HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

China Power International / Equity Bottom-Up

<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-power-international" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15548:1" rel="noopener">China Power International (2380 HK)</a> (CPI) thinks that power storage in China will stay on in the near term, as supply-side structural issues are further exacerbated by cyclical demand issues. That said, the reform in power tariff will be a major policy direction in the future and will lead to a more market driven power sector in China. In our view, new/renewable energy sub-segment is likely to better place in the industry and we still prefer <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-longyuan-power-group-corp-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14215:1" rel="noopener">China Longyuan Power Group Corp (916 HK)</a>.</p><p>However, we think CPI is more interesting than many power conglomerates. It has the highest proportion of clean/renewable installed capacity (47.1%) when compared with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-resources-power-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5385:1" rel="noopener">China Resources Power (836 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/datang-international-power-generation-company-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3664:1" rel="noopener">Datang International (991 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/huaneng-power-intl-inc-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28:1" rel="noopener">Huaneng Power Intl (902 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/huadian-power-intl-corp-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2506:1" rel="noopener">Huadian Power Intl (1071 HK)</a>, and this has also protected its 1H21 profit. Its plan to speed up disposal of coal-fired power plants also adds justification to its valuations. Relative to new energy plays' average of 18x PER and 2.1x P/B FY21F, CPI's 11.9x and 0.9x are clearly not expensive. </p>

China Power International (2380 HK) (CPI) thinks that power storage in China will stay on in the near term, as supply-side structural issues are further exacerbated by cyclical demand issues. That said, the reform in power tariff will be a major policy direction in the future and will lead to a more market driven power sector in China. In our view, new/renewable energy sub-segment is likely to better place in the industry and we still prefer China Longyuan Power Group Corp (916 HK).However, we think CPI is more interesting than many power conglomerates. It has the highest proportion of clean/renewable installed capacity (47.1%) when compared with China Resources Power (836 HK), Datang International (991 HK), Huaneng Power Intl (902 HK) and Huadian Power Intl (1071 HK), and this has also protected its 1H21 profit. Its plan to speed up disposal of coal-fired power plants also adds justification to its valuations. Relative to new energy plays' average of 18x PER and 2.1x P/B FY21F, CPI's 11.9x and 0.9x are clearly not expensive. 

China Power International (2380 HK): Industry and Company Updates, Looks Relatively Inexpensive

Equity Research in HK and Mainland China

Li Tang

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<p>Vice Premier Han Zheng stressed the safe and stable supply of electricity for this winter and next spring through better planning and coordination on October 19. The Vice Premier emphasized expanding coal output and curbing coal hoarding and speculation.</p>

Vice Premier Han Zheng stressed the safe and stable supply of electricity for this winter and next spring through better planning and coordination on October 19. The Vice Premier emphasized expanding coal output and curbing coal hoarding and speculation.

NDRC Studies Measures to Prevent Rising Coal Prices

<p>Premier Li Keqiang emphasised ensuring stable energy supply and security and strengthening support for green development of energy sectors at the national energy committee meeting.</p>
<p>Premier Li stated some regions had set overly ambitious and unrealistic targets for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, while some industries failed to make solid energy-saving efforts in high-consuming sectors to prepare for this.</p>

Premier Li Keqiang emphasised ensuring stable energy supply and security and strengthening support for green development of energy sectors at the national energy committee meeting.
Premier Li stated some regions had set overly ambitious and unrealistic targets for carbon peaking and carbon neutrality, while some industries failed to make solid energy-saving efforts in high-consuming sectors to prepare for this.

Premier Li Keqiang Emphasises Energy Security and Stable Energy Supply

<p>CBIRC issued a circular on strengthening financial support for coal-fired thermal power, coal, iron and steel and non-ferrous metals to ensure supplies and stabilise the commodity market.</p>
<p>China will allow coal-fired power prices to fluctuate by up to 20% from base levels, an increase on previously limits, to prevent high energy consumption, reported by Reuters, citing a meeting of the State Council.China had previously allowed coal-fired power prices to rise by 10% and fall by 15% from base levels.Local governments set on-grid power tariffs based on coal prices, prevuois  several provinces including Hunan Inner Mongolia and Ningxia have removed the 10% fluctuation limit from the local benchmark on-grid tariffs, due to a surge in coal prices.</p>
<p>Despite tariff hikes not being enough to offset coal price rises, the rapid extension of tariff hikes in provinces around the country should benefit major IPPs <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/huaneng-power-intl-inc-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28:1" rel="noopener">Huaneng Power Intl Inc H (902 HK)</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/datang-international-power-generation-company-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3664:1" rel="noopener">Datang International (991 HK)</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/huadian-power-intl-corp-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2506:1" rel="noopener">Huadian Power Intl Corp H (1071 HK)</a></p>

