ASEAN Insight Provider, CrossASEAN Research

Angus Mackintosh

ASEAN Insight Provider

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

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/astra-international-tbk-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:46:1" rel="noopener">Astra International (ASII IJ)</a> FY2021 results reflect a rapid recovery in its core auto business plus commodity-related businesses, with +96% YoY net profit growth stripping out <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bank-permata-tbk-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:728:1" rel="noopener">Bank Permata (BNLI IJ)</a>. </li>
<li>The auto and related finance businesses should continue to perform well in 2022, with government luxury tax stimulus measures in place plus commodity prices will support <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/united-tractors-tbk-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:698:1" rel="noopener">United Tractors'</a> performance.  </li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/astra-international-tbk-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:46:1" rel="noopener">Astra International (ASII IJ)</a> remains a top pick for the economic recovery in Indonesia plus the company continues to look for investment opportunities to redeploy funds raised from Permata sales.</li>
</ul>



Astra International (ASII IJ) FY2021 results reflect a rapid recovery in its core auto business plus commodity-related businesses, with +96% YoY net profit growth stripping out Bank Permata (BNLI IJ). 
The auto and related finance businesses should continue to perform well in 2022, with government luxury tax stimulus measures in place plus commodity prices will support United Tractors' performance.  

Astra International (ASII IJ) remains a top pick for the economic recovery in Indonesia plus the company continues to look for investment opportunities to redeploy funds raised from Permata sales.


Astra International (ASII IJ) - Rock Solid

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

<p> The benchmark palm oil contract on the Malaysia Bursa closed at a record high of RM4,524/mt at the mid-day close the 12 May. The previous high was in March 2008. That gain in palm oil has moved in tandem with a rally in the vegetable oil complex, which has eked out the sharpest increase of all the agricultural commodities in the past year.</p>
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/206/666/original/image_83464541291621222454246.png?1621222454" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="206666"></figure>
<div style="text-align: left;" class="content-caption">Source: <a href="http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QD/metadata" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FAO</a>
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;" class="content-caption">Components of the vegetable oils price index: soybean oil, Dutch , fob ex-mill; sun oil, EU, fob NW Eur. port; rape oil, Dutch, fob ex-mill; groundnut oil, any origin, cif Rotterdam; cotton oil, US, PBSY, fob Gulf; coconut oil, Phil./Indo., cif Rotterdam; palmkernel oil, Mal./Indo., cif Rotterdam; palm oil crude, cif NW Eur. port; linseed oil, any origin, ex-tank, Rotterdam; castor oil, ex-tank Rotterdam.</div>
<p>The gain in palm oil prices is largely underpinned by concerns over slower-than-expected production growth in the key exporting countries (Malaysia and Indonesia), hampered by labour shortages, in conjunction with strong global import purchases.</p>
<p>Yet while palm oil has enjoyed a meteoric price rise, the performance of listed palm oil plays has bifurcated. </p>
<p>Is this rally sustainable and why are markets not moving more in sync?  Or is ESG becoming a more pressing issue? </p>
<p>More below the fold. </p>
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/206/657/original/image?1621220074" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="206657"></figure>

 The benchmark palm oil contract on the Malaysia Bursa closed at a record high of RM4,524/mt at the mid-day close the 12 May. The previous high was in March 2008. That gain in palm oil has moved in tandem with a rally in the vegetable oil complex, which has eked out the sharpest increase of all the agricultural commodities in the past year.

Source: FAO

Components of the vegetable oils price index: soybean oil, Dutch , fob ex-mill; sun oil, EU, fob NW Eur. port; rape oil, Dutch, fob ex-mill; groundnut oil, any origin, cif Rotterdam; cotton oil, US, PBSY, fob Gulf; coconut oil, Phil./Indo., cif Rotterdam; palmkernel oil, Mal./Indo., cif Rotterdam; palm oil crude, cif NW Eur. port; linseed oil, any origin, ex-tank, Rotterdam; castor oil, ex-tank Rotterdam.
The gain in palm oil prices is largely underpinned by concerns over slower-than-expected production growth in the key exporting countries (Malaysia and Indonesia), hampered by labour shortages, in conjunction with strong global import purchases.
Yet while palm oil has enjoyed a meteoric price rise, the performance of listed palm oil plays has bifurcated. 
Is this rally sustainable and why are markets not moving more in sync?  Or is ESG becoming a more pressing issue? 
More below the fold. 


