Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven


For the month of May, 11 new deals were discussed on Smartkarma with an overall announced deal size of ~US$7.3bn.



Clicking on the company name in the table below will take you to the entity page where you can read the initial insight(s) written by Smartkarma contributors on these new deals and follow-up discussions, or simply click on the insight link(s) below the name.







New Deals


Industry


Size (US$bn)


Type


Premium




Australia




APN Property Group (APD AU) 
Property
0.2
Scheme
50%


APN Prop (APD AU): Dexus' Done Deal



Boral Ltd (BLD AU) 
Construction
4.8
Off-market
Nil


Boral Ltd (BLD AU): Seven's Nil Premium



Japara Healthcare (JHC AU) 
Healthcare
0.2
Scheme
30%


Japara Healthcare (JHC AU): Here Comes The Calvary


 



Hong Kong




Chong Hing Bank (1111 HK) 
Banking
0.2
Scheme
51.2%



Chong Hing Bank (1111 HK): Takeover Talk As Shares Pop
Chong Hing Bank (1111 HK): Yue Xiu's Offer Is Light



 



Japan




Aomori Bank (8342 JP) / Michinoku Bank (8350 JP) 
Bank
0.6
Merger



Aomori Bank &amp; Michinoku Bank Merger - Nothing To Write Home About Yet



EPS Holdings (4282 JP) 
Data/software
0.1
Tender Offer
35.5%


Another Too-Cheap MBO as Founder Takes Out EPS


 Locoguide (4497 JP) / Kufu (4399 JP)

Real estate
0.4
Merger



Locoguide (4497 JP) - Kufu (4399 JP): Merger Is a Done Deal



Maruka Machinery (7594 JP) / Furusato Industries (8087 JP) 
Trading
0.4
Merger



A Complex SmallCap Merger in Japan: Maruka (7594) And Furusato (8087)



Secom Joshinetsu (4342 JP) 
Security
0.3
Tender Offer
66.2%


Secom To Finally Buy Out Affiliate Secom Joshinetsu (4342)








Malaysia




Can-One Bhd (CAN MK) 
Manufacturing
0.1
MTO
15.8%


Can-One (CAN MK)? Yeoh Can Lah!



IHH Healthcare (IHH MK) 
Healthcare
N/A
N/A
N/A


IHH Healthcare (IHH MK): More Medicine For Mitsui?


Source: Smartkarma Insights






The above does not include BetMakers Technology Group (BET AU) lobbing a non-binding offer of A$4bn (A$1bn cash, $3bn scrip into BET) for Tabcorp Ltd (TAH AU)'s wagering and media division, and Apollo's prior tilt - Tabcorp (TAH AU): Apollo Shows Its Hand.

Nor does the table include the rumoured merger between  Angang Steel Co Ltd (H) (347 HK) and Bengang Steel (000761 CH) - Amalgamated Steel: Merging Angang &amp; Bengang As, Bs, and Hs.



The average premium for the new deals announced (or first discussed) in May was ~41%, with a year-to-date average of ~31% (78 deals). This compares to the average premium for all deals in 2020 (158 deals) and 2019 (145 deals) of 31% and 31.5% respectively. 




Summary of News in May of Arb Situations On Smartkarma's Radar



(Again, click on the company names to take to you to the insights and/or discussion posts for a more comprehensive read-through on each situation)






Australia


Comments (with links to announcements &amp; insights)




3P Learning (3PL AU) 

No May update




Bingo Industries (BIN AU) 

1-May: Capital Group announced it has sold its entire 9.7% stake in Bingo Industries (BIN AU).




Crown Resorts (CWN AU) 

10-May: Crown Resorts: Blackstone &amp; Star Place Their Bets
17-May: Crown Says Blackstone's Bid Is Light. Undecided On Star
20-May: Crown Resorts Ltd: Blackstone Offer Rejected, Star Offer May Still Not Reflect True Forward Value




Galaxy Resources (GXY AU) 

No May update




Link Administration Holdings (LNK AU) 

27-May: Link Group (LNK AU): KKR Opens The Bidding For PEXA
31-May: Link Admin (LNK AU) Goes IPO Route For PEXA Afterall




Mainstream Group Holdings Ltd (MAI AU) 

2-May: Mainstream (MAI AU): More-Than-Double in Less than 2 Months After Apex Bump
6-May: Mainstream (MAI AU): Bidding War Continues as SS&amp;C Overbids for the 4th Time
14-May: Mainstream (MAI AU): +120% in ~2 Months but Bidding War Continues....




