Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/swire-pacific-limited-class-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10433:1" rel="noopener">Swire Pacific (19 HK)</a>'s 1H26 reported profit was HK$6.8bn versus HK$815mn in 1H25.</li>
<li>83%-Held <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/swire-properties-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5775:1" rel="noopener">Swire Properties (1972 HK)</a> reported profit of HK$3.6bn vs. a loss of HK$1.2bn in 1H25. 45.12%-held <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cathay-pacific-airways-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:243:1" rel="noopener">Cathay Pacific (293 HK)</a> reported a 71% increase in underlying profit of HK$6.2bn.</li>
<li>Note: short interest in Cathay, one the best performing global airlines over the past year (in terms of share price), has picked up since the end of May. </li>
</ul>



Swire Pacific (19 HK)'s 1H26 reported profit was HK$6.8bn versus HK$815mn in 1H25.
83%-Held Swire Properties (1972 HK) reported profit of HK$3.6bn vs. a loss of HK$1.2bn in 1H25. 45.12%-held Cathay Pacific (293 HK) reported a 71% increase in underlying profit of HK$6.2bn.
Note: short interest in Cathay, one the best performing global airlines over the past year (in terms of share price), has picked up since the end of May. 


On Swire (19 HK)'s 2026 Interim Results. Still Inexpensive

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> has disposed of a 1.61% stake in <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> at HK$12.22. After this, it will remain CX's second-largest shareholder.</li>
<li>Assuming an end-Mar completion of Qatar Airways' stake buyback, EPS will be enhanced by 1.7% and 3.7%, respectively, slightly lower than previously estimated.</li>
<li>Sustained uptrend in passenger traffic and load factor will support earnings. With 16% ROE for FY25-27, its 1.3x 12-month forward P/B is inexpensive.</li>
</ul>



Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK) has disposed of a 1.61% stake in Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK) at HK$12.22. After this, it will remain CX's second-largest shareholder.
Assuming an end-Mar completion of Qatar Airways' stake buyback, EPS will be enhanced by 1.7% and 3.7%, respectively, slightly lower than previously estimated.
Sustained uptrend in passenger traffic and load factor will support earnings. With 16% ROE for FY25-27, its 1.3x 12-month forward P/B is inexpensive.


Cathay Pacific (293 HK): Stay Positive Despite Small Disposal by Air China

<ul>
<li>
<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>'s buyback of Qatar Airways' 9.57% stake should enhance its FY26F EPS and ROE by 4.6% and 0.36pp, respectively. </li>
<li>With passenger traffic and load factor continuing to recover, the consensus forecast of a 24.2% YoY earnings decline in 2H25 is too conservative, suggesting upside surprise. </li>
<li>Its FY25-27F ROE is a record since 2013, with potential to trade up to 1.65x P/B (30%+ upside). It is also possible to be included in the HSI again.</li>
</ul>



Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK)'s buyback of Qatar Airways' 9.57% stake should enhance its FY26F EPS and ROE by 4.6% and 0.36pp, respectively. 
With passenger traffic and load factor continuing to recover, the consensus forecast of a 24.2% YoY earnings decline in 2H25 is too conservative, suggesting upside surprise. 
Its FY25-27F ROE is a record since 2013, with potential to trade up to 1.65x P/B (30%+ upside). It is also possible to be included in the HSI again.


Cathay Pacific (293 HK): Buyback of Qatar-Owned Shares Is Positive

Travis Lundy

China Longyuan Power Group / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>The New/Better A-H Premium Tracker has tables, charts, measures galore to track A/H premium positioning, southbound and northbound positioning/volatility in pairs over time, etc.</li>
<li>SOUTHBOUND a net buyer every day since the end of Chinese New Year. Still. NORTHBOUND a huge net seller this week, but net buyers in size (RMB +86bn) over 8wks.</li>
<li>For the first time in a while, AH premia among liquid stocks fell convincingly. Narrow AH premia pairs saw Hs outperform more than wide AH premia Hs (vs As).</li>
</ul>


The New/Better A-H Premium Tracker has tables, charts, measures galore to track A/H premium positioning, southbound and northbound positioning/volatility in pairs over time, etc.
SOUTHBOUND a net buyer every day since the end of Chinese New Year. Still. NORTHBOUND a huge net seller this week, but net buyers in size (RMB +86bn) over 8wks.
For the first time in a while, AH premia among liquid stocks fell convincingly. Narrow AH premia pairs saw Hs outperform more than wide AH premia Hs (vs As).


