Forensic Analyst

Jason Yap, CFA

Forensic Accounting

Incorporated in Beijing in July 2014, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-tower-corp-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27037:1" rel="noopener">China Tower (788 HK)</a> is a state-owned telecommunications company that provides telecommunications tower construction, tower maintenance, ancillary facilities management and related services in China. 
As at 31 December 2020, China Tower operated and managed 2.023 million tower sites and its total assets were RMB337.4 billion, and it was therefore commonly known as the world's largest telecommunications tower infrastructure service provider. 
Amid aggressive 5G rollout in China in 2020, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-tower-corp-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27037:1" rel="noopener">China Tower (788 HK)</a> was initially poised to be a key beneficiary of the 5G secular growth story. Instead, its share price performance has significantly underperformed both the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-hang-seng-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22899:1" rel="noopener">Hong Kong Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX)</a> and its telecommunication tower infrastructure peers listed internationally over the past 12 to 18 months. 
This was attributed to <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/5G-networks/Chinese-telecom-operators-cut-back-5G-network-construction" target="_blank" rel="noopener">weaker</a> than expected 5G-related demand for new towers, which was in turn due to a combination of factors, such as:
<ol>
<li>slower than expected 5G adoption;</li>
<li>China telecom operators, namely <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-telecom-corp-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1015:1" rel="noopener">China Telecom (H) (728 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-unicom-hong-kong-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1016:1" rel="noopener">China Unicom Hong Kong (762 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-mobile-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27:1" rel="noopener">China Mobile (941 HK)</a> and new entrant China Broadcast Network, striking partnerships to share network frequency bands; and </li>
<li>where possible, China telecom operators opting for co-location of base stations to save tower deployment capital expenditures. </li>
</ol>
In this Insight, we discuss if China Tower is past its trough and whether the upcoming tower lease negotiations in 2022 will become an overhang. Further, we address potential corporate governance concerns given that its major shareholders - that is, the Big 3 China telecom operators - are also its largest customers and therefore have considerable influence on China Tower's business decisions.

Incorporated in Beijing in July 2014, China Tower (788 HK) is a state-owned telecommunications company that provides telecommunications tower construction, tower maintenance, ancillary facilities management and related services in China. 
As at 31 December 2020, China Tower operated and managed 2.023 million tower sites and its total assets were RMB337.4 billion, and it was therefore commonly known as the world's largest telecommunications tower infrastructure service provider. 
Amid aggressive 5G rollout in China in 2020, China Tower (788 HK) was initially poised to be a key beneficiary of the 5G secular growth story. Instead, its share price performance has significantly underperformed both the Hong Kong Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX) and its telecommunication tower infrastructure peers listed internationally over the past 12 to 18 months. 
This was attributed to weaker than expected 5G-related demand for new towers, which was in turn due to a combination of factors, such as:

slower than expected 5G adoption;
China telecom operators, namely China Telecom (H) (728 HK), China Unicom Hong Kong (762 HK), China Mobile (941 HK) and new entrant China Broadcast Network, striking partnerships to share network frequency bands; and 
where possible, China telecom operators opting for co-location of base stations to save tower deployment capital expenditures. 

In this Insight, we discuss if China Tower is past its trough and whether the upcoming tower lease negotiations in 2022 will become an overhang. Further, we address potential corporate governance concerns given that its major shareholders - that is, the Big 3 China telecom operators - are also its largest customers and therefore have considerable influence on China Tower's business decisions. 

China Tower (788 HK) - Deep Value, Though Lease Negotiation Overhang Persists

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>In the last 4 weeks, the HSI constituents with the highest yields have gained 3-4%, while the lowest-yielding ones have lost an average of 4%. </li>
<li>The top 15 high-yield constituents will deliver an average yield of 6.2% for FY26. The number increased to 25 when we include those at over 5%.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-mobile-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27:1" rel="noopener">China Mobile (941 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cnooc-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:175:1" rel="noopener">CNOOC Ltd (883 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/haidilao-international-holding" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27044:1" rel="noopener">Haidilao International Holding (6862 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-unicom-hong-kong-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1016:1" rel="noopener">China Unicom Hong Kong (762 HK)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/power-assets-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:788:1" rel="noopener">Power Assets Holdings (6 HK)</a> also have net cash. </li>
</ul>


In the last 4 weeks, the HSI constituents with the highest yields have gained 3-4%, while the lowest-yielding ones have lost an average of 4%. 
The top 15 high-yield constituents will deliver an average yield of 6.2% for FY26. The number increased to 25 when we include those at over 5%.

China Mobile (941 HK), CNOOC Ltd (883 HK), Haidilao International Holding (6862 HK), China Unicom Hong Kong (762 HK), and Power Assets Holdings (6 HK) also have net cash. 


Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech, Aequitas Research

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech

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.

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>We analyze the weekly Hong Kong Connect flows with our data engine for holding position as of November 28th.</li>
<li>The top stocks by inflows and outflows were tabulated for all market, HSCEI, mid cap and s/mid cap groups.</li>
<li>We highlight flows for Alibaba, Kuaishou, CMB, Tencent, SMIC, Xiaomi.</li>
</ul>


We analyze the weekly Hong Kong Connect flows with our data engine for holding position as of November 28th.
The top stocks by inflows and outflows were tabulated for all market, HSCEI, mid cap and s/mid cap groups.
We highlight flows for Alibaba, Kuaishou, CMB, Tencent, SMIC, Xiaomi.


