Covering IPOs, Healthcare and Technology Stocks

Andrei Zakharov

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Hesai Group shares significantly underperformed in 2024 with shares down ~47% over the year versus a ~23% gain on the Nasdaq Composite.</li>
<li>Moreover, a San Francisco-based Ouster, one of the key competitors among LiDAR makers, outperformed Hesai Group and the NASDAQ on a year-to-date basis.</li>
<li>I believe Hesai Group should initiate a share buyback program as RoboSense has recently announced on-market share repurchase plan to create value for its shareholders.  </li>
</ul>


Hesai Group shares significantly underperformed in 2024 with shares down ~47% over the year versus a ~23% gain on the Nasdaq Composite.
Moreover, a San Francisco-based Ouster, one of the key competitors among LiDAR makers, outperformed Hesai Group and the NASDAQ on a year-to-date basis.
I believe Hesai Group should initiate a share buyback program as RoboSense has recently announced on-market share repurchase plan to create value for its shareholders.  


Will Hesai Group Announce Its First-Ever Buyback To Restore Confidence in the Stock?

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>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pony-ai-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:44035:1" rel="noopener">Pony AI (PONY US)</a> raised around US$260m in its upsized US ADR listing in Nov 2024. The lockup on its pre-IPO investors is set to expire soon.</li>
<li>As per Frost &amp; Sullivan, Pony AI was among the first companies in China to obtain licenses to operate fully driverless robotaxis in all four Tier-1 cities in China.</li>
<li>In this note, we will talk about the lockup dynamics and possible placement.</li>
</ul>



Pony AI (PONY US) raised around US$260m in its upsized US ADR listing in Nov 2024. The lockup on its pre-IPO investors is set to expire soon.
As per Frost &amp; Sullivan, Pony AI was among the first companies in China to obtain licenses to operate fully driverless robotaxis in all four Tier-1 cities in China.
In this note, we will talk about the lockup dynamics and possible placement.


Pony AI IPO Lockup - US$4.3bn Lockup Release with Stock at 69x EV/Sales

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/robosense-technology-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:39903:1" rel="noopener">Robosense Technology (2498 HK)</a> raised around US$126m in its Hong Kong IPO in Jan 2024. The lockup on its shareholders will expire soon.</li>
<li>The company provides LiDAR and perception solutions to its customers. As of March 2024, it had design wins for mass production of LiDAR products with 22 automotive OEMs and suppliers.</li>
<li>In this note, we talk about the upcoming lock-up expiry and possible deal dynamics.</li>
</ul>



Robosense Technology (2498 HK) raised around US$126m in its Hong Kong IPO in Jan 2024. The lockup on its shareholders will expire soon.
The company provides LiDAR and perception solutions to its customers. As of March 2024, it had design wins for mass production of LiDAR products with 22 automotive OEMs and suppliers.
In this note, we talk about the upcoming lock-up expiry and possible deal dynamics.


Robosense IPO Lock-Up Expiry - US$2.8bn Lockup Expiry for 99% of the Stock, CCASS Movement

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>2023 marked our eighth year covering Equity Capital Markets in Asia Pacific. In 2023, IPOs didn’t pick up much from the low base of 2022  while placements showed upward momentum.</li>
<li>We ended 2023 with an accuracy rate of 73.7% across 57 IPOs that we covered and 79.3% across 115 placements.</li>
<li>For those not familiar with our coverage, we aim to cover all IPOs and placements with a minimum deal size of US$100m across Asia-Pacific, including China ADRs.</li>
</ul>


2023 marked our eighth year covering Equity Capital Markets in Asia Pacific. In 2023, IPOs didn’t pick up much from the low base of 2022  while placements showed upward momentum.
We ended 2023 with an accuracy rate of 73.7% across 57 IPOs that we covered and 79.3% across 115 placements.
For those not familiar with our coverage, we aim to cover all IPOs and placements with a minimum deal size of US$100m across Asia-Pacific, including China ADRs.


Aequitas 2023 IPOs and Placements Performance Review - IPOs Forming a Low Base, Placements Pick Up

<ul>
<li>RoboSense Technology shares significantly outperformed in 2025 with shares up ~43% over the year versus a ~18% gain on the HSI.</li>
<li>Chinese mass producer of LiDAR products and sensor systems has successfully completed a placing of new shares and raised ~$HK1B or ~US$131M in March. </li>
<li>I think the stock is overvalued vs. peers given long path to profitability, lower relative gross margin profile and intense competition in Mainland China.</li>
</ul>


RoboSense Technology shares significantly outperformed in 2025 with shares up ~43% over the year versus a ~18% gain on the HSI.
Chinese mass producer of LiDAR products and sensor systems has successfully completed a placing of new shares and raised ~$HK1B or ~US$131M in March. 
I think the stock is overvalued vs. peers given long path to profitability, lower relative gross margin profile and intense competition in Mainland China.


RoboSense Technology: Premium Multiple Is Not Justified. Long Path To Profitability

United States

Hesai Group provides 3D light detection and ranging solutions. The Company's LiDAR products enables a broad spectrum of applications across passenger and commercial vehicles with advanced driver assistance systems, as well as autonomous vehicle fleets providing passenger and freight mobility services.

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Hesai Group (HSAI US)

Will Hesai Group Announce Its First-Ever Buyback To Restore Confidence in the Stock?

Hesai Group, a leading LiDAR technology company, is suffering from depressed valuation and I believe an initiation of share buyback program may...

Andrei Zakharov

Pony AI IPO Lockup - US$4.3bn Lockup Release with Stock at 69x EV/Sales

Pony AI (PONY US) raised around US$260m in its upsized US ADR listing in Nov 2024. The lockup on its pre-IPO investors is set to expire soon.

Sumeet Singh

Robosense IPO Lock-Up Expiry - US$2.8bn Lockup Expiry for 99% of the Stock, CCASS Movement

The pre-IPO shareholders came out of lockup today, leading to a 67% drop in the share price with an accompanying spike in volumes.

Sumeet Singh

Aequitas 2023 IPOs and Placements Performance Review - IPOs Forming a Low Base, Placements Pick Up

2023 was our eight year of covering Asia ECM. We ended 2023 with an accuracy rate of 73.7% across 57 IPOs that we covered and 79.3% across 115...

Sumeet Singh

RoboSense Technology: Premium Multiple Is Not Justified. Long Path To Profitability

RoboSense Technology has recently completed its secondary offering and raised ~HK$1B. In my insight, I discuss relative valuation, competitive...

Andrei Zakharov

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