HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Chinese airlines are expected to face sustained turbulence given the adverse impact of scattered outbreak of local COVID-19 cases, with the most recent ones being Fujian. We see risks for this round of spread to negatively affect the cross-province travel appetite during the mid-Autumn mini-break and potentially the all-important National Day Golden Week in Oct. With poor Aug traffic figures out (over 50% YoY drop in domestic passenger traffic for both <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> and <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>), Sep is also unlikely to be an easy month.We expect 3Q21 results to be under pressure, and we maintain that a long <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>, short <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> trade can position well amid the current environment. We see too much positive expectations have been built in CSA; meanwhile, Air China will have an easier base for comparison in 4Q21 and the reduction in losses at <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 continue to help its bottom line in 2H21.

Chinese airlines are expected to face sustained turbulence given the adverse impact of scattered outbreak of local COVID-19 cases, with the most recent ones being Fujian. We see risks for this round of spread to negatively affect the cross-province travel appetite during the mid-Autumn mini-break and potentially the all-important National Day Golden Week in Oct. With poor Aug traffic figures out (over 50% YoY drop in domestic passenger traffic for both China Southern Airlines (1055 HK) and Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK)), Sep is also unlikely to be an easy month.We expect 3Q21 results to be under pressure, and we maintain that a long Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK), short China Southern Airlines (1055 HK) trade can position well amid the current environment. We see too much positive expectations have been built in CSA; meanwhile, Air China will have an easier base for comparison in 4Q21 and the reduction in losses at Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK) will continue to help its bottom line in 2H21.

Chinese Airlines: Cruising Within Sustained Turbulence

A close look on the May traffic for the Chinese airlines will reveal that <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> continued to make positive progress to narrow down its gap against <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>. The former's overall passenger traffic YoY growth was 6.7pp better than the latter in the month; and its freight traffic was even at a 25.4% YoY growth, compared with just 5.9% for CSA. We saw that Air China has already stopped its underperformance against CSA starting Apr, with both stocks moving very much in tandem in the last three months. With the recent local COVID-19 case outbreak in Guangdong, particularly Guangzhou which negatively affect scheduled flights into CSA's headquarter hub, we see room for near-term outperformance at Air China. With better pick-up of international traffic going forward, we expect Air China to widen its outperformance into 2H21.

A close look on the May traffic for the Chinese airlines will reveal that Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK) continued to make positive progress to narrow down its gap against China Southern Airlines (1055 HK). The former's overall passenger traffic YoY growth was 6.7pp better than the latter in the month; and its freight traffic was even at a 25.4% YoY growth, compared with just 5.9% for CSA. We saw that Air China has already stopped its underperformance against CSA starting Apr, with both stocks moving very much in tandem in the last three months. With the recent local COVID-19 case outbreak in Guangdong, particularly Guangzhou which negatively affect scheduled flights into CSA's headquarter hub, we see room for near-term outperformance at Air China. With better pick-up of international traffic going forward, we expect Air China to widen its outperformance into 2H21. 

Chinese Airlines: China Southern (1055 HK) Seeing More Pressure than Air China (753 HK)

While <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> sustained its outperformance against <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> in its traffic in Feb, we have already seen some signs of positive factors for Air China emerging, leading us to believe that the unfavourable performance of our advocated <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/2021-high-conviction-pair-trade-long-air-china-753-hk-short-china-southern-1055-hk" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:45584" rel="noopener">2021 High Conviction: Pair Trade - Long Air China (753 HK), Short China Southern (1055 HK)</a> YTD will soon come to an inflection point.<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/smartkarma-webinar-pair-trade-long-air-china-short-china-southern-still-an-opportunity" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:47857" rel="noopener"></a>The positive signs that we saw are: 1.) stronger passenger load MoM and cargo traffic YoY in Feb at Air China; 2.) now that the Rmb/USD has weakened; 3.) rise in jet fuel more negative to CSA; and 4.) pick-up in Air China's fare after CNY. In valuation terms, CSA's sharp rally has returned it to 1.16x P/B, more than 1SD above historical average, and back to the level in early-2019 before the outbreak - which is not cheap anymore.

While China Southern Airlines (1055 HK) sustained its outperformance against Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK) in its traffic in Feb, we have already seen some signs of positive factors for Air China emerging, leading us to believe that the unfavourable performance of our advocated 2021 High Conviction: Pair Trade - Long Air China (753 HK), Short China Southern (1055 HK) YTD will soon come to an inflection point.The positive signs that we saw are: 1.) stronger passenger load MoM and cargo traffic YoY in Feb at Air China; 2.) now that the Rmb/USD has weakened; 3.) rise in jet fuel more negative to CSA; and 4.) pick-up in Air China's fare after CNY. In valuation terms, CSA's sharp rally has returned it to 1.16x P/B, more than 1SD above historical average, and back to the level in early-2019 before the outbreak - which is not cheap anymore.

