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

<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/joyy-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:285:1" rel="noopener">JOYY (YY US)</a> may be subject to a privatisation bid from Mr David Li (co-founder and Chairman) and Mr Jun Lei (founder and Chairman of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/xiaomi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24409:1" rel="noopener">Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK)</a>), its top two shareholders, according to Reuters report on 26 August. Mr David Li and Mr Jun Lei are looking to privatise Joyy at $75-$100 per ADS and finalise the deal by the end of 2021. Mr David Li and Mr Jun Lei aim to spin off Joyy's key asset, BIGO, and list it in Hong Kong, to take advantage of higher valuations, according to Reuters. On 27 August, Joyy said it has not received any formal takeover offers, according to Chinese media reports.  </p><p>Joyy shares are around 60% below their February peak due to weak guidance (3Q21 revenue guidance was around 16% below consensus), the delay of SAMR anti-trust approval for the YY Live disposal and ongoing policy uncertainty on Chinese tech.</p><p>As a reminder, on 16 November 2020, Joyy entered into a definitive agreement with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baidu-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:179:1" rel="noopener">Baidu (BIDU US)</a> for the disposal of YY Live for $3.6 billion in cash, subject to certain adjustments. The sale was substantially completed on 8 February 2021 resulting in a $1.9 billion payment from Baidu. Notably, Joyy’s market cap of $4.9 billion is 7% below its net cash of $5.2 billion, which is the sum of the 2Q1 net cash of $3.9 billion and Baidu's remaining payment net of tax $1.4 billion.</p><p>As Joyy is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, for potential privatisation to succeed, shareholders representing two-thirds of shares present and voting need to approve the deal. Mr David Li represents 76.0% of the voting interest and has the two-thirds voting interest threshold needed to approve any potential privatisation deal.</p><div class="content-highlight"><p>Our SOTP and relative valuation suggest that the rumoured privatisation range of $75-100 per ADS is justifiable and reasonable. Our base-case SOTP valuation is $71.69 per ADS, which is a 16% premium to the last close price of $61.97 per ADS. Despite Joyy's insistence that no formal bid has been received, we would be buyers as the shares offer a favourable risk/reward profile to the emergence of a formal privatisation bid.</p></div>

JOYY (YY US) may be subject to a privatisation bid from Mr David Li (co-founder and Chairman) and Mr Jun Lei (founder and Chairman of Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK)), its top two shareholders, according to Reuters report on 26 August. Mr David Li and Mr Jun Lei are looking to privatise Joyy at $75-$100 per ADS and finalise the deal by the end of 2021. Mr David Li and Mr Jun Lei aim to spin off Joyy's key asset, BIGO, and list it in Hong Kong, to take advantage of higher valuations, according to Reuters. On 27 August, Joyy said it has not received any formal takeover offers, according to Chinese media reports.  Joyy shares are around 60% below their February peak due to weak guidance (3Q21 revenue guidance was around 16% below consensus), the delay of SAMR anti-trust approval for the YY Live disposal and ongoing policy uncertainty on Chinese tech.As a reminder, on 16 November 2020, Joyy entered into a definitive agreement with Baidu (BIDU US) for the disposal of YY Live for $3.6 billion in cash, subject to certain adjustments. The sale was substantially completed on 8 February 2021 resulting in a $1.9 billion payment from Baidu. Notably, Joyy’s market cap of $4.9 billion is 7% below its net cash of $5.2 billion, which is the sum of the 2Q1 net cash of $3.9 billion and Baidu's remaining payment net of tax $1.4 billion.As Joyy is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, for potential privatisation to succeed, shareholders representing two-thirds of shares present and voting need to approve the deal. Mr David Li represents 76.0% of the voting interest and has the two-thirds voting interest threshold needed to approve any potential privatisation deal.Our SOTP and relative valuation suggest that the rumoured privatisation range of $75-100 per ADS is justifiable and reasonable. Our base-case SOTP valuation is $71.69 per ADS, which is a 16% premium to the last close price of $61.97 per ADS. Despite Joyy's insistence that no formal bid has been received, we would be buyers as the shares offer a favourable risk/reward profile to the emergence of a formal privatisation bid.

