Financials & FinTech research, Galliano’s Financials Research

Victor Galliano

Financials & FinTech research

Financials & FinTech, EM & Developed Markets

Galliano’s Financials Research

Galliano's Financials Research provides fundamental research in Emerging Markets financials, including FinTech, as well as financials in select Developed Markets.

The investment style applied is generally value oriented, although Growth At Reasonable Price (GARP) strategies can also be used where appropriate. 

Our investment research approach aim is often contrarian, looking to capitalise on overly sceptical or optimistic consensus views. In terms of valuation techniques, the focus is on PBV ratio to ROE, PE multiples and dividend yield, as well as the application of PEG ratios and, where appropriate, Sum of the Parts (SOTP) valuations.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Our negative recommendations from December – especially Paytm – worked better than our positive ones, given 1Q22 market conditions; we see much value in payment companies but we remain selective</li>
<li>Based on our screens, we continue to favour Mastercard in the megacaps, we stick with PagSeguro and Getnet, adding Nexi which looks very oversold, despite its fundamental headwinds</li>
<li>We take Paytm off the sell list, but we remain negative on DLocal on its very demanding valuations, and we add Kakao Pay to the negative list</li>
</ul>


Our negative recommendations from December – especially Paytm – worked better than our positive ones, given 1Q22 market conditions; we see much value in payment companies but we remain selective
Based on our screens, we continue to favour Mastercard in the megacaps, we stick with PagSeguro and Getnet, adding Nexi which looks very oversold, despite its fundamental headwinds
We take Paytm off the sell list, but we remain negative on DLocal on its very demanding valuations, and we add Kakao Pay to the negative list


Payment Companies – Thoughts on Screen Snapshots 1Q22

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Allocations in EM Tech stocks among active Global EM investors rallied to all-time highs last month.  Average allocations hit 23.49% following sustained fund inflows and re-positioning among managers. </li>
<li>Taiwan, India and China Tech exposure is at, or close to maximum levels.  In contrast, South Korean Technology weights have fallen aggressively.  The TW/SK Tech spread is at maximum wides.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/silergy-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13998:1" rel="noopener">Silergy Corp (6415 TT)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/longi-green-energy-technology-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12703:1" rel="noopener">LONGi Green Energy Technology (601012 CH)</a> have seen inflows from EM managers.  Sentiment in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/samsung-electronics-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:191:1" rel="noopener">Samsung Electronics (005930 KS)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sk-hynix-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16955:1" rel="noopener">SK Hynix (000660 KS)</a> is faltering.</li>
</ul>


Allocations in EM Tech stocks among active Global EM investors rallied to all-time highs last month.  Average allocations hit 23.49% following sustained fund inflows and re-positioning among managers. 
Taiwan, India and China Tech exposure is at, or close to maximum levels.  In contrast, South Korean Technology weights have fallen aggressively.  The TW/SK Tech spread is at maximum wides.

Silergy Corp (6415 TT) and LONGi Green Energy Technology (601012 CH) have seen inflows from EM managers.  Sentiment in Samsung Electronics (005930 KS) and SK Hynix (000660 KS) is faltering.


EM Tech Allocations Blast Through All-Time Highs

<ul>
<li>Our payment company screens focus on the market value to processed volume ratio versus the take rate, market value to sales, and valuations relative to EBITDA and earnings growth</li>
<li>In the megacaps, we like Mastercard on valuation and growth; in emerging markets we favour PagSeguro and SBI Card, and small cap Getnet, also we believe that Stone is oversold</li>
<li>We are negative on Paytm and DLocal, which both did IPOs in 2021; we believe that both companies’ growth prospects are more than discounted by their earnings and EBITDA valuations</li>
</ul>


Our payment company screens focus on the market value to processed volume ratio versus the take rate, market value to sales, and valuations relative to EBITDA and earnings growth
In the megacaps, we like Mastercard on valuation and growth; in emerging markets we favour PagSeguro and SBI Card, and small cap Getnet, also we believe that Stone is oversold
We are negative on Paytm and DLocal, which both did IPOs in 2021; we believe that both companies’ growth prospects are more than discounted by their earnings and EBITDA valuations


