HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Chinese airlines are expected to face sustained turbulence given the adverse impact of scattered outbreak of local COVID-19 cases, with the most recent ones being Fujian. We see risks for this round of spread to negatively affect the cross-province travel appetite during the mid-Autumn mini-break and potentially the all-important National Day Golden Week in Oct. With poor Aug traffic figures out (over 50% YoY drop in domestic passenger traffic for both <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-southern-airlines-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1078:1" rel="noopener">China Southern Airlines (1055 HK)</a> and <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>), Sep is also unlikely to be an easy month.We expect 3Q21 results to be under pressure, and we maintain that a long <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>, short <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-southern-airlines-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1078:1" rel="noopener">China Southern Airlines (1055 HK)</a> trade can position well amid the current environment. We see too much positive expectations have been built in CSA; meanwhile, Air China will have an easier base for comparison in 4Q21 and the reduction in losses at <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> will continue to help its bottom line in 2H21.

Chinese airlines are expected to face sustained turbulence given the adverse impact of scattered outbreak of local COVID-19 cases, with the most recent ones being Fujian. We see risks for this round of spread to negatively affect the cross-province travel appetite during the mid-Autumn mini-break and potentially the all-important National Day Golden Week in Oct. With poor Aug traffic figures out (over 50% YoY drop in domestic passenger traffic for both China Southern Airlines (1055 HK) and Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK)), Sep is also unlikely to be an easy month.We expect 3Q21 results to be under pressure, and we maintain that a long Air China Ltd (H) (753 HK), short China Southern Airlines (1055 HK) trade can position well amid the current environment. We see too much positive expectations have been built in CSA; meanwhile, Air China will have an easier base for comparison in 4Q21 and the reduction in losses at Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK) will continue to help its bottom line in 2H21.

Chinese Airlines: Cruising Within Sustained Turbulence

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.

Event-Driven

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sydney-airport" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19063:1" rel="noopener">Sydney Airport (SYD AU)</a> is Australia’s largest airport and the only listed airport on ASX. Sydney Airport has granted a consortium (Sydney Aviation Alliance) non-exclusive due diligence access based on a further revised indicative proposal of A$8.75 cash per share. The revised indicative offer is A$8.75 per share is a 52% premium to the unaffected price of A$5.75 (1 July). The revised indicative offer is also a marginal 3.6% bump to the first revised offer of A$8.45 per share received from the consortium on 16 August.Pushing for a better price is part of the M&amp;A game. The Board were said to be seeking a price around A$9.00 per share, according to press reports. However, the Board faced increasing shareholder pushback to engage with the consortium and facilitate due diligence. The consortium viewed A$9.00 per share as excessive but shareholder feedback suggested that the price of A$8.75 per share would get the Board onside. UniSuper, the largest independent shareholder, will rollover its shares instead of receiving cash under the scheme and will be required to vote as a separate class on the scheme. The Board intends to recommend the revised offer subject to a binding scheme implementation agreement and no superior offer. The due diligence which is expected to take four weeks should be relatively straightforward due to the consortium’s expertise in airport infrastructure. The deal requires regulatory approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Foreign Investment Review Board. The ACCC will commence a review of the proposed transaction “in due course” and the review should take about three months to complete. The shareholder vote for approval is likely to be held in 1Q22. <div class="content-highlight">Overall, we think that the further revised indicative offer is attractive and marginally above the pre-COVID-19 rights adjusted share price high reached in December 2019. The offer will prove attractive to shareholders who are looking for valuation certainty in an environment where the pace of the recovery in international air travel remains unclear. At the last close price of A$8.23, the shares are trading at a 6.3% gross spread to the indicative offer.</div>

Sydney Airport (SYD AU) is Australia’s largest airport and the only listed airport on ASX. Sydney Airport has granted a consortium (Sydney Aviation Alliance) non-exclusive due diligence access based on a further revised indicative proposal of A$8.75 cash per share. The revised indicative offer is A$8.75 per share is a 52% premium to the unaffected price of A$5.75 (1 July). The revised indicative offer is also a marginal 3.6% bump to the first revised offer of A$8.45 per share received from the consortium on 16 August.Pushing for a better price is part of the M&amp;A game. The Board were said to be seeking a price around A$9.00 per share, according to press reports. However, the Board faced increasing shareholder pushback to engage with the consortium and facilitate due diligence. The consortium viewed A$9.00 per share as excessive but shareholder feedback suggested that the price of A$8.75 per share would get the Board onside. UniSuper, the largest independent shareholder, will rollover its shares instead of receiving cash under the scheme and will be required to vote as a separate class on the scheme. The Board intends to recommend the revised offer subject to a binding scheme implementation agreement and no superior offer. The due diligence which is expected to take four weeks should be relatively straightforward due to the consortium’s expertise in airport infrastructure. The deal requires regulatory approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Foreign Investment Review Board. The ACCC will commence a review of the proposed transaction “in due course” and the review should take about three months to complete. The shareholder vote for approval is likely to be held in 1Q22. Overall, we think that the further revised indicative offer is attractive and marginally above the pre-COVID-19 rights adjusted share price high reached in December 2019. The offer will prove attractive to shareholders who are looking for valuation certainty in an environment where the pace of the recovery in international air travel remains unclear. At the last close price of A$8.23, the shares are trading at a 6.3% gross spread to the indicative offer.

