Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

The final U.S. Presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden starts soon. Somehow, this debate manages to be highly-important, and largely irrelevant, all at the same time.For Trump, the debate couldn't be more important. Election Day is near and Biden's lead is well just beyond "polling error" at this point. This is Trump's best (and likely last) chance to alter fate but he must do the impossible – i.e., not be the center of attention for the better part of 90 minutes.Strategically, Trump's best bet is to "shut up, man" (a quote from the first debate) and give Biden an opportunity to talk himself into a gaffe or generally come across as that feeble-minded old man of Trump rhetoric. Biden doesn't need to "win" per se, he just needs to "not lose."Barring an epic train wreck, however, the debate will have little impact on the election.Ironically, coronavirus – a debate topic and Trump's Achilles heel – led to unprecedented absentee voting. Nearly 48 million votes are already cast, and cannot be changed. Few remaining voters are undecided. There simply aren't enough swayable voters left for Trump to sway.Still, there is that chance of seeing a good train wreck. And, the debate could matter in other ways; equally as important but with a lower threshold to relevance. Notably, a poor Trump showing could reshape Senate races, increasing the chances of Democrat sweep of Congress. The Blue Wave.This Insight is a prelude to the debate (and any potential post-debate analysis).

The final U.S. Presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden starts soon. Somehow, this debate manages to be highly-important, and largely irrelevant, all at the same time.For Trump, the debate couldn't be more important. Election Day is near and Biden's lead is well just beyond "polling error" at this point. This is Trump's best (and likely last) chance to alter fate but he must do the impossible – i.e., not be the center of attention for the better part of 90 minutes.Strategically, Trump's best bet is to "shut up, man" (a quote from the first debate) and give Biden an opportunity to talk himself into a gaffe or generally come across as that feeble-minded old man of Trump rhetoric. Biden doesn't need to "win" per se, he just needs to "not lose."Barring an epic train wreck, however, the debate will have little impact on the election.Ironically, coronavirus – a debate topic and Trump's Achilles heel – led to unprecedented absentee voting. Nearly 48 million votes are already cast, and cannot be changed. Few remaining voters are undecided. There simply aren't enough swayable voters left for Trump to sway.Still, there is that chance of seeing a good train wreck. And, the debate could matter in other ways; equally as important but with a lower threshold to relevance. Notably, a poor Trump showing could reshape Senate races, increasing the chances of Democrat sweep of Congress. The Blue Wave.This Insight is a prelude to the debate (and any potential post-debate analysis).

Final U.S. Presidential Debate: Trump Needs an Epic Biden Blunder for This to Matter

Asian Insight Provider - Actionable ideas, CrossASEAN Research

Henry Soediarko

Asian Insight Provider - Actionable ideas

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

Equity Bottom-Up

<div>Adding Indonesia to the current 8 countries that Singapore has a reciprocal Green Lane travel arrangement with, we should expect an increase in mobility in Singapore as Indonesia contributes to the second largest number of tourists in Singapore besides China. There is also a pilot project of the travel bubble with Hong Kong that requires no 14-day quarantine. </div>
<div></div>
<div>The shift WFO from WFH is not losing any momentum but slowly increasing. Majority Singaporeans uses public transport to go to work compared to private vehicles (public transport is the largest revenue contributor to Comfort Delgro). Phase III of COVID-19 reopening creates higher mobility from the higher number of participants allowed in various events including weddings and religious services. </div>
<div></div>
<div>Let's not be fooled by the increase in the company's increase in PER, the increase was caused by the low earnings rather than an increase in share price thus for investors who have not have <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/comfortdelgro-corp-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:497:1" rel="noopener">Comfortdelgro Corp (CD SP)</a> in the portfolio, they still have a chance to do it. </div>

Adding Indonesia to the current 8 countries that Singapore has a reciprocal Green Lane travel arrangement with, we should expect an increase in mobility in Singapore as Indonesia contributes to the second largest number of tourists in Singapore besides China. There is also a pilot project of the travel bubble with Hong Kong that requires no 14-day quarantine. 

The shift WFO from WFH is not losing any momentum but slowly increasing. Majority Singaporeans uses public transport to go to work compared to private vehicles (public transport is the largest revenue contributor to Comfort Delgro). Phase III of COVID-19 reopening creates higher mobility from the higher number of participants allowed in various events including weddings and religious services. 

Let's not be fooled by the increase in the company's increase in PER, the increase was caused by the low earnings rather than an increase in share price thus for investors who have not have Comfortdelgro Corp (CD SP) in the portfolio, they still have a chance to do it. 

