Equity Research Analyst - Long-Short

Raj S, CA, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Policy clarity and domestic GPU shift remove key overhangs; China’s AI build-out proceeding under self-reliance base case.</li>
<li>AI token usage doubling every 3–6 months makes hyperscaler capex upgrades inevitable over the coming quarters - a key catalyst driving order wins.</li>
<li>VNET’s 400 MW annual additions and REIT monetisation support 25–30% EBITDA CAGR per consensus; re-rating to 13-15x EV/ EBITDA from current 11x EV/EBITDA implies potential of 90% upside.</li>
</ul>


Policy clarity and domestic GPU shift remove key overhangs; China’s AI build-out proceeding under self-reliance base case.
AI token usage doubling every 3–6 months makes hyperscaler capex upgrades inevitable over the coming quarters - a key catalyst driving order wins.
VNET’s 400 MW annual additions and REIT monetisation support 25–30% EBITDA CAGR per consensus; re-rating to 13-15x EV/ EBITDA from current 11x EV/EBITDA implies potential of 90% upside.


VNET Group (VNET US) - Re-Rating On: Clarity on Chips, Geopolitics, and Hyperscaler Capex

<ul>
<li>Recent developments materially improve the setup: H200 clarity reduces a major sector overhang and removes uncertainty around chip supply, clearing the way for continued AI-infrastructure expansion in China.</li>
<li>3Q25: VNET's strong result, 2026 outlook, advantaged power resources, and shareholder priorities (no equity dilution and defined leverage limits) reduce downside bottoms-up risk while increasing confidence on execution</li>
<li>None of this is reflected in today’s valuation. With 25–30% EBITDA CAGR and improved visibility on demand and execution, VNET is positioned for a material 2026 re-rating, implying 60-100% upside.</li>
</ul>


Recent developments materially improve the setup: H200 clarity reduces a major sector overhang and removes uncertainty around chip supply, clearing the way for continued AI-infrastructure expansion in China.
3Q25: VNET's strong result, 2026 outlook, advantaged power resources, and shareholder priorities (no equity dilution and defined leverage limits) reduce downside bottoms-up risk while increasing confidence on execution
None of this is reflected in today’s valuation. With 25–30% EBITDA CAGR and improved visibility on demand and execution, VNET is positioned for a material 2026 re-rating, implying 60-100% upside.


2026 High-Conviction: VNET US - Thesis Strengthens Into 2026  (Chips, Demand, Execution)

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Index Rebalance

Ping An Healthcare and Technology / Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>The review period for the December rebalance of the CSI Overseas China Internet Index ended 31 October. The changes should be announced 28 November and implemented close on 12 December.</li>
<li>There could be 6 inclusions for the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kraneshares-csi-china-internet-etf" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28208:1" rel="noopener">KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB US)</a> in December with most inclusions being high probability.</li>
<li>Impact on the inclusions varies between 1.3-5 days of ADV. There will be stocks with float increases and some capping changes.</li>
</ul>


The review period for the December rebalance of the CSI Overseas China Internet Index ended 31 October. The changes should be announced 28 November and implemented close on 12 December.
There could be 6 inclusions for the KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB US) in December with most inclusions being high probability.
Impact on the inclusions varies between 1.3-5 days of ADV. There will be stocks with float increases and some capping changes.


KWEB Index Rebalance Preview: Bunch of Potential Inclusions in December

<ul>
<li>Improving policy visibility on chips and geopolitics restores confidence in China’s AI infrastructure outlook.</li>
<li>Explosive AI-token growth is driving sustained hyperscaler build cycles and stronger IDC order pipelines.</li>
<li>GDS’s balanced China and DayOne portfolio supports double digit EBITDA CAGR; catalysts include new orders, C-REIT and DayOne IPO, implying 60-100% re-rating potential.</li>
</ul>


Improving policy visibility on chips and geopolitics restores confidence in China’s AI infrastructure outlook.
Explosive AI-token growth is driving sustained hyperscaler build cycles and stronger IDC order pipelines.
GDS’s balanced China and DayOne portfolio supports double digit EBITDA CAGR; catalysts include new orders, C-REIT and DayOne IPO, implying 60-100% re-rating potential.


GDS Holdings (GDS US): Best Play on China AI Infra With Chips-Geo Clarity and Hyperscaler Capex

Asian Hedge Fund Manager, Long Short Equity, Macro

David Mudd

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>China's cloud companies like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kingsoft-cloud-holdings-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36647:1" rel="noopener">Kingsoft Cloud Holdings (3896 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ming-yuan-cloud-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29268:1" rel="noopener">Ming Yuan Cloud Group (909 HK)</a> benefit from the democratization of AI its concurrent increased data needs.</li>
<li>China's telecom companies like <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/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/china-telecom-corp-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1015:1" rel="noopener">China Telecom (H) (728 HK)</a> are now major players in the country's AI ecosystem.</li>
<li>China's data center companies like GDS Holdings (9698 HK) , 21Vianet Group (VNET US) , and SUNeVision Holdings (1686 HK) are benefiting from the increased data needs of AI industry.</li>
</ul>


China's cloud companies like Kingsoft Cloud Holdings (3896 HK) and Ming Yuan Cloud Group (909 HK) benefit from the democratization of AI its concurrent increased data needs.
China's telecom companies like China Mobile (941 HK) , China Unicom Hong Kong (762 HK) and China Telecom (H) (728 HK) are now major players in the country's AI ecosystem.
China's data center companies like GDS Holdings (9698 HK) , 21Vianet Group (VNET US) , and SUNeVision Holdings (1686 HK) are benefiting from the increased data needs of AI industry.


Deepseek Rally Creates Winners in CLOUD, TELECOM and DATA CENTERS

China

VNET Group, Inc. provides carrier-neutral Internet data center services. The Company hosts its customers' servers and networking equipment, as well as provides interconnectivity to enable customers to deliver data across the Internet. VNET Group conducts business in Beijing, China.

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VNET Group (VNET US)