Joyy’s Potential Privatisation by Top Two Shareholders

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

Equity Analyst

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

Equity Bottom-Up

<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bilibili-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26793:1" rel="noopener">Bilibili Inc (BILI US)</a> reported 2Q2021 results on Thursday (19<sup>th</sup> August 2021) which saw revenues growing 71.7% YoY to RMB4.5bn (vs consensus revenues of RMB4.3bn) while operating losses for the quarter increased to 33.8% of revenues to RMB1.52bn (vs consensus operating losses of RMB1.4bn).</p>
<p>The company’s Mobile games’ revenue dropped YoY for the first time, however, growth in revenue from other segment’s helped Bilibili continue its strong top line growth. The online games’ companies in China (Including <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/huya-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26983:1" rel="noopener">HUYA Inc (HUYA US)</a>) have seen weaknesses in their gaming revenues during the June quarter due to intense competition in the market and regulatory uncertainties. The diversified revenue base of Bilibili has helped grow its top line at much higher rates compared to its peers.</p>

Bilibili Inc (BILI US) reported 2Q2021 results on Thursday (19th August 2021) which saw revenues growing 71.7% YoY to RMB4.5bn (vs consensus revenues of RMB4.3bn) while operating losses for the quarter increased to 33.8% of revenues to RMB1.52bn (vs consensus operating losses of RMB1.4bn).
The company’s Mobile games’ revenue dropped YoY for the first time, however, growth in revenue from other segment’s helped Bilibili continue its strong top line growth. The online games’ companies in China (Including Tencent (700 HK) and HUYA Inc (HUYA US)) have seen weaknesses in their gaming revenues during the June quarter due to intense competition in the market and regulatory uncertainties. The diversified revenue base of Bilibili has helped grow its top line at much higher rates compared to its peers.

Bilibili: Mobile Games Decline and Losses Expand but Other Verticals Continue to Grow

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.

<ul>
<li>Revenue and paying users grew strongly in 2Q21.</li>
<li>Game revenue was worse than our expectation, but video revenues were higher than our expectation.</li>
<li>Operating loss reached its record high since IPO.</li>
<li>We do not believe BILI will be “next Tencent”, but believe the stock has significant downside.</li>
</ul>


Revenue and paying users grew strongly in 2Q21.
Game revenue was worse than our expectation, but video revenues were higher than our expectation.
Operating loss reached its record high since IPO.
We do not believe BILI will be “next Tencent”, but believe the stock has significant downside.


Bilibili (BILI): 2Q21, Rapid Growth and Record Loss, Significantly Overvalued

<ul class="">
<li>The stock price decreased 25% since our last sell rating, but we still believe BILI is significantly over valued.</li>
<li>BILI’s user base has no advantage among video apps, far from the rumored “next Tencent”.</li>
<li>We also believe BILI has no incentive to narrow its huge loss.</li>
</ul>


The stock price decreased 25% since our last sell rating, but we still believe BILI is significantly over valued.
BILI’s user base has no advantage among video apps, far from the rumored “next Tencent”.
We also believe BILI has no incentive to narrow its huge loss.


