Marketing Director, Asia Frontier Capital

Asia Frontier Capital

Marketing Director

Investing in high growth Asian frontier economies.

Asia Frontier Capital Ltd. is a pioneering fund management company based in Hong Kong that specializes in investing in high growth Asian frontier economies by managing the AFC Asia Frontier Fund , AFC Iraq Fund and the AFC Vietnam Fund.

The AFC Asia Frontier Fund invests in public equities of Asian frontier countries that are seeing increasing consumption due to favorable demographic trends, rising incomes and high GDP growth. The fund invests in listed equities of companies that have their principal business activities in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Iraq, Laos, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar (Burma), Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka and Vietnam. The AFC Asia Frontier Fund is positioned to take advantage of the continuing economic shifts in these countries and offers high returns combined with significant diversification opportunities. This fund is directed by the founder and CEO of Asia Frontier Capital, Thomas Hugger, who has been investing in frontier markets across Asia and Africa for more than 20 years.

The AFC Iraq Fund was launched on the 26th June 2015 and aims to achieve long-term capital appreciation for investors by capturing value and growth potential in the post conflict high-growth & resource rich Iraq market. The fund emphasises long term investment horizon to truly capture the opportunity in Iraq. The fund's investable universe consists of locally listed companies that have their principal business activities in Iraq as well as foreign listed companies that have the majority of the business in Iraq as a whole including the prosperous Kurdish Region of Iraq (KRI). The AFC Iraq Fund offers access to investments in post conflict recovery potential of Iraq, including the KRI, and/or stability in its territory. The AFC Iraq Fund is managed by Asia Frontier Capital (Iraq) Limited, Cayman Islands under the executive leadership team of Thomas Hugger (CEO & Fund Manager) and Ahmed Tabaqchali (CIO) who have more than 47 years of investment experience as well as an extensive background covering global, emerging, frontier and MENA markets.

The AFC Vietnam Fund invests exclusively in listed Vietnamese equities to capture value in growth companies with a focus on the small to medium size companies. This market segment offers a unique investment opportunity as the valuation gap between large- and small-cap stocks in Vietnam is presently much wider than in comparable neighboring markets and the valuations are significantly depressed versus their regional peers. The fund adopts a fundamental-quantitative approach and employs an in-house earnings model to identify attractive companies where we see high growth opportunities. In conjunction with targeting the maximum upside potential the portfolio has been structured to mitigate corporate government and liquidity risks. The fund invests in a diversified portfolio of 70-90 attractively valued companies to carefully control concentration risk.  This approach allows the fund to sell, or buy, positions without having a significant market impact. The fund is directed under the executive leadership of Thomas Hugger and Andreas Vogelsanger who have more than 50 years combined experience managing investments in frontier markets, Asia and around the world.

For more information about the fund, management team and investment strategy please contact us at info@asiafrontiercapital.com.

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul><li>The AFC Iraq Fund, and its benchmark the Rabee Securities RSISX USD Index, “skyrocketed” +23.3%, +24.9% respectively in February.</li><li>For the year, the AFC Iraq Fund is up 22.6%, outperforming the index’s increase of 18.8%.</li><li>February’s gain once again illustrates the diversification benefits that the AFC Iraq Fund and Asian frontier markets offer to investors since the performance of the AFC Iraq Fund is already well ahead of global benchmarks two months into the year.</li></ul>

The AFC Iraq Fund, and its benchmark the Rabee Securities RSISX USD Index, “skyrocketed” +23.3%, +24.9% respectively in February.For the year, the AFC Iraq Fund is up 22.6%, outperforming the index’s increase of 18.8%.February’s gain once again illustrates the diversification benefits that the AFC Iraq Fund and Asian frontier markets offer to investors since the performance of the AFC Iraq Fund is already well ahead of global benchmarks two months into the year.

AFC Iraq Fund February 2023 Update: "Dinar Revalued Upwards by 10%, Strong Gains for the Fund"

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

<ul>
<li>IndiaBulls reported FY 3Q22 results of INR 3.0 bn, improving INR 167 mn (5.8%) linked quarter; results were of poor quality; </li>
<li>Net new NPLs had increased INR 7.1 bn for the quarter for an annualized rate of increase of 139.6%; and </li>
<li>Given the continued break in credit, loss reserves appear light close to INR 28 bn – representing seven quarters of PBT and 17.1% of stated equity. </li>
</ul>


IndiaBulls reported FY 3Q22 results of INR 3.0 bn, improving INR 167 mn (5.8%) linked quarter; results were of poor quality; 
Net new NPLs had increased INR 7.1 bn for the quarter for an annualized rate of increase of 139.6%; and 
Given the continued break in credit, loss reserves appear light close to INR 28 bn – representing seven quarters of PBT and 17.1% of stated equity. 


