Insight Provider, CrossASEAN Research

Nicolas Van Broekhoven

Insight Provider

CrossASEAN Research

At CrossASEAN Research we strive to produce unbiased and differentiated on the ground insights on companies across South East Asia. Our Research is produced for the most part after face to face meetings and conversations with company management to dig deep into the long term vision and strategy of the companies we cover. We seek to deliver investable and actionable themes on sectors and markets across SE Asia, often in collaboration with other Insight Providers across the region, pooling the vast experience of the analysts within the Smartkarma Ecosystem. We also offer bespoke work and tailor made trips for our clients. 

Insights across South East Asia

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Copper is trading above 5.05 USD/lbs and has rallied over 29% YTD. Jeff Currie was quoted as saying "<strong>Copper is the New Oil"</strong>
</li>
<li>Sprott launches physical Copper Trust, copying the uranium playbook. Removing physical copper from the market.</li>
<li>Uranium in 2023 and Cacao in 1H24 show what commodity prices can do if investors panic. Is copper making a parabolic move next?</li>
</ul>


Copper is trading above 5.05 USD/lbs and has rallied over 29% YTD. Jeff Currie was quoted as saying "Copper is the New Oil"

Sprott launches physical Copper Trust, copying the uranium playbook. Removing physical copper from the market.
Uranium in 2023 and Cacao in 1H24 show what commodity prices can do if investors panic. Is copper making a parabolic move next?


Blue Lotus China New Economy Research, Blue Lotus Research Institute

Eric Wen

Blue Lotus China New Economy Research

China growth and global non-US Internet equities

Blue Lotus Research Institute

Blue Lotus Research is a Hong Kong Type 4 Licensed investment advisory firm focusing on Chinese growth equities and global non-US Internet equities

Equity Bottom-Up

Meituan operates as a web based shopping platform for locally found consumer products and retail services. The Company offers deals of the day by selling vouchers on local services and entertainment, dining, delivery, and other services. Meituan provides its services throughout China.

<ul>
<li>We notice a pickup in consumer acceptance of instrashopping, as result of COVID-cultivated behavior. We notice similar business model worked outside of China (Coupang) for densely populated urban upper-middle-class customers;</li>
<li>Meituan's launch of membership is a wise step towards strengthening user stickiness and emphasizing transaction soundness over impulsive buying. Meituan's portfolio in food, dining, hotel &amp; travel offer unparalleled value;</li>
<li>We see Meituan's success in Hong Kong honed a replicable business model targeting single and low priced segment. Consolation on a global scale now seems a possibility.</li>
</ul>


We notice a pickup in consumer acceptance of instrashopping, as result of COVID-cultivated behavior. We notice similar business model worked outside of China (Coupang) for densely populated urban upper-middle-class customers;
Meituan's launch of membership is a wise step towards strengthening user stickiness and emphasizing transaction soundness over impulsive buying. Meituan's portfolio in food, dining, hotel &amp; travel offer unparalleled value;
We see Meituan's success in Hong Kong honed a replicable business model targeting single and low priced segment. Consolation on a global scale now seems a possibility.


Meituan (3690 HK): Out of the Woods and Light a Fire

Overseas Chinese Equities, Aequitas Research

Ming Lu

Overseas Chinese Equities

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

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>Customer management as the largest business began to increase compared to the past two stagnant quarters.</li>
<li>We believe margin will continue to decline as the company turned its focus to growth.</li>
<li>We conclude an upside of 41% for March 2025 based on peer companies’ P/S ratios.</li>
</ul>


Customer management as the largest business began to increase compared to the past two stagnant quarters.
We believe margin will continue to decline as the company turned its focus to growth.
We conclude an upside of 41% for March 2025 based on peer companies’ P/S ratios.