Sydney Airport’s Further Revised Offer Gets the Board’s Approval

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sydney-airport" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19063:1" rel="noopener">Sydney Airport (SYD AU)</a> is Australia’s largest airport and the only listed airport on ASX. Sydney Airport has rejected a revised conditional, non-binding indicative offer of A$8.45 per share from a consortium (Sydney Aviation Alliance). The revised indicative offer of A$8.45 per share is a 45% premium to the unaffected price of A$5.81 (2 July). The revised indicative offer is also a marginal 2.4% bump to the original offer of A$8.25 per share received from the consortium on 5 July. The Board rejected the revised offer as it continues to undervalue Sydney Airport and is opportunistic considering the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board argues that Sydney Airport has a 74-year lease on one of Australia’s most important valuable pieces of infrastructure. Pushing for a better price is part of the M&amp;A game. The consortium responded to the Board’s rejection by warning that they are prepared to walk away but at the same time failing to declare that the A$8.45 per share revised offer was its final offer. The Board is open to engaging with the consortium if they lift the offer and is said to be seeking a price around A$9.00 per share, according to press reports. The issue is complicated by the different methodologies used by the Board and the consortium to determine the rights adjusted share price to account for the dilutive raise in August 2020. The Board also argues that any proposal should be benchmarked against the pre-COVID share price high of A$9.20 per share reached on 6 December 2019. We think that the revised indicative offer is in line with the pre-COVID-19 rights adjusted share price high reached in December 2019. The Board is facing increasing shareholder pushback to at least engage with the consortium and facilitate due diligence. UniSuper, the largest shareholder, has branded the rejection of the revised offer as “disappointing” and wants the Board to engage with the consortium.<div class="content-highlight">Overall, the gamesmanship suggests both sides are now invested in securing a deal and the 6.5% valuation differential (A$9.00 Board’s value vs A$8.45 bid) suggest the two sides are not far apart on price. At the last close price of A$7.70, the shares are trading at a 9.7% gross spread to the revised indicative offer. The interim results will be announced on 20 August before market open.</div>

Sydney Airport (SYD AU) is Australia’s largest airport and the only listed airport on ASX. Sydney Airport has rejected a revised conditional, non-binding indicative offer of A$8.45 per share from a consortium (Sydney Aviation Alliance). The revised indicative offer of A$8.45 per share is a 45% premium to the unaffected price of A$5.81 (2 July). The revised indicative offer is also a marginal 2.4% bump to the original offer of A$8.25 per share received from the consortium on 5 July. The Board rejected the revised offer as it continues to undervalue Sydney Airport and is opportunistic considering the COVID-19 pandemic. The Board argues that Sydney Airport has a 74-year lease on one of Australia’s most important valuable pieces of infrastructure. Pushing for a better price is part of the M&amp;A game. The consortium responded to the Board’s rejection by warning that they are prepared to walk away but at the same time failing to declare that the A$8.45 per share revised offer was its final offer. The Board is open to engaging with the consortium if they lift the offer and is said to be seeking a price around A$9.00 per share, according to press reports. The issue is complicated by the different methodologies used by the Board and the consortium to determine the rights adjusted share price to account for the dilutive raise in August 2020. The Board also argues that any proposal should be benchmarked against the pre-COVID share price high of A$9.20 per share reached on 6 December 2019. We think that the revised indicative offer is in line with the pre-COVID-19 rights adjusted share price high reached in December 2019. The Board is facing increasing shareholder pushback to at least engage with the consortium and facilitate due diligence. UniSuper, the largest shareholder, has branded the rejection of the revised offer as “disappointing” and wants the Board to engage with the consortium.Overall, the gamesmanship suggests both sides are now invested in securing a deal and the 6.5% valuation differential (A$9.00 Board’s value vs A$8.45 bid) suggest the two sides are not far apart on price. At the last close price of A$7.70, the shares are trading at a 9.7% gross spread to the revised indicative offer. The interim results will be announced on 20 August before market open.

