HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-east-education-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27843:1" rel="noopener">China East Education (667 HK)</a> is interesting as it is probably the only education company with no debt. Net cash amounted to Rmb2.1bn, or 42% of its market capitalisation. </li>
<li>Earnings have bottomed out and the marginal YoY decline in 1H23 is due to upfront costs for staff recruitment. Its vocational education focus also faces fewer regulatory risks.</li>
<li>We consider it a potential privatisation candidate at 0.8x P/B. Its major shareholders owned 75% of the company, leaving a free float of less than HK$1.4bn.</li>
</ul>



China East Education (667 HK) is interesting as it is probably the only education company with no debt. Net cash amounted to Rmb2.1bn, or 42% of its market capitalisation. 
Earnings have bottomed out and the marginal YoY decline in 1H23 is due to upfront costs for staff recruitment. Its vocational education focus also faces fewer regulatory risks.
We consider it a potential privatisation candidate at 0.8x P/B. Its major shareholders owned 75% of the company, leaving a free float of less than HK$1.4bn.


China East Education (667 HK): Getting More Interesting

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-education-group-holdin" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18218:1" rel="noopener">China Education Group (839 HK)</a> appears to be facing the headwinds from higher USD interest rate and reduction in capitalised interest. The intangible write-off is another drag on FY23.</li>
<li>Newly registered students increased 17.8% for FY24. With better average fees, this will help the topline. Our concerns are high finance and operating costs will erode revenue growth.</li>
<li>Consensus is overly aggressive and there are risks of downgrade. Earnings may re-accelerate in the future, but weaker 1H FY24F keeps us on the sideline in the short term. </li>
</ul>



China Education Group (839 HK) appears to be facing the headwinds from higher USD interest rate and reduction in capitalised interest. The intangible write-off is another drag on FY23.
Newly registered students increased 17.8% for FY24. With better average fees, this will help the topline. Our concerns are high finance and operating costs will erode revenue growth.
Consensus is overly aggressive and there are risks of downgrade. Earnings may re-accelerate in the future, but weaker 1H FY24F keeps us on the sideline in the short term. 


China Education Group (839 HK): Not so Encouraging in the near Term

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

Index Rebalance

Brilliance China Automotive / Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>Friday was the review cutoff for the September rebalance of the ASX family of indices. The September changes for the Hang Seng family of indices were also announced.</li>
<li>The September changes for the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sse-science-and-technology-innovation-board-50-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29279:1" rel="noopener">SSE STAR50 (STAR50 INDEX)</a> will be announced after the close of trading on 25 August.</li>
<li>For a second week running, there were big inflows to mainland China ETFs and were spread across multiple index trackers. There were outflows from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ishares-msci-emerging-markets" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:438:1" rel="noopener">iShares Emerging Markets (EEM US)</a>. </li>
</ul>


Friday was the review cutoff for the September rebalance of the ASX family of indices. The September changes for the Hang Seng family of indices were also announced.
The September changes for the SSE STAR50 (STAR50 INDEX) will be announced after the close of trading on 25 August.
For a second week running, there were big inflows to mainland China ETFs and were spread across multiple index trackers. There were outflows from iShares Emerging Markets (EEM US). 


Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: ASX, NEXT50, MVMVA, MVMVW, Celltrion, Brilliance, KQ150, HSCI

<ul>
<li>There are 22 adds and 27 deletes for the Hang Seng Composite Index (HSCI) at the September rebalance to take the number of index constituents down to 518.</li>
<li>We expect all 22 inclusions to the HSCI will be added to Stock Connect, while 24 of the 27 HSCI deletions will be removed from Southbound Stock Connect.</li>
<li>Since the end of June, shares held though Southbound Connect have increased on 20 of the 27 HSCI deletions and there could be some unwinding in the next two weeks.</li>
</ul>


There are 22 adds and 27 deletes for the Hang Seng Composite Index (HSCI) at the September rebalance to take the number of index constituents down to 518.
We expect all 22 inclusions to the HSCI will be added to Stock Connect, while 24 of the 27 HSCI deletions will be removed from Southbound Stock Connect.
Since the end of June, shares held though Southbound Connect have increased on 20 of the 27 HSCI deletions and there could be some unwinding in the next two weeks.