Alibaba (9988 HK): 4Q24, Main Business Began to Grow

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Equity Analyst

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

Tencent Holdings Limited operates as an investment holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, provides Internet and mobile value-added services (VAS), online advertising, and e-commerce transactions. Tencent Holdings offers services to users worldwide.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a> reported 1Q2024 results today. Both revenues and OP grew 6.3% and 30.0% YoY respectively and beat consensus estimates.</li>
<li>Though domestic games revenues declined YoY, there were signs of recovery in Tencent’s gaming business. Online advertising saw strong growth despite 1Q being a seasonally weak quarter for Tencent.</li>
<li>Tencent’s investments in high-margin products have helped boost the company’s margins across all business segments.</li>
</ul>



Tencent (700 HK) reported 1Q2024 results today. Both revenues and OP grew 6.3% and 30.0% YoY respectively and beat consensus estimates.
Though domestic games revenues declined YoY, there were signs of recovery in Tencent’s gaming business. Online advertising saw strong growth despite 1Q being a seasonally weak quarter for Tencent.
Tencent’s investments in high-margin products have helped boost the company’s margins across all business segments.


Tencent: Online Advertising and High-Margin Businesses Support Earnings

<ul>
<li>The operating margin in 1Q24 reached the highest since 2Q16, as the gross margins of all businesses improved.</li>
<li>The growth rate of online advertising is high than our estimate, but the growth rate of FinTech is lower than our estimate.</li>
<li>We believe there is still an upside of 9% and the price target will be HK$415 for the end of 2024.</li>
</ul>


The operating margin in 1Q24 reached the highest since 2Q16, as the gross margins of all businesses improved.
The growth rate of online advertising is high than our estimate, but the growth rate of FinTech is lower than our estimate.
We believe there is still an upside of 9% and the price target will be HK$415 for the end of 2024.


Tencent (700 HK): 1Q24, Highest Margin in Seven Years

Insights Relevant to South Africa Equity Markets

South Africa Asset Management
Insights Relevant to South Africa Equity Markets

Junior Copper Miners: Time for Lift-Off?

Copper surges as demand increases. Sprott launches physical Copper Trust, potentially impacting market supply. Will copper follow uranium and...

Nicolas Van Broekhoven

Meituan (3690 HK): Out of the Woods and Light a Fire

Meituan plans to launch a comprehensive membership program as it extends instrashopping from grocery to daily goods, positive for its profit...

Blue Lotus Research Institute

Alibaba (9988 HK): 4Q24, Main Business Began to Grow

Customer management as the largest business began to increase compared to the past two stagnant quarters. We believe margin will continue to...

Ming Lu

Tencent: Online Advertising and High-Margin Businesses Support Earnings

Tencent's 1Q earnings beat consensus. Though online games declined there were signs of recovery. Online ad saw strong growth despite 1Q being...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Tencent (700 HK): 1Q24, Highest Margin in Seven Years

The operating margin in 1Q24 reached the highest since 2Q16, as the gross margins of all businesses improved. The growth rate of online advertising...

Ming Lu

Junior Copper Miners: Time for Lift-Off?

​Copper surges as demand increases. Sprott launches physical Copper Trust, potentially impacting market supply. Will copper follow uranium and...

Nicolas Van Broekhoven

Meituan (3690 HK): Out of the Woods and Light a Fire

​Meituan plans to launch a comprehensive membership program as it extends instrashopping from grocery to daily goods, positive for its profit...

Blue Lotus Research Institute

Alibaba (9988 HK): 4Q24, Main Business Began to Grow

Customer management as the largest business began to increase compared to the past two stagnant quarters. We believe margin will continue to...

Ming Lu

Tencent: Online Advertising and High-Margin Businesses Support Earnings

Tencent's 1Q earnings beat consensus. Though online games declined there were signs of recovery. Online ad saw strong growth despite 1Q being...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Tencent (700 HK): 1Q24, Highest Margin in Seven Years

The operating margin in 1Q24 reached the highest since 2Q16, as the gross margins of all businesses improved. The growth rate of online advertising...

Ming Lu

Copper surges as demand increases. Sprott launches physical Copper Trust, potentially impacting market supply. Will copper follow uranium and...

Meituan plans to launch a comprehensive membership program as it extends instrashopping from grocery to daily goods, positive for its profit...