Senior Credit Analyst, Lucror Analytics

Leonard Law, CFA

Senior Credit Analyst

High Yield Experts

Lucror Analytics

Lucror Analytics is a leading credit and ESG research specialist and a provider of technology solutions for differentiated fixed income strategies. Our roots are in bottom-up fundamental credit analysis with a specialization in high yield corporate credits from Europe, Asia and Latin America. We are one of few research specialists integrating ESG considerations with fundamental credit research through a dedicated ESG platform. Our ESG assessment covers five key criteria: Disclosure, E,S, & G Pillars, Controversies, ESG Impact on Credit and ESG Momentum.

Recognizing the importance and value-add of Factor Investing in fixed income, Lucror developed the Smart Quant Navigator (SQN), an intuitive platform that helps clients devise and implement factor-based strategies ranging from pure quant to active fundamental, with integrated ESG.

Our company has been at the forefront of developments in the fixed income markets, identifying opportunities and consistently delivering new products and value-adding solutions to clients. Lucror has close relationships with the largest and most reputable asset managers, family offices, hedge funds, investment and wealth managers globally.

Credit

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.<ul><li><a href='#lucror-entity-18561'>JSW Steel Ltd</a></li></ul>

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.JSW Steel Ltd

Trung Nguyen

JSW Steel has delivered strong Q2/23-24 results in our view, driven by higher volumes and a recovery in steel prices. The numbers were in line with management's earlier guidance for an improvement in operating environment and steel prices. The financial risk profile is improving, and liquidity is adequate. Steel prices remained the key credit driver. A small price increase has resulted in a significant EBITDA increment, due to the high operating leverage. Based on management's guidance for an improvement in the operating environment and steel prices, we expect better H2/23-24 numbers, with revenues inching up and a larger earnings improvement. Debt will likely remain stable following the merger with JISPL (completed in Q2), and the leverage profile should continue improving on the back of higher earnings.

  JSW Steel has delivered strong Q2/23-24 results in our view, driven by higher volumes and a recovery in steel prices. The numbers were in line with management's earlier guidance for an improvement in operating environment and steel prices. The financial risk profile is improving, and liquidity is adequate.   Steel prices remained the key credit driver. A small price increase has resulted in a significant EBITDA increment, due to the high operating leverage. Based on management's guidance for an improvement in the operating environment and steel prices, we expect better H2/23-24 numbers, with revenues inching up and a larger earnings improvement. Debt will likely remain stable following the merger with JISPL (completed in Q2), and the leverage profile should continue improving on the back of higher earnings. 

JSW Steel - Earnings Flash - Q2 FY 2023-24 Results - Lucror Analytics

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.<ul><li><a href='#lucror-entity-6544'>AAC Technologies Holdings</a></li><li><a href='#lucror-entity-18561'>JSW Steel Ltd</a></li><li><a href='#lucror-entity-198'>Reliance Industries</a></li></ul>

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.AAC Technologies HoldingsJSW Steel LtdReliance Industries

Morning Views Asia: AAC Technologies Holdings, JSW Steel Ltd, Reliance Industries

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>Following <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/housing-development-finance" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:252:1" rel="noopener">HDFC Limited (HDFC IN)</a>'s delisting, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jsw-steel-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18561:1" rel="noopener">JSW Steel Ltd (JSTL IN)</a> will be added to the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-p-bse-sensex-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31494:1" rel="noopener">S&amp;P BSE SENSEX Index (SENSEX INDEX EQUITY)</a> at the close on 12 July.</li>
<li>The change was largely expected, but passive trackers need to buy over 5 days of ADV and nearly 12 days of delivery volume of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jsw-steel-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18561:1" rel="noopener">JSW Steel Ltd (JSTL IN)</a> .</li>
<li>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/housing-development-finance" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:252:1" rel="noopener">HDFC Limited (HDFC IN)</a> delisting could help <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wipro-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15360:1" rel="noopener">Wipro Ltd (WPRO IN)</a> in avoiding deletion from the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-p-bse-sensex-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31494:1" rel="noopener">S&amp;P BSE SENSEX Index (SENSEX INDEX EQUITY)</a> in December.</li>
</ul>


Following HDFC Limited (HDFC IN)'s delisting, JSW Steel Ltd (JSTL IN) will be added to the S&amp;P BSE SENSEX Index (SENSEX INDEX EQUITY) at the close on 12 July.
The change was largely expected, but passive trackers need to buy over 5 days of ADV and nearly 12 days of delivery volume of JSW Steel Ltd (JSTL IN) .
The HDFC Limited (HDFC IN) delisting could help Wipro Ltd (WPRO IN) in avoiding deletion from the S&amp;P BSE SENSEX Index (SENSEX INDEX EQUITY) in December.


SENSEX Ad Hoc Rebalance: JSW Steel Replaces HDFC

<ul>
<li>An interview with Deepak Parekh set a bunch of stocks on fire. Then came the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hdfc-bank-ltd-4b6b7a92-9087-468d-9dbe-ab169e77f014" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:558:1" rel="noopener">HDFC Bank (HDFCB IN)</a> exchange announcement that said the dates were still tentative.</li>
<li>Indications are that the merger could be effective 1 July and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/housing-development-finance" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:252:1" rel="noopener">HDFC Limited (HDFC IN)</a>'s last trading day would be 13 July.</li>
<li>The merger will have an impact on both HDFC stocks and on other stocks that could be added to the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nifty-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23617:1" rel="noopener">NIFTY Index</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nse-nifty-next-50-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36053:1" rel="noopener">NIFTYJR INDEX</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-p-bse-sensex-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31494:1" rel="noopener">SENSEX Index</a>.</li>
</ul>


An interview with Deepak Parekh set a bunch of stocks on fire. Then came the HDFC Bank (HDFCB IN) exchange announcement that said the dates were still tentative.
Indications are that the merger could be effective 1 July and HDFC Limited (HDFC IN)'s last trading day would be 13 July.
The merger will have an impact on both HDFC stocks and on other stocks that could be added to the NIFTY Index, NIFTYJR INDEX and SENSEX Index.


HDFC/​​​​​​HDFC Bank Mega Merger: Are We There Yet?

India

JSW Steel Limited is an integrated steel producer with manufacturing facilities in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and the western state of Maharashtra. The Company produces products including hot rolled coils, cold rolled coils, wire rods, galvanized coils and sheets.

JSW Steel Ltd (JSTL IN)

Morning Views Asia: JSW Steel Ltd

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region,...

Lucror Analytics

JSW Steel - Earnings Flash - Q2 FY 2023-24 Results - Lucror Analytics

JSW Steel has delivered strong Q2/23-24 results in our view, driven by higher volumes and a recovery in steel prices. The numbers were in line...

Lucror Analytics

Morning Views Asia: AAC Technologies Holdings, JSW Steel Ltd, Reliance Industries

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region,...

Lucror Analytics

SENSEX Ad Hoc Rebalance: JSW Steel Replaces HDFC

JSW Steel (JSTL) replaces HDFC in the SENSEX at the close on 12 July. There will be pre-positions on JSTL but the stock could move higher on the...

Brian Freitas

HDFC/HDFC Bank Mega Merger: Are We There Yet?

The HDFC/HDFCB merger could complete in 2-3 weeks. This will set off changes to a bunch of indices and impact a bunch of stocks. We look at the...

Brian Freitas

Morning Views Asia: JSW Steel Ltd

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region,...

Lucror Analytics

JSW Steel - Earnings Flash - Q2 FY 2023-24 Results - Lucror Analytics

JSW Steel has delivered strong Q2/23-