HK Connect Flows Weekly (Nov 28th): Alibaba, Kuaishou, CMB, Tencent, SMIC, Xiaomi

<ul>
<li>We analyze the weekly Hong Kong Connect flows with our data engine for holding position as of November 21st.</li>
<li>The top stocks by inflows and outflows were tabulated for all market, HSCEI, mid cap and s/mid cap groups.</li>
<li>We highlight flows for Alibaba, Xiaomi, Xpeng, CCB, SMIC, China Shenhua Energy.</li>
</ul>


We analyze the weekly Hong Kong Connect flows with our data engine for holding position as of November 21st.
The top stocks by inflows and outflows were tabulated for all market, HSCEI, mid cap and s/mid cap groups.
We highlight flows for Alibaba, Xiaomi, Xpeng, CCB, SMIC, China Shenhua Energy.


HK Connect Flows Weekly (Nov 21st): Alibaba, Xiaomi, Xpeng, CCB, SMIC, China Shenhua Energy

<ul>
<li>We analyze the weekly Hong Kong Connect flows with our data engine for holding position as of November 7th.</li>
<li>The top stocks by inflows and outflows were tabulated for all market, HSCEI, mid cap and s/mid cap groups.</li>
<li>We highlight flows for Xiaomi, CNOOC, SMIC, Meituan, ICBC, China Mobile, Tencent, Hua Hong Semiconductor.</li>
</ul>


We analyze the weekly Hong Kong Connect flows with our data engine for holding position as of November 7th.
The top stocks by inflows and outflows were tabulated for all market, HSCEI, mid cap and s/mid cap groups.
We highlight flows for Xiaomi, CNOOC, SMIC, Meituan, ICBC, China Mobile, Tencent, Hua Hong Semiconductor.


HK Connect Flows Weekly (Nov 7th): Xiaomi, CNOOC, SMIC, Meituan, ICBC, China Mobile, Tencent

Hong Kong

China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications services in the People's Republic of China.  The Company's services include cellular, paging, long distance, data, and Internet services.

Price Gauge
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China Unicom Hong Kong (762 HK)

China Tower (788 HK) - Deep Value, Though Lease Negotiation Overhang Persists

We discuss whether China Tower's share price has bottomed and address potential corporate governance concerns given that the Big 3 China telcos...

Jason Yap, CFA

HK Strategy: Focusing Back on Yields

High-yield HSI constituents have outperformed low-yield ones in the last 4 weeks, reversing the pattern this year. The top 15 will deliver a 6.2%...

Osbert Tang, CFA

HK Connect Flows Weekly (Nov 28th): Alibaba, Kuaishou, CMB, Tencent, SMIC, Xiaomi

We analyzed southbound Hong Kong connect flows in the past week and highlighted flows for Alibaba, Kuaishou, CMB, Tencent, SMIC, Xiaomi.

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

HK Connect Flows Weekly (Nov 21st): Alibaba, Xiaomi, Xpeng, CCB, SMIC, China Shenhua Energy

We analyzed southbound Hong Kong connect flows in the past week and highlighted flows for Alibaba, Xiaomi, Xpeng, CCB, SMIC, China Shenhua Energy.

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

HK Connect Flows Weekly (Nov 7th): Xiaomi, CNOOC, SMIC, Meituan, ICBC, China Mobile, Tencent

We analyzed southbound Hong Kong connect flows in the past week and highlighted flows for Xiaomi, CNOOC, SMIC, Meituan, ICBC, China Mobile,...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

China Tower (788 HK) - Deep Value, Though Lease Negotiation Overhang Persists

We discuss whether China Tower's share price has bottomed and address potential corporate governance concerns given that the Big 3 China telcos...

Jason Yap, CFA

HK Strategy: Focusing Back on Yields

​High-yield HSI constituents have outperformed low-yield ones in the last 4 weeks, reversing the pattern this year. The top 15 will deliver a 6.2%...

Osbert Tang, CFA

HK Connect Flows Weekly (Nov 28th): Alibaba, Kuaishou, CMB, Tencent, SMIC, Xiaomi

We analyzed southbound Hong Kong connect flows in the past week and highlighted flows for Alibaba, Kuaishou, CMB, Tencent, SMIC, Xiaomi.

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

HK Connect Flows Weekly (Nov 21st): Alibaba, Xiaomi, Xpeng, CCB, SMIC, China Shenhua Energy

We analyzed southbound Hong Kong connect flows in the past week and highlighted flows for Alibaba, Xiaomi, Xpeng, CCB, SMIC, China Shenhua Energy.

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

HK Connect Flows Weekly (Nov 7th): Xiaomi, CNOOC, SMIC, Meituan, ICBC, China Mobile, Tencent

We analyzed southbound Hong Kong connect flows in the past week and highlighted flows for Xiaomi, CNOOC, SMIC, Meituan, ICBC, China Mobile,...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

High-yield HSI constituents have outperformed low-yield ones in the last 4 weeks, reversing the pattern this year. The top 15 will deliver a 6.2%...