CBIRC issued a circular on strengthening financial support for coal-fired thermal power, coal, iron and steel and non-ferrous metals to ensure supplies and stabilise the commodity market.
China will allow coal-fired power prices to fluctuate by up to 20% from base levels, an increase on previously limits, to prevent high energy consumption, reported by Reuters, citing a meeting of the State Council.China had previously allowed coal-fired power prices to rise by 10% and fall by 15% from base levels.Local governments set on-grid power tariffs based on coal prices, prevuois  several provinces including Hunan Inner Mongolia and Ningxia have removed the 10% fluctuation limit from the local benchmark on-grid tariffs, due to a surge in coal prices.
Despite tariff hikes not being enough to offset coal price rises, the rapid extension of tariff hikes in provinces around the country should benefit major IPPs Huaneng Power Intl Inc H (902 HK)Datang International (991 HK)Huadian Power Intl Corp H (1071 HK)

CBRIC Stresses Strengthening Financing Support for Coal, Coal-Fired Power

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Quantitative Analysis

<div>
<p>Spreads narrowed sharply this week with 68 of 100 liquid spreads narrowing, 32 widening. The big winner on the week was Consumer narrowing 2.46% as every spread in the space narrowed despite five of six stocks falling in Hs (i.e. As fell even more). </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shandong-chenming-paper-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13775:1" rel="noopener">Shandong Chenming Paper H (1812 HK)</a> situation intruded on the H/S spreads this week as the decision to convert the B shares to Hs (described by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/david-blennerhassett" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:840" rel="noopener">David Blennerhassett</a> in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/shandong-chenming-paper-1812-hk-the-h-b-convergence-trade" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:49247" rel="noopener">Shandong Chenming Paper (1812 HK): The H/B Convergence Trade</a> mid-week) caused ructions in the H/A spread.</p>
<p>But overall, it was a decent week. Only two sectors saw spreads widen (Energy and Utilities), both accompanied by net southbound selling in the week to Wednesday (the last day to which we have granular name-by-name data).</p>
<table class="table table-striped"><tbody>
<tr>
<td><p>Sector</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>Last Week</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>Previous Week</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>3wks Ago</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>4wks Ago</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Consumer</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 2.46%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.74%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.14%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.65%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Energy</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.39%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.56%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.36%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.67%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Financials &amp; Real Estate</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.92%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.53%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 1.19%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.12%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Health Care &amp; Info Tech</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 1.50%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 2.29%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.54%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  2.86%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Industrials</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 1.19%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.15%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.42%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.20%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Materials</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 1.42%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>+ 0.61%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.33%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.84%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p>Utilities</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.91%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.87%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  1.25%</p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p>-  0.14%</p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><strong>Sector Average</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>+ 0.88%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>+ 0.41%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>-  0.26%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>-  1.02%</strong></p></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><p><strong>All Market Average</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>+ 0.96%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>+ 0.59%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>+ 0.05%</strong></p></td>
<td style="text-align: right;"><p><strong>-  1.22%</strong></p></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div><div><div></div></div><p><span>10-day cross-market spread volatility continues to fall. This past week ended at 20% down from 23% in the ten days to 12 March. This is down off highs in the low 30s a couple weeks ago, but the long-term average is still under 20%.</span></p><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/195/770/original/Screenshot+2021-03-20+at+8.25.25+PM.png?1616243179" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="195770"></figure></section><div><div>
<hr>
<h3>The H/A Spread Market</h3>
</div></div><div><p>The past week has seen H-shares come off, but spreads narrow as Hs outperformed their As pretty dramatically. Interestingly, the narrower the spread, to start with, the better the performance on the week. Ideally, spread players want to see that red line sloping downward from upper left to lower right because even a big spread movement for a 70% discount stock means very large performance is needed to catch up. </p></div><div><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/195/724/original/Screenshot+2021-03-20+at+5.41.02+PM.png?1616233277" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="195724"></figure></section></div><div>
<p>The average discount has started tightening again and we are at 38% which is where the spread rebounded to un Q2 of 2020 after widening in the Covid-crash. </p>
<p>In 2019, spreads spent a fairly long time in the 34-36% average. </p>
</div><section><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/195/728/original/Screenshot+2021-03-20+at+5.44.03+PM.png?1616233457" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="195728"></figure></section></section><hr><div><div><h2>Last Week's Recommendations</h2></div></div><div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>There were 81 recommendations last week.</li>
<li>Positive alpha returned. There were 49 long spreads and 32 short spreads which gained on average 27bp against the delta-neutral gain of 0.20%, indicating spread alpha of 7bp on the week. This is back to a good trend after a horrible week the week before.</li>
<li>There are <em>nearly</em> 80 recommendations this week (turnover remains low).  </li>
</ul></div><hr><div><div><h2>Consumer Sector</h2></div></div><div>
<p>The first sector discussed is Consumer. It was a complex week there. </p>
<ul>
<li>Five out of six H-shares were down on the week. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tsingtao-brewery-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1296:1" rel="noopener">Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd H (168 HK)</a> was up 10.6%.</li>
<li>All six spreads narrowed with the average H-share outperformance of A at 2.46%. It was a strong week for every spread in the group. </li>
<li>Normally when this happens, there is significant net selling by Southbound. This week saw net buying of HK$270mm to Wednesday, halting four straight weeks prior of net selling. </li>
</ul>
</div><div></div><div><div><div class="content-highlight">
<p>Last week, I recommended keeping the shorts (<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> 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>) and the long in <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> and adding a long on <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> H vs A.</p>
<p>Those trades lost an average of 0.51% last week in spread terms after losing 29bp the week before, and 16bp the week before that. Despite three losing weeks in a row, positioning in the sector is still up 262bp in four weeks. </p>
<p>This week's trade recommendations are below the fold.</p>
</div></div></div><div><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/195/729/original/Screenshot+2021-03-20+at+5.44.45+PM.png?1616233498" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="195729"></figure></section></div><div><section>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.</section></div>


