HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>All three Chinese airlines trimmed their losses in 1H24, suggesting a pick-up in sector fundamentals. However, their 2Q24 bottom line displayed different trends.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/air-china-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8239:1" rel="noopener">Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK)</a> is performing the best, with QoQ improvement in both reported and recurring losses (reduction by 41.7% and 7.4%, respectively).</li>
<li>
<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>, however, dipped back into red in 2Q24 after making a profit in 1Q24. With Air China underperforming YTD, there is room to revenge in 2H24.</li>
</ul>


All three Chinese airlines trimmed their losses in 1H24, suggesting a pick-up in sector fundamentals. However, their 2Q24 bottom line displayed different trends.

Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK) is performing the best, with QoQ improvement in both reported and recurring losses (reduction by 41.7% and 7.4%, respectively).

China Southern Airlines (1055 HK), however, dipped back into red in 2Q24 after making a profit in 1Q24. With Air China underperforming YTD, there is room to revenge in 2H24.


Equity Bottom-Up

China Gas Holdings Ltd. invests in, operates and manages natural gas distribution pipelines.  The Company distributes and sells natural gas to residential, commercial and industrial users, and bottles and sells compressed natural gas.  China Gas also constructs and operates gas stations.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-gas-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14315:1" rel="noopener">China Gas Holdings (384 HK)</a>'s FY24 result is distorted by non-recurring items and provisions. Adjusted net profit, however, has declined by only 4.3%, and is only 2.6% below consensus. </li>
<li>FY25 guidance looks positive as a 6% increase in dollar margin and a 5% increase in gas volume are expected. The Apr-May operating figures support such projections.</li>
<li>China Gas maintained its DPS despite a drop in reported profit, showcasing its confidence. Assuming the same dividend in FY25 and FY26, it will sit on a yield of 7%. </li>
</ul>



China Gas Holdings (384 HK)'s FY24 result is distorted by non-recurring items and provisions. Adjusted net profit, however, has declined by only 4.3%, and is only 2.6% below consensus. 
FY25 guidance looks positive as a 6% increase in dollar margin and a 5% increase in gas volume are expected. The Apr-May operating figures support such projections.
China Gas maintained its DPS despite a drop in reported profit, showcasing its confidence. Assuming the same dividend in FY25 and FY26, it will sit on a yield of 7%. 


China Gas Holdings (384 HK): Still Warrants a Look

Cathay Pacific Airways / Equity Bottom-Up

Cathay Pacific Airways Limited operates scheduled airline services. The Company also provides related services, including airline catering, aircraft handling, and engineering.

<ul>
<li>With more foreign countries being granted visa-free visits to China, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cathay-pacific-airways-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:243:1" rel="noopener">Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK)</a> will benefit from more transfer traffic via Hong Kong.</li>
<li>Recovery is decent with passenger traffic rising 37.5% in 5M24. CX's capacity already returned to 80% of pre-pandemic in 2Q24, and this will reach 100% in 1Q25. </li>
<li>YTD, CX is still a laggard relative to many global airlines. Its P/B valuation is not stretched at 0.8x, given ROE of 11% over the next 3 years.  </li>
</ul>


With more foreign countries being granted visa-free visits to China, Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK) will benefit from more transfer traffic via Hong Kong.
Recovery is decent with passenger traffic rising 37.5% in 5M24. CX's capacity already returned to 80% of pre-pandemic in 2Q24, and this will reach 100% in 1Q25. 
YTD, CX is still a laggard relative to many global airlines. Its P/B valuation is not stretched at 0.8x, given ROE of 11% over the next 3 years.  


Cathay Pacific (293 HK): Multiple Positive Developments

Sa Sa International Hldgs / Equity Bottom-Up

Sa Sa International Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, retails and wholesales cosmetics. The Company also provides beauty and health club services to members.

<ul>
<li>Despite missing market consensus, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sa-sa-international-hldgs" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20143:1" rel="noopener">Sa Sa International Hldgs (178 HK)</a>'s FY24 result still have silver linings. Its resumption of dividends with a 70% payout ratio is welcoming.</li>
<li>Tax credit in 2H23 has distorted comparison. At pre-tax level, 2H24 profit has gone up by 29.5%. Cost management is solid, generating a 0.9pp FY24 operating margin expansion. </li>
<li>While overall 1Q25 sales have dropped, mainland China sales surged 83.9%. The macro environment should have bottomed and government efforts to attract tourists will pay off.  </li>
</ul>


Despite missing market consensus, Sa Sa International Hldgs (178 HK)'s FY24 result still have silver linings. Its resumption of dividends with a 70% payout ratio is welcoming.
Tax credit in 2H23 has distorted comparison. At pre-tax level, 2H24 profit has gone up by 29.5%. Cost management is solid, generating a 0.9pp FY24 operating margin expansion. 
While overall 1Q25 sales have dropped, mainland China sales surged 83.9%. The macro environment should have bottomed and government efforts to attract tourists will pay off.  


Sa Sa Intl (178 HK): Every Coin Has Two Sides

COFCO Joycome Foods Limited engages in animal meat production. The Company produces, processes, distributes, and sells fresh pork, pork products, and animal feeds. COFCO Joycome Foods also operates and manages slaughterhouse throughout China.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cofco-meat-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22858:1" rel="noopener">Cofco Joycome (1610 HK)</a> is in a good position to benefit from the hog cycle upturn. China's anti-dumping investigation into imported pork from the EU may also disrupt supply.</li>
<li>Its average hog price has increased by 12.7% YTD and by 1.6% YoY for 5M24. Market hog price further surged by 10.4% in the week of 12-Jun from end-May.</li>
<li>Its P/B of 0.78x is inexpensive at 1SD below the 5-year average. Its peers like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/muyuan-foodstuff-co-ltd-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3705:1" rel="noopener">Muyuan Foodstuff (002714 CH)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wens-foodstuff-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22859:1" rel="noopener">Wens Foodstuff Group (300498 CH)</a> are also interesting. </li>
</ul>



Cofco Joycome (1610 HK) is in a good position to benefit from the hog cycle upturn. China's anti-dumping investigation into imported pork from the EU may also disrupt supply.
Its average hog price has increased by 12.7% YTD and by 1.6% YoY for 5M24. Market hog price further surged by 10.4% in the week of 12-Jun from end-May.
Its P/B of 0.78x is inexpensive at 1SD below the 5-year average. Its peers like Muyuan Foodstuff (002714 CH) and Wens Foodstuff Group (300498 CH) are also interesting. 


COFCO Joycome (1610 HK): Brewing a Hog Cycle Upturn?

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.