2021 High Conviction Update: Chinese Airlines Pair Trade - Almost Getting to the Inflection Point

Asia Pac ECM and Index Rebal, Shenton Research

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Asia Pac ECM and Index Rebal

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China Biotech

DZT Research

DZT Research is an independent Asia Pacific equity specialist. Our quantitative research covers index rebalancing flows, alongside exchange data analytics accross Asia Pacific. On the equity capital markets side, we focus on Asia Pacific ECM, especially biotech and TMT. Our lead analyst is frequently cited by international media.

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>We analyse the changes of A-H premium on 189 stocks over the last week. The average A-H premium was 85.5% as of Jul 3rd.</li>
<li>The average A-H premium changed by 0.4ppt week-on-week, led by consumer staples, health care, energy and offset by utilities, consumer discretionary, materials.</li>
<li>We highlight weekly changes in A-H premium for China Longyuan, Psbc, Cicc, Yangtze Optical Fibre And-H, Midea, Ceb Bank.</li>
</ul>


We analyse the changes of A-H premium on 189 stocks over the last week. The average A-H premium was 85.5% as of Jul 3rd.
The average A-H premium changed by 0.4ppt week-on-week, led by consumer staples, health care, energy and offset by utilities, consumer discretionary, materials.
We highlight weekly changes in A-H premium for China Longyuan, Psbc, Cicc, Yangtze Optical Fibre And-H, Midea, Ceb Bank.


A-H Premium Weekly (Jul 3rd): China Longyuan, Psbc, Cicc, Yangtze Optical Fibre And-H, Midea

While <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> continued to show YoY traffic outperformance in Jan, we see the sequential softening in domestic passenger traffic will weigh on the airline in 1Q21. Its share price outperformance against <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> since 2020 will soon become increasingly difficult to sustain with potentially better traffic turnout at the latter, driven by the gradual recovery in international traffic.CSA's passenger load factor outperformance in the month is also partly attributed to the high base for both Air China 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 Co (H) (670 HK)</a>, and such favourable factor will turn dimmer as we move into the next few months. Our <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/2021-high-conviction-pair-trade-long-air-china-753-hk-short-china-southern-1055-hk" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:45584" rel="noopener">2021 High Conviction: Pair Trade - Long Air China (753 HK), Short China Southern (1055 HK)</a> continues to hold; and in fact, CSA's share price strength has created an even better timing for set up this trade, in our view.

While China Southern Airlines (1055 HK) continued to show YoY traffic outperformance in Jan, we see the sequential softening in domestic passenger traffic will weigh on the airline in 1Q21. Its share price outperformance against Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK) since 2020 will soon become increasingly difficult to sustain with potentially better traffic turnout at the latter, driven by the gradual recovery in international traffic.CSA's passenger load factor outperformance in the month is also partly attributed to the high base for both Air China and China Eastern Airlines Co (H) (670 HK), and such favourable factor will turn dimmer as we move into the next few months. Our 2021 High Conviction: Pair Trade - Long Air China (753 HK), Short China Southern (1055 HK) continues to hold; and in fact, CSA's share price strength has created an even better timing for set up this trade, in our view.

Chinese Airlines: A Reversal of Relative Performance Between the Airlines Gets Closer

China

China Southern Airlines is a major airline specializing in comprehensive air transportation services, including scheduled passenger flights and the transport of cargo and mail. The airline also provides complementary services such as aircraft maintenance, catering, and ground handling. It is headquartered in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China, and was founded in 1988.

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China Southern Airlines (1055 HK)

Chinese Airlines: Cruising Within Sustained Turbulence

After a devastating Aug, Sep will still be clouded by recent cases in Fujian. We think Long Air China, short CSA strategy should capture CSA's...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Chinese Airlines: China Southern (1055 HK) Seeing More Pressure than Air China (753 HK)

May traffic revealed that Air China sustaining its trend of narrowing down operational gap against CSA. Local COVID-19 cases in Guangzhou means a...

Osbert Tang, CFA

2021 High Conviction Update: Chinese Airlines Pair Trade - Almost Getting to the Inflection Point

Feb traffic is not too bad at CSA but we see some positive signs emerging at Air China, supporting a potential reversal of its underperformance...

Osbert Tang, CFA

A-H Premium Weekly (Jul 3rd): China Longyuan, Psbc, Cicc, Yangtze Optical Fibre And-H, Midea

We analyzed A-H premium changes in the past week and highlight A-H premium changes for China Longyuan, Psbc, Cicc, Yangtze Optical Fibre And-H,...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Chinese Airlines: A Reversal of Relative Performance Between the Airlines Gets Closer

CSA has better traffic and load performance in Jan 2021, but further significant outperformance against Air China appeared to be increasingly...

Osbert Tang, CFA

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