Head of Research, Krungthai XSpring

Waraporn Wiboonkanarak

Head of Research

A full service Thai brokerage

Krungthai XSpring

Krungthai XSpring is a full service broker. The company provides a wide range of investment services such as Securities Brokerage, Derivative Agent Business, Securities Borrowing and Lending, Securities Trading, Underwriting, Financial Advisory, Wealth Advisory, Private Fund Management and International Markets Securities Trading. 

In terms of credibility, Fitch Ratings has assigned Krunghtai XSpring a long-term rating of AA- and a national short-term rating of F1+ with stable outlook.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>The two-year US Treasury yield eased to 4.90% after August PCE came in below expectations, supporting a recovery in technology stocks (DELTA, KCE, HANA).</li><li>The BOI and Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) held talks with three leading technology companies to promote investment in Thailand (WHA, AMATA, GULF, GPSC).</li><li>PTTGC (Outperform, TP: Bt48) should benefit from progress in its joint venture with SCGC, which will strengthen its competitiveness as a regional petrochemical leader.</li></ul>

The two-year US Treasury yield eased to 4.90% after August PCE came in below expectations, supporting a recovery in technology stocks (DELTA, KCE, HANA).The BOI and Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) held talks with three leading technology companies to promote investment in Thailand (WHA, AMATA, GULF, GPSC).PTTGC (Outperform, TP: Bt48) should benefit from progress in its joint venture with SCGC, which will strengthen its competitiveness as a regional petrochemical leader.

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>The net short selling balance in KOSPI reached 12.6 trillion won as of 20 October. This is the largest amount ever.</li>
<li>The top 5 companies in KOSPI with highest short selling balance/market cap ratio include Kakaopay, L&amp;F, Hanmi Semiconductor, Cosmax, and LG H&amp;H. </li>
<li>Net short position In KOSDAQ as a percentage of total KOSDAQ market cap more than doubled from 0.5% as of 31 March to 1.1% as of 21 October 2025.</li>
</ul>


The net short selling balance in KOSPI reached 12.6 trillion won as of 20 October. This is the largest amount ever.
The top 5 companies in KOSPI with highest short selling balance/market cap ratio include Kakaopay, L&amp;F, Hanmi Semiconductor, Cosmax, and LG H&amp;H. 
Net short position In KOSDAQ as a percentage of total KOSDAQ market cap more than doubled from 0.5% as of 31 March to 1.1% as of 21 October 2025.


A Sharp Increase in Short Selling Balance in the Korean Stock Market Past Seven Months

<ul>
<li>NFC (265740 KS) is a Korean cosmetics company which has rapidly increased its ODM business sales in the past two years. </li>
<li>NFC's customers include Equalberry, Cellimax, Dr. Althea and Beauty of Joseon, brands whose products are increasingly visible outside Korea.</li>
<li>Based on consensus net profit estimate of 18.5 billion won (2027E) and a 12x P/E, this would result in a market cap of 222 billion won (91% higher than now). </li>
</ul>


NFC (265740 KS) is a Korean cosmetics company which has rapidly increased its ODM business sales in the past two years. 
NFC's customers include Equalberry, Cellimax, Dr. Althea and Beauty of Joseon, brands whose products are increasingly visible outside Korea.
Based on consensus net profit estimate of 18.5 billion won (2027E) and a 12x P/E, this would result in a market cap of 222 billion won (91% higher than now). 


Equity Long-Short Analyst

Pyari Menon

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Procter &amp; Gamble Co (PG US), Amorepacific Corp (090430 KS), L'Oreal SA (OR FP), <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lg-household-health-care" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6501:1" rel="noopener">LG Household &amp; Health Care (051900 KS)</a>,  and Kao Corp (4452 JP), lead product innovation table</li>
<li>Among the smaller names <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cosmax-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4491:1" rel="noopener">Cosmax Inc (192820 KS)</a>, Pola Orbis Holdings (4927 JP),  <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kolmar-bnh-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33240:1" rel="noopener">Kolmar BNH (200130 KS)</a>, have been relatively prolific in innovating over the last three years.</li>
<li>Apart from the quality of the ingredients, consistency, stability of the formulations, the packaging, dispensing, virtual try-on, personalized recommendations, sustainability seem to be some of the key trends in innovations.</li>
</ul>