A/H Premium Tracker (To 22 Mar 2024):  Liquid AH Premia Still At Wides

<ul>
<li>Speculations on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/air-china-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8239:1" rel="noopener">Air China Ltd (753 HK)</a> seeking control of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cathay-pacific-airways-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:243:1" rel="noopener">Cathay Pacific (293 HK)</a> reappeared recently. We think a change in CX's ownership is just a matter of time.</li>
<li>CX has been a more important profit contributor to Air China after the pandemic, and depends on pricing, Air China is expected to benefit from such acquisition.</li>
<li>Both are trading on 0.5SD below their 5-year P/B average and we prefer CX in the short term, but Air China looks to be a better long-term choice. </li>
</ul>


Speculations on Air China Ltd (753 HK) seeking control of Cathay Pacific (293 HK) reappeared recently. We think a change in CX's ownership is just a matter of time.
CX has been a more important profit contributor to Air China after the pandemic, and depends on pricing, Air China is expected to benefit from such acquisition.
Both are trading on 0.5SD below their 5-year P/B average and we prefer CX in the short term, but Air China looks to be a better long-term choice. 


China

Air China is the flag carrier airline of the People's Republic of China, primarily providing air passenger and air cargo services, including both domestic and international flights. The company also offers a range of airline-related services such as aircraft engineering and airport ground handling. It was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Beijing, People's Republic of China.

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Air China (753 HK)

On Swire (19 HK)'s 2026 Interim Results. Still Inexpensive

Despite the elevated implied stub, at 0.34x forward P/B, I still like Swire Pac. You could set up the stub or simply go outright long in Swire Pac...

David Blennerhassett

Cathay Pacific (293 HK): Stay Positive Despite Small Disposal by Air China

Air China sells stake in CX but remains the second-largest shareholder. EPS to be enhanced by 1.7-3.7% after Qatar Airways buyback. Traffic...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Cathay Pacific (293 HK): Buyback of Qatar-Owned Shares Is Positive

Cathay Pacific's buyback of Qatar Airways' stake is expected to boost both EPS and ROE for FY26 and FY27, supporting valuations. It may also be...

Osbert Tang, CFA

A/H Premium Tracker (To 22 Mar 2024): Liquid AH Premia Still At Wides

The Quiddity AH Monitor had a good week outperforming the biases on both long pairs and short pairs. AH Premia remain wide. Too wide. China...

Travis Lundy

Air China (753 HK): Up Stakes in CX?

With the significant improvement in profit at Cathay Pacific in FY23 and the sustained recovery in international traffic, Air China has an even...

Osbert Tang, CFA

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On Swire (19 HK)'s 2026 Interim Results. Still Inexpensive

Despite the elevated implied stub, at 0.34x forward P/B, I still like Swire Pac. You could set up the stub or simply go outright long in Swire Pac...

David Blennerhassett

Cathay Pacific (293 HK): Stay Positive Despite Small Disposal by Air China

​Air China sells stake in CX but remains the second-largest shareholder. EPS to be enhanced by 1.7-3.7% after Qatar Airways buyback. Traffic...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Cathay Pacific (293 HK): Buyback of Qatar-Owned Shares Is Positive

​Cathay Pacific's buyback of Qatar Airways' stake is expected to boost both EPS and ROE for FY26 and FY27, supporting valuations. It may also be...

Osbert Tang, CFA

A/H Premium Tracker (To 22 Mar 2024): Liquid AH Premia Still At Wides

The Quiddity AH Monitor had a good week outperforming the biases on both long pairs and short pairs. AH Premia remain wide. Too wide. China...

Travis Lundy

Air China (753 HK): Up Stakes in CX?

With the significant improvement in profit at Cathay Pacific in FY23 and the sustained recovery in international traffic, Air China has an even...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Air China sells stake in CX but remains the second-largest shareholder. EPS to be enhanced by 1.7-3.7% after Qatar Airways buyback. Traffic...

Cathay Pacific's buyback of Qatar Airways' stake is expected to boost both EPS and ROE for FY26 and FY27, supporting valuations. It may also be...