McPherson's Ltd (MCP AU) 

No May update




Mortgage Choice (MOC AU) 

26-Mau FIRB gives its approval



Primewest Group Ltd (PWG AU)

14-May: Target's Statement and Bidder's Statements were published. Primewest Group Ltd (PWG AU)'s Board has unanimously recommended shareholders to accept the Offer. 




Think Childcare (TNK AU) 

12-May: Think Childcare (TNK AU) has agreed to extend the Exclusivity Period with Busy Bees to 31st May 2021 (vs. original deadline of 14th May). This is still a non-binding deal with an expected completion date to be in 1Q CY22. 




Vitalharvest Freehold Trust (VTH AU) 

1-May: And so it goes - MAFM bumps its Offer for Vitalharvest Freehold Trust (VTH AU) to $1.26.
7-May: MAFM exercises a call option and acquires 16.2% of Vitalharvest Freehold Trust (VTH AU).
28-May Roc bumps its Offer for Vitalharvest Freehold Trust (VTH AU) to $1.29/share.  And says it will overbid any MAFM counter! 




Vocus Communications (VOC AU) 

10-May: Vocus Comms (VOC AU): MIRA/Aware's Done Deal
19-May: Vocus Comms (VOC AU): MIRA/​Aware’s Scheme Doc Despatched. EGM On 22 June










Hong Kong


Comments (with links to announcements &amp; insights)




Beijing Digital Telecom (6188 HK) 

1-May: Beijing Digital (6188 HK): Offer Now Open. IFA Says Fair
20-May: Beijing Digital Telecom (6188 HK)'s MGO is now unconditional in all respects. 




China Machinery Engineering (1829 HK) 

28-May: China Machinery Engineering (1829 HK): Movement In The Works?




China Traditional Chinese Medicine (570 HK) 

7-May: In its monthly update regarding a potential Offer, China Traditional Chinese Medicine (570 HK) says there is no update.




China Youzan Limited (8083 HK) 

10-May: China Youzan (8083 HK): Reality Check As Shares Rollover




Kerry Logistics Network (636 HK) 

4-May: Kerry Logistics Network (636 HK) will hold an EGM on the 26 May for shareholders to vote on the sale of the Hong Kong and Taiwan warehouse businesses to Kerry Holdings. 
26-May: At its SGM, Kerry Logistics Network (636 HK) shareholders overwhelmingly approved the sale of its Hong Kong, Taiwan warehouse business to Kerry Holdings.




New Century REIT (1275 HK) 

No May update




Rivera Holdings (281 HK) 

No April update




Sichuan Languang Justbon Service Group (2606 HK) 

3-May: Languang Justbon (2606 HK): Offer Now Open - For Up To Four Months










India


Comments (with links to insights)




Mphasis Ltd (MPHL IN) 

4-May: The Detailed Public Statement on Mphasis Ltd (MPHL IN) has been released. The Open Offer is scheduled tentatively to run from 18 June to 1 July, which means it is running Very Tight and the option is worth a bit less than I expected. But that just means there is more gamma. One could get big at the high Rs 1600s area. 




Vedanta Ltd (VEDL IN) 

4-May: Vedanta Now Caught Up With Peers - A Different Skew Ahead










Japan


Comments (with links to announcements &amp; insights)




BeNEXT Group (2154 JP) 
No May update



Cocokara Fine (3098 JP) 
No May update



Fuji Kosan Company (5009 JP) 
17-May:  Fuji Kosan Company (5009 JP) has responded to Aslead Strategic Value Fund's Tender Offer with its initial Target Opinion Statement which is "Opinion Withheld." This is because Fuji Kosan hasn't actually done anything yet - two weeks in. They have sent questions to Aslead, and Aslead has five business days to respond. This is slow-walking it. This tender offer is likely to be extended because of that.



Hitachi Metals (5486 JP) 

5-May: Hitachi Metals - Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?




Honshu Chemical Industry (4115 JP) 

13-May: Honshu Chemical (4115) Shareholders Perhaps One Day From a Wrong Price Takeover
16-May:: Honshu Chemical Shareholders Get the Short End of the Stick As The Board Is Ex-Gourd




Invesco Office J Reit (3298 JP) 

6-May:  Invesco Office OPPOSES Starwood Hostile Offer and Gets a Distinctly Beige Knight
11-May:  Starwood Bumps Terms, Lowers Threshold on Invesco Office
13-May:  Invesco Office's Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day... Changes Things
20-May:  Invesco Office's Beige Knight (Deemed Dirty Gray By Markets) Suddenly Looks Brighter and Whiter
23-May:  Starwood Responds to Invesco Office's White Knight Proposal
24-May: Starwood has extended their Tender Offer on Invesco Office J Reit (3298 JP) from the 24th of May to 15th of June after the close of the 24th. They did not raise the price. This is basically the equivalent of Starwood calling Invesco's bluff. They can extend again if they want but they are going to make Invesco come out. They can change price later if they think it necessary.



