Asian Hedge Fund Manager, Long Short Equity, Macro

David Mudd

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>Hong Kong Alpha portfolio gained 16.26% in January resulting in a 6.2% outperformance to its benchmark.  The portfolio has outperformed HK indexes by 48% to 63% since inception on 10/1/24.</li>
<li>Hong Kong Alpha has generated 50% of its return from alpha and has a Sharpe ratio of 1.79 since inception.  The portfolio's annualized mean excess return is 28%.</li>
<li>At the end of January, we reduced positions in the materials, communications, and conglomerate sectors and added positions in the food, energy, and manufacturing sectors.</li>
</ul>


Hong Kong Alpha portfolio gained 16.26% in January resulting in a 6.2% outperformance to its benchmark.  The portfolio has outperformed HK indexes by 48% to 63% since inception on 10/1/24.
Hong Kong Alpha has generated 50% of its return from alpha and has a Sharpe ratio of 1.79 since inception.  The portfolio's annualized mean excess return is 28%.
At the end of January, we reduced positions in the materials, communications, and conglomerate sectors and added positions in the food, energy, and manufacturing sectors.


HONG KONG ALPHA PORTFOLIO: (January 2026)

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Except <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/enn-energy-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:316:1" rel="noopener">ENN Energy (2688 HK)</a>, many stocks in the China gas utilities sector are still underperforming the HSI and HSCEI YTD. Yet, industry fundamentals are improving. </li>
<li>More cities and counties will implement a gas price pass-through mechanism, with 90% of cities and counties to be completed by late 2024, benefiting sector profitability.  </li>
<li>Consensus forecasts are still conservative which places room for pick-up in share prices. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-resources-gas-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20525:1" rel="noopener">CR Gas (1193 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-gas-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14315:1" rel="noopener">China Gas Holdings (384 HK)</a> are opportunities.</li>
</ul>


Except ENN Energy (2688 HK), many stocks in the China gas utilities sector are still underperforming the HSI and HSCEI YTD. Yet, industry fundamentals are improving. 
More cities and counties will implement a gas price pass-through mechanism, with 90% of cities and counties to be completed by late 2024, benefiting sector profitability.  
Consensus forecasts are still conservative which places room for pick-up in share prices. CR Gas (1193 HK) and China Gas Holdings (384 HK) are opportunities.


Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>On the 26th March, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/enn-energy-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:316:1" rel="noopener">ENN Energy (2688 HK)</a> announced a cash/scrip Offer from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/enn-natural-gas-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16456:1" rel="noopener">ENN Natural Gas (600803 CH)</a> (ENN-NG), its largest shareholder.</li>
<li>The pushback is that the scrip portion pivots off the value of newly-listed ENN-NG H-shares. And the IFA's theoretical assessment on such leaves a lot to be desired.</li>
<li>A redacted version of ENN-NG's application proof is now out. Curiously, the share ratio - new ENN-NG H Shares for each ENN shares - is noticeably absent</li>
</ul>


On the 26th March, ENN Energy (2688 HK) announced a cash/scrip Offer from ENN Natural Gas (600803 CH) (ENN-NG), its largest shareholder.
The pushback is that the scrip portion pivots off the value of newly-listed ENN-NG H-shares. And the IFA's theoretical assessment on such leaves a lot to be desired.
A redacted version of ENN-NG's application proof is now out. Curiously, the share ratio - new ENN-NG H Shares for each ENN shares - is noticeably absent


ENN Energy (2688 HK): ENN Natural Gas' Application Proof Is Out. Interesting For What Is Not Present

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/enn-energy-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:316:1" rel="noopener">ENN Energy (2688 HK)</a> is not required to submit a merger control filing to the SAMR, suggesting it is making a step ahead in meeting the pre-conditions. </li>
<li>The use of onshore bank loans and cash balance as a refinancing source and consideration payment will lower financing costs, boosting the value of ENN Natural Gas H-share.</li>
<li>The current share price is 9.3 and 17.7% below the low-bound and high-bound of our estimated value range. It is also less vulnerable to the current tariff war.</li>
</ul>



ENN Energy (2688 HK) is not required to submit a merger control filing to the SAMR, suggesting it is making a step ahead in meeting the pre-conditions. 
The use of onshore bank loans and cash balance as a refinancing source and consideration payment will lower financing costs, boosting the value of ENN Natural Gas H-share.
The current share price is 9.3 and 17.7% below the low-bound and high-bound of our estimated value range. It is also less vulnerable to the current tariff war.


ENN Energy (2688 HK): Privatisation Progressing Well Ahead

<ul>
<li>We calculated that after the privatisation of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/enn-energy-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:316:1" rel="noopener">ENN Energy (2688 HK)</a>, the EPS of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/enn-natural-gas-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16456:1" rel="noopener">ENN Natural Gas (600803 CH)</a> will be Rmb1.94 for FY25F and Rmb2.11 for FY26F.</li>
<li>By using ENN Energy's undisturbed PER (with and without a 10% discount) and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kunlun-energy-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10054:1" rel="noopener">Kunlun Energy (135 HK)</a>'s ex-cash PER, ENN-NG H-share is worth 6.8-7.9x for FY25F and 6.3-7.2x for FY26F.</li>
<li>ENN-NG H-share is hence valued at HK$14.11-16.37, implying that ENN Energy's value under the privatisation proposal is HK$66.02-72.67, which is lower than Somerly's HK$80 estimate.</li>
</ul>


We calculated that after the privatisation of ENN Energy (2688 HK), the EPS of ENN Natural Gas (600803 CH) will be Rmb1.94 for FY25F and Rmb2.11 for FY26F.
By using ENN Energy's undisturbed PER (with and without a 10% discount) and Kunlun Energy (135 HK)'s ex-cash PER, ENN-NG H-share is worth 6.8-7.9x for FY25F and 6.3-7.2x for FY26F.
ENN-NG H-share is hence valued at HK$14.11-16.37, implying that ENN Energy's value under the privatisation proposal is HK$66.02-72.67, which is lower than Somerly's HK$80 estimate.


ENN Energy (2688 HK): Valuing ENN Natural Gas H-Share

China

ENN Energy is a major clean energy distributor in China, primarily engaged in the investment, construction, operation, and management of gas pipeline infrastructure, as well as the sales and distribution of piped gas, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and other multi-energy products. The company also provides low-carbon integrated energy solutions and smart home services. It was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Langfang, China.

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ENN Energy (2688 HK)

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David Mudd

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Osbert Tang, CFA