Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

China Suntien Green Energy / Event-Driven

<div>
<p>Several weeks ago, I gave the warning H/A spreads had moved tighter - too far too fast. The next week, spreads widened, they bounced back with a vengeance, then slightly wider in the short week at the start of Chinese New Year, and bouncing back in the post-CNY week.</p>
<p>They have started to move wider again, and given the global form in risk and higher volatility right now, I would not be surprised if they continued a bit wider.</p>
</div><div>
<p>Last week, in the first full week after the end of all the Chinese New Year festivities, all but one sector saw average spreads widen, and market-wide, spreads had their worst week in quite a while.</p>
<table class="table table-striped"><tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 198.182px;"><p>Sector</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 103.636px;"><p>Last Week</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 135.455px;"><p>Previous Week</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 100px;"><p>3wks Ago</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 102.727px;"><p>4wks Ago</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 198.182px;"><p>Consumer</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 103.636px;"><p>-  1.65%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 135.455px;"><p>-  1.20%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 100px;"><p>+ 2.55%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 102.727px;"><p>+ 2.32%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 198.182px;"><p>Energy</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 103.636px;"><p>+ 0.67%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 135.455px;"><p>+ 1.43%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 100px;"><p>-  1.64%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 102.727px;"><p>+ 1.98%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 198.182px;"><p>Financials &amp; Real Estate</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 103.636px;"><p>-  1.12%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 135.455px;"><p>+ 0.10%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 100px;"><p>+ 0.29%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 102.727px;"><p>+ 0.62%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 198.182px;"><p>Health Care &amp; Info Tech</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 103.636px;"><p>-  2.86%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 135.455px;"><p>+ 1.45%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 100px;"><p>-  1.52%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 102.727px;"><p>+ 2.29%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 198.182px;"><p>Industrials</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 103.636px;"><p>-  1.20%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 135.455px;"><p>+ 0.26%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 100px;"><p>-  0.62%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 102.727px;"><p>+ 2.48%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 198.182px;"><p>Materials</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 103.636px;"><p>-  0.84%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 135.455px;"><p>+ 3.08%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 100px;"><p>-  0.57%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 102.727px;"><p>+ 2.66%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 198.182px;"><p>Utilities</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 103.636px;"><p>-  0.14%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 135.455px;"><p>+ 0.99%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 100px;"><p>+ 0.25%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 102.727px;"><p>+ 1.06%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 198.182px;"><p>Sector Average</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 103.636px;"><p>-  1.02%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 135.455px;"><p>+ 0.87%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 100px;"><p>-  0.18%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 102.727px;"><p>+ 1.92%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 198.182px;"><p><strong>All Market Average</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 103.636px;"><p><strong>-  1.22%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 135.455px;"><p><strong>+ 0.76%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 100px;"><p><strong>-  0.33%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right; width: 102.727px;"><p><strong>+ 1.80%</strong></p></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<p>Developers saw their Hs rise dramatically on the week on new rules about land sales which would appear to favor large developers over smaller developers, but few have an H/A spread presence.</p>
</div><div><div>
<hr>
<h3>The H/A Spread Market</h3>
</div></div><div>
<p>The past week has seen H-shares come off sharply and spreads widen reasonably dramatically. </p>
<section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/191/379/original/Screenshot+2021-02-28+at+7.50.25+PM.png?1614513037" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="191379"></figure></section>
</div><p>The average discount appears not to want to tighten. </p><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/191/402/original/Screenshot+2021-02-28+at+9.36.30+PM.png?1614519456" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="191402"></figure></section><p></p><h2>Last Week's Recommendations</h2><ul>
<li>There were 78 recommendations last week. </li>
<li>The 33 short recommendations gained an average of 1.70%, outperforming the market as a whole (which saw the average spread widen 1.22%). That is alpha of 48bp.</li>
<li>The 45 long recommendations averaged losses of 76bp during the week, outperforming the market as a whole by 46bp. The combined total package was up 0.27% for the week, with 92bp of alpha on the cross-bias. </li>
</ul><hr><section><div><h2>Consumer Sector</h2></div>
<div><p>The first sector discussed is Consumer, where liquid H/A spreads widened on average 1.65% over the past week, with the sector continuing to see significant bumpiness. </p></div>
<div><ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/byd-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20962:1" rel="noopener">BYD (1211 HK)</a> saw its spread move 2.9% narrower last week after widening 3.1% in the previous two weeks. It is now 3.7% narrower over four weeks.  <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/great-wall-motor-co-ltd-cb302af9-398c-4d2d-ba39-023e43287eef" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:128:1" rel="noopener">Great Wall Motor (2333 HK)</a> narrowed too, but the others in the space widened. </li>
<li>All but one stock in the sector saw its H-share decline in double digit percentages. The average H in the sector moved down 15.9% in the week. Only <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/guangzhou-automobile-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11082:1" rel="noopener">Guangzhou Automobile Group (2238 HK)</a> was spared that indignity, seeings its H fall 'only' 9.7%.</li>
<li>Southbound was a net seller of nearly HK$2bn of stock since the 10th of February, purchasing only <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fuyao-glass-industry-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:330:1" rel="noopener">Fuyao Glass Industry Group (3606 HK)</a> on a net basis.</li>
</ul></div>
<div><div><div class="content-highlight">
<p>Last week, I recommended staying long the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/great-wall-motor-co-ltd-cb302af9-398c-4d2d-ba39-023e43287eef" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:128:1" rel="noopener">Great Wall Motor (2333 HK)</a>, and short <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/byd-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20962:1" rel="noopener">BYD (1211 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hisense-home-appliances-group-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20107:1" rel="noopener">Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd. H (921 HK)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fuyao-glass-industry-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:330:1" rel="noopener">Fuyao Glass Industry Group (3606 HK)</a> H vs A. </p>
<p>Those four trades gained an average of 3.58% in spread terms on the week.</p>
</div></div></div>
<section><section class="figure"><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/191/384/original/Screenshot+2021-02-28+at+8.09.50+PM.png?1614514204" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="191384"></figure><p></p></section></section></section><section><em>For this week's recommendations on Consumer, and discussion of the Energy, Financials &amp; Real Estate, Health Care, Tech, Industrials, Materials, and Utilities sectors, and all trade recommendations, please read on.</em></section></section>


