Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

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 Capital Markets

Home First Finance / Equity Capital Markets

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Home First Finance (HFF), an affordable housing finance company targeting first time home buyers in low and middle-income groups, raised around US$160m in its India IPO. It is backed by True North, GIC and Bessemer and has recently obtained an investment from Warburg Pincus as well.
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I have covered various aspects of the deal in my earlier notes,  <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/home-first-finance-pre-ipo-riding-on-affordable-housing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Home First Finance Pre-IPO - Riding on affordable housing</a>,  <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/home-first-finance-pre-ipo-earnings-not-showing-the-covid-strain-but-other-metrics-are" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Home First Finance Pre-IPO - Earnings not showing the COVID strain but other metrics are</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/home-first-finance-ipo-it-s-not-really-cheap-banking-on-momentum" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Home First Finance IPO - It’s Not Really Cheap, Banking on Momentum</a>.
In this note, I'll talk about deal updates and provide a table with implied valuations at different share price levels.
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Home First Finance (HFF), an affordable housing finance company targeting first time home buyers in low and middle-income groups, raised around US$160m in its India IPO. It is backed by True North, GIC and Bessemer and has recently obtained an investment from Warburg Pincus as well.


I have covered various aspects of the deal in my earlier notes,  Home First Finance Pre-IPO - Riding on affordable housing,  Home First Finance Pre-IPO - Earnings not showing the COVID strain but other metrics are and Home First Finance IPO - It’s Not Really Cheap, Banking on Momentum.
In this note, I'll talk about deal updates and provide a table with implied valuations at different share price levels.


Home First Finance IPO Trading - Hot Space but Limited Discount

Specialist in Indian Banking and Economic Research

Hemindra Hazari

Despite reporting a 36% yoy fall in 3QFY2021 net profits and being <a href="https://www.bloombergquint.com/quarterly-earnings/axis-bank-q3-results-net-profit-falls-36-on-higher-provisions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">below</a> consensus estimates, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/axis-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:768:1" rel="noopener">Axis Bank Ltd (AXSB IN)</a> 's share price on January 28, 2021 closed 6% up, while the Nifty-50 declined by 1%. The strong and positive response to the bank’s results was surprising, as Axis Bank declined to voluntarily disclose its 30+ days past due loans, a critical indicator which the bank had disclosed in its 2QFY2021 results conference <a href="https://www.axisbank.com/docs/default-source/call-transcript/q2fy21-earnings-call-transcript.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">call</a>. The 30+ days past due loans serves as a benchmark to analysts to estimate future non-performing loans and incremental credit costs, especially at a time when past trends for credit costs may not hold on account of the unprecedented Covid-19 related lockdown, which severely curtailed economic activity. Even though 30+ day past loans is not a mandatory disclosure, once the senior management of a bank takes a decision to voluntarily disclose the indicator in a certain quarter, thereafter, from a transparency perspective, the bank would be well advised to continue to disclose the number. By failing to voluntarily disclose the 30+ day past due loans in the 3QFY2021, there would be a valid apprehension that the lack of disclosure is because of a sharp deterioration in the indicator, which the bank was uncomfortable in revealing to the market.It is commendable that banks like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yes-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:767:1" rel="noopener">Yes Bank (YES IN)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bank-of-baroda" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:545:1" rel="noopener">Bank Of Baroda (BOB IN)</a> (BOB), which reported 3QFY2021 results on January 27, voluntarily disclosed the 30+ days past due loans in their analyst presentation, despite the number revealing a significant deterioration in asset quality as compared with 2QFY2021. The equity market severely punished their share prices on January 28, with Yes Bank falling by 4% and BOB by 10% on January 28.Participants in the capital market such as shareholders, business media and analysts need to publicly call out companies (in this case banks) which cease to voluntarily disclose critical data points that were earlier disclosed, as its sudden absence in all likelihood indicates a negative development which the company does not want to share with stakeholders.

