Greater China Equity Long/Short Analyst

Eric Chen

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Sentiment driven rally is fading. Although COVID exit remains swing factor, individual company’s performance will increasingly be driven by their business models.</li>
<li>Our proprietary store expansion framework suggests divergent growth outlook for major players - stretched for Haidilao, moderate for Jiumaojiu and Yum China, and ample for Xiabuxiabu.</li>
<li>Xiabuxiabu is our top pick due to its strong turnaround not yet priced in depressed valuation. We also like Yum China but stay cautious on Jiumaojiu and Haidilao on valuation.     </li>
</ul>


Sentiment driven rally is fading. Although COVID exit remains swing factor, individual company’s performance will increasingly be driven by their business models.
Our proprietary store expansion framework suggests divergent growth outlook for major players - stretched for Haidilao, moderate for Jiumaojiu and Yum China, and ample for Xiabuxiabu.
Xiabuxiabu is our top pick due to its strong turnaround not yet priced in depressed valuation. We also like Yum China but stay cautious on Jiumaojiu and Haidilao on valuation.     


China Catering Sector: In Search of Alpha

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Equity Analyst

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

<ul>
<li>Chinese restaurant sector could see 15% YoY revenue growth in Q1 2023, as Total Retail Sales of Meals in China rose 16.4% YoY during Jan-Feb 2023.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yum-china-holdings-inc-0533692c-6dae-4014-baa1-ed0b050638f2" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29259:1" rel="noopener">Yum China Holdings Inc (9987 HK)</a>'s 1Q23 OP may reach a record high of $350m, and annual profitability is expected to double as restaurant footfall recovers.</li>
<li>We suggest buying Yum China for potential multiple expansion due to rapid profitability growth.</li>
</ul>


Chinese restaurant sector could see 15% YoY revenue growth in Q1 2023, as Total Retail Sales of Meals in China rose 16.4% YoY during Jan-Feb 2023.

Yum China Holdings Inc (9987 HK)'s 1Q23 OP may reach a record high of $350m, and annual profitability is expected to double as restaurant footfall recovers.
We suggest buying Yum China for potential multiple expansion due to rapid profitability growth.


Yum China: Looking Delicious with Record Profits Expected in 1Q23 and Potential for Further Growth

<ul>
<li>China catering players have seen strong recovery during the Chinese New Year starting from Jan 22th, amidst a broad-based revival of the service sector as a whole.</li>
<li>For Xiabuxiabu, latest data points suggest significant progress in turnaround and higher visibility into 2023 performance.</li>
<li>We see upside to our financial projection for 2023 and are more confident that Xiabuxiabu is the most attractively-priced to play re-opening in China catering sector. Expect 50% upside.</li>
</ul>


China catering players have seen strong recovery during the Chinese New Year starting from Jan 22th, amidst a broad-based revival of the service sector as a whole.
For Xiabuxiabu, latest data points suggest significant progress in turnaround and higher visibility into 2023 performance.
We see upside to our financial projection for 2023 and are more confident that Xiabuxiabu is the most attractively-priced to play re-opening in China catering sector. Expect 50% upside.


Xiabuxiabu (520 HK): Strong CNY Bodes Well for the Year of 2023

HK/China Healthcare Analyst (ex-Fosun Pharma)

Xinyao (Criss) Wang

Equity Capital Markets

Guangzhou Xiao Noodles Catering Management / Equity Capital Markets

Guangzhou Xiao Noodles Catering Management

<ul>
<li>Xiao Noodles’ advantage doesn't come from a single product, but from a set of replicable systematic capabilities.However, investors are concerned growth is driven by capital rather than endogenous healthy growth.</li>
<li>Valuation would be lower than those mature brands that have proven profitability in the short term, but would be higher than the companies that are still exploring profit paths.</li>
<li>Comfortable valuation could be P/E of 15-20x, which indicates arbitrage space. But in long term, business model will be difficult to sustain if there’s no breakthrough in profit margin performance.  </li>
</ul>


Xiao Noodles’ advantage doesn't come from a single product, but from a set of replicable systematic capabilities.However, investors are concerned growth is driven by capital rather than endogenous healthy growth.
Valuation would be lower than those mature brands that have proven profitability in the short term, but would be higher than the companies that are still exploring profit paths.
Comfortable valuation could be P/E of 15-20x, which indicates arbitrage space. But in long term, business model will be difficult to sustain if there’s no breakthrough in profit margin performance.  


