Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>In this insight, we provide the top 10 stock picks and key catalysts in the Korean stock market for the two weeks (1 to 15 August 2025).</li>
<li>Hanwha Ocean (042660 KS) is up 46% in the past two weeks. It is the top performing stock in KOSPI in this period, as one of the top Korean shipbuilders. </li>
<li>Top 10 picks in this bi-weekly include Kangwon Land, Hanil Cement, LG Uplus, Hyundai Elevator, Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Rotem, KT&amp;G, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, SM Entertainment, and LG Energy Solution. </li>
</ul>


In this insight, we provide the top 10 stock picks and key catalysts in the Korean stock market for the two weeks (1 to 15 August 2025).
Hanwha Ocean (042660 KS) is up 46% in the past two weeks. It is the top performing stock in KOSPI in this period, as one of the top Korean shipbuilders. 
Top 10 picks in this bi-weekly include Kangwon Land, Hanil Cement, LG Uplus, Hyundai Elevator, Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Rotem, KT&amp;G, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, SM Entertainment, and LG Energy Solution. 


Top 10 Korean Stock Picks and Key Catalysts Bi-Weekly (1 to 15 August 2025)

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>For July 2025, just six new transactions (firm and non-binding) were discussed on Smartkarma (by the Quiddity team) with an overall announced deal size of only ~US$4bn.</li>
<li>The average premium for the new transactions announced (or first discussed) in July was 45%, with a year-to-date average of 47%.</li>
<li>The average premiums for transactions in 2024 (129 transactions), (2023 (117), 2022 (106), 2021 (165), 2020 (158), and 2019 (145 ) were 43%, 39%, 41%, 33%, 31%, and 31%</li>
</ul>


For July 2025, just six new transactions (firm and non-binding) were discussed on Smartkarma (by the Quiddity team) with an overall announced deal size of only ~US$4bn.
The average premium for the new transactions announced (or first discussed) in July was 45%, with a year-to-date average of 47%.
The average premiums for transactions in 2024 (129 transactions), (2023 (117), 2022 (106), 2021 (165), 2020 (158), and 2019 (145 ) were 43%, 39%, 41%, 33%, 31%, and 31%


(Mostly) Asia M&A, July 2025 Wrap: Pacific Industrial, Johns Lyon, TalkMed, DD Group, Hanil Cement

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alimentation-couche-tard-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25103:1" rel="noopener">Alimentation Couche-Tard (ATD CN)</a> walks away from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/seven-i-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1041:1" rel="noopener">Seven &amp; I Holdings (3382 JP)</a>, and accuses 7&amp;i's Board, management, and the Special Committee of bad faith and bad governance.</li>
<li>Buy <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/krungthai-card-pcl" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20097:1" rel="noopener">Krungthai Card (KTC TB)</a> with both hands as pledged sharesfall to 3.5% of shares outstanding from 16.3% the previous month.</li>
<li>If you have borrow on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/gmo-internet-inc-919fd60b-ad2a-4c5f-b333-167a849b67b0" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9029:1" rel="noopener">GMO Internet (4784 JP)</a>, use it. Otherwise, avoid like the plague. It would not be surprising if the TSE were to ding someone on manipulation. </li>
</ul>



Alimentation Couche-Tard (ATD CN) walks away from Seven &amp; I Holdings (3382 JP), and accuses 7&amp;i's Board, management, and the Special Committee of bad faith and bad governance.
Buy Krungthai Card (KTC TB) with both hands as pledged sharesfall to 3.5% of shares outstanding from 16.3% the previous month.
If you have borrow on GMO Internet (4784 JP), use it. Otherwise, avoid like the plague. It would not be surprising if the TSE were to ding someone on manipulation. 