Despite reporting a 36% yoy fall in 3QFY2021 net profits and being below consensus estimates, Axis Bank Ltd (AXSB IN) 's share price on January 28, 2021 closed 6% up, while the Nifty-50 declined by 1%. The strong and positive response to the bank’s results was surprising, as Axis Bank declined to voluntarily disclose its 30+ days past due loans, a critical indicator which the bank had disclosed in its 2QFY2021 results conference call. The 30+ days past due loans serves as a benchmark to analysts to estimate future non-performing loans and incremental credit costs, especially at a time when past trends for credit costs may not hold on account of the unprecedented Covid-19 related lockdown, which severely curtailed economic activity. Even though 30+ day past loans is not a mandatory disclosure, once the senior management of a bank takes a decision to voluntarily disclose the indicator in a certain quarter, thereafter, from a transparency perspective, the bank would be well advised to continue to disclose the number. By failing to voluntarily disclose the 30+ day past due loans in the 3QFY2021, there would be a valid apprehension that the lack of disclosure is because of a sharp deterioration in the indicator, which the bank was uncomfortable in revealing to the market.It is commendable that banks like Yes Bank (YES IN) and Bank Of Baroda (BOB IN) (BOB), which reported 3QFY2021 results on January 27, voluntarily disclosed the 30+ days past due loans in their analyst presentation, despite the number revealing a significant deterioration in asset quality as compared with 2QFY2021. The equity market severely punished their share prices on January 28, with Yes Bank falling by 4% and BOB by 10% on January 28.Participants in the capital market such as shareholders, business media and analysts need to publicly call out companies (in this case banks) which cease to voluntarily disclose critical data points that were earlier disclosed, as its sudden absence in all likelihood indicates a negative development which the company does not want to share with stakeholders. 

Axis Bank Stops Sharing 30+ Days Past Due Data: When Sudden Silence Tells a Tale

Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

Equity Bottom-Up

*Bottom-line Worse Than It Looks: Axis Bank (AXSB.IN) [Axis] reported FY 3Q21 results of INR 11.2 bn, declining INR 5.7 bn (33.8%) on a linked quarter basis. Given the hefty increase in net new NPLs, results would appear to be incredibly overstated. The largest delta during the quarter was an INR 8.2 bn (19.3%) increase in operating expenses, led by a compensation increase of 18.9% and an other opex increase of 19.6%; and *Poor Provisions: Without accounting for the linked quarter increase in restructured loans, we find that Axis’ net new NPL growth is extremely elevated at 84.5% - which is troubling even for an Indian bank. We would like to see Axis add INR 321 bn or 146% to loss reserves. Instead of overstating profit figures, Axis needs to begin taking the requisite losses in order to buttress reserves. Axis reserve shortfall, in our view, represents over five years of PBT and 25% plus of stated equity.

 *Bottom-line Worse Than It Looks: Axis Bank (AXSB.IN) [Axis] reported FY 3Q21 results of INR 11.2 bn, declining INR 5.7 bn (33.8%) on a linked quarter basis. Given the hefty increase in net new NPLs, results would appear to be incredibly overstated. The largest delta during the quarter was an INR 8.2 bn (19.3%) increase in operating expenses, led by a compensation increase of 18.9% and an other opex increase of 19.6%; and *Poor Provisions: Without accounting for the linked quarter increase in restructured loans, we find that Axis’ net new NPL growth is extremely elevated at 84.5% - which is troubling even for an Indian bank. We would like to see Axis add INR 321 bn or 146% to loss reserves. Instead of overstating profit figures, Axis needs to begin taking the requisite losses in order to buttress reserves. Axis reserve shortfall, in our view, represents over five years of PBT and 25% plus of stated equity.  

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

Quantitative Analysis

In this report, we screen for the largest overweight Country/Sectors across Global EM by analysing the allocations of long-only active Emerging Market funds.In part one of the series, we focus on Indian Financials.  We look at where current allocations sit versus history, drill down to find the most widely held stocks in the sector, the key overweight and the key underweight holdings. We find that despite it being the largest overweight holding, Indian Financials exposure is far from excessive, both versus its own history and versus peers.  Furthermore, recent activity points to an increase in exposure among managers.Our Emerging Market fund universe consists of 242 Global Emerging Market active long-only funds, with combined AUM of $450bn.

In this report, we screen for the largest overweight Country/Sectors across Global EM by analysing the allocations of long-only active Emerging Market funds.In part one of the series, we focus on Indian Financials.  We look at where current allocations sit versus history, drill down to find the most widely held stocks in the sector, the key overweight and the key underweight holdings. We find that despite it being the largest overweight holding, Indian Financials exposure is far from excessive, both versus its own history and versus peers.  Furthermore, recent activity points to an increase in exposure among managers.Our Emerging Market fund universe consists of 242 Global Emerging Market active long-only funds, with combined AUM of $450bn. 