Bilibili (BILI): Plunged Before 2Q21 Result, But Still a Short Selling Target

Equity Capital Markets

<div>
<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cloud-village-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33412:1" rel="noopener">Cloud Village (CLV HK)</a> is the second-largest online music platform after <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-music-entertainment" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27255:1" rel="noopener">Tencent Music (TME US)</a> as measured by users and revenue in China. The cornerstone product is <em>NetEase Cloud Music</em> that delivers diverse music and music-inspired content and provides interactive community features. Cloud Village is braving the moribund Chinese IPO market by pre-marketing an HKEx IPO to raise around $1 billion, according to press reports. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/cloud-village-netease-music-ipo-initiation-musical-shares" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:52266" rel="noopener">Cloud Village (NetEase Music) IPO Initiation: Musical Shares</a>, we stated that at first sight, Cloud Village performance seems poor as its high growth has come at the cost of negative gross margin and cash burn. However, Cloud Village is on the cusp of turning around its performance due to a fundamental change in its cost structure. We concluded that Cloud Village has the potential to shed its underdog status vs the much larger Tencent Music.  </p>
<p>In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/cloud-village-netease-music-ipo-play-list" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:55506" rel="noopener">Cloud Village (NetEase Music) IPO: Play List</a>, we examined the 1Q21 results and the recent developments disclosed in the PHIP. We noted that while Cloud Village expects to remain unprofitable over the next three years, the 1Q21 results and the recent SAMR ruling on Tencent Music support our view that Cloud Village is on track to combine its high growth with an improving cost structure. </p>
</div><div><div><div class="content-highlight"><p>In this note, we present our forecasts and take the first look at Cloud Village's potential valuation range. </p></div></div></div>


Cloud Village (CLV HK) is the second-largest online music platform after Tencent Music (TME US) as measured by users and revenue in China. The cornerstone product is NetEase Cloud Music that delivers diverse music and music-inspired content and provides interactive community features. Cloud Village is braving the moribund Chinese IPO market by pre-marketing an HKEx IPO to raise around $1 billion, according to press reports. 
In Cloud Village (NetEase Music) IPO Initiation: Musical Shares, we stated that at first sight, Cloud Village performance seems poor as its high growth has come at the cost of negative gross margin and cash burn. However, Cloud Village is on the cusp of turning around its performance due to a fundamental change in its cost structure. We concluded that Cloud Village has the potential to shed its underdog status vs the much larger Tencent Music.  
In Cloud Village (NetEase Music) IPO: Play List, we examined the 1Q21 results and the recent developments disclosed in the PHIP. We noted that while Cloud Village expects to remain unprofitable over the next three years, the 1Q21 results and the recent SAMR ruling on Tencent Music support our view that Cloud Village is on track to combine its high growth with an improving cost structure. 
In this note, we present our forecasts and take the first look at Cloud Village's potential valuation range. 

Cloud Village (NetEase Music) IPO: Valuation First-Look

China

Bilibili Inc. provides online entertainment services. The Company offers a platform that covers a wide array of genres and media formats, including videos, live broadcasting, mobile games, animation, and comics. Bilibili serves customers in China.

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Bilibili (BILI US)

Joyy’s Potential Privatisation by Top Two Shareholders

Joyy's rumoured privatisation bid is at $75-$100 per ADS. Our base-case SOTP valuation is $71.69, a 16% premium to the last close. Consequently,...

Arun George

Bilibili: Mobile Games Decline and Losses Expand but Other Verticals Continue to Grow

Bilibili’s results was a mixed bag where growth in Value-Added services, advertising and E-commerce have seen strong growth while mobile games has...

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

Bilibili (BILI): 2Q21, Rapid Growth and Record Loss, Significantly Overvalued

Revenue and paying users grew strongly in 2Q21. Operating loss reached its record high since IPO. We do not believe BILI will be “next Tencent”,...

Ming Lu

Bilibili (BILI): Plunged Before 2Q21 Result, But Still a Short Selling Target

BILI’s user base has no advantage among video apps, far from the rumored “next Tencent”. We also believe BILI does not want to narrow its huge loss.

Ming Lu

Cloud Village (NetEase Music) IPO: Valuation First-Look

Cloud Village is braving the moribund Chinese IPO market by pre-marketing an HKEx IPO to raise around $1 bn. In this note, we present our forecasts...

Arun George

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