IndiaBulls Housing Finance – Manufactured Bottom-Line

SBI (State Bank of India) / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>SBI results were highly managed in FY 2Q22, and going forward it’s difficult for anyone to take both these results and this bank very seriously; </li>
<li>SBI reported FY 3Q22 results of INR 84.3 bn, improving INR 8.1 bn (10.6%) linked quarter. Volatility between loss provisions and operating expenses continued; and </li>
<li>Net new NPLs accelerated 18.5% annualized, and SBI’s reserves are short INR 568 tn – over five quarters of pre-tax results. </li>
</ul>


SBI results were highly managed in FY 2Q22, and going forward it’s difficult for anyone to take both these results and this bank very seriously; 
SBI reported FY 3Q22 results of INR 84.3 bn, improving INR 8.1 bn (10.6%) linked quarter. Volatility between loss provisions and operating expenses continued; and 
Net new NPLs accelerated 18.5% annualized, and SBI’s reserves are short INR 568 tn – over five quarters of pre-tax results. 


State Bank of India – Rules Don’t Apply

<ul>
<li>HDFC Ltd (HDFC.IN) [HDFC] reported FY 3Q22 results of INR 30.5 bn, decreasing INR 6.2 bn (16.9%) linked quarter basis reflecting a lack of dividends received; </li>
<li>Given the INR 4.2 bn in NCO during FY 3Q22, net new NPLs increased INR 11.7 bn or 23.3% on an annualized basis; and </li>
<li>We also find that HDFC’s reserve still needs shoring up by another INR 185 bn or over a year of PBT.   </li>
</ul>


HDFC Ltd (HDFC.IN) [HDFC] reported FY 3Q22 results of INR 30.5 bn, decreasing INR 6.2 bn (16.9%) linked quarter basis reflecting a lack of dividends received; 
Given the INR 4.2 bn in NCO during FY 3Q22, net new NPLs increased INR 11.7 bn or 23.3% on an annualized basis; and 
We also find that HDFC’s reserve still needs shoring up by another INR 185 bn or over a year of PBT.   


<ul>
<li>IndusInd reported FY 3Q22 bottom-line results improved 4.8% linked quarter, driven by stronger core revenues and a lower provision; </li>
<li>NCOs remain elevated and show no sign of abating, and net new NPLs increased 31.6% annualized; and </li>
<li>IndusInd’s reserve needs to increase closer to 75% with a shortfall of INR 30 bn – representing two quarters of pre-tax results. </li>
</ul>


IndusInd reported FY 3Q22 bottom-line results improved 4.8% linked quarter, driven by stronger core revenues and a lower provision; 
NCOs remain elevated and show no sign of abating, and net new NPLs increased 31.6% annualized; and 
IndusInd’s reserve needs to increase closer to 75% with a shortfall of INR 30 bn – representing two quarters of pre-tax results. 


India

Central Bank Of India is a full service commercial bank. The Bank's services include taking deposits, lending services, and investing. Central bank operates branches throughout India.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Central Bank Of India (CBOI IN)

AFC Iraq Fund February 2023 Update: "Dinar Revalued Upwards by 10%, Strong Gains for the Fund"

The AFC Iraq Fund, and its benchmark the Rabee Securities RSISX USD Index, “skyrocketed” +23.3%, +24.9% respectively in February.

Asia Frontier Capital

IndiaBulls Housing Finance – Manufactured Bottom-Line

I-BULLS: IndiaBulls reported a poor quality QOQ FY 3Q22 results increase of 5.8%.Net new NPLs increased at 139.6% annualized, while loss reserves...

Thomas J. Monaco

State Bank of India – Rules Don’t Apply

SBI: It’s difficult for anyone to take this bank very seriously. SBI reported a QOQ FY 3Q22 results increase of 10.6%, as volatility between loss...

Thomas J. Monaco

HDFC Ltd. – Lack of Conservatism

HDFC: HDFC reported FY 3Q22 results decline of 16.9% QOQ. Net new NPLs increased 23.3% on an annualized basis, and HDFC’s reserve still needs...

Thomas J. Monaco

IndusInd Bank – Stabilizing Somewhat

INDUSIND BANK: IndusInd reported FY 3Q22 bottom-line results improvement of 4.8% linked quarter, driven by stronger core revenues. NCOs remain...

Thomas J. Monaco

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)