Emerging Market Overweights Series.  Part 1:  Indian Financials

Financials Credit Analyst

Hank Calenti, CFA

CreditContinuum

Credit

The means to an end matters for credit investors. Although net income may remain unchanged, operating pre-provision profits can be inflated by moving income up the P&amp;L statement. Unadjusted, this inflates recurrent earnings power.In our opinion, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yes-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:767:1" rel="noopener">YES Bank's (</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yes-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:767:1" rel="noopener">YES IN</a>)<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yes-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:767:1" rel="noopener"></a> interest and non-interest income are inflated relative to more conservative accounting standards. This overstates operating profits and makes cross-border comparisons difficult.  Recoveries on the principal of loans previously written-down are recognized as non-interest revenues rather than offset against new loss provisions or recognized as non-recurrent earnings. Also, interest recovered appears to be written back immediately within non-interest revenue rather than accreted over the life of the rescheduled loan or booked as a gain from the sale of assets, as the case may be. These actions inflate operating revenues, efficiency ratios, and operating pre-provisions profits. Furthermore, the firm is recognizing interest income on loans overdue more than 90 days and not classified as non-performing as per India’s Supreme Court order of 3 Sept 2020. In addition to inflating pre-provision profits and efficiency ratios, this also materially increases net interest margins. This confluence meaningfully inflates YES Bank’s pre-provision income. Adjusted for these items, recurrent earnings power is one-third reported pre-provision profits. In fact, recoveries and standstill interest represent 41% of YES Bank’s total income, versus only as much as 14% at <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/axis-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:768:1" rel="noopener">Axis Bank Ltd (AXSB IN)</a>. YES Bank has a much lower loss absorption ability from continuing operations than meets the eye. This can have negative solvency implications, long-term, if left untreated.

The means to an end matters for credit investors. Although net income may remain unchanged, operating pre-provision profits can be inflated by moving income up the P&amp;L statement. Unadjusted, this inflates recurrent earnings power.In our opinion, YES Bank's (YES IN) interest and non-interest income are inflated relative to more conservative accounting standards. This overstates operating profits and makes cross-border comparisons difficult.  Recoveries on the principal of loans previously written-down are recognized as non-interest revenues rather than offset against new loss provisions or recognized as non-recurrent earnings. Also, interest recovered appears to be written back immediately within non-interest revenue rather than accreted over the life of the rescheduled loan or booked as a gain from the sale of assets, as the case may be. These actions inflate operating revenues, efficiency ratios, and operating pre-provisions profits. Furthermore, the firm is recognizing interest income on loans overdue more than 90 days and not classified as non-performing as per India’s Supreme Court order of 3 Sept 2020. In addition to inflating pre-provision profits and efficiency ratios, this also materially increases net interest margins. This confluence meaningfully inflates YES Bank’s pre-provision income. Adjusted for these items, recurrent earnings power is one-third reported pre-provision profits. In fact, recoveries and standstill interest represent 41% of YES Bank’s total income, versus only as much as 14% at Axis Bank Ltd (AXSB IN). YES Bank has a much lower loss absorption ability from continuing operations than meets the eye. This can have negative solvency implications, long-term, if left untreated.

YES Bank Q3 Results: Recurrent Earnings Power at One-Third Pre-Provision Income

India

Axis Bank Limited provides a full range of banking services throughout India. The Group's activities include retail banking, investment management, merchant banking, treasury and NRI services, cash and credit management services, and ATM facilities.

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Axis Bank Ltd (AXSB IN)

Home First Finance IPO Trading - Hot Space but Limited Discount

Home First Finance, an affordable housing finance company targeting first time home buyers in low and middle-income groups, raised around US$160m...

Sumeet Singh

Axis Bank – Evil Result

AXIS BANK: Axis reported a 33.8% decline in linked quarter FY 3Q21 results. Given the hefty increase in net new NPLs, results make little sense....

Thomas J. Monaco

Emerging Market Overweights Series. Part 1: Indian Financials

Emerging Market Overweights Series. Part 1: Indian Financials. Analysing the make-up of the overweight in Indian Financial stocks.

Steven Holden

YES Bank Q3 Results: Recurrent Earnings Power at One-Third Pre-Provision Income

YES Bank’s recurrent earnings power is 1/3’rd pre-provision income. Loss absorption ability is much lower than meets the eye. Negative solvency...

Hank Calenti, CFA

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Home First Finance IPO Trading - Hot Space but Limited Discount

Home First Finance, an affordable housing finance company targeting first time home buyers in low and middle-income groups, raised around US$160m...

Sumeet Singh

Axis Bank Stops Sharing 30+ Days Past Due Data: When Sudden Silence Tells a Tale

When a bank, after earlier disclosing an indicator, fails to disclose it in future, it alerts stakeholders to the fact that it may be hiding a...

Hemindra Hazari

Axis Bank – Evil Result

AXIS BANK: Axis reported a 33.8% decline in linked quarter FY 3Q21 results. Given the hefty increase in net new NPLs, results make little sense....

Thomas J. Monaco

Emerging Market Overweights Series. Part 1: Indian Financials

Emerging Market Overweights Series. Part 1: Indian Financials. Analysing the make-up of the overweight in Indian Financial stocks.

Steven Holden

YES Bank Q3 Results: Recurrent Earnings Power at One-Third Pre-Provision Income

YES Bank’s recurrent earnings power is 1/3’rd pre-provision income. Loss absorption ability is much lower than meets the eye. Negative solvency...

Hank Calenti, CFA