APAC IPOs & Placements

Zhen Zhou, Toh

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Equity Capital Markets

Hello Inc. is looking to raise up to US$1bn in its upcoming U.S. IPO.Hello Inc (HI) is a local services platform in China. The company operates a mobile app called Hello,  which provides a range of local services that include shared two-wheeler services, carpooling market place, and emerging local services and products that includes e-scooters and in-store services marketplace, ride-hailing, hotel reservations, mobile grocery stores and online advertising services.In this note, we will look at the company’s business model, operating data, financials, and share our thoughts on the IPO.

Hello Inc. is looking to raise up to US$1bn in its upcoming U.S. IPO.Hello Inc (HI) is a local services platform in China. The company operates a mobile app called Hello,  which provides a range of local services that include shared two-wheeler services, carpooling market place, and emerging local services and products that includes e-scooters and in-store services marketplace, ride-hailing, hotel reservations, mobile grocery stores and online advertising services.In this note, we will look at the company’s business model, operating data, financials, and share our thoughts on the IPO.

Hello Inc (哈罗出行) Pre-IPO - Nowhere near Being Sustainable

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hello-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33031:1" rel="noopener">Hello Inc (1883864D US)</a> is China's third-largest local services platform by transaction volume, according to iResearch. Hello offers bike-sharing and e-bike sharing services known as Hello Bike and Hello e-Bike. It also has a carpooling marketplace known as Hello Carpooling. Hello is seeking to raise $1 billion through a Nasdaq listing, according to press reports. Hello is backed by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ant-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24240:1" rel="noopener">Ant Financial Services Group (6688 HK)</a> which owns 36.3% of the outstanding shares. The bike-sharing industry has proved to be a challenging market to generate investment returns as evidenced by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/meituan-dianping" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26970:1" rel="noopener">Meituan (3690 HK)</a>’s restructuring and impairments related to Mobike. Hello’s investor pitch is that its various businesses create a flywheel effect (a popular term abused by many tech IPO hopefuls) that drives user spending growth with limited user acquisition costs. Hello is suggesting that its core business (shared two-wheeler services) brings a large captive user base to feed its more capital-light and profitable businesses such as carpooling. <div class="content-highlight">However, the issue with this rose-tinted view is that Hello remains saddled with a core business that has challenging prospects due to declining growth, low profitability and high cash burn. Also, investors seeking a pure-play on the carpooling market may be better off participating in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dida-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29701:1" rel="noopener">Dida (DIDA HK)</a> IPO. Overall, we are inclined to give the Hello IPO a pass.    </div>

Hello Inc (1883864D US) is China's third-largest local services platform by transaction volume, according to iResearch. Hello offers bike-sharing and e-bike sharing services known as Hello Bike and Hello e-Bike. It also has a carpooling marketplace known as Hello Carpooling. Hello is seeking to raise $1 billion through a Nasdaq listing, according to press reports. Hello is backed by Ant Financial Services Group (6688 HK) which owns 36.3% of the outstanding shares. The bike-sharing industry has proved to be a challenging market to generate investment returns as evidenced by Meituan (3690 HK)’s restructuring and impairments related to Mobike. Hello’s investor pitch is that its various businesses create a flywheel effect (a popular term abused by many tech IPO hopefuls) that drives user spending growth with limited user acquisition costs. Hello is suggesting that its core business (shared two-wheeler services) brings a large captive user base to feed its more capital-light and profitable businesses such as carpooling. However, the issue with this rose-tinted view is that Hello remains saddled with a core business that has challenging prospects due to declining growth, low profitability and high cash burn. Also, investors seeking a pure-play on the carpooling market may be better off participating in the Dida (DIDA HK) IPO. Overall, we are inclined to give the Hello IPO a pass.    