Payment Companies – Focus on Value and Growth

<ul>
<li>Our key positive picks in payments are two Brazilian companies, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pagseguro-digital-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27939:1" rel="noopener">Pagseguro Digital Ltd (PAGS US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cielo-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24750:1" rel="noopener">Cielo SA (CIEL3 BZ)</a> </li>
<li>PagSeguro is our main pick, attractive on GARP metrics and with its higher take rate, it is our preference over its closest peer StoneCo</li>
<li>Cielo, the leading legacy payments company in Brazil, has seen its shares under pressure; yet fundamentals should be supported by the recent approval of WhatsApp Payments, given that Cielo is WhatsApp’s processor of payments</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dlocal-ltd-uruguay" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33377:1" rel="noopener">DLocal Ltd/Uruguay (DLO US)</a> listed on NASDAQ in early June; the shares are up by 150% from its IPO price, and, even given the growth potential, valuations are looking full, so we see an opportunity to take profits</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/square-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23755:1" rel="noopener">Square Inc (SQ US)</a> is another premium growth story, but one where we believe current valuations are running ahead of the fundamental prospects</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/paypal-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4747:1" rel="noopener">Paypal Holdings (PYPL US)</a>  and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mastercard-inc-class-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15529:1" rel="noopener">Mastercard (MA US)</a>, although not as compelling on valuations as PagSeguro and Cielo, are also attractive stocks</li>
<li>Risks to our positive view on Cielo include lower than expected revenues from the WhatsApp Payments contract and for PagSeguro this includes a weaker than expected business climate for its core SME client base; risks to our negative calls on DLocal and Square include stronger than expected transaction activity and revenue generation going forward</li>
</ul>


Our key positive picks in payments are two Brazilian companies, Pagseguro Digital Ltd (PAGS US) and Cielo SA (CIEL3 BZ) 
PagSeguro is our main pick, attractive on GARP metrics and with its higher take rate, it is our preference over its closest peer StoneCo
Cielo, the leading legacy payments company in Brazil, has seen its shares under pressure; yet fundamentals should be supported by the recent approval of WhatsApp Payments, given that Cielo is WhatsApp’s processor of payments

DLocal Ltd/Uruguay (DLO US) listed on NASDAQ in early June; the shares are up by 150% from its IPO price, and, even given the growth potential, valuations are looking full, so we see an opportunity to take profits

Square Inc (SQ US) is another premium growth story, but one where we believe current valuations are running ahead of the fundamental prospects

Paypal Holdings (PYPL US)  and Mastercard (MA US), although not as compelling on valuations as PagSeguro and Cielo, are also attractive stocks
Risks to our positive view on Cielo include lower than expected revenues from the WhatsApp Payments contract and for PagSeguro this includes a weaker than expected business climate for its core SME client base; risks to our negative calls on DLocal and Square include stronger than expected transaction activity and revenue generation going forward


United States

DLocal Limited of Uruguay provides payment solutions. The Company offers single payment platform which accept payments, send payouts, and settle funds. DLocal serves customers worldwide.

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DLocal (DLO US)

Payment Companies – Thoughts on Screen Snapshots 1Q22

We favour Mastercard, PagSeguro and Getnet, adding Nexi which looks very oversold; we take Paytm off the sell list, but stay negative on DLocal due...

Victor Galliano

EM Tech Allocations Blast Through All-Time Highs

Allocations in EM Tech stocks among active Global EM investors rallied to all-time highs last month. Average allocations hit 23.49% following...

Steven Holden

Payment Companies – Focus on Value and Growth

A number of payment fintechs, after the recent market slide, are trading at attractive valuations again; we like Mastercard, SBI Card, Pagseguro,...

Victor Galliano

Payments Companies – Our Core Picks

From our review of ten payments companies, we pick PagSeguro and Cielo as buys; we would take profits on recently listed DLocal and Square; other...

Victor Galliano

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