Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>In officially decided cases concerning dissentient shareholders in privatised US-listed China plays, the uplift to the merger price versus time value of money and legal costs, is less than ideal. </li>
<li>The outcome for each case will turn on the underlying facts. But it would appear <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ikang-healthcare-group-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:741:1" rel="noopener">iKang Healthcare Group (ADR) (KANG US)</a> is following a similar trend.  </li>
<li>Reportedly the uplift to the iKang merger price is just 10%. Dissenters can still lodge an appeal.</li>
</ul>


In officially decided cases concerning dissentient shareholders in privatised US-listed China plays, the uplift to the merger price versus time value of money and legal costs, is less than ideal. 
The outcome for each case will turn on the underlying facts. But it would appear iKang Healthcare Group (ADR) (KANG US) is following a similar trend.  
Reportedly the uplift to the iKang merger price is just 10%. Dissenters can still lodge an appeal.


IKang Healthcare (KANG US): Another Setback For Dissenters

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Back on the <a href="https://investor.chindatagroup.com/static-files/cb5912cf-662a-4900-8c41-751c53513ef4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">11 August</a>, Chinese data center provider <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/chindata-group-holdings-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29274:1" rel="noopener">Chindata Group (CD US)</a> and major shareholder Bain Capital entered into a definitive agreement at US$8.60/ADS.</li>
<li>The EGM was held yesterday, the 4 December, and the merger was approved by 97.75% of the total votes cast. No specific PRC regulatory approval is needed for this merger. </li>
<li>All good right? Not quite. There's still the nagging issue involving 22.79% of shares out objecting to the deal, exceeding the 12% dissenting threshold, a condition to the merger. </li>
</ul>


Back on the 11 August, Chinese data center provider Chindata Group (CD US) and major shareholder Bain Capital entered into a definitive agreement at US$8.60/ADS.
The EGM was held yesterday, the 4 December, and the merger was approved by 97.75% of the total votes cast. No specific PRC regulatory approval is needed for this merger. 
All good right? Not quite. There's still the nagging issue involving 22.79% of shares out objecting to the deal, exceeding the 12% dissenting threshold, a condition to the merger. 


Dissenters Mobilise As Chindata (CD US)'s Shareholders Approve Bain's Offer

iClick Interactive Asia Group / Event-Driven

In recent years,  it has become common practice for Chinese "tech" companies listed in the US to be privatised, on the expectation of being relisted on the Mainland (where often higher multiples are assigned) or Hong Kong. Following the passing of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holding_Foreign_Companies_Accountable_Act" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act</a> last year, there is an added impetus to take these companies private. Or at the very least, seek a dual listing in Hong Kong.
More often than not, these takeovers are initiated by the controlling shareholders. Which makes this latest non-binding proposal for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/iclick-interactive-asia-group-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27314:1" rel="noopener">iClick Interactive Asia Group (ICLK US)</a> a little unusual.
iClick <a href="https://ir.i-click.com/2021-09-24-iClick-Interactive-Asia-Group-Limited-Announces-Receipt-of-a-Preliminary-Non-Binding-Indicative-Proposal-to-Acquire-the-Company" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> on the 24 September it had received a preliminary indicative proposal from PAG Pegasus Fund and Oasis Management to acquire all of its outstanding shares for US$6.75 per ADS, in cash.
That's a 19% premium to last close, yet 63% below its all-time high close of US$18.30 in February last year, and 16% below its $8/share IPO price in December 2018.
Should a firm Offer unfold, this long-form merger would require two-thirds majority approval from all shareholders.
Sammy Hsieh, the chairman of the board of directors and co-founder, Jian Tang, iClick's CEO, and co-founder, collectively own 4,385,078 Class B ordinary shares, which due to their super-voting rights, is equivalent to ~62% of the voting power. This proposal is a non-starter without the support of either Hsieh or Tang.
In addition, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baozun" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29712:1" rel="noopener">Baozun (9991 HK)</a> controls a further 10% of the voting power. Should all three side with the buyer consortium, this deal is done. 
But I doubt this will be the outcome. A more likely scenario is the consortium's low-balled Offer is a means to triggering a response from a key player, such as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a>, to make a counteroffer.
More below the fold.

In recent years,  it has become common practice for Chinese "tech" companies listed in the US to be privatised, on the expectation of being relisted on the Mainland (where often higher multiples are assigned) or Hong Kong. Following the passing of the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act last year, there is an added impetus to take these companies private. Or at the very least, seek a dual listing in Hong Kong.
More often than not, these takeovers are initiated by the controlling shareholders. Which makes this latest non-binding proposal for iClick Interactive Asia Group (ICLK US) a little unusual.
iClick announced on the 24 September it had received a preliminary indicative proposal from PAG Pegasus Fund and Oasis Management to acquire all of its outstanding shares for US$6.75 per ADS, in cash.
That's a 19% premium to last close, yet 63% below its all-time high close of US$18.30 in February last year, and 16% below its $8/share IPO price in December 2018.
Should a firm Offer unfold, this long-form merger would require two-thirds majority approval from all shareholders.
Sammy Hsieh, the chairman of the board of directors and co-founder, Jian Tang, iClick's CEO, and co-founder, collectively own 4,385,078 Class B ordinary shares, which due to their super-voting rights, is equivalent to ~62% of the voting power. This proposal is a non-starter without the support of either Hsieh or Tang.
In addition, Baozun (9991 HK) controls a further 10% of the voting power. Should all three side with the buyer consortium, this deal is done. 
But I doubt this will be the outcome. A more likely scenario is the consortium's low-balled Offer is a means to triggering a response from a key player, such as Tencent (700 HK), to make a counteroffer.
More below the fold.