Several weeks ago, I gave the warning H/A spreads had moved tighter - too far too fast. The next week, spreads widened, they bounced back with a vengeance, then slightly wider in the short week at the start of Chinese New Year, and bouncing back in the post-CNY week.
They have started to move wider again, and given the global form in risk and higher volatility right now, I would not be surprised if they continued a bit wider.

Last week, in the first full week after the end of all the Chinese New Year festivities, all but one sector saw average spreads widen, and market-wide, spreads had their worst week in quite a while.


Sector
Last Week
Previous Week
3wks Ago
4wks Ago


Consumer
-  1.65%
-  1.20%
+ 2.55%
+ 2.32%


Energy
+ 0.67%
+ 1.43%
-  1.64%
+ 1.98%


Financials &amp; Real Estate
-  1.12%
+ 0.10%
+ 0.29%
+ 0.62%


Health Care &amp; Info Tech
-  2.86%
+ 1.45%
-  1.52%
+ 2.29%


Industrials
-  1.20%
+ 0.26%
-  0.62%
+ 2.48%


Materials
-  0.84%
+ 3.08%
-  0.57%
+ 2.66%


Utilities
-  0.14%
+ 0.99%
+ 0.25%
+ 1.06%


Sector Average
-  1.02%
+ 0.87%
-  0.18%
+ 1.92%


All Market Average
-  1.22%
+ 0.76%
-  0.33%
+ 1.80%


Developers saw their Hs rise dramatically on the week on new rules about land sales which would appear to favor large developers over smaller developers, but few have an H/A spread presence.