Procter &amp; Gamble Co (PG US), Amorepacific Corp (090430 KS), L'Oreal SA (OR FP), LG Household &amp; Health Care (051900 KS),  and Kao Corp (4452 JP), lead product innovation table
Among the smaller names Cosmax Inc (192820 KS), Pola Orbis Holdings (4927 JP),  Kolmar BNH (200130 KS), have been relatively prolific in innovating over the last three years.
Apart from the quality of the ingredients, consistency, stability of the formulations, the packaging, dispensing, virtual try-on, personalized recommendations, sustainability seem to be some of the key trends in innovations.


Insights from Datamining Technical Publications - Cosmetics

Julie Lee

<p>Korea exports in September increased by 7.7% YoY.  Average daily exports in September was still down 4.1% YoY but daily exports has recovered to over US$2bil, for the first time since January, and narrowed its losses compared to those in July and August (-7.1% and -4.3%). </p>
<p>Exports of Auto and Semiconductor sectors had led the improvement showing solid increase MoM in September. The sectors which had shown positive YoY growth in 3Q include Computers, Healthcare, Cosmetics, Consumer Electronics, Foods, and Auto, which implies positive near term trend for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lg-electronics-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8814:1" rel="noopener">LG Electronics (066570 KS)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cosmax-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4491:1" rel="noopener">Cosmax Inc (192820 KS)</a> .  As suggested in the recent exports trend, Korean F&amp;B companies such as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cj-cheiljedang-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1970:1" rel="noopener">CJ Cheiljedang (097950 KS)</a> may have a good opportunity to expand their overseas businesses in the long term given increasing penetration of global online grocery shopping during the pandemic. We will discuss more details in the next report.  </p>

Korea exports in September increased by 7.7% YoY.  Average daily exports in September was still down 4.1% YoY but daily exports has recovered to over US$2bil, for the first time since January, and narrowed its losses compared to those in July and August (-7.1% and -4.3%). 
Exports of Auto and Semiconductor sectors had led the improvement showing solid increase MoM in September. The sectors which had shown positive YoY growth in 3Q include Computers, Healthcare, Cosmetics, Consumer Electronics, Foods, and Auto, which implies positive near term trend for LG Electronics (066570 KS) and Cosmax Inc (192820 KS) .  As suggested in the recent exports trend, Korean F&amp;B companies such as CJ Cheiljedang (097950 KS) may have a good opportunity to expand their overseas businesses in the long term given increasing penetration of global online grocery shopping during the pandemic. We will discuss more details in the next report.  

Solid Korea Export (+7.7%yoy) In Sep and Positive Implications

South Korea

Cosmax, Inc. is a cosmetics manufacturer. The Company develops and produces a variety of cosmetics for men and women, such as basic and special skin care, makeup, hair care, and other beauty products. Cosmax manufactures its products on original equipment manufacturing (OEM) basis.

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Cosmax Inc (192820 KS)

Today's Market Strategy

The two-year US Treasury yield eased to 4.90% after August PCE came in below expectations, supporting a recovery in technology stocks (DELTA, KCE,...

Krungthai XSpring

A Sharp Increase in Short Selling Balance in the Korean Stock Market Past Seven Months

Net short selling balance in KOSPI was 12.6 trillion won as of 20 October, the largest amount ever. This suggests an increasing desire by many...

Douglas Kim

Korea Small Cap Gem #70: NFC Corp

NFC (265740 KS) is a Korean cosmetics company which has rapidly increased its ODM business sales in the past two years. It is deeply undervalued.

Douglas Kim

Insights from Datamining Technical Publications - Cosmetics

The beauty industry - where innovation can be real and driven by science, but sometimes just cosmetic to just change the perception

Pyari Menon

Solid Korea Export (+7.7%yoy) In Sep and Positive Implications

Korea export in September increased by 7.7% yoy.

Julie Lee

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