Japan Asia (3751 JP)
No May update



Sawada Holdings (8699 JP) 

9-May:  Sawada Selldown Was NOT Done - Shareholder Structure Looks Different Now
23-May: Sawada Is A Different Stock Now
31-May:  Be Careful of Expectations on Sawada (8699)




Toshiba Corp (6502 JP) 

14-May: Toshiba – Shareholder Returns Trump Weak Guidance
17-May: Toshiba Results &amp; Shareholder Return - Possibly Big Impact Buyback Coming











New Zealand


Comments 




Tilt Renewables Ltd (TLT NZ) 

No May update











Singapore


Comments (with links to announcements)




Procurri Corporation (PROC SP) 

3-May: The Partial Offer has not become unconditional in all respects on the Closing Date and has therefore lapsed










Thailand


Comments




Intouch Holdings (INTUCH TB) 

No May update




Vinythai Public Co (VNT TB) 

No May update






China Machinery Engineering / Event-Driven

<div>
<p>On the 13 January, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-machinery-engineering-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10998:1" rel="noopener">China Machinery Engineering (1829 HK)</a>'s (CMEC) <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2021/0113/2021011300422.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a pre-conditional Offer from its controlling shareholder, state-owned Chinese National Machinery Industry Corporation, also known as SINOMACH.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>The Offer price was HK$3.70/share, a 45.10% premium to last close, and a 118.93% premium to the average closing price over the previous 30 trading days. The Offer Price was announced to be FINAL - it will NOT be increased. A concurrent Offer for CMEC's domestic shares at RMB3.082692/share was also tabled.</p>
<p>The pre-conditions, which cannot be waived, include approvals from NDRC, MoC, and SAFE.</p>
<p>Then nothing. Near-on four and half months have elapsed and the only disclosure - in the <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2021/0430/2021043000903.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">monthly updates</a> - is that the pre-conditions have yet to be fulfilled.</p>
<p>Then yesterday shares gained 4.3% to close at $3.62/share, its highest level since the Offer was announced. The volume was also solid. </p>
<p>Perhaps regulatory approvals are (finally) forthcoming.</p>
<p>More below the fold.</p>
</div>
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<p></p>
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On the 13 January, China Machinery Engineering (1829 HK)'s (CMEC) announced a pre-conditional Offer from its controlling shareholder, state-owned Chinese National Machinery Industry Corporation, also known as SINOMACH.


The Offer price was HK$3.70/share, a 45.10% premium to last close, and a 118.93% premium to the average closing price over the previous 30 trading days. The Offer Price was announced to be FINAL - it will NOT be increased. A concurrent Offer for CMEC's domestic shares at RMB3.082692/share was also tabled.
The pre-conditions, which cannot be waived, include approvals from NDRC, MoC, and SAFE.
Then nothing. Near-on four and half months have elapsed and the only disclosure - in the monthly updates - is that the pre-conditions have yet to be fulfilled.
Then yesterday shares gained 4.3% to close at $3.62/share, its highest level since the Offer was announced. The volume was also solid. 
Perhaps regulatory approvals are (finally) forthcoming.
More below the fold.









China Machinery Engineering (1829 HK): Movement In The Works?

Beijing Jingneng Clean Energy / Event-Driven

<p>I've analysed 14 Merger by Absorption deals over the last 16 years. These unique privatisation Offers address the peculiarities of acquiring PRC-incorporated companies listed in Hong Kong.</p>
<p>There are no rights under the laws of the PRC and the Articles of Association of a PRC-incorporated company to compulsorily acquire its H Shares that are not tendered for acceptance pursuant to any H Share Offer.</p>
<p>The only mechanism available to <em>fully</em> privatise is via a Merger by Absorption, incorporating a Scheme-like vote (≥ 75% for, ≤10% against). A tendering condition of 90% <em>may</em> also be present.</p>
<p>Of these 14 transactions, 10 have been successfully privatised, three remain ongoing, plus we have one ignominious failure for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/harbin-electric-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11116:1" rel="noopener">Harbin Electric Co Ltd H (1133 HK)</a>.</p>
<p>As always, more below the fold. </p>