The H/A Spread Market

The past week has seen H-shares come off sharply and spreads widen reasonably dramatically. 

The average discount appears not to want to tighten. Last Week's Recommendations
There were 78 recommendations last week. 
The 33 short recommendations gained an average of 1.70%, outperforming the market as a whole (which saw the average spread widen 1.22%). That is alpha of 48bp.
The 45 long recommendations averaged losses of 76bp during the week, outperforming the market as a whole by 46bp. The combined total package was up 0.27% for the week, with 92bp of alpha on the cross-bias. 
Consumer Sector
The first sector discussed is Consumer, where liquid H/A spreads widened on average 1.65% over the past week, with the sector continuing to see significant bumpiness. 


BYD (1211 HK) saw its spread move 2.9% narrower last week after widening 3.1% in the previous two weeks. It is now 3.7% narrower over four weeks.  Great Wall Motor (2333 HK) narrowed too, but the others in the space widened. 
All but one stock in the sector saw its H-share decline in double digit percentages. The average H in the sector moved down 15.9% in the week. Only Guangzhou Automobile Group (2238 HK) was spared that indignity, seeings its H fall 'only' 9.7%.
Southbound was a net seller of nearly HK$2bn of stock since the 10th of February, purchasing only Fuyao Glass Industry Group (3606 HK) on a net basis.


Last week, I recommended staying long the Great Wall Motor (2333 HK), and short BYD (1211 HK), Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd. H (921 HK), and Fuyao Glass Industry Group (3606 HK) H vs A. 
Those four trades gained an average of 3.58% in spread terms on the week.

For this week's recommendations on Consumer, and discussion of the Energy, Financials &amp; Real Estate, Health Care, Tech, Industrials, Materials, and Utilities sectors, and all trade recommendations, please read on.

Quiddity Weekly H/A: Strong Dispersion, Strong Alpha; Brokers Beat Banks

<p>Four weeks ago, I gave the warning that H/A spreads had moved tighter - too far too fast. The next week, spreads widened, they bounced back with a vengeance, then slightly wider in the short week at the start of Chinese New Year, and bouncing back in the post-CNY week.</p><p>In the two weeks from before to after Chinese New Year, the average sector spread moved about 70bp tighter, but the average spread moved only 42bp tighter.</p><table class="table table-striped"><tbody>
<tr>
<td><p>Sector</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>Last<br>Week</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>Previous<br>Week</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>3wks<br>Ago</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>4wks<br>Ago</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Consumer</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.20%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 2.55%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 2.32%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  2.62%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Energy</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 1.43%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.64%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 1.98%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.59%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Financials &amp; Real Estate</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.10%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.29%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.62%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.73%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Health Care &amp; Info Tech</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 1.45%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.52%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 2.29%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.27%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Industrials</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.26%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.62%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 2.48%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.30%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Materials</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 3.08%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.57%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 2.66%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.95%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Utilities</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.99%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.25%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 1.06%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  2.45%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Sector Average</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.87%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.18%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 1.92%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.41%</p></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table><p>This week, the data is a bit cut short as the China Securities Depository and Clearing has not reported Southbound position data since the 10th as far as I can tell. </p><div class="content-highlight"><p>There were 75 recommendations last week.  The 32 short recommendations lost an average of 48bp, slightly underperforming the market as a whole. The 43 long recommendations averaged gains of 50bp over the two weeks, outperforming the market as a whole. The combined total package was up 0.084% over the two weeks. </p></div><div><div><h3>The H/A Spread Market</h3></div></div><div>
<p>The past two weeks straddling Chinese New Year saw mixed movement in H/A spreads, with 63 of 98 liquid spreads (64%) narrowing an average of 42bp. They are on average 92bp tighter over four weeks. </p>
<section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/189/832/original/Screenshot+2021-02-20+at+5.17.17+PM.png?1613812651" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="189832"></figure></section><hr>
</div><div><div><h3>Consumer Sector</h3></div></div><div>
<p>The first sector discussed is Consumer, where liquid H/A spreads narrowed on average 1.35% over the two weeks, but with some bumpiness. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/byd-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20962:1" rel="noopener">BYD (1211 HK)</a> saw its spread move 3.1% wider over the two weeks and is now 7.1% wider over four weeks and it is no longer the narrowest liquid H/A spread in the sector, with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fuyao-glass-industry-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:330:1" rel="noopener">Fuyao Glass Industry Group (3606 HK)</a> taking its place moving 2.4% in the two weeks and 10.7% in four.</p>
</div><div class="content-highlight">
<p>Two weeks ago, I recommended staying long the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/great-wall-motor-co-ltd-cb302af9-398c-4d2d-ba39-023e43287eef" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:128:1" rel="noopener">Great Wall Motor (2333 HK)</a>, and short <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/byd-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20962:1" rel="noopener">BYD (1211 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hisense-home-appliances-group-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20107:1" rel="noopener">Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd. H (921 HK)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fuyao-glass-industry-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:330:1" rel="noopener">Fuyao Glass Industry Group (3606 HK)</a> H vs A. </p>
<p>Those four trades gained an average of 1.67% in spread terms on the week.</p>
</div><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/189/833/original/Screenshot+2021-02-20+at+5.28.45+PM.png?1613813350" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="189833"></figure></section><p>For this week's recommendations on Consumer, and discussion of the Energy, Financials &amp; Real Estate, Health Care, Tech, Industrials, Materials, and Utilities sectors, and all trade recommendations, please read on.</p>

