Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>One of the big thematic events on the Korean stock market has been the expectation that China could lift ban on Korean popular culture (Hallyu) as early as May 2025. </li>
<li>China's President Xi recently stated <em>"Cultural exchanges are a valuable part of our bilateral relations [between China and Korea]. We should avoid any problems occurring in handling such matters.” </em>
</li>
<li>We provide a list of 40 stocks in Korea that could most benefit from the end of lifting ban of Korean popular culture. </li>
</ul>


One of the big thematic events on the Korean stock market has been the expectation that China could lift ban on Korean popular culture (Hallyu) as early as May 2025. 
China's President Xi recently stated "Cultural exchanges are a valuable part of our bilateral relations [between China and Korea]. We should avoid any problems occurring in handling such matters.” 

We provide a list of 40 stocks in Korea that could most benefit from the end of lifting ban of Korean popular culture. 


China Could Lift Ban on Korean Popular Culture (Hallyu) As Early As May 2025

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>Our outlook remains bullish on MSCI ACWI. Discussed in Jan9,2025 report how we viewed the pullback as a buying opportunity and were watching for $116-$117 support to hold on ACWI-US. </li>
<li>$116 support held perfectly, and now both ACWI-US and the S&amp;P 500 are coiling just below all-time highs, likely setting up for major breakouts. ACWI is now breaking out.</li>
<li>DXY and 10-Year Treasury yield are both topping, a crucial risk-on signal for global equities. More and more countries breaking out. Actionable Themes: Technology, Services, Communications, Industrials, Gold Miners, Financials</li>
</ul>


Our outlook remains bullish on MSCI ACWI. Discussed in Jan9,2025 report how we viewed the pullback as a buying opportunity and were watching for $116-$117 support to hold on ACWI-US. 
$116 support held perfectly, and now both ACWI-US and the S&amp;P 500 are coiling just below all-time highs, likely setting up for major breakouts. ACWI is now breaking out.
DXY and 10-Year Treasury yield are both topping, a crucial risk-on signal for global equities. More and more countries breaking out. Actionable Themes: Technology, Services, Communications, Industrials, Gold Miners, Financials


More Countries Breaking Out; Bullish Outlook Intact; Buys in China, Europe, More; DXY & Yields Top

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lg-cns-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35945:1" rel="noopener">LG CNS (LGCNSZ KS)</a> is looking to raise up to KRW 1,199bn (US$830m), valuing the company at KRW 6 trillion (US$4.15bn) at the top end of the IPO price range.</li>
<li>As a member of the IT sector, inclusion in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">KOSPI200 Index</a> will only take place via Fast Entry (near impossible) or as a large-scale company.</li>
<li>Inclusion in global indices could commence in September 2025 and will be easier if the identity of the pre-IPO minority shareholders is disclosed or if the strategic investors sell.</li>
</ul>



LG CNS (LGCNSZ KS) is looking to raise up to KRW 1,199bn (US$830m), valuing the company at KRW 6 trillion (US$4.15bn) at the top end of the IPO price range.
As a member of the IT sector, inclusion in the KOSPI200 Index will only take place via Fast Entry (near impossible) or as a large-scale company.
Inclusion in global indices could commence in September 2025 and will be easier if the identity of the pre-IPO minority shareholders is disclosed or if the strategic investors sell.


LG CNS IPO: Limited Float Pushes Back Passive Buying

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech, Aequitas Research

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech

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.

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>We analyzed the changes in foreign holdings of KRX stocks as of Nov 22nd which has an aggregated holding worth USD491.7bn.</li>
<li>We estimate that foreign flows to be outflows of USD772mln. We tabulate the league table for top changes by value for 1W/4W/1Y and top stocks held by foreign institutions.</li>
<li>We highlight changes of foreign holdings in Naver, SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics.</li>
</ul>


We analyzed the changes in foreign holdings of KRX stocks as of Nov 22nd which has an aggregated holding worth USD491.7bn.
We estimate that foreign flows to be outflows of USD772mln. We tabulate the league table for top changes by value for 1W/4W/1Y and top stocks held by foreign institutions.
We highlight changes of foreign holdings in Naver, SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics.


KRX Foreign Holding Weekly (Nov 22nd): Naver, SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics

Korea / Special Situations, Clepsydra Capital

Sanghyun Park

Korea / Special Situations

Korea / Special Sits, Pairs, Index Rebalancing

Clepsydra Capital

Investigate special situations, pairs, and index rebalancing trades in Korea.

<ul>
<li>Since Choi and his affiliates can’t buy shares directly, his only play is to recruit more white knights to boost his stake.</li>
<li>He needs at least 6% from the 23% free float, costing over ₩800 billion. This hefty price tag is why the stock hasn't moved much from the tender offer price.</li>
<li>The market isn’t ruling out Hyundai getting aggressive to secure Korea Zinc’s nickel, making this a hot trading point during the tender offer.</li>
</ul>


Since Choi and his affiliates can’t buy shares directly, his only play is to recruit more white knights to boost his stake.
He needs at least 6% from the 23% free float, costing over ₩800 billion. This hefty price tag is why the stock hasn't moved much from the tender offer price.
The market isn’t ruling out Hyundai getting aggressive to secure Korea Zinc’s nickel, making this a hot trading point during the tender offer.


Clearing up Legal Confusion on Counter Offers and Getting a Clear Read on the Korea Zinc Tender

South Korea

HYBE Co., Ltd. operates as an entertainment company. The Company provides music production, album distribution, entertainers management, publicity, planning, training, and other services. HYBE also makes television shows.

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HYBE (352820 KS)

China Could Lift Ban on Korean Popular Culture (Hallyu) As Early As May 2025

One of the big thematic events that have impacted the Korean stock market this week has been the expectation that China could lift ban on Korean...

Douglas Kim

More Countries Breaking Out; Bullish Outlook Intact; Buys in China, Europe, More; DXY & Yields Top

More Countries Breaking Out; Bullish Outlook Intact $ACWI $EAFE $EEM. More buys in China; Germany continues to lead Europe higher. Will...

Vermilion Research

LG CNS IPO: Limited Float Pushes Back Passive Buying

The subscription period runs from 21-22 January. Shares will reportedly be offered at KRW 61900, the top end of the IPO range. Demand was said to...

Brian Freitas

KRX Foreign Holding Weekly (Nov 22nd): Naver, SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics

We analyzed KRX foreign holding data for the past week and highlighted foreign holding changes in Naver, SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics.

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Clearing up Legal Confusion on Counter Offers and Getting a Clear Read on the Korea Zinc Tender

This post clarifies legal misunderstandings about counter offers in the Korea Zinc tender and a precise understanding of the current situation.

Sanghyun Park

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