Research from Asian Century Stocks, Asian Century Stocks

Michael Fritzell

Research from Asian Century Stocks

Providing financial journalism in the Asia-Pacific

Asian Century Stocks

Asian Century Stocks is a newsletter providing financial journalism for companies and stocks in the Asia-Pacific. 
The Asian Century Stocks logotype “百” stands for “one hundred” or a “century”. The economic centre of gravity is moving towards Asia. Yet most global investors are missing out.

Equity Bottom-Up

Jardine Matheson Holdings / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>After Ben Keswick took over Jardine Matheson, the company has slowly transitioned away from being an owner-operator to more of a portfolio manager.</li><li>The privatization of Jardine Strategic was under-priced, but it also simplified the corporate structure. That should be positive for minorities in the long term.</li><li>Jardine Matheson’s own board has now been stacked with private equity professionals. And new CEO Lincoln Pan comes from private equity firm PAG, where he built up its non-China business.</li></ul>

After Ben Keswick took over Jardine Matheson, the company has slowly transitioned away from being an owner-operator to more of a portfolio manager.The privatization of Jardine Strategic was under-priced, but it also simplified the corporate structure. That should be positive for minorities in the long term.Jardine Matheson’s own board has now been stacked with private equity professionals. And new CEO Lincoln Pan comes from private equity firm PAG, where he built up its non-China business.

A New Era for Jardine Matheson: An Under-The-Radar Transformation.

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jardine-matheson-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19718:1" rel="noopener">Jardine Matheson (JM SP)</a>'s 77.8%-held <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dfi-retail-group-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7427:1" rel="noopener">DFI Retail Group (DFI SP)</a> has sold its entire 22.2% stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/robinsons-retail-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10598:1" rel="noopener">Robinsons Retail Holdings (RRHI PM)</a> for ~US$283mn to "support its capital allocation strategy".</li>
<li>Preceding my comments on Matheson are the current setup/unwind tables for Asia-Pacific Holdcos.</li>
<li>These relationships trade with a minimum liquidity of US$1mn, and a % market capitalisation &gt;20%.</li>
</ul>



Jardine Matheson (JM SP)'s 77.8%-held DFI Retail Group (DFI SP) has sold its entire 22.2% stake in Robinsons Retail Holdings (RRHI PM) for ~US$283mn to "support its capital allocation strategy".
Preceding my comments on Matheson are the current setup/unwind tables for Asia-Pacific Holdcos.
These relationships trade with a minimum liquidity of US$1mn, and a % market capitalisation &gt;20%.


Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>They are rumours doing the rounds that <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jardine-matheson-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19718:1" rel="noopener">Jardine Matheson Holdings (JM SP)</a> could see potential inflow from a free float upweight in the MSCI May review.</li>
<li>The inflow is reportedly predicated on a reassessment of the 59% stake held in Matheson by the privatised <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jardine-strategic-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15081:1" rel="noopener">Jardine Strategic Holdings (JS SP)</a>, that was subsequently cancelled in May 2022.</li>
<li>Elsewhere, Matheson's NAV discount is toward the wide end of its one-year range. </li>
</ul>


They are rumours doing the rounds that Jardine Matheson Holdings (JM SP) could see potential inflow from a free float upweight in the MSCI May review.
The inflow is reportedly predicated on a reassessment of the 59% stake held in Matheson by the privatised Jardine Strategic Holdings (JS SP), that was subsequently cancelled in May 2022.
Elsewhere, Matheson's NAV discount is toward the wide end of its one-year range. 


<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jardine-cycle-carriage-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:347:1" rel="noopener">Jardine Cycle &amp; Carriage (JCNC SP)</a>'s implied stub value is around its highest-ever level, dating back to 2004. </li>
<li>The simple ratio of JCNC/ <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/astra-international-tbk-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:46:1" rel="noopener">Astra International (ASII IJ)</a> is also the highest level outside the brief spikes post-Covid and during the 2008 GFC.</li>
<li>There is no apparent justification for the current valuation. And a takeover from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jardine-matheson-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19718:1" rel="noopener">Jardine Matheson Holdings (JM SP)</a> at these levels appears unrealistic. </li>
</ul>



Jardine Cycle &amp; Carriage (JCNC SP)'s implied stub value is around its highest-ever level, dating back to 2004. 
The simple ratio of JCNC/ Astra International (ASII IJ) is also the highest level outside the brief spikes post-Covid and during the 2008 GFC.
There is no apparent justification for the current valuation. And a takeover from Jardine Matheson Holdings (JM SP) at these levels appears unrealistic. 


<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jardine-matheson-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19718:1" rel="noopener">Jardine Matheson Holdings (JM SP)</a> posted a 11% drop in FY24 underlying profit; but has promptly gained 9% since.</li>
<li>Preceding my comments on Matheson are the current setup/unwind tables for Asia-Pacific Holdcos.</li>
<li>These relationships trade with a minimum liquidity of US$1mn, and a % market capitalisation &gt;20%.</li>
</ul>



Jardine Matheson Holdings (JM SP) posted a 11% drop in FY24 underlying profit; but has promptly gained 9% since.
Preceding my comments on Matheson are the current setup/unwind tables for Asia-Pacific Holdcos.
These relationships trade with a minimum liquidity of US$1mn, and a % market capitalisation &gt;20%.


Singapore

Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited is a multinational enterprise with a portfolio of businesses focused on the Asia-Pacific region. The Group's activities include financial services, supermarkets, consumer marketing, engineering and construction, automobile trading, insurance broking, property investment, and hotels.

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Jardine Matheson Holdings (JM SP)

A New Era for Jardine Matheson: An Under-The-Radar Transformation.

After Ben Keswick took over Jardine Matheson, the company has slowly transitioned away from being an owner-operator to more of a portfolio manager.

Asian Century Stocks

StubWorld: DFI Exits Robinson Retail

Often it pays to invest where the Keswick invest - or Matheson. At the NAV ave., and below the implied stub ave,, that 's my bet. Outright, or set...

David Blennerhassett

Jardine Matheson: MSCI Upweight Musings

Some readers place a 50% probability of an MSCI upweight. Of more interest is Matheson's ongoing buyback program. They have recently, and...

David Blennerhassett

JCNC's Logic-Defying Valuation

There is no apparent justification for the current level. Expect Matheson to chip away at minorities. But a full-blown Offer appears unrealistic....

David Blennerhassett

StubWorld: Matheson Looks Stretched

A stock standard takeaway for certain holdcos is to invest where the family invests - or JMH in this case. However, JMH appers stretched here. I...

David Blennerhassett

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