IClick(ICLK US): PAG & Oasis Shake The Trees

Back on the 10 February 2021, private hospitals and medical centers operator <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/new-frontier-health-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28429:1" rel="noopener">New Frontier Corporation (NFH US)</a> made an <a href="https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0001737422/16f0d15b-2a3a-4ad0-9ad3-85d84f2c7485.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcement</a> it had received a preliminary non-proposal binding letter from a buyer-group, including President Carl Wu, Carnival Investments, Vivo Capital Fund IX, Max Rising International Ltd (a company affiliated with Carl Wu) - among others.
The group offered to acquire shares of New Frontier for $12 in cash, a 27.9% premium to last close.
<div>
New Frontier has now entered into a <a href="https://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net/CIK-0001737422/4394dbb2-ca20-48cd-9bf2-2c1f323694a6.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">definitive merger agreement</a>, also at US$12/share.
</div>
<div>
The merger is conditional on an affirmative vote from shareholders representing at least two-thirds of the shares out, and that the aggregate quantity of dissenting shares shall be less than 10% of shares out.
</div>
<div>
The announcement is silent on the buyer consortium's % holding, but I estimate it to be at least 37%.
</div>
<div>
This looks pretty clean. Possible completion late 4Q21.
</div>
<div>
More below the fold.
</div>

Back on the 10 February 2021, private hospitals and medical centers operator New Frontier Corporation (NFH US) made an announcement it had received a preliminary non-proposal binding letter from a buyer-group, including President Carl Wu, Carnival Investments, Vivo Capital Fund IX, Max Rising International Ltd (a company affiliated with Carl Wu) - among others.
The group offered to acquire shares of New Frontier for $12 in cash, a 27.9% premium to last close.

New Frontier has now entered into a definitive merger agreement, also at US$12/share.


The merger is conditional on an affirmative vote from shareholders representing at least two-thirds of the shares out, and that the aggregate quantity of dissenting shares shall be less than 10% of shares out.


The announcement is silent on the buyer consortium's % holding, but I estimate it to be at least 37%.


This looks pretty clean. Possible completion late 4Q21.


More below the fold.


New Frontier (NYSE: NFH): Healthcare Homecoming

HK/China Healthcare Analyst (ex-Fosun Pharma)

Xinyao (Criss) Wang

Industry viewpoints:<ul>
<li>Considering the importance of blood products, the 14th Five-Year Plan will accelerate the construction of plasma stations in China so as to achieve the self-sufficiency in blood products.</li>
<li>Public health is the focus of the 14th Five-Year Plan for medical reform. Among them, due to the strong demand from the downstream, the medical IT industry is expected to usher in a faster development.</li>
<li>The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 would accelerate Chinese consumers' awareness and attention of immunonutrition products, such as the probiotics products.</li>
</ul>Company news:News about the updated progress on drugs and new cooperation agreements of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/innovent-biologics-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27452:1" rel="noopener">Innovent Biologics Inc (1801 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jiangsu-hengrui-medicine-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14128:1" rel="noopener">Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine (600276 CH)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/innocare-pharma-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28355:1" rel="noopener">InnoCare Pharma Ltd (9969 HK) </a>and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/remegen-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29191:1" rel="noopener">Remegen Co Ltd (9995 HK)</a>.Market review:Last week, stock price for healthcare sector in A share increased 2.61%, while CSI 300 increased 0.50% over the same period of timeRisk disclosure:Policy risk, R&amp;D risk, Company risk and COVID-19 risk.

Industry viewpoints:
Considering the importance of blood products, the 14th Five-Year Plan will accelerate the construction of plasma stations in China so as to achieve the self-sufficiency in blood products.
Public health is the focus of the 14th Five-Year Plan for medical reform. Among them, due to the strong demand from the downstream, the medical IT industry is expected to usher in a faster development.
The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020 would accelerate Chinese consumers' awareness and attention of immunonutrition products, such as the probiotics products.
Company news:News about the updated progress on drugs and new cooperation agreements of Innovent Biologics Inc (1801 HK), Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine (600276 CH), InnoCare Pharma Ltd (9969 HK) and Remegen Co Ltd (9995 HK).Market review:Last week, stock price for healthcare sector in A share increased 2.61%, while CSI 300 increased 0.50% over the same period of timeRisk disclosure:Policy risk, R&amp;D risk, Company risk and COVID-19 risk.

United States

China Biologic Products Holdings, Inc. operates as a biopharmaceutical company. The Company researches, develops, and produces human plasma-based pharmaceutical and coagulation factor products in the form of tablets, injections, capsules, and syrups. China Biologic Products also distributes pharmaceutical products. China Biologic Products serves clients in China.

China Biologic Products (CBPO US)

IKang Healthcare (KANG US): Another Setback For Dissenters

In officially decided cases concerning dissentient shareholders in privatised US-listed China plays, the uplift to the takeover price versus time...

David Blennerhassett

Dissenters Mobilise As Chindata (CD US)'s Shareholders Approve Bain's Offer

This is done. Trading at a 2% gross spread to terms, or ~14% annualised assuming late-Jan completion. Not bad. Not great. It was certainly more...

David Blennerhassett

IClick(ICLK US): PAG & Oasis Shake The Trees

Buying around here is probably going to have limited downside. I think PAG/Oasis' intent is to shake out potential suitors - including the co...

David Blennerhassett

New Frontier (NYSE: NFH): Healthcare Homecoming

I see the gross/annualised spread at 7.4%/19.8%, assuming late December completion. This looks like a pretty clean deal for around five months of...

David Blennerhassett

China Healthcare Weekly (July.16)

The article mainly analyzed China's plan to accelerate the construction of plasma stations, promising outlook of medical IT industry...

Xinyao (Criss) Wang