Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

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.

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>PCAOB officials concluded their Hong Kong visit last month and PCAOB is due to announce its annual judgment on whether it had adequate access to US listed China companies.</li>
<li>The Hong Kong visit was on the back of the 26th Aug 2022 announcement by PCAOB and CSRC that they had entered into an agreement with US authorities for access.</li>
<li>In this note, we'll talk about the latest developments, possible outcomes and implications.</li>
</ul>


PCAOB officials concluded their Hong Kong visit last month and PCAOB is due to announce its annual judgment on whether it had adequate access to US listed China companies.
The Hong Kong visit was on the back of the 26th Aug 2022 announcement by PCAOB and CSRC that they had entered into an agreement with US authorities for access.
In this note, we'll talk about the latest developments, possible outcomes and implications.


China ADRs Delisting - Friday Could Be Judgment Day for over US$800bn Mcap of Stocks

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.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/chindata-group-holdings-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29274:1" rel="noopener">Chindata Group (CD US)</a> disclosed a preliminary non-binding proposal from Bain Capital at US$8.00 per ADS, a 27.4% premium to the undisturbed price of US$6.28 per ADS.</li>
<li>For privatisation to succeed, shareholders representing two-thirds of the shares present and voting need to approve the deal. The offeror represents 87.39% of the total voting power. </li>
<li>While the offer is unattractive, Bain Capital’s voting rights ensure that the vote will pass. The key risks are regulatory approvals and timing. </li>
</ul>



Chindata Group (CD US) disclosed a preliminary non-binding proposal from Bain Capital at US$8.00 per ADS, a 27.4% premium to the undisturbed price of US$6.28 per ADS.
For privatisation to succeed, shareholders representing two-thirds of the shares present and voting need to approve the deal. The offeror represents 87.39% of the total voting power. 
While the offer is unattractive, Bain Capital’s voting rights ensure that the vote will pass. The key risks are regulatory approvals and timing. 


Chindata (CD US): Bain Capital’s Low-Balled Privatisation Offer

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/chindata-group-holdings-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29274:1" rel="noopener">Chindata Group (CD US)</a>’s 3Q22 results beat both revenue and adjusted EBITDA consensus estimates. Chindata raised its full-year guidance for the second time this year.</li>
<li>Chindata continues to attract rumours of takeover interest, most recently from China Merchants. Its track record of beating guidance, modest leverage and beaten-down rating make it a target. </li>
<li>A forward EV/EBITDA multiple of 10.8x, in line with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/21-vianet-group-inc-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8489:1" rel="noopener">21Vianet Group (VNET US)</a>’s multiple implied by its founder’s offer (at US$8.20), would imply Chindata’s price of US$8 per ADS.  </li>
</ul>



Chindata Group (CD US)’s 3Q22 results beat both revenue and adjusted EBITDA consensus estimates. Chindata raised its full-year guidance for the second time this year.
Chindata continues to attract rumours of takeover interest, most recently from China Merchants. Its track record of beating guidance, modest leverage and beaten-down rating make it a target. 
A forward EV/EBITDA multiple of 10.8x, in line with 21Vianet Group (VNET US)’s multiple implied by its founder’s offer (at US$8.20), would imply Chindata’s price of US$8 per ADS.  


2023 High Conviction: Chindata's Track Record & Rating Makes It a Takeover Target

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

<ul>
<li>Bain Capital-backed <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/chindata-group-holdings-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29274:1" rel="noopener">Chindata Group (CD US)</a> is on the move after Bloomberg flagged - again - interest from industry players.</li>
<li>This time, SOE-backed China Merchants Group is understood to be mulling a takeover of Chindata. Shares are up 23% since that article earlier this month.</li>
<li>Back in April, Bloomberg mentioned <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/gds-holdings-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23649:1" rel="noopener">GDS Holdings (ADR) (GDS US)</a>, PE outfit PAG, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/eqt-ab" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28922:1" rel="noopener">EQT AB (EQT SS)</a>-backed EdgeConneX were rumoured to be interested in merging with Chindata. </li>
</ul>


Bain Capital-backed Chindata Group (CD US) is on the move after Bloomberg flagged - again - interest from industry players.
This time, SOE-backed China Merchants Group is understood to be mulling a takeover of Chindata. Shares are up 23% since that article earlier this month.
Back in April, Bloomberg mentioned GDS Holdings (ADR) (GDS US), PE outfit PAG, and EQT AB (EQT SS)-backed EdgeConneX were rumoured to be interested in merging with Chindata. 


Chindata: China Merchants Potentially In The Mix

<ul>
<li>VNET, formerly known as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/21-vianet-group-inc-adr" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8489:1" rel="noopener">21Vianet Group (VNET US)</a>, is a leading carrier and cloud-neutral data centre services provider in China. </li>
<li>It has received a non-binding privatisation proposal from <a href="https://www.hinagroup.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hina Group</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/industrial-bank-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19515:1" rel="noopener">Industrial Bank Co Ltd A (601166 CH)</a> at $8.00 per ADS, a 48.1% premium to the undisturbed price. </li>
<li>The Board has not made any decisions on the offer. Despite the juicy premium, the offer is unattractive in the context of historical multiples and share prices.    </li>
</ul>


VNET, formerly known as 21Vianet Group (VNET US), is a leading carrier and cloud-neutral data centre services provider in China. 
It has received a non-binding privatisation proposal from The Hina Group and Industrial Bank Co Ltd A (601166 CH) at $8.00 per ADS, a 48.1% premium to the undisturbed price. 
The Board has not made any decisions on the offer. Despite the juicy premium, the offer is unattractive in the context of historical multiples and share prices.    


VNET’s Languishing Shares Draws an Opportunistic $8.00 Bid

China

GDS Holdings Limited operates as a holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, develops and operates data centers. GDS Holdings offers risk and security management, information technology planing, remote monitoring, cloud hosting, virtualization, disaster recovery, and remote data protection services.

GDS Holdings (ADR) (GDS US)

China ADRs Delisting - Friday Could Be Judgment Day for over US$800bn Mcap of Stocks

PCAOB officials concluded their Hong Kong visit last month and PCAOB is due to announce its annual judgment on whether it had adequate access to US...

Sumeet Singh

Chindata (CD US): Bain Capital’s Low-Balled Privatisation Offer

While the offer is unattractive, Bain Capital’s voting rights ensure that the vote will pass. The key risks are regulatory approvals and timing.

Arun George

2023 High Conviction: Chindata's Track Record & Rating Makes It a Takeover Target

Chindata raised its full-year guidance for the second time this year. Its track record of beating guidance, modest leverage and beaten-down rating...

Arun George

Chindata: China Merchants Potentially In The Mix

No formal sale process has occurred, therefore second-guessing if, and when, an Offer emerges will be fraught with issues. However, I'd be picking...

David Blennerhassett

VNET’s Languishing Shares Draws an Opportunistic $8.00 Bid

The Hina Group and Industrial Bank Co have offered $8.00 per ADS, a 48.1% premium to the undisturbed price. However, the offer is unattractive in...

Arun George