HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<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>'s 1Q23 result demonstrated a significant YoY and QoQ reduction in losses. At Rmb2.9bn, this is the smallest losses in last six quarters.  </li>
<li>We witnessed a solid spike in overall yield and sharp margin recovery in the quarter. There is also encouraging performance in operating cash flow which turned around YoY to positive.</li>
<li>Its associate <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> has seen Mar capacity returned to 50% of pre-pandemic level with over 90% load. More resumption of international flights will drive 2H23.</li>
</ul>



Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK)'s 1Q23 result demonstrated a significant YoY and QoQ reduction in losses. At Rmb2.9bn, this is the smallest losses in last six quarters.  
We witnessed a solid spike in overall yield and sharp margin recovery in the quarter. There is also encouraging performance in operating cash flow which turned around YoY to positive.
Its associate Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK) has seen Mar capacity returned to 50% of pre-pandemic level with over 90% load. More resumption of international flights will drive 2H23.


Air China (753 HK): Demonstrating Obvious Strengths

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport, Tracking Traffic

Daniel Hellberg

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport

Tracking Traffic

Focusing on Asian logistics, transportation, and travel companies

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Chinese outbound air travel in the region surged in March, up 50%+ versus February</li>
<li>Domestic improvement more muted, but still up about 75% Y/Y in Q123</li>
<li>Is the expected recovery on track? Sure, but so far no upside surprises for investors</li>
</ul>


Chinese outbound air travel in the region surged in March, up 50%+ versus February
Domestic improvement more muted, but still up about 75% Y/Y in Q123
Is the expected recovery on track? Sure, but so far no upside surprises for investors


Chinese Outbound Tourism Recovery Accelerates, But Still a Fraction of Pre-Covid Level

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

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>Total short interest in Hong Kong is HK$435.1bn, marginally higher from end-December. Short notional has moved in line with 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>. </li>
<li>Total short notional of the KOSPI and KOSDAQ market has moved up since end-December and is in line with the move higher in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">KOSPI2 INDEX</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kosdaq-150-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31077:1" rel="noopener">KOSDAQ 150 Index</a>.</li>
<li>Short notional in Taiwan is lower over the quarter even as the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/taiwan-stock-exchange-weighted-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26056:1" rel="noopener">TWSE INDEX</a> has moved higher over the period. There has been big short covering on some stocks.</li>
</ul>


Total short interest in Hong Kong is HK$435.1bn, marginally higher from end-December. Short notional has moved in line with the Hong Kong Hang Seng Index (HSI INDEX). 
Total short notional of the KOSPI and KOSDAQ market has moved up since end-December and is in line with the move higher in the KOSPI2 INDEX and KOSDAQ 150 Index.
Short notional in Taiwan is lower over the quarter even as the TWSE INDEX has moved higher over the period. There has been big short covering on some stocks.


Short Interest Movements (Q1 2023): HK, Korea, Taiwan, Australia

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

<ul>
<li>Singapore Airlines (SIA) was recently named the best airline in the world for the year 2023 in the 49th Annual Air Transport World (ATW) Airline Industry Achievement Awards.</li>
<li>Despite its excellent reputation and its ranking again as the top airline in the world, we have a negative view of Singapore Airlines' share price in the next 6-12 months.</li>
<li>SIA is trading at EV/EBITDA of 8.9x in 2023 (FY ending March), which is higher multiple than in 2020 (FY ending March) when it had EV/EBITDA of 6.7x. </li>
</ul>


Singapore Airlines (SIA) was recently named the best airline in the world for the year 2023 in the 49th Annual Air Transport World (ATW) Airline Industry Achievement Awards.
Despite its excellent reputation and its ranking again as the top airline in the world, we have a negative view of Singapore Airlines' share price in the next 6-12 months.
SIA is trading at EV/EBITDA of 8.9x in 2023 (FY ending March), which is higher multiple than in 2020 (FY ending March) when it had EV/EBITDA of 6.7x. 


Singapore Airlines: The Best Airline in the World but Not the Stock Price

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/air-china-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8239:1" rel="noopener">Air China (H) (753 HK)</a> underperformed <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-southern-airlines-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1078:1" rel="noopener">China Southern (1055 HK)</a> YTD as domestic traffic recovery is faster than international, but its momentum will accelerate in the rest of the year.</li>
<li>With Jan-Feb domestic traffic returned to 92.6% of 2019, CSA's upside is relative limited. Air China, instead, will benefit from more profound international rebound which only back by 10.3%. </li>
<li>Recent developments including resumption of visa issuance and outbound international group travels, removal of pre-flight negative PCR tests and recovery of visitors to HK all bode well for Air China.</li>
</ul>



Air China (H) (753 HK) underperformed China Southern (1055 HK) YTD as domestic traffic recovery is faster than international, but its momentum will accelerate in the rest of the year.
With Jan-Feb domestic traffic returned to 92.6% of 2019, CSA's upside is relative limited. Air China, instead, will benefit from more profound international rebound which only back by 10.3%. 
Recent developments including resumption of visa issuance and outbound international group travels, removal of pre-flight negative PCR tests and recovery of visitors to HK all bode well for Air China.


Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific Airways Limited operates scheduled airline services. The Company also provides related services, including airline catering, aircraft handling, and engineering.

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Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK)

Air China (753 HK): Demonstrating Obvious Strengths

Good traffic rebound, solid overall yield and sharp margin recovery have underpinned 1Q23 loss reduction. Resumption of more regional and...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Chinese Outbound Tourism Recovery Accelerates, But Still a Fraction of Pre-Covid Level

Chinese tourism activity accelerated last month (particularly outbound travel), but it remains at a fraction of pre-Covid levels -- we see no...

Tracking Traffic

Short Interest Movements (Q1 2023): HK, Korea, Taiwan, Australia

The Insight looks at movements in short interest across HK, Korea, Taiwan and Australia stocks over Q1 and highlights large increases/decreases in...

Brian Freitas

Singapore Airlines: The Best Airline in the World but Not the Stock Price

Despite its excellent reputation and the company ranking again as the top airline in the world, we have a negative view of Singapore Airlines'...

Douglas Kim

Air China (753 HK): Set to Accelerate

Resumptions of visa issuance and outbound international group travels, removal of pre-flight negative PCR tests and recovery of visitors to HK all...

Osbert Tang, CFA

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