Pre-IPO Guangzhou Xiao Noodles Catering Management (PHIP Updates) - Some Points Worth the Attention

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 analyze the weekly Hong Kong Connect flows with our data engine for holding position as of September 26th.</li>
<li>The top stocks by inflows and outflows were tabulated for all market, HSCEI, mid cap and s/mid cap groups.</li>
<li>We highlight flows for Alibaba, Shandong Hi-Speed, Meituan, Tencent, China Mobile, CSPC Pharma, China Telecom, HKEx, Hua Hong Semiconductor.</li>
</ul>


We analyze the weekly Hong Kong Connect flows with our data engine for holding position as of September 26th.
The top stocks by inflows and outflows were tabulated for all market, HSCEI, mid cap and s/mid cap groups.
We highlight flows for Alibaba, Shandong Hi-Speed, Meituan, Tencent, China Mobile, CSPC Pharma, China Telecom, HKEx, Hua Hong Semiconductor.


HK Connect Flows Weekly (Sep 26th): Alibaba, Shandong Hi-Speed, Meituan, Tencent, China Mobile

China

Jiumaojiu International Holdings Limited operates as a holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, focuses on manufactures food products. Jiumaojiu International Holdings serves customers in China.

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Jiumaojiu (9922 HK)

China Catering Sector: In Search of Alpha

Sentiment-driven rally is fading. We expect investors' focus to shift to company fundamental. Our store expansion framework points to Xiabu as the...

Eric Chen

Yum China: Looking Delicious with Record Profits Expected in 1Q23 and Potential for Further Growth

Yum China's 1Q23 OP may reach a record high of $350m, and annual profitability is expected to double. Consider buying Yum China for potential...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Xiabuxiabu (520 HK): Strong CNY Bodes Well for the Year of 2023

Strong operating data of Xiabuxiabu Group during CNY highlighted not only very favorable industry tailwinds but also significant progress in...

Eric Chen

Pre-IPO Guangzhou Xiao Noodles Catering Management (PHIP Updates) - Some Points Worth the Attention

Xiao Noodles' growth driven by capital raise concerns for investors about sustainability/profitability ahead, despite replicable capabilities....

Xinyao (Criss) Wang

HK Connect Flows Weekly (Sep 26th): Alibaba, Shandong Hi-Speed, Meituan, Tencent, China Mobile

We analyzed southbound Hong Kong connect flows in the past week and highlighted flows for Alibaba (9988 HK), Shandong Hi-Speed (412 HK), Meituan...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

China Catering Sector: In Search of Alpha

Sentiment-driven rally is fading. We expect investors' focus to shift to company fundamental. Our store expansion framework points to Xiabu as the...

Eric Chen

Yum China: Looking Delicious with Record Profits Expected in 1Q23 and Potential for Further Growth

Yum China's 1Q23 OP may reach a record high of $350m, and annual profitability is expected to double. Consider buying Yum China for potential...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Xiabuxiabu (520 HK): Strong CNY Bodes Well for the Year of 2023

Strong operating data of Xiabuxiabu Group during CNY highlighted not only very favorable industry tailwinds but also significant progress in...

Eric Chen

Pre-IPO Guangzhou Xiao Noodles Catering Management (PHIP Updates) - Some Points Worth the Attention

​Xiao Noodles' growth driven by capital raise concerns for investors about sustainability/profitability ahead, despite replicable capabilities....

Xinyao (Criss) Wang

HK Connect Flows Weekly (Sep 26th): Alibaba, Shandong Hi-Speed, Meituan, Tencent, China Mobile

We analyzed southbound Hong Kong connect flows in the past week and highlighted flows for Alibaba (9988 HK), Shandong Hi-Speed (412 HK), Meituan...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Xiao Noodles' growth driven by capital raise concerns for investors about sustainability/profitability ahead, despite replicable capabilities....