I've analysed 14 Merger by Absorption deals over the last 16 years. These unique privatisation Offers address the peculiarities of acquiring PRC-incorporated companies listed in Hong Kong.
There are no rights under the laws of the PRC and the Articles of Association of a PRC-incorporated company to compulsorily acquire its H Shares that are not tendered for acceptance pursuant to any H Share Offer.
The only mechanism available to fully privatise is via a Merger by Absorption, incorporating a Scheme-like vote (≥ 75% for, ≤10% against). A tendering condition of 90% may also be present.
Of these 14 transactions, 10 have been successfully privatised, three remain ongoing, plus we have one ignominious failure for Harbin Electric Co Ltd H (1133 HK).
As always, more below the fold. 

Quiddity M&A : A Guide To Mergers By Absorption

Zhejiang New Century Hotel Management / Event-Driven

Zhejiang New Century Hotel Management (1158 HK)

<div>
<p>After <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zhejiang-new-century-hotel-management-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27944:1" rel="noopener">Zhejiang New Century Hotel Management Group (1158 HK)</a>'s (ZNCH) shares were <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2021/0119/2021011900019.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspended</a> ahead of trading on the 19 January "<em>pursuant to The Codes on Takeovers and Mergers which constitute inside information of the Company</em>", ZNCH has now <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2021/0120/2021012000655.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a pre-conditional Offer from a vehicle co-owned by Sequoia China and Ocean Link.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>The Offer price is HK$18.15/share, a 23.9% premium to last close, and a 20.8% premium to the average closing price over the previous 30 trading days. The Offer price will not be increased. A concurrent Offer for ZNCH's domestic shares at RMB15.018066/share is also tabled.</p>
<p>ZNCH is incorporated in the PRC, and as such, there are no rights to compulsorily acquire shares or to require an Offeror do so. The only mechanism available to privatise is via a Merger by Absorption, incorporating a Scheme-like vote (≥ 75% for, ≤10% against). Additionally, as this is a "voluntary conditional offer", a tendering condition of 90% is also present.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>ZNCH has 280mn shares out, comprising 70,000,000 H shares (25% of shares out), 159,659,640 domestic shares (57% of shares out), and 50,340,360 unlisted foreign shares (18% of shares out). Sequoia China/Ocean Link currently hold no shares. </p>
</div>
<div>
<p>CTrip, a pre-IPO investor, with 14.83mn H shares, has given an irrevocable <em>supporting</em> the Offer, but will NOT tender. On account of a special shareholder arrangement, CTrip is deemed to be an Offeror Concert Party and therefore does not form part of the Independent H Shareholders. </p>
<p>GreenTree, a pre-IPO investor, with 13.87mn H shares has given an irrevocable supporting the Offer and will also tender. GreenTree forms part of the Independent H Shareholders. </p>
</div>
<div>
<p>The pre-conditions, which cannot be waived, include approvals from an anti-trust review under the Anti-Monopoly Law of the PRC, and SAMR.</p>
<p>This appears an <em>okay</em> deal. The Pre-Conditional Long Stop date is the 31 May 2021, but these approvals should be completed well before. Merger by Absorption transactions are typically wrapped up in around four months.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>As always, more below the fold.</p>
</div>


After Zhejiang New Century Hotel Management Group (1158 HK)'s (ZNCH) shares were suspended ahead of trading on the 19 January "pursuant to The Codes on Takeovers and Mergers which constitute inside information of the Company", ZNCH has now announced a pre-conditional Offer from a vehicle co-owned by Sequoia China and Ocean Link.


The Offer price is HK$18.15/share, a 23.9% premium to last close, and a 20.8% premium to the average closing price over the previous 30 trading days. The Offer price will not be increased. A concurrent Offer for ZNCH's domestic shares at RMB15.018066/share is also tabled.
ZNCH is incorporated in the PRC, and as such, there are no rights to compulsorily acquire shares or to require an Offeror do so. The only mechanism available to privatise is via a Merger by Absorption, incorporating a Scheme-like vote (≥ 75% for, ≤10% against). Additionally, as this is a "voluntary conditional offer", a tendering condition of 90% is also present.


ZNCH has 280mn shares out, comprising 70,000,000 H shares (25% of shares out), 159,659,640 domestic shares (57% of shares out), and 50,340,360 unlisted foreign shares (18% of shares out). Sequoia China/Ocean Link currently hold no shares. 