Sydney Airport's Rejection of a Revised Offer Is Likely Not the Final Act

Equity Bottom-Up

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport / Equity Bottom-Up

There is a good recovery at <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/guangzhou-baiyun-international-airport" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10819:1" rel="noopener">Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (600004 CH)</a> (GBIA) in Jul, with the rate of decline in overall aircraft movement and passenger traffic has moderated to -6.3% and -11.7% in Jul, versus -57.3% and -71% for Jun, respectively. Cargo momentum is also strong as overall throughput rose 7.3% in Jul and 21.8% in 7M21.Outlook for GBIA, however, still weighted on negatively by the resurgence of local COVID-19 cases in China due to the highly infectious Delta variant. With daily new local cases maintaining at over 60 in the last 5 days, many local governments have recommended no-cross-province travels for residents. We have also seen the daily Shanghai-Guangzhou flights being cut by 45.5% from the peak, and this will be negative to GBIA's Aug figures and pace of traffic recovery.

There is a good recovery at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (600004 CH) (GBIA) in Jul, with the rate of decline in overall aircraft movement and passenger traffic has moderated to -6.3% and -11.7% in Jul, versus -57.3% and -71% for Jun, respectively. Cargo momentum is also strong as overall throughput rose 7.3% in Jul and 21.8% in 7M21.Outlook for GBIA, however, still weighted on negatively by the resurgence of local COVID-19 cases in China due to the highly infectious Delta variant. With daily new local cases maintaining at over 60 in the last 5 days, many local governments have recommended no-cross-province travels for residents. We have also seen the daily Shanghai-Guangzhou flights being cut by 45.5% from the peak, and this will be negative to GBIA's Aug figures and pace of traffic recovery.

Guangzhou Baiyun Intl Airport (600004 CH): Still Uneasy Time

Asian Insight Provider - Actionable ideas, CrossASEAN Research

Henry Soediarko

Asian Insight Provider - Actionable ideas

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

Travelsky Technology Ltd H / Equity Bottom-Up

H1 2021 number of flights processed in China has shown signs of healthy recovery but due to the recent Delta Variant spread in China, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/travelsky-technology-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19829:1" rel="noopener">Travelsky Technology Ltd H (696 HK)</a> share price alongside the other travel-related names have been sold off. Furthermore, excerpts from an Instagram update provides some colour of the current state of air travel situation in the Chinese airport. 
The short-term recommendation is to stay away from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/travelsky-technology-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19829:1" rel="noopener">Travelsky Technology Ltd H (696 HK)</a> as the Delta variant has caused the negative sentiment on airline-related stocks to soar again as shown in the chart below.
Taking into account a more optimistic view that the higher vaccination rates in China and that it is working effectively against the current and future variant, therefore, air travel volume should recover, sooner rather than later, the company should benefit from the recovery thus for long-term investors, this is a stock that you can and should average down.
For investors who are to have exposure to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/travelsky-technology-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19829:1" rel="noopener">Travelsky Technology Ltd H (696 HK)</a> , this is probably the right time to start building exposure.

H1 2021 number of flights processed in China has shown signs of healthy recovery but due to the recent Delta Variant spread in China, Travelsky Technology Ltd H (696 HK) share price alongside the other travel-related names have been sold off. Furthermore, excerpts from an Instagram update provides some colour of the current state of air travel situation in the Chinese airport. 
The short-term recommendation is to stay away from Travelsky Technology Ltd H (696 HK) as the Delta variant has caused the negative sentiment on airline-related stocks to soar again as shown in the chart below.
Taking into account a more optimistic view that the higher vaccination rates in China and that it is working effectively against the current and future variant, therefore, air travel volume should recover, sooner rather than later, the company should benefit from the recovery thus for long-term investors, this is a stock that you can and should average down.
For investors who are to have exposure to Travelsky Technology Ltd H (696 HK) , this is probably the right time to start building exposure. 

China

Beijing Capital International Airport Company Limited operates both aeronautical and non-aeronautical business in the Beijing airport.  The Company provides aircraft movement and passenger service facilities, safety and security services, fire-fighting services, and ground handling services.  In addition, Beijing Capital operates duty free and other retail shops and leases properties.

Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) (694 HK)

Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA)

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Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) (694 HK)

Chinese Airlines: Cruising Within Sustained Turbulence

After a devastating Aug, Sep will still be clouded by recent cases in Fujian. We think Long Air China, short CSA strategy should capture CSA's...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Sydney Airport’s Further Revised Offer Gets the Board’s Approval

Sydney Airport has granted DD to a Sydney Aviation Alliance based on a revised price of A$8.75. The offer is attractive and at the last price of...

Arun George

Sydney Airport's Rejection of a Revised Offer Is Likely Not the Final Act

The Board rejects a revised offer of A$8.45, a 2.4% bump to the previous offer. At the last close price of A$7.70, the shares are trading at a...

Arun George

Guangzhou Baiyun Intl Airport (600004 CH): Still Uneasy Time

GBIA's traffic recovery will stay uneasy given the high daily local new COVID-19 cases. We have seen scheduled Shanghai-Guangzhou flights being cut...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Travelsky (696): Maintain Positive Stand

An optimistic view that with the higher vaccination rates in China and is working effectively against the current and future variant, air travel...

Henry Soediarko

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