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

Equity Analyst

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dida-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29701:1" rel="noopener">Dida (DIDA HK)</a>  operates the largest carpooling marketplace in China and according to Frost &amp; Sullivan, the company had a market share of 66.5% in terms of the number of carpooling rides in 2019. The company has filed for an IPO to list its shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.The company generates a majority of its revenues from carpooling and has reported strong growth in revenue during 2017-2020. Despite decline in the number of carpooling rides in 2020 compared to 2019 due to safety concerns related to the Covid-19 outbreak, Dida’s carpooling marketplace revenues have continued to increase as a result of growth in service fee rates charged by the company. We expect Dida’s carpooling marketplace revenues to continue to expand though pandemic related safety concerns remain a short-term risk.Dida launched online ride-hailing services in 2017 and began monetising the business in 2019. The company’s online taxi-hailing services currently accounts for only 5% of revenues and given the fierce competition in the ride-hailing market in China, we do not expect the segment to be a key driver of growth for Dida over the next few years.The company’s gross profit margin has continued to expand driven by improvement in service fee rates, higher scale and drop in incentives and subsidies to the company’s users. Our adjusted operating profit calculation reveals that the company has been profitable at the operating profit line over the last two years.It seems that the company’s strategy of focusing on carpooling is paying off and we remain positive on the company’s future growth prospects.

Dida (DIDA HK)  operates the largest carpooling marketplace in China and according to Frost &amp; Sullivan, the company had a market share of 66.5% in terms of the number of carpooling rides in 2019. The company has filed for an IPO to list its shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.The company generates a majority of its revenues from carpooling and has reported strong growth in revenue during 2017-2020. Despite decline in the number of carpooling rides in 2020 compared to 2019 due to safety concerns related to the Covid-19 outbreak, Dida’s carpooling marketplace revenues have continued to increase as a result of growth in service fee rates charged by the company. We expect Dida’s carpooling marketplace revenues to continue to expand though pandemic related safety concerns remain a short-term risk.Dida launched online ride-hailing services in 2017 and began monetising the business in 2019. The company’s online taxi-hailing services currently accounts for only 5% of revenues and given the fierce competition in the ride-hailing market in China, we do not expect the segment to be a key driver of growth for Dida over the next few years.The company’s gross profit margin has continued to expand driven by improvement in service fee rates, higher scale and drop in incentives and subsidies to the company’s users. Our adjusted operating profit calculation reveals that the company has been profitable at the operating profit line over the last two years.It seems that the company’s strategy of focusing on carpooling is paying off and we remain positive on the company’s future growth prospects.

Event-Driven

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/grabtaxi-holdings-pte-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26950:1" rel="noopener">Grab (0967655D SP)</a> is Southeast Asia’s leading superapp and the largest online delivery platform, ride-hailing platform and digital wallet payments platform in Southeast Asia, according to Euromonitor. Grab is backed by SoftBank Vision Fund (21.7% stake), <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/uber-technologies-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:430:1" rel="noopener">Uber (UBER US)</a> (16.6%), <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/didi-chuxing-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27467:1" rel="noopener">DiDi Chuxing (1284375D CH)</a> (8.7%) and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toyota-motor-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:73:1" rel="noopener">Toyota Motor (7203 JP)</a> (6.9%). Grab intends to go public in the US through a SPAC merger with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/altimeter-growth-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33007:1" rel="noopener">Altimeter Growth Corp (AGC US)</a>. The deal proceeds include more than $4.0 billion of fully committed PIPE led by $750 million from Altimeter Capital Management. Investors in the PIPE include BlackRock, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Fidelity International, FMR, Janus Henderson Investors, Mubadala, Nuveen, Permodalan Nasional Berhad and Temasek. Altimeter will commit to a three-year lock-up period for its sponsor promote shares. The deal values Grab at a post-money market cap of $39.6 billion and post-money EV of $31.3 billion. The deal implies 9.6x 2022 EV/Sales based on Grab’s forecasted adjusted net revenue. Post-close of the transaction, the existing Grab shareholders will represent 87.7% of outstanding shares. <div class="content-highlight">Over the years, Grab has transformed into a superapp that encompasses transactions related to transportation, eating, shopping, and digital payments. The transactions are high-frequency which tend to increase user stickiness. By spanning several categories, Grab has many opportunities to capture a user’s wallet spend. Grab is using its superapp status to deliver high-growth with declining loss margin and cash burn. While certain management forecasts seem bullish, the overall forecasts are not outlandish. We will look at Grab’s valuation in our next note.</div>