CTrip, a pre-IPO investor, with 14.83mn H shares, has given an irrevocable supporting the Offer, but will NOT tender. On account of a special shareholder arrangement, CTrip is deemed to be an Offeror Concert Party and therefore does not form part of the Independent H Shareholders. 
GreenTree, a pre-IPO investor, with 13.87mn H shares has given an irrevocable supporting the Offer and will also tender. GreenTree forms part of the Independent H Shareholders. 


The pre-conditions, which cannot be waived, include approvals from an anti-trust review under the Anti-Monopoly Law of the PRC, and SAMR.
This appears an okay deal. The Pre-Conditional Long Stop date is the 31 May 2021, but these approvals should be completed well before. Merger by Absorption transactions are typically wrapped up in around four months.


As always, more below the fold.


Zhejiang New Century (1158 HK): Pre-Conditional Offer

<div>
<p>After <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-machinery-engineering-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10998:1" rel="noopener">China Machinery Engineering (1829 HK)</a>'s (CMEC) shares were <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2021/0108/2021010701436.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspended</a> ahead of trading on the 8 January  "<em>pursuant to The Codes on Takeovers and Mergers which constitute inside information of the Company</em>", CMEC has now <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2021/0113/2021011300422.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a pre-conditional Offer from its controlling shareholder, state-owned Chinese National Machinery Industry Corporation, also known as SINOMACH.</p>
<p>The Offer price is HK$3.70/share, a 45.10% premium to last close, and a 118.93% premium to the average closing price over the previous 30 trading days. The Offer price will not be increased. A concurrent Offer for CMEC's domestic shares at RMB3.082692/share is also tabled.</p>
<p>CMEC has 4,125,700,000 shares out, comprising 908,270,000 H shares and 3,217,430,000 domestic shares.</p>
<p>SINOMACH holds 3.185bn domestic shares directly, and 32.174mn shares indirectly via China United. Together this totals 77.99% of the total voting interest in CNEC. </p>
<p>SINOMACH does not hold any H  shares.</p>
<p>The pre-conditions, which cannot be waived, include approvals from NDRC, MoC, and SAFE.</p>
<p>As CMEC is PRC incorporated, this delisting proposal is by way of a Merger by Absorption, which involves a Scheme-like vote from disinterested shareholders. There is no tendering acceptance condition attached to this delisting.</p>
<p>This appears a relatively clean deal. The Long Stop date is the 13 January 2022, but this should be completed well before. Merger by Absorption transactions are typically wrapped up in around four months.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p>More below the fold.</p>
</div>


After China Machinery Engineering (1829 HK)'s (CMEC) shares were suspended ahead of trading on the 8 January  "pursuant to The Codes on Takeovers and Mergers which constitute inside information of the Company", CMEC has now announced a pre-conditional Offer from its controlling shareholder, state-owned Chinese National Machinery Industry Corporation, also known as SINOMACH.
The Offer price is HK$3.70/share, a 45.10% premium to last close, and a 118.93% premium to the average closing price over the previous 30 trading days. The Offer price will not be increased. A concurrent Offer for CMEC's domestic shares at RMB3.082692/share is also tabled.
CMEC has 4,125,700,000 shares out, comprising 908,270,000 H shares and 3,217,430,000 domestic shares.
SINOMACH holds 3.185bn domestic shares directly, and 32.174mn shares indirectly via China United. Together this totals 77.99% of the total voting interest in CNEC. 
SINOMACH does not hold any H  shares.
The pre-conditions, which cannot be waived, include approvals from NDRC, MoC, and SAFE.
As CMEC is PRC incorporated, this delisting proposal is by way of a Merger by Absorption, which involves a Scheme-like vote from disinterested shareholders. There is no tendering acceptance condition attached to this delisting.
This appears a relatively clean deal. The Long Stop date is the 13 January 2022, but this should be completed well before. Merger by Absorption transactions are typically wrapped up in around four months.


More below the fold.


China Machinery Engineering (1829 HK): Delisting Offer From Parent

China

China Machinery Engineering is an engineering contracting and services provider, specializing in engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contracts for infrastructure projects such as power plants, transportation, and water treatment. The company also engages in the import and export of machinery and electrical products, and offers various services including design consulting and logistics. It was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Beijing, China.

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China Machinery Engineering (1829 HK)

(Mostly) Asia M&A: May 2021 Roundup

The average premium for the new deals announced (or first discussed) in May was ~41%, with a year-to-date average of ~31% (78 deals).

David Blennerhassett