ComfortDelgro (CD): Higher Mobility Expected

After a year-long investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-monopolist-google-violating-antitrust-laws" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that it filed a civil <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/press-release/file/1328941/download" target="_blank" rel="noopener">antitrust lawsuit</a> against Google; owned by, and nearly synonymous with, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alphabet-inc-cl-c" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11369:1" rel="noopener">Alphabet (GOOG US)</a>.Not exactly a surprise since Google and its FAANG brethren have been in the crosshairs for a while. Still, the formality hits hard. Like getting dumped; you know it's coming, but the words still sting.DOJ's case is already quoted ad nauseam in the media, so I will regurgitate just a few small bits for context, then delve into my particular "angle" on this – i.e., how the U.S. Elections factor in.In Facebook parlance, "It's Complicated," but here is the gist:<ul>
<li>Antitrust cases of this magnitude and complexity can be drawn out over many, many years.</li>
<li>Long-term, big-picture? Bad. Even just the overhang. Bad for Google, foreboding for others.</li>
<li>If you zoom in to a smaller near-term window, however… it's still bad. But maybe, a bit less.</li>
<li>The 2020 U.S. Elections could change the antitrust mood and direction, even if Trump wins.</li>
<li>Google will still have issues (there is bi-partisan thirst for its blood, just on different terms).</li>
<li>Still, post-elections, this likely goes from "bad and chaotic" to "bad, but somewhat orderly."</li>
</ul>This is a quick take on what is still today's news, but the overall thought process is similar to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/delisting-deceitful-chinese-companies-act-not-a-slam-dunk-and-has-more-bark-than-bite-if-it-passes" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:40025" rel="noopener">"Delisting Deceitful Chinese Companies Act" Not a Slam Dunk and Has More Bark Than Bite if It Passes</a>.

After a year-long investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Google; owned by, and nearly synonymous with, Alphabet (GOOG US).Not exactly a surprise since Google and its FAANG brethren have been in the crosshairs for a while. Still, the formality hits hard. Like getting dumped; you know it's coming, but the words still sting.DOJ's case is already quoted ad nauseam in the media, so I will regurgitate just a few small bits for context, then delve into my particular "angle" on this – i.e., how the U.S. Elections factor in.In Facebook parlance, "It's Complicated," but here is the gist:
Antitrust cases of this magnitude and complexity can be drawn out over many, many years.
Long-term, big-picture? Bad. Even just the overhang. Bad for Google, foreboding for others.
If you zoom in to a smaller near-term window, however… it's still bad. But maybe, a bit less.
The 2020 U.S. Elections could change the antitrust mood and direction, even if Trump wins.
Google will still have issues (there is bi-partisan thirst for its blood, just on different terms).
Still, post-elections, this likely goes from "bad and chaotic" to "bad, but somewhat orderly."
This is a quick take on what is still today's news, but the overall thought process is similar to "Delisting Deceitful Chinese Companies Act" Not a Slam Dunk and Has More Bark Than Bite if It Passes.

Google Antitrust Lawsuit: The 2020 Election Angle

Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

*Whoops They Did It Again..: In Afterpay’s Touch’s (APT.AU) [Afterpay] latest update, it was announced that Afterpay will allow Westpac Banking (WBC.AU) to offer its Banking-as-a-Service to Afterpay’s approximate 3.3 mn, which include deposit accounts and cash-flow management tools, as early as FY 2Q21. If successful, this partnership could transform the sleepy Australian banking market as we know it;  *Tencent Tutelage: Afterpay is helping Tencent enter markets earlier and with Tencent’s (700.HK) tutelage likely will help Afterpay more deeply penetrate North America.  We fully anticipate that Tencent will help Afterpay enter the Asian markets - uncharted territory with a large young population – with the big prize obviously being mainland China. Tencent’s digital expertise should also help Afterpay to improve its technology platform (e.g. its digital wallet checkout experience and its shopping platform, plus customer led generation). It also wouldn’t surprise us if Tencent took up greater than its pro rata share of the capital raise; and*Magic Fairy Dust: While no transaction particulars were disclosed, we calculate an average share purchase price of AUD 22.47 per share for the 5% stake or a hefty 6.8x P/BV for a company which is loss-making and where Tencent hasn’t control. Tencent has already earned 354% on this stake. Afterpay has already reached many of its key milestones, and we look forward to its quarterly update in a few weeks.