Four weeks ago, I gave the warning that H/A spreads had moved tighter - too far too fast. The next week, spreads widened, they bounced back with a vengeance, then slightly wider in the short week at the start of Chinese New Year, and bouncing back in the post-CNY week.In the two weeks from before to after Chinese New Year, the average sector spread moved about 70bp tighter, but the average spread moved only 42bp tighter.

Sector
Last Week
Previous Week
3wks Ago
4wks Ago


Consumer
-  1.20%
+ 2.55%
+ 2.32%
-  2.62%


Energy
+ 1.43%
-  1.64%
+ 1.98%
-  0.59%


Financials &amp; Real Estate
+ 0.10%
+ 0.29%
+ 0.62%
-  1.73%


Health Care &amp; Info Tech
+ 1.45%
-  1.52%
+ 2.29%
-  0.27%


Industrials
+ 0.26%
-  0.62%
+ 2.48%
-  1.30%


Materials
+ 3.08%
-  0.57%
+ 2.66%
-  0.95%


Utilities
+ 0.99%
+ 0.25%
+ 1.06%
-  2.45%


Sector Average
+ 0.87%
-  0.18%
+ 1.92%
-  1.41%

This week, the data is a bit cut short as the China Securities Depository and Clearing has not reported Southbound position data since the 10th as far as I can tell. There were 75 recommendations last week.  The 32 short recommendations lost an average of 48bp, slightly underperforming the market as a whole. The 43 long recommendations averaged gains of 50bp over the two weeks, outperforming the market as a whole. The combined total package was up 0.084% over the two weeks. The H/A Spread Market
The past two weeks straddling Chinese New Year saw mixed movement in H/A spreads, with 63 of 98 liquid spreads (64%) narrowing an average of 42bp. They are on average 92bp tighter over four weeks. 

Consumer Sector
The first sector discussed is Consumer, where liquid H/A spreads narrowed on average 1.35% over the two weeks, but with some bumpiness. 
BYD (1211 HK) saw its spread move 3.1% wider over the two weeks and is now 7.1% wider over four weeks and it is no longer the narrowest liquid H/A spread in the sector, with Fuyao Glass Industry Group (3606 HK) taking its place moving 2.4% in the two weeks and 10.7% in four.

Two weeks ago, I recommended staying long the Great Wall Motor (2333 HK), and short BYD (1211 HK), Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd. H (921 HK), and Fuyao Glass Industry Group (3606 HK) H vs A. 
Those four trades gained an average of 1.67% in spread terms on the week.
For this week's recommendations on Consumer, and discussion of the Energy, Financials &amp; Real Estate, Health Care, Tech, Industrials, Materials, and Utilities sectors, and all trade recommendations, please read on.