Spreads narrowed sharply this week with 68 of 100 liquid spreads narrowing, 32 widening. The big winner on the week was Consumer narrowing 2.46% as every spread in the space narrowed despite five of six stocks falling in Hs (i.e. As fell even more). 
The Shandong Chenming Paper H (1812 HK) situation intruded on the H/S spreads this week as the decision to convert the B shares to Hs (described by David Blennerhassett in Shandong Chenming Paper (1812 HK): The H/B Convergence Trade mid-week) caused ructions in the H/A spread.
But overall, it was a decent week. Only two sectors saw spreads widen (Energy and Utilities), both accompanied by net southbound selling in the week to Wednesday (the last day to which we have granular name-by-name data).


Sector
Last Week
Previous Week
3wks Ago
4wks Ago


Consumer
+ 2.46%
+ 0.74%
-  0.14%
-  1.65%


Energy
-  0.39%
-  0.56%
-  0.36%
+ 0.67%


Financials &amp; Real Estate
+ 0.92%
+ 0.53%
+ 1.19%
-  1.12%


Health Care &amp; Info Tech
+ 1.50%
+ 2.29%
-  0.54%
-  2.86%


Industrials
+ 1.19%
+ 0.15%
-  0.42%
-  1.20%


Materials
+ 1.42%
+ 0.61%
-  0.33%
-  0.84%


Utilities
-  0.91%
-  0.87%
-  1.25%
-  0.14%


Sector Average
+ 0.88%
+ 0.41%
-  0.26%
-  1.02%


All Market Average
+ 0.96%
+ 0.59%
+ 0.05%
-  1.22%


10-day cross-market spread volatility continues to fall. This past week ended at 20% down from 23% in the ten days to 12 March. This is down off highs in the low 30s a couple weeks ago, but the long-term average is still under 20%.