Powering Palm Oil: Record Prices Amid Vegetable Oil Complex Rally

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/astra-international-tbk-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:46:1" rel="noopener">Astra International (ASII IJ)</a> just released 1Q2024 results, which reflected the softer auto and heavy equipment markets, although buoyed by better earnings for its finance arm, </li>
<li>The company's headline net profit was down -14% YoY but stripping out value adjustments was only down -5% YoY, with management optimistic over the longer term. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/astra-international-tbk-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:46:1" rel="noopener">Astra</a> continues to mirror the Indonesian economy, with its latest investment in geothermal but its nickel businesses also growing. Valuations attractive on 6.6x FY2024E PER and a 7.2% dividend yield. </li>
</ul>



Astra International (ASII IJ) just released 1Q2024 results, which reflected the softer auto and heavy equipment markets, although buoyed by better earnings for its finance arm, 
The company's headline net profit was down -14% YoY but stripping out value adjustments was only down -5% YoY, with management optimistic over the longer term. 

Astra continues to mirror the Indonesian economy, with its latest investment in geothermal but its nickel businesses also growing. Valuations attractive on 6.6x FY2024E PER and a 7.2% dividend yield. 


Astra International (ASII IJ) - Striking a Balance with Finance

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/astra-international-tbk-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:46:1" rel="noopener">Astra International</a> booked record earnings for 2023 despite some softening of commodities, driven by strong performance from the auto division and financing plus the strong performance from motorcycles. </li>
<li>Astra has continued to invest in growth areas of the Indonesian economy with investments last year in the EV battery ecosystem, increased exposure to healthcare, and investment in data centres.</li>
<li>Management flagged a potential 2H cyclical downturn but it is well-diversified enough to weather this. Valuations look attractive on 6.8x FY2024E PER and with a 6.6% dividend yield.</li>
</ul>



Astra International booked record earnings for 2023 despite some softening of commodities, driven by strong performance from the auto division and financing plus the strong performance from motorcycles. 
Astra has continued to invest in growth areas of the Indonesian economy with investments last year in the EV battery ecosystem, increased exposure to healthcare, and investment in data centres.
Management flagged a potential 2H cyclical downturn but it is well-diversified enough to weather this. Valuations look attractive on 6.8x FY2024E PER and with a 6.6% dividend yield.


Astra International (ASII IJ) - Indonesia's Mirror Image

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>The past week saw insights on Indonesia's election, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/grab-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26950:1" rel="noopener">Grab Holdings (GRAB US)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bangkok-dusit-medical-services-pcl" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:875:1" rel="noopener">Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS TB)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/delta-electronics-thailand-pcl-98806732-8ac4-42b2-a565-ba32673d1e5a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20912:1" rel="noopener">Delta Electronics Thailand</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/singapore-airlines-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:74:1" rel="noopener">Singapore Airlines (SIA SP)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea Ltd (SE US)</a>.</li>
<li>There were also insights on Indonesia and Singapore, a sector view on the EV ecosystem in Southeast Asia, a sector view on Indonesian banks, and ASEAN's EV Ecosystem.</li>
<li>The Week That Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma is filled with an eclectic mix of differentiated, substantive, and actionable insights, macro and equity bottom-up, from across Southeast Asia.</li>
</ul>


The past week saw insights on Indonesia's election, Grab Holdings (GRAB US), Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS TB), Delta Electronics Thailand, Singapore Airlines (SIA SP), and Sea Ltd (SE US).
There were also insights on Indonesia and Singapore, a sector view on the EV ecosystem in Southeast Asia, a sector view on Indonesian banks, and ASEAN's EV Ecosystem.
The Week That Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma is filled with an eclectic mix of differentiated, substantive, and actionable insights, macro and equity bottom-up, from across Southeast Asia.


The Week That Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma - Bangkok Dusit, Grab Results, and Indonesia's Election

Indonesia

PT Astra Agro Lestari Tbk operates rubber plantations and manufactures cooking oil. Through its subsidiaries,  the Company also operates a variety of other plantations such as palm oil, tea, and cocoa plantations.

Astra Agro Lestari (AALI IJ)

Astra International (ASII IJ) - Rock Solid

Astra International remains a top pick for the economic recovery in Indonesia plus the company continues to look for investment opportunities to...

Angus Mackintosh

Powering Palm Oil: Record Prices Amid Vegetable Oil Complex Rally

The gain in palm oil prices is largely underpinned by concerns over slower-than-expected production growth, in conjunction with strong global...

David Blennerhassett

Astra International (ASII IJ) - Striking a Balance with Finance

Astra continues to mirror the Indonesian economy, with its latest investment in geothermal but its nickel businesses also growing. Valuations...

Angus Mackintosh

Astra International (ASII IJ) - Indonesia's Mirror Image

Astra Intl booked record earnings for 2023 despite some softening of commodities, driven by strong performance from the auto division and financing...

Angus Mackintosh

The Week That Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma - Bangkok Dusit, Grab Results, and Indonesia's Election

The past week saw insights on Indonesia's election, Grab Holdings (GRAB US), Bangkok Dusit Medical Services (BDMS TB), Delta Electronics Thailand,...

Angus Mackintosh