Quiddity Weekly H/A: High Volatility in Materials and Industrials and Spreads Over Lunar New Year

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

Quantitative Analysis

<p>A negative feedback loop of poor sentiment, managers selling down positions leading to big underperformance has caused allocations in China banks to more than halve over the past 2-years.  An exodus out of the four major state banks has occurred across GEM, Asia Ex-Japan and China managers as the narrative has focused on growth over value.  </p><p>From an ownership perspective, there are signs that this is bottoming out.  Underweights are being closed, funds are moving back in and weights are moving higher.  Whilst inflows remain skewed towards the higher growth and premium valuation stocks of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-bank-co-ltd-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:681:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Bank Co Ltd A (000001 CH)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-merchants-bank-co-ltd-3388a037-4214-4997-b45d-520518cfdb57" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10987:1" rel="noopener">China Merchants Bank H (3968 HK)</a> , ownership levels have moderated in the big four state banks.</p><p>Against a backdrop of huge underperformance and low ownership levels, the majority of the active managers in our analysis are still positioned underweight in the China banks.  If the growth over value narrative does change, China Banks are one of the places you want to be.</p><p></p><p><em>Analysis taken from our China fund universe, covering 114 active strategies with combined AUM of $62bn.</em></p>

A negative feedback loop of poor sentiment, managers selling down positions leading to big underperformance has caused allocations in China banks to more than halve over the past 2-years.  An exodus out of the four major state banks has occurred across GEM, Asia Ex-Japan and China managers as the narrative has focused on growth over value.  From an ownership perspective, there are signs that this is bottoming out.  Underweights are being closed, funds are moving back in and weights are moving higher.  Whilst inflows remain skewed towards the higher growth and premium valuation stocks of Ping An Bank Co Ltd A (000001 CH) and China Merchants Bank H (3968 HK) , ownership levels have moderated in the big four state banks.Against a backdrop of huge underperformance and low ownership levels, the majority of the active managers in our analysis are still positioned underweight in the China banks.  If the growth over value narrative does change, China Banks are one of the places you want to be.Analysis taken from our China fund universe, covering 114 active strategies with combined AUM of $62bn.

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

<p><strong><em>*PAL Improves, But Fundamentals Weak:</em></strong> Ping An Insurance (2318.HK)[Ping An] reported a 1H20 operating profit of CNY 74.3 bn, increasing just 1% YOY and 5% below consensus. As a recovery appears underway with Ping An Life (PAL), Ping An results appeared to be well-supported by a HOH improvement of CNY 13.2 bn bn (40.4%) in net profits  - although its value of new business (VONB) declined CNY 3.9 bn (11.9%);</p><p> <strong><em>*P&amp;C Remains A Challenge:</em></strong> Auto combined ratio reversed course and increased by 250 bp to 100.6%, and certainly warrants watching a driving returns to normal in mainland China. Auto insurance reform will remain a challenge for profitability going forward, and pricing has yet to stabilize. The credit insurance segment remains challenged, due to defaults on underlying loans.</p><p><strong><em>*Awful Bank Result: </em></strong>For 4Q20, PAB reported results of CNY 6.5 bn – declining CNY 2.2 bn (25.1%) on a linked quarter basis. In this environment, credit troubles no doubt are a foregone conclusion. However, this was not necessarily PAB’s biggest issue in its most results announcement, where the bulk of the earnings decline was attributed to a CNY 1.9 bn (17.1%) linked quarter increase in costs.</p>

