Overseas Chinese Equities, Aequitas Research

Ming Lu

Overseas Chinese Equities

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.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>The stock price has fallen below the first trading day after IPO.</li>
<li>The new property policy looks harsh but not fatal.</li>
<li>Most municipal governments use price cap, but it is easily bypassed.</li>
<li>The policy aims at existing home transaction, but not new home sales or home rental.</li>
<li>It is ironic that Anjuke, which is significantly larger than BEKE, criticized BEKE for monopoly.</li>
</ul>


The stock price has fallen below the first trading day after IPO.
The new property policy looks harsh but not fatal.
Most municipal governments use price cap, but it is easily bypassed.
The policy aims at existing home transaction, but not new home sales or home rental.
It is ironic that Anjuke, which is significantly larger than BEKE, criticized BEKE for monopoly.


KE (BEKE): New Policy Not Fatal at All, Time to Accumulate

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

Equity Capital Markets

Anjuke, a real estate information and transaction service provider, is looking to raise around US$1bn in its Hong Kong listing. The company is a division of 58.com which was privatised in 2020 and is now being spun out as its real estate division.It provides online marketing services for new and existing properties under Anjuke and 50 Real Estate brands.  It also operates Aifang, a new property transaction services platform that facilitates developers’ new property sales through brokerage brands and agents. Anjuke also provides property brokerage brands and agents with its cloud-native, purpose-built SaaS solutions through Qiaofang,Based on iResearch’s report, the company was the market leader by average mobile monthly active users (MAU) in 4Q20 at 67m. As of Dec 20, it had over 726,000 paying agents on its platform. Anjuke was also the leader in online marketing service revenue in 2020 with 66.8% market share.Its financial performance has been sort of a mixed bag with Anjuke reporting 21.9% YoY growth in revenue in FY19, 17.6% growth in gross profit, 23% growth in EBITDA and 21% increase in PATMI. However, in FY20, revenue growth slowed down to 6.24% YoY and even though the company managed to grow its gross profit by 7.8%, EBITDA was down 9% YoY, while PATMI was down 15% YoY.In addition, there are also related parties and other issues that one needs to be aware of.

Anjuke, a real estate information and transaction service provider, is looking to raise around US$1bn in its Hong Kong listing. The company is a division of 58.com which was privatised in 2020 and is now being spun out as its real estate division.It provides online marketing services for new and existing properties under Anjuke and 50 Real Estate brands.  It also operates Aifang, a new property transaction services platform that facilitates developers’ new property sales through brokerage brands and agents. Anjuke also provides property brokerage brands and agents with its cloud-native, purpose-built SaaS solutions through Qiaofang,Based on iResearch’s report, the company was the market leader by average mobile monthly active users (MAU) in 4Q20 at 67m. As of Dec 20, it had over 726,000 paying agents on its platform. Anjuke was also the leader in online marketing service revenue in 2020 with 66.8% market share.Its financial performance has been sort of a mixed bag with Anjuke reporting 21.9% YoY growth in revenue in FY19, 17.6% growth in gross profit, 23% growth in EBITDA and 21% increase in PATMI. However, in FY20, revenue growth slowed down to 6.24% YoY and even though the company managed to grow its gross profit by 7.8%, EBITDA was down 9% YoY, while PATMI was down 15% YoY.In addition, there are also related parties and other issues that one needs to be aware of.

Anjuke Pre-IPO - Mixed (Positive and Negative) Developments

<ul>
<li>The CEO of pre-IPO <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/anjuke" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33003:1" rel="noopener">Anjuke (ANJ HK)</a> said, authorities should fine KE RMB4 billion for its exclusive contracts.</li>
<li>Anjuke’s user base is larger than KE, but its revenue is lower than KE.</li>
<li>We believe KE’s database of real apartments for sale angers Mr. Yao.</li>
<li>We also believe there is no evidence that KE abuses market power.</li>
</ul>
Our previous coverage on KE (BEKE):
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/ke-beke-the-estate-agency-grew-53-and-housing-market-continues-to-boom" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:49252" rel="noopener">KE (BEKE): The Estate Agency Grew 53% and Housing Market Continues to Boom</a>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/ke-beke-outperform-competitors-in-booming-property-market" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:47942" rel="noopener">KE (BEKE): Outperform Competitors in Booming Property Market</a>


The CEO of pre-IPO Anjuke (ANJ HK) said, authorities should fine KE RMB4 billion for its exclusive contracts.
Anjuke’s user base is larger than KE, but its revenue is lower than KE.
We believe KE’s database of real apartments for sale angers Mr. Yao.
We also believe there is no evidence that KE abuses market power.

