Founder of Antler Capital

Stanley Tsai, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

In the spirit of the long-awaited UEFA Euro 2020, we present our inaugural "China Financials: Silver Linings Playbook", which summarizes our views on the names that are best positioned to navigate an environment of progressively slower credit growth, tighter liquidity and rising defaults. 
Our screen consists of 100+ stocks in the A/H share universe, as well as a select number of international / non-traditional names that have significant exposures to China's financial system. We have a preference for larger-cap and liquid names, which are then filtered by our opinions on their fundamentals, value, momentum and recent trading volumes. We also try to make our selections versatile and less vulnerable to single-factor movements.
Each player's position on the pitch and the team formation itself convey incremental information about our thoughts on the sector's performance over a three to six-month horizon. To the extent possible, we intend to update our ideas on a periodic basis. This provides a feedback loop with our other ongoing research on the industry.
However, our team selections are not investment recommendations. Instead, they are meant to give structure to our analysis. The playbook allows us to articulate our views on the sector in a timely, concise manner. Our objective is to ensure we don't throw the baby out with the bathwater as sentiments on the sector remain bleak.
With that out of the way, the following is our starting XI. We will dive deeper into our rationale for our selections in the remainder of this insight (Exhibit 1).
<table class="table table-striped">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 726.047px;">Exhibit 1: China Financials | Silver Linings Playbook</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 726.047px;">
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/213/768/original/image_768460236451623962508577.png?1623962508" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="213768"></figure>

Source: Our analysis
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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In the spirit of the long-awaited UEFA Euro 2020, we present our inaugural "China Financials: Silver Linings Playbook", which summarizes our views on the names that are best positioned to navigate an environment of progressively slower credit growth, tighter liquidity and rising defaults. 
Our screen consists of 100+ stocks in the A/H share universe, as well as a select number of international / non-traditional names that have significant exposures to China's financial system. We have a preference for larger-cap and liquid names, which are then filtered by our opinions on their fundamentals, value, momentum and recent trading volumes. We also try to make our selections versatile and less vulnerable to single-factor movements.
Each player's position on the pitch and the team formation itself convey incremental information about our thoughts on the sector's performance over a three to six-month horizon. To the extent possible, we intend to update our ideas on a periodic basis. This provides a feedback loop with our other ongoing research on the industry.
However, our team selections are not investment recommendations. Instead, they are meant to give structure to our analysis. The playbook allows us to articulate our views on the sector in a timely, concise manner. Our objective is to ensure we don't throw the baby out with the bathwater as sentiments on the sector remain bleak.
With that out of the way, the following is our starting XI. We will dive deeper into our rationale for our selections in the remainder of this insight (Exhibit 1).



Exhibit 1: China Financials | Silver Linings Playbook





Source: Our analysis




Related Insights
China Macro: Consumers Remain on the Sidelines, as Their Home Equity Grows 
Glut and Famine: We Might See Snow in China This Summer 
China Macro: PPI Peaks, while CPI Eases Tightening Fears 
China Macro: Exports Disappoint, but It's Still Early in the Game 
Glut and Famine: China's Monetary Conditions a Notch Tighter in May 
ICBC: The Bond Identity | A Zero-Growth Dividend Discount Story 
BOC Aviation (2588 HK): The Stars Don't Look Bigger, but They Do Look Brighter

China Financials: Silver Linings Playbook

External broker reports(aggregated public sources), CMB International

CMB International

External broker reports(aggregated public sources)

Incorporated in Hong Kong, supported by the mainland and targeting in global market, CMB International Capital Corporation Limited (“CMBI”) is an integrated financial institution providing comprehensive and professional services. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Merchants Bank ("CMB"), by leveraging on the Group’s synergy and coordination in domestic and overseas markets, as well as CMB’s strong resources and outstanding social reputation, CMBI and its subsidiaries have been actively implementing diversified business strategies and set up an overall layout of main business segments including Corporate Finance, Asset Management, Wealth Management, Global Markets and Structured Finance, etc. Adhering to the philosophy of “being clients oriented and increasing our own values by the way of creating value for clients”, CMBI endeavors to provide quality and integrated financial services to institutional, corporate and individual customers both domestic and overseas including Hong Kong IPO sponsorship and underwriting, share placement and rights issue for listed companies, financial advisors, bonds issuance services, asset management, direct investment, wealth management, equity sales and trading, etc.

Equity Bottom-Up

China Pacific Insurance / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>CPIC achieved positive VNB growth for three consecutive quarters with 16.6% YoY growth reported in 1Q23, outperforming major peers (i.e. Ping An/China Life +8.8%/+7.7% YoY).</li><li>The strong VNB momentum in 1Q23 was primarily driven by margin expansion resulted from favourable changes in product and duration mix, thanks to improved agent productivity and capability on back of the Group’s ongoing agency reform.</li><li>The headcount of highly productive agency force that contributed above 90% of the insurer’s VNB modestly rebounded QoQ in 1Q23, whereas major peers are still weighing on a downward trend in agent scale (vs Ping An/China Life -9.2%/-0.9% QoQ). </li></ul>Content is external broker report sourced from online content aggregator through publicly available sources and is displayed below for general informational purposes only. Refer full disclaimer below.