Grab (0967655D SP) is Southeast Asia’s leading superapp and the largest online delivery platform, ride-hailing platform and digital wallet payments platform in Southeast Asia, according to Euromonitor. Grab is backed by SoftBank Vision Fund (21.7% stake), Uber (UBER US) (16.6%), DiDi Chuxing (1284375D CH) (8.7%) and Toyota Motor (7203 JP) (6.9%). Grab intends to go public in the US through a SPAC merger with Altimeter Growth Corp (AGC US). The deal proceeds include more than $4.0 billion of fully committed PIPE led by $750 million from Altimeter Capital Management. Investors in the PIPE include BlackRock, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Fidelity International, FMR, Janus Henderson Investors, Mubadala, Nuveen, Permodalan Nasional Berhad and Temasek. Altimeter will commit to a three-year lock-up period for its sponsor promote shares. The deal values Grab at a post-money market cap of $39.6 billion and post-money EV of $31.3 billion. The deal implies 9.6x 2022 EV/Sales based on Grab’s forecasted adjusted net revenue. Post-close of the transaction, the existing Grab shareholders will represent 87.7% of outstanding shares. Over the years, Grab has transformed into a superapp that encompasses transactions related to transportation, eating, shopping, and digital payments. The transactions are high-frequency which tend to increase user stickiness. By spanning several categories, Grab has many opportunities to capture a user’s wallet spend. Grab is using its superapp status to deliver high-growth with declining loss margin and cash burn. While certain management forecasts seem bullish, the overall forecasts are not outlandish. We will look at Grab’s valuation in our next note.

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

On 13th Apr 2021, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/grabtaxi-holdings-pte-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26950:1" rel="noopener">Grab (0967655D SP)</a> announced that it plans to go public in the US in partnership with Altimeter Growth Corp (AGC US) at an equity valuation of US$39.6bn. It will raise around US$4.5bn cash through the transaction. In this note, I'll take a quick look at the numbers and implied valuations.

On 13th Apr 2021, Grab (0967655D SP) announced that it plans to go public in the US in partnership with Altimeter Growth Corp (AGC US) at an equity valuation of US$39.6bn. It will raise around US$4.5bn cash through the transaction. In this note, I'll take a quick look at the numbers and implied valuations.

Grab SPAC Listing - High on Ambition, Very High on Valuation

China

Dida Inc. operates a technology driven mobility platform. The Company provides carpooling marketplace, taxi-hailing, and other services. Dida also offers advertising services. Dida serves customers in China.

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Dida (2559 HK)

Hello Inc (哈罗出行) Pre-IPO - Nowhere near Being Sustainable

Hello Inc. is looking to raise up to US$1bn in its upcoming U.S. IPO. Hello Inc (HI) is a local services platform in China.

Zhen Zhou, Toh

Hello IPO Initiation: Goodbye

Hello is seeking to raise $1 billion through a Nasdaq listing, according to press reports. Overall, we are inclined to give the Hello IPO a pass.

Arun George

Dida Pre-IPO: Shared Mobility

Despite decline in the number of carpooling rides in 2020 compared to 2019 due to Covid-19 outbreak, Dida’s revenues have continued to increase due...

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

Grab SPAC Deal: Delivering the Goods

Grab has announced a SPAC merger with Altimeter Growth Corp which values Grab at a post-money market cap of $39.6 bn. We think that Grab has strong...

Arun George

Grab SPAC Listing - High on Ambition, Very High on Valuation

On 13th Apr 2021, Grab announced that it plans to go public in the US in partnership with Altimeter Growth Corp at an equity valuation of...

Sumeet Singh

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