Last Week In Event SPACE: Seven & I, Krungthai Card, GMO Internet, Jardine Matheson

<ul>
<li>I tally 40 - mostly firm, mostly Asia-Pac - arb transactions currently being discussed and analysed on Smartkarma.</li>
<li>Two new deals were discussed on Smartkarma this week: <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dd-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1439:1" rel="noopener">DD Group (3073 JP)</a>'s MBO and the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hanil-cement-co-ltd-new" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27447:1" rel="noopener">Hanil Cement Co Ltd/New (300720 KS)</a>/<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hanil-hyundai-cement-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14406:1" rel="noopener">Hanil Hyundai Cement (006390 KS)</a> merger.</li>
<li>Key updates/news took place on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pointsbet-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29102:1" rel="noopener">PointsBet Holdings (PBH AU)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/adriatic-metals-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:30797:1" rel="noopener">Adriatic Metals PLC (ADT AU)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/abacus-storage-king" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:39857:1" rel="noopener">Abacus Storage King (ASK AU)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/new-world-resources-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9712:1" rel="noopener">New World Resources (NWC AU)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zeekr-intelligent-technology-holding" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36785:1" rel="noopener">ZEEKR (ZK US)</a>.</li>
</ul>


I tally 40 - mostly firm, mostly Asia-Pac - arb transactions currently being discussed and analysed on Smartkarma.
Two new deals were discussed on Smartkarma this week: DD Group (3073 JP)'s MBO and the Hanil Cement Co Ltd/New (300720 KS)/Hanil Hyundai Cement (006390 KS) merger.
Key updates/news took place on PointsBet Holdings (PBH AU), Adriatic Metals PLC (ADT AU), Abacus Storage King (ASK AU), New World Resources (NWC AU), and ZEEKR (ZK US).


(Mostly) Asia-Pac M&A: ZEEKR, DD Group, Hanil Cement, Adriatic Metals, Abacus Storage, PointsBet

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 analyzed the changes in short interest of KRX Stocks as of Mar 29th which has an aggregated short interest worth USD7.4bn.</li>
<li>We tabulate league table for top short by value and short as multiple of ADT, as well as weekly increases &amp; decreases in short value, short as multiple of ADT.</li>
<li>We estimate short interest decreased by 2.5% WoW and highlight short interest changes in Posco.</li>
</ul>


We analyzed the changes in short interest of KRX Stocks as of Mar 29th which has an aggregated short interest worth USD7.4bn.
We tabulate league table for top short by value and short as multiple of ADT, as well as weekly increases &amp; decreases in short value, short as multiple of ADT.
We estimate short interest decreased by 2.5% WoW and highlight short interest changes in Posco.


KRX Short Interest Weekly (Mar 29th): Posco

South Korea

Hanil Cement co.,Ltd. operates as a cement manufacturing company. The Company produces and sells cement, special cement, ready mixed concrete products, high solidity admixture, and other products. Hanil Cement markets its products throughout Korea.

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Hanil Cement Co Ltd/New (300720 KS)

Top 10 Korean Stock Picks and Key Catalysts Bi-Weekly (1 to 15 August 2025)

Top 10 picks in this bi-weekly include Kangwon Land, Hanil Cement, LG Uplus, Hyundai Elevator, Samsung Electronics, Hyundai Rotem, KT&G, HD HHI, SM...

Douglas Kim

(Mostly) Asia M&A, July 2025 Wrap: Pacific Industrial, Johns Lyon, TalkMed, DD Group, Hanil Cement

For the month of July, 6 new deals were discussed on Smartkarma with an overall deal size of just ~US$4bn. The average premium for the new deals...

David Blennerhassett

Last Week In Event SPACE: Seven & I, Krungthai Card, GMO Internet, Jardine Matheson

It’s Sunday! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed during the...

David Blennerhassett

(Mostly) Asia-Pac M&A: ZEEKR, DD Group, Hanil Cement, Adriatic Metals, Abacus Storage, PointsBet

This insight provides a summary of gross/annualised spreads (on deals discussed on Smartkarma) across Asia-Pacific as at the last trading date, and...

David Blennerhassett

KRX Short Interest Weekly (Mar 29th): Posco

We analyzed KRX short interest report for the past week. We estimate short interest decreased by 2.5% WoW and highlighted short interest changes in...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

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