Our previous coverage on KE (BEKE):
KE (BEKE): The Estate Agency Grew 53% and Housing Market Continues to Boom
KE (BEKE): Outperform Competitors in Booming Property Market 

KE (BEKE): Pre-IPO Anjuke Asks Authorities to Fine KE Following Alibaba Case

Alibaba Group Holding  / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) fined Alibaba RMB18 billion.</li>
<li>Alibaba had forced retailers to leave competitors via an “either-or” choice since 2015.</li>
<li>The penalty amount is not significant to Alibaba.</li>
<li>We believe that the penalty is just part of SAMR’s action after the new law, but not especially against Alibaba.</li>
<li>We do not believe the penalty will impact Alibaba’s long-term value.</li>
<li>We set an upside of 37% and a price target of USD$306 according to the 3-year P/E average.</li>
</ul>
Our previous coverage on Alibaba:
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/alibaba-baba-many-positive-signals-in-december-quarter-27-upside" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:47726" rel="noopener">Alibaba (BABA): Many Positive Signals in December Quarter, 27% Upside</a>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/alibaba-baba-this-online-antitrust-wave-a-risk-but-not-a-massacre" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:46377" rel="noopener">Alibaba (BABA): This Online Antitrust Wave, A Risk, But Not A Massacre</a>


State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) fined Alibaba RMB18 billion.
Alibaba had forced retailers to leave competitors via an “either-or” choice since 2015.
The penalty amount is not significant to Alibaba.
We believe that the penalty is just part of SAMR’s action after the new law, but not especially against Alibaba.
We do not believe the penalty will impact Alibaba’s long-term value.
We set an upside of 37% and a price target of USD$306 according to the 3-year P/E average.

Our previous coverage on Alibaba:
Alibaba (BABA): Many Positive Signals in December Quarter, 27% Upside
Alibaba (BABA): This Online Antitrust Wave, A Risk, But Not A Massacre 

Alibaba (BABA): Fined $2.78 Billion for “Either Or”, But Impact Is Neither Big Nor Long Term

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/anjuke" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33003:1" rel="noopener">Anjuke (ANJ HK)</a> is the largest online marketing platform for new and existing properties by revenue in 2020, according to iResearch. Anjuke is a subsidiary of 58.com. Anjuke’s shareholders include <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent Holdings (700 HK)</a> (14.3% stake), General Atlantic (7.7%), Warburg Pincus (7.9%), <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/country-garden-holdings-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5225:1" rel="noopener">Country Garden Holdings Co (2007 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/agile-property-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15784:1" rel="noopener">Agile Property Holdings (3383 HK)</a>. It is seeking to raise $1 billion through an HKEx IPO, according to press reports.Anjuke is using its core online marketing services business, which is cash generative, to fund its foray into transaction services, a market where <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ke-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29213:1" rel="noopener">KE Holdings Inc (BEKE US)</a> dominates. However, this growth is margin dilutive as transaction services is structurally a lower margin business. We think that the compromise is acceptable as investors continue to be willing to pay up for high-growth tech companies. <div class="content-highlight">The key negative is that Anjuke is saddled with debt related to the privatisation of 58.com in September 2020 - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/58-com-s-privatisation-enters-into-definitive-agreement" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:40366" rel="noopener">58.com’s Privatisation Enters into Definitive Agreement</a>. While the healthy cash generation should comfortably service the debt, potential IPO investors could be turned off by the view that the IPO is a way of the privatisation consortium (which arguably privatised 58.com to the detriment of minorities) to make a quick buck. Notwithstanding the optics of the privatisation and relisting trade which tend to enrich insiders at the expense of minorities, we believe that the Anjuke IPO is worth a close look.</div>

Anjuke (ANJ HK) is the largest online marketing platform for new and existing properties by revenue in 2020, according to iResearch. Anjuke is a subsidiary of 58.com. Anjuke’s shareholders include Tencent Holdings (700 HK) (14.3% stake), General Atlantic (7.7%), Warburg Pincus (7.9%), Country Garden Holdings Co (2007 HK) and Agile Property Holdings (3383 HK). It is seeking to raise $1 billion through an HKEx IPO, according to press reports.Anjuke is using its core online marketing services business, which is cash generative, to fund its foray into transaction services, a market where KE Holdings Inc (BEKE US) dominates. However, this growth is margin dilutive as transaction services is structurally a lower margin business. We think that the compromise is acceptable as investors continue to be willing to pay up for high-growth tech companies. The key negative is that Anjuke is saddled with debt related to the privatisation of 58.com in September 2020 - 58.com’s Privatisation Enters into Definitive Agreement. While the healthy cash generation should comfortably service the debt, potential IPO investors could be turned off by the view that the IPO is a way of the privatisation consortium (which arguably privatised 58.com to the detriment of minorities) to make a quick buck. Notwithstanding the optics of the privatisation and relisting trade which tend to enrich insiders at the expense of minorities, we believe that the Anjuke IPO is worth a close look.

Anjuke (ANJ HK)

KE (BEKE): New Policy Not Fatal at All, Time to Accumulate

Most municipal governments use price cap, but it is easily bypassed. The policy aims at existing home transaction, but not new home sales or home...

Ming Lu

Anjuke Pre-IPO - Mixed (Positive and Negative) Developments

Anjuke, a real estate information and transaction service provider, is looking to raise around US$1bn in its Hong Kong listing. The company is a...

Sumeet Singh

KE (BEKE): Pre-IPO Anjuke Asks Authorities to Fine KE Following Alibaba Case

Anjuke said, authorities should fine KE for exclusive contracts. We believe KE’s database of real apartments for sale angers Anjuke. We also...

Ming Lu

Alibaba (BABA): Fined $2.78 Billion for “Either Or”, But Impact Is Neither Big Nor Long Term

The penalty amount is not significant to Alibaba. We believe the penalty is just part of authorities’ action after the new law, but not especially...

Ming Lu

Anjuke IPO Initiation: Home Truths

Anjuke is seeking to raise $1 bn through an HKEx IPO. Notwithstanding the optics of the privatisation and relisting trade, we believe that the...

Arun George