*Whoops They Did It Again..: In Afterpay’s Touch’s (APT.AU) [Afterpay] latest update, it was announced that Afterpay will allow Westpac Banking (WBC.AU) to offer its Banking-as-a-Service to Afterpay’s approximate 3.3 mn, which include deposit accounts and cash-flow management tools, as early as FY 2Q21. If successful, this partnership could transform the sleepy Australian banking market as we know it;  *Tencent Tutelage: Afterpay is helping Tencent enter markets earlier and with Tencent’s (700.HK) tutelage likely will help Afterpay more deeply penetrate North America.  We fully anticipate that Tencent will help Afterpay enter the Asian markets - uncharted territory with a large young population – with the big prize obviously being mainland China. Tencent’s digital expertise should also help Afterpay to improve its technology platform (e.g. its digital wallet checkout experience and its shopping platform, plus customer led generation). It also wouldn’t surprise us if Tencent took up greater than its pro rata share of the capital raise; and*Magic Fairy Dust: While no transaction particulars were disclosed, we calculate an average share purchase price of AUD 22.47 per share for the 5% stake or a hefty 6.8x P/BV for a company which is loss-making and where Tencent hasn’t control. Tencent has already earned 354% on this stake. Afterpay has already reached many of its key milestones, and we look forward to its quarterly update in a few weeks. 

*Lucky and Smart: In Afterpay’s Touch’s (APT.AU) [Afterpay] latest update, it was announced that AUSTRAC has decided that it will not be taking any further regulatory action and that that it had uplifted its AML/CTF compliance framework and financial crime function, and satisfactorily completed all required remediation activity. Further, Afterpay `launched its instore offering in the US market just in time for the Christmas shopping season following its Simon Property Group (SPG.US) collaboration in the US;*Tencent Tutelage: Afterpay is helping Tencent enter markets earlier and with Tencent’s (700.HK) tutelage likely will help Afterpay more deeply penetrate North America.  We fully anticipate that Tencent will help Afterpay enter the Asian markets - uncharted territory with a large young population – with the big prize obviously being mainland China. Tencent’s digital expertise should also help Afterpay to improve its technology platform (e.g. its digital wallet checkout experience and its shopping platform, plus customer led generation). It also wouldn’t surprise us if Tencent took up greater than its pro rata share of the capital raise; and*Magic Fairy Dust: While no transaction particulars were disclosed, we calculate an average share purchase price of AUD 22.47 per share for the 5% stake or a hefty 6.8x P/BV for a company which is loss-making and where Tencent hasn’t control. Tencent has already earned 328% on this stake.

*Lucky and Smart: In Afterpay’s Touch’s (APT.AU) [Afterpay] latest update, it was announced that AUSTRAC has decided that it will not be taking any further regulatory action and that that it had uplifted its AML/CTF compliance framework and financial crime function, and satisfactorily completed all required remediation activity. Further, Afterpay `launched its instore offering in the US market just in time for the Christmas shopping season following its Simon Property Group (SPG.US) collaboration in the US;*Tencent Tutelage: Afterpay is helping Tencent enter markets earlier and with Tencent’s (700.HK) tutelage likely will help Afterpay more deeply penetrate North America.  We fully anticipate that Tencent will help Afterpay enter the Asian markets - uncharted territory with a large young population – with the big prize obviously being mainland China. Tencent’s digital expertise should also help Afterpay to improve its technology platform (e.g. its digital wallet checkout experience and its shopping platform, plus customer led generation). It also wouldn’t surprise us if Tencent took up greater than its pro rata share of the capital raise; and*Magic Fairy Dust: While no transaction particulars were disclosed, we calculate an average share purchase price of AUD 22.47 per share for the 5% stake or a hefty 6.8x P/BV for a company which is loss-making and where Tencent hasn’t control. Tencent has already earned 328% on this stake. 

United States

Alphabet, Inc. operates as a holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, provides web-based search, advertisements, maps, software applications, mobile operating systems, consumer content, enterprise solutions, commerce, and hardware products.

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Alphabet (GOOG US)

Final U.S. Presidential Debate: Trump Needs an Epic Biden Blunder for This to Matter

The final U.S. Presidential debate . Trump needs a big win. Biden just needs to avoid a big loss. In the end, will it even matter? Yes, but perhaps...

Kyle Rudden

ComfortDelgro (CD): Higher Mobility Expected

HK-SG travel bubble, Phase III, higher mobility in workplace are key catalysts to start accumulating ComfortDelgro's shares now.

Henry Soediarko

Google Antitrust Lawsuit: The 2020 Election Angle

What, precisely, the U.S. DOJ antitrust case will mean for Google, only time will tell. One thing is certain, however. Politics – particularly the ...

Kyle Rudden

Tencent Holdings – Sliced Bread

Tencent Holdings: AfterPay Is Like The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread For Tencent. Not Only Has Tencent Earned 354% On Its Stake But AfterPay...

Thomas J. Monaco

Tencent – Rubbing Two Nickels Together

Tencent Continues To Reap The Benefits Of Its Australian Alliance, With Afterpay Now Getting A Clean Bill Of Health and Increasing Their US Presence

Thomas J. Monaco

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