*PAL Improves, But Fundamentals Weak: Ping An Insurance (2318.HK)[Ping An] reported a 1H20 operating profit of CNY 74.3 bn, increasing just 1% YOY and 5% below consensus. As a recovery appears underway with Ping An Life (PAL), Ping An results appeared to be well-supported by a HOH improvement of CNY 13.2 bn bn (40.4%) in net profits  - although its value of new business (VONB) declined CNY 3.9 bn (11.9%); *P&amp;C Remains A Challenge: Auto combined ratio reversed course and increased by 250 bp to 100.6%, and certainly warrants watching a driving returns to normal in mainland China. Auto insurance reform will remain a challenge for profitability going forward, and pricing has yet to stabilize. The credit insurance segment remains challenged, due to defaults on underlying loans.*Awful Bank Result: For 4Q20, PAB reported results of CNY 6.5 bn – declining CNY 2.2 bn (25.1%) on a linked quarter basis. In this environment, credit troubles no doubt are a foregone conclusion. However, this was not necessarily PAB’s biggest issue in its most results announcement, where the bulk of the earnings decline was attributed to a CNY 1.9 bn (17.1%) linked quarter increase in costs.

Ping An Insurance – Hope Is Not A Strategy

<p><strong><em>*Costs Now An Issue: </em></strong>Ping An Bank (000001.CH) [PAB], the Ping An Insurance (2318.HK) [Ping An] banking subsidiary, reported CNY 6.5 bn – declining CNY 2.2 bn (25.1%) on a linked quarter basis. In this environment, credit troubles no doubt are a foregone conclusion. However, this was not necessarily PAB’s biggest issue in its most results announcement, where the bulk of the earnings decline was attributed to a CNY 1.9 bn (17.1%) linked quarter increase in costs;</p><p><strong><em>*Credit Is WEAKER Still: </em></strong> We find that credit weakness is actually deteriorating at an even more accelerated pace than in 3Q20, as net new NPLs have increased CNY 20.5 bn or a massive 241% (223% in 3Q20) on an annualized basis. We also find that PAB’s reserves still remain quite light by CNY 152 bn if we assume a 2x NPL ratio. This shortfall represents 60% of stated equity; and</p><p><strong><em>*Fundamentally Challenged Still:</em></strong> Despite the Investor Day cheerleading session, Ping An P&amp;C operating profits declined CNY 2.6 bn (29.2%) HOH in 1H20, as the overall combined ratio eroded 1.5% to 98.1% due primarily to continued weakness within the credit insurance unit where the combined ratio came in at 125.6% (up 32.4%). The credit insurance segment reported a CNY 3.5 bn underwriting loss, due to defaults on underlying loans. </p>

*Costs Now An Issue: Ping An Bank (000001.CH) [PAB], the Ping An Insurance (2318.HK) [Ping An] banking subsidiary, reported CNY 6.5 bn – declining CNY 2.2 bn (25.1%) on a linked quarter basis. In this environment, credit troubles no doubt are a foregone conclusion. However, this was not necessarily PAB’s biggest issue in its most results announcement, where the bulk of the earnings decline was attributed to a CNY 1.9 bn (17.1%) linked quarter increase in costs;*Credit Is WEAKER Still:  We find that credit weakness is actually deteriorating at an even more accelerated pace than in 3Q20, as net new NPLs have increased CNY 20.5 bn or a massive 241% (223% in 3Q20) on an annualized basis. We also find that PAB’s reserves still remain quite light by CNY 152 bn if we assume a 2x NPL ratio. This shortfall represents 60% of stated equity; and*Fundamentally Challenged Still: Despite the Investor Day cheerleading session, Ping An P&amp;C operating profits declined CNY 2.6 bn (29.2%) HOH in 1H20, as the overall combined ratio eroded 1.5% to 98.1% due primarily to continued weakness within the credit insurance unit where the combined ratio came in at 125.6% (up 32.4%). The credit insurance segment reported a CNY 3.5 bn underwriting loss, due to defaults on underlying loans. 

China

China Construction Bank Corporation provides banking services. The Company offers deposits, loans, fund management, foreign exchange, and other services. China Construction Bank provides its services to individuals, enterprises, and other clients.

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China Construction Bank (601939 CH)

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Thomas J. Monaco

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