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

Greater China Equity Long/Short Analyst

Eric Chen

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>BILIBILI shares have rallied more than 200% since early November on prospects of China exiting zero-COVID, short covering, and accelerated breakeven timeline.</li>
<li>Yet simply achieving breakeven doesn’t justify its US$10 billion valuation. It has to be accompanied by decent profitable growth - an unlikely scenario given the aggressive downsizing needed for breakeven.</li>
<li>BILI’s businesses also entail structurally low margin. Stock could easily de-rate by 30% or more when growth euphoria recedes and disappointed profitability checks in during 2023.</li>
</ul>


BILIBILI shares have rallied more than 200% since early November on prospects of China exiting zero-COVID, short covering, and accelerated breakeven timeline.
Yet simply achieving breakeven doesn’t justify its US$10 billion valuation. It has to be accompanied by decent profitable growth - an unlikely scenario given the aggressive downsizing needed for breakeven.
BILI’s businesses also entail structurally low margin. Stock could easily de-rate by 30% or more when growth euphoria recedes and disappointed profitability checks in during 2023.


BILIBILI (BILI US): Can Achieving Breakeven Justify US$10bn Market Cap?

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.

Equity Capital Markets

Vertex Technology Acquisition Corporation / Equity Capital Markets

Vertex Technology Acquisition Corporation

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/vertex-technology-acquisition-corporation-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35394:1" rel="noopener">Vertex Technology Acquisition Corporation (VTAC SP)</a> agreed to a De-SPAC transaction with 17LIVE, the top pure-play live streaming platform (by revenue) in Japan and Taiwan combined.</li>
<li>Industry data and the financials suggest that 17LIVE does not have a sustainable competitive advantage to translate its position into high earnings quality. </li>
<li>The purchase consideration of 17LIVE in the De-SPAC transaction is S$925.1 million (US$682.2 million). Our valuation analysis suggests that this consideration is full.</li>
</ul>



Vertex Technology Acquisition Corporation (VTAC SP) agreed to a De-SPAC transaction with 17LIVE, the top pure-play live streaming platform (by revenue) in Japan and Taiwan combined.
Industry data and the financials suggest that 17LIVE does not have a sustainable competitive advantage to translate its position into high earnings quality. 
The purchase consideration of 17LIVE in the De-SPAC transaction is S$925.1 million (US$682.2 million). Our valuation analysis suggests that this consideration is full.


Vertex Technology Acquisition (VTAC SP)/17LIVE: Turn Off

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/iqiyi-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26755:1" rel="noopener">IQIYI Inc (IQ US)</a> aims to raise net proceeds of US$442.3 million through the placement of 76.5 million ADS at US$5.90 per ADS.</li>
<li>The net proceeds will be used for working capital purposes, including serving its existing debt obligations. The placement closes on 19 January. </li>
<li>The placement price is fair vs peers and is an opportunity to play iQiyi’s expected topline recovery which is supported by ongoing margin improvement and declining cash burn. </li>
</ul>



IQIYI Inc (IQ US) aims to raise net proceeds of US$442.3 million through the placement of 76.5 million ADS at US$5.90 per ADS.
The net proceeds will be used for working capital purposes, including serving its existing debt obligations. The placement closes on 19 January. 
The placement price is fair vs peers and is an opportunity to play iQiyi’s expected topline recovery which is supported by ongoing margin improvement and declining cash burn. 


IQIYI (IQ US) Placement: Fair Price for a Potential but Risky Recovery Play

Zhihu Technology / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zhihu-technology-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32185:1" rel="noopener">Zhihu Technology (ZH US)</a> has launched an HKEx dual-primary listing to raise $150-200 million. Zhihu will not receive any of the net proceeds as it is offering from selling shareholders.</li>
<li>Zhihu shares are down 73% from the IPO price of $9.50 per ADS (March 2021) largely due to the tech sell-off and regulatory uncertainty on ADR listings.  </li>
<li>While a loss-making Chinese tech name is not everybody's cup of tea in the current environment, Zhihu has delivered resilient performance and the valuation is undemanding. </li>
</ul>



Zhihu Technology (ZH US) has launched an HKEx dual-primary listing to raise $150-200 million. Zhihu will not receive any of the net proceeds as it is offering from selling shareholders.
Zhihu shares are down 73% from the IPO price of $9.50 per ADS (March 2021) largely due to the tech sell-off and regulatory uncertainty on ADR listings.  
While a loss-making Chinese tech name is not everybody's cup of tea in the current environment, Zhihu has delivered resilient performance and the valuation is undemanding. 


Zhihu Dual-Primary Listing: A Question of Judgment

China

Hello Group Inc. operates as a mobile-based social networking platform. The Company enables users to establish and expand social relationships based on location and interests. Hello Group operates out of the Peoples Republic of China.

Hello Group (MOMO 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

BILIBILI (BILI US): Can Achieving Breakeven Justify US$10bn Market Cap?

Simply achieving breakeven can't justify BILI's US$10bn market cap. Expect the company to be a leaner, profitable company yet without bright...

Eric Chen

Vertex Technology Acquisition (VTAC SP)/17LIVE: Turn Off

Industry data and the financials suggest caution is warranted. The purchase consideration of 17LIVE in the De-SPAC transaction is S$925.1 million...

Arun George

IQIYI (IQ US) Placement: Fair Price for a Potential but Risky Recovery Play

The placement price is fair vs peers and is an opportunity to play iQiyi’s expected topline recovery which is supported by ongoing margin...

Arun George

Zhihu Dual-Primary Listing: A Question of Judgment

Zhihu has launched an HKEx dual-primary listing to raise $150-200m. While a loss-making Chinese tech name is not enticing, Zhihu has delivered...

Arun George