kim Eng and DBS Securities, he has been a senior analyst with Moody’s Investors Service with focus on ratings of China infrastructure and related LGFV issuers. He has also worked in the area of strategic development at Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited. 

Osbert holds a BBA from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin and a MSSc in Applied Psychology from the City University of Hong Kong. He was accredited with the CFA charter in 1997, and is a member of both British Psychological Society and Hong Kong Psychological Society.