CPIC achieved positive VNB growth for three consecutive quarters with 16.6% YoY growth reported in 1Q23, outperforming major peers (i.e. Ping An/China Life +8.8%/+7.7% YoY).The strong VNB momentum in 1Q23 was primarily driven by margin expansion resulted from favourable changes in product and duration mix, thanks to improved agent productivity and capability on back of the Group’s ongoing agency reform.The headcount of highly productive agency force that contributed above 90% of the insurer’s VNB modestly rebounded QoQ in 1Q23, whereas major peers are still weighing on a downward trend in agent scale (vs Ping An/China Life -9.2%/-0.9% QoQ). Content is external broker report sourced from online content aggregator through publicly available sources and is displayed below for general informational purposes only. Refer full disclaimer below.

CPIC (2601 HK) – Margin Expansion Driven by Improving Agency Quality

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-group-co-of-c2975d60-47cd-4246-a7a6-25297586242b" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24682:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance (601318 CH)</a> trades at a 40% premium to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-grp-co-of-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12880:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance (2318 HK)</a>. The premium has blown out the last week and there could be a reversal.</li>
<li>The difference in Ping An's AH premium versus the HSAHP Index has shrunk to its narrowest level in the last 10 years.</li>
<li>Shareholding in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-group-co-of-c2975d60-47cd-4246-a7a6-25297586242b" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24682:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance Group of (601318 CH)</a> via Northbound Connect has dropped and shareholding in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-grp-co-of-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12880:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK)</a> via Southbound Connect has increased steadily.</li>
</ul>



Ping An Insurance (601318 CH) trades at a 40% premium to Ping An Insurance (2318 HK). The premium has blown out the last week and there could be a reversal.
The difference in Ping An's AH premium versus the HSAHP Index has shrunk to its narrowest level in the last 10 years.
Shareholding in Ping An Insurance Group of (601318 CH) via Northbound Connect has dropped and shareholding in Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK) via Southbound Connect has increased steadily.


Ping An A/​H Premium: Blow Out Could Lead to Sharp Reversal

Fintech & EM-focused Analyst, KT Capital Group

Alec Tseung

Fintech & EM-focused Analyst

KT Capital Group

Principal investments and advisory firm that focuses on connecting the CIS countries with East Asia.

Principal investments and advisory firm

<ul>
<li>Given Pru's demerger in 2021, it now offers investors a good alternative to AIA to tap into the development and the growth potential of the life insurance sector in Pan-Asia.</li>
<li>AIA has a more balanced business across so many markets in APAC, while Pru skews toward Southeast Asia.</li>
<li>Pru's P/BV is currently at a 30% discount to AIA's and is trading at the same level as the year-end when China just announced the re-opening of its borders.</li>
</ul>


Given Pru's demerger in 2021, it now offers investors a good alternative to AIA to tap into the development and the growth potential of the life insurance sector in Pan-Asia.
AIA has a more balanced business across so many markets in APAC, while Pru skews toward Southeast Asia.
Pru's P/BV is currently at a 30% discount to AIA's and is trading at the same level as the year-end when China just announced the re-opening of its borders.


APAC Insurers Series (#2): AIA or Prudential?

<ul>
<li>Nearly 90% through the review period, we see 6 potential adds and 5 potential deletes in June. However, there can be a maximum of 5 changes at a rebalance.</li>
<li>We estimate a one-way turnover of 5.07% at the June rebalance leading to a one-way trade of CNY 3.97bn. Index arb activity could add to the impact on the stocks.</li>
<li>The potential adds have outperformed the potential deletes by 17% over the last month and by 21% over the last two months.</li>
</ul>


Nearly 90% through the review period, we see 6 potential adds and 5 potential deletes in June. However, there can be a maximum of 5 changes at a rebalance.
We estimate a one-way turnover of 5.07% at the June rebalance leading to a one-way trade of CNY 3.97bn. Index arb activity could add to the impact on the stocks.
The potential adds have outperformed the potential deletes by 17% over the last month and by 21% over the last two months.


SSE50 Index Rebalance Preview: BIG Outperformance Over the Last Month

China

China Pacific Insurance (Group) Company, Ltd. is an integrated insurance services provider. The Company offers life and property insurance products through its subsidiaries.

China Pacific Insurance (2601 HK)

China Financials: Silver Linings Playbook

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Ping An A/H Premium: Blow Out Could Lead to Sharp Reversal

The Ping An AH premium has dropped from the highs of 40% mid last week. There should be a further drop in the AH premium, but it could be a bumpy...

Brian Freitas

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Alec Tseung

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There could be 5 changes for the SSE50 in June. Estimate one-way turnover is 5.07% and the one-way trade is CNY 3.97bn. The potential adds have...

Brian Freitas

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Our Silver Linings Playbook outlines our views on the China financials names that are most likely to remain resilient in the face of macro...

Stanley Tsai, CFA

CPIC (2601 HK) – Margin Expansion Driven by Improving Agency Quality

CPIC achieved positive VNB growth for three consecutive quarters with 16.6% YoY growth reported in 1Q23, outperforming major peers (i.e. Ping An...

CMB International

Ping An A/​H Premium: Blow Out Could Lead to Sharp Reversal

The Ping An AH premium has dropped from the highs of 40% mid last week. There should be a further drop in the AH premium, but it could be a bumpy...

Brian Freitas

APAC Insurers Series (#2): AIA or Prudential?

Pru’s recent correction offers investors an opportune window to buy into its premium franchise (vs. AIA), although both stocks provide investors...

Alec Tseung

SSE50 Index Rebalance Preview: BIG Outperformance Over the Last Month

There could be 5 changes for the SSE50 in June. Estimate one-way turnover is 5.07% and the one-way trade is CNY 3.97bn. The potential adds have...

Brian Freitas

Ping An A/H Premium: Blow Out Could Lead to Sharp Reversal