Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport, Tracking Traffic

Daniel Hellberg

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport

Tracking Traffic

Focusing on Asian logistics, transportation, and travel companies

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Total US border crossings in July 2026 were up just 0.6% Y/Y (and down 5% vs July 2024)</li>
<li>July 2026 crossings by aircraft were down over 3% Y/Y, and down 2% Y/Y in US West</li>
<li>The figures from peak Summer travel period seem to confirm sluggish US tourism activity</li>
</ul>


Total US border crossings in July 2026 were up just 0.6% Y/Y (and down 5% vs July 2024)
July 2026 crossings by aircraft were down over 3% Y/Y, and down 2% Y/Y in US West
The figures from peak Summer travel period seem to confirm sluggish US tourism activity


Latest US Customs & Border Protection Data Appear to Confirm Sluggish US Tourism Activity

APAC IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Nicholas Tan

APAC 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

<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> is raising up to US$612m from a selldown in <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> to fund the repurchase of an exchangeable bond due in 2027.</li>
<li>This follows a prior sell-down in early March 2026, via a club deal and comes ahead of the lockup expiry.</li>
<li>In this note, we comment on the deal dynamics and run the deal through our ECM framework.</li>
</ul>



Swire Pacific (19 HK) is raising up to US$612m from a selldown in Cathay Pacific (293 HK) to fund the repurchase of an exchangeable bond due in 2027.
This follows a prior sell-down in early March 2026, via a club deal and comes ahead of the lockup expiry.
In this note, we comment on the deal dynamics and run the deal through our ECM framework.


Aequitas: Cathay Pacific Placement - Swire Selling Shares Ahead of Its Prior Lockup Commitment

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

<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

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sichuan-kelun-biotech-biopharm" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40071:1" rel="noopener">Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Bio (6990 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/techtronic-industries-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4561:1" rel="noopener">Techtronic Ind. (669 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/vesync" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31067:1" rel="noopener">Vesync (2148 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/chervon-holdings-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35309:1" rel="noopener">Chervon Hldgs (2285 HK)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wuxi-apptec-co-ltd-bf4a1265-beef-48b6-b82d-29308426030f" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27795:1" rel="noopener">WuXi AppTec (2359 HK)</a> have a very high reliance on the US market.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/vtech-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18812:1" rel="noopener">Vtech Hldgs (303 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/samsonite-international-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12790:1" rel="noopener">Samsonite (1910 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/haier-smart-home-co-ltd-b3ef445f-0f54-4586-8c58-9073de98d60e" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31105:1" rel="noopener">Haier Smart Home (6690 HK)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tcl-multimedia-technology" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15654:1" rel="noopener">Tcl Multimedia (1070 HK)</a> ranked lower on the list, but consumer cutbacks will have a bigger impact. </li>
<li>The spillover effect of a US recession to other countries will pressurise companies that have low direct exposure, like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/orient-overseas-international" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:801:1" rel="noopener">Orient Overseas International (316 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/prada-s-p-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:889:1" rel="noopener">Prada S.P.A. (1913 HK)</a>.</li>
</ul>



Sichuan Kelun-Biotech Bio (6990 HK), Techtronic Ind. (669 HK), Vesync (2148 HK), Chervon Hldgs (2285 HK), and WuXi AppTec (2359 HK) have a very high reliance on the US market.

Vtech Hldgs (303 HK), Samsonite (1910 HK), Haier Smart Home (6690 HK), and Tcl Multimedia (1070 HK) ranked lower on the list, but consumer cutbacks will have a bigger impact. 
The spillover effect of a US recession to other countries will pressurise companies that have low direct exposure, like Orient Overseas International (316 HK) and Prada S.P.A. (1913 HK).


China & HK Strategy: Who Are the Victims of a US Recession?

Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific is a premium travel lifestyle brand offering scheduled passenger and cargo air transportation, along with low-cost travel and various lifestyle products and services. The airline connects Hong Kong, mainland China, and the world through its hub at Hong Kong International Airport. It was founded in Hong Kong in 1946.

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Cathay Pacific (293 HK)

Latest US Customs & Border Protection Data Appear to Confirm Sluggish US Tourism Activity

The latest figures for US border crossings suggest international travel into and out of the US remains sluggish. The figures show little growth...

Tracking Traffic

Aequitas: Cathay Pacific Placement - Swire Selling Shares Ahead of Its Prior Lockup Commitment

Swire Pacific is raising up to US$612m from a selldown in Cathay Pacific Airways (CPA) to fund the repurchase of an exchangeable bond due in 2027.

Nicholas Tan