The H/A Spread Market
The past week has seen H-shares come off, but spreads narrow as Hs outperformed their As pretty dramatically. Interestingly, the narrower the spread, to start with, the better the performance on the week. Ideally, spread players want to see that red line sloping downward from upper left to lower right because even a big spread movement for a 70% discount stock means very large performance is needed to catch up. 
The average discount has started tightening again and we are at 38% which is where the spread rebounded to un Q2 of 2020 after widening in the Covid-crash. 
In 2019, spreads spent a fairly long time in the 34-36% average. 
Last Week's Recommendations
There were 81 recommendations last week.
Positive alpha returned. There were 49 long spreads and 32 short spreads which gained on average 27bp against the delta-neutral gain of 0.20%, indicating spread alpha of 7bp on the week. This is back to a good trend after a horrible week the week before.
There are nearly 80 recommendations this week (turnover remains low).  
Consumer Sector
The first sector discussed is Consumer. It was a complex week there. 

Five out of six H-shares were down on the week. Tsingtao Brewery Co Ltd H (168 HK) was up 10.6%.
All six spreads narrowed with the average H-share outperformance of A at 2.46%. It was a strong week for every spread in the group. 
Normally when this happens, there is significant net selling by Southbound. This week saw net buying of HK$270mm to Wednesday, halting four straight weeks prior of net selling. 


Last week, I recommended keeping the shorts (BYD (1211 HK) and Fuyao Glass Industry Group (3606 HK)) and the long in Guangzhou Automobile Group (2238 HK) and adding a long on Hisense Home Appliances Group Co., Ltd. H (921 HK) H vs A.
Those trades lost an average of 0.51% last week in spread terms after losing 29bp the week before, and 16bp the week before that. Despite three losing weeks in a row, positioning in the sector is still up 262bp in four weeks. 
This week's trade recommendations are below the fold.
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: Consumer Strong, Spreads Narrowing Masks A-Share Weakness

China

Datang International Power Generation Company Limited develops and operates power plants, sells electricity, repairs and maintains power equipment, and provides power-related technical services.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Datang International (991 HK)

China Power International (2380 HK): Industry and Company Updates, Looks Relatively Inexpensive

China Power Intl is interesting as a new/renewable energy play among the traditional large power conglomerates in China. It has a high 47.1%...

Osbert Tang, CFA

NDRC Studies Measures to Prevent Rising Coal Prices

Vice Premier Han Zheng highlighted expanding the floating range of coal-fired electricity prices to alleviate heavy loss-making at coal-fired IPPs...

Li Tang

Premier Li Keqiang Emphasises Energy Security and Stable Energy Supply

Premier stressed rectifying one-size-fits-all approach in shutting down energy-intensive projects.This provides further signs of policymakers...

Li Tang

CBRIC Stresses Strengthening Financing Support for Coal, Coal-Fired Power

Despite tariff hikes not being enough to offset coal price rises, the rapid extension of tariff hikes in provinces around the country should...

Li Tang

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

China Power International (2380 HK): Industry and Company Updates, Looks Relatively Inexpensive

China Power Intl is interesting as a new/renewable energy play among the traditional large power conglomerates in China. It has a high 47.1%...

Osbert Tang, CFA

NDRC Studies Measures to Prevent Rising Coal Prices

Vice Premier Han Zheng highlighted expanding the floating range of coal-fired electricity prices to alleviate heavy loss-making at coal-fired IPPs...

Li Tang

Premier Li Keqiang Emphasises Energy Security and Stable Energy Supply

Premier stressed rectifying one-size-fits-all approach in shutting down energy-intensive projects.This provides further signs of policymakers...

Li Tang

CBRIC Stresses Strengthening Financing Support for Coal, Coal-Fired Power

Despite tariff hikes not being enough to offset coal price rises, the rapid extension of tariff hikes in provinces around the country should...

Li Tang

Quiddity Weekly H/A: Consumer Strong, Spreads Narrowing Masks A-Share Weakness

The move in H/A spreads was 96bp this week. The strength in spreads masks some A-share weakness in the big and liquid names. Quiddity long/short...

Travis Lundy