HSCI Index Rebalance: 22 Adds, 27 Deletes & Changes to Southbound Stock Connect

<ul>
<li>There could be 25 inclusions, including many new listings, to the Hang Seng Composite Index (HSCI) in September. Another 6 stocks are close adds on liquidity and market cap.</li>
<li>We see 19 potential deletes and 2 close deletes on market cap, 5 potential deletes on prolonged trading suspension, and 2 close deletes on liquidity.</li>
<li>There are 8 potential deletions where holdings via Stock Connect are more than 20% of shares outstanding. There could be some unwinding of positions over the next couple of months.</li>
</ul>


There could be 25 inclusions, including many new listings, to the Hang Seng Composite Index (HSCI) in September. Another 6 stocks are close adds on liquidity and market cap.
We see 19 potential deletes and 2 close deletes on market cap, 5 potential deletes on prolonged trading suspension, and 2 close deletes on liquidity.
There are 8 potential deletions where holdings via Stock Connect are more than 20% of shares outstanding. There could be some unwinding of positions over the next couple of months.


HSCI Index Rebalance Preview and Stock Connect: The Final List for September

China

China YuHua Education operates private education from kindergarten to university in China.

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China Yuhua Education (6169 HK)

China East Education (667 HK): Getting More Interesting

China East Education is debt-free with strong net cash. Earnings have stabilised, and it faces fewer regulatory risks. It is a potential...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China Education Group (839 HK): Not so Encouraging in the near Term

CEG is facing challenges from higher USD interest rates, reduced capitalised interest, and write-offs. Despite a 17.8% increase in new students,...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: ASX, NEXT50, MVMVA, MVMVW, Celltrion, Brilliance, KQ150, HSCI

This recap highlights Insights covering Asian index rebalances (announcements/ forecasts/ IPO Fast Entry/ M&A driven changes). We also highlight...

Brian Freitas

HSCI Index Rebalance: 22 Adds, 27 Deletes & Changes to Southbound Stock Connect

There are 22 adds/ 27 deletes for the HSCI in Sep leading to 22 adds/ 24 deletes for Stock Connect. Since end June, shares held though Southbound...

Brian Freitas

HSCI Index Rebalance Preview and Stock Connect: The Final List for September

There could be nearly 50 adds/deletes for the HSCI in September. That will trigger changes to the Southbound Stock Connect list and increase flows...

Brian Freitas

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

China East Education (667 HK): Getting More Interesting

​China East Education is debt-free with strong net cash. Earnings have stabilised, and it faces fewer regulatory risks. It is a potential...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China Education Group (839 HK): Not so Encouraging in the near Term

​CEG is facing challenges from higher USD interest rates, reduced capitalised interest, and write-offs. Despite a 17.8% increase in new students,...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: ASX, NEXT50, MVMVA, MVMVW, Celltrion, Brilliance, KQ150, HSCI

This recap highlights Insights covering Asian index rebalances (announcements/ forecasts/ IPO Fast Entry/ M&A driven changes). We also highlight...

Brian Freitas

HSCI Index Rebalance: 22 Adds, 27 Deletes & Changes to Southbound Stock Connect

There are 22 adds/ 27 deletes for the HSCI in Sep leading to 22 adds/ 24 deletes for Stock Connect. Since end June, shares held though Southbound...

Brian Freitas

HSCI Index Rebalance Preview and Stock Connect: The Final List for September

There could be nearly 50 adds/deletes for the HSCI in September. That will trigger changes to the Southbound Stock Connect list and increase flows...

Brian Freitas

China East Education is debt-free with strong net cash. Earnings have stabilised, and it faces fewer regulatory risks. It is a potential...

CEG is facing challenges from higher USD interest rates, reduced capitalised interest, and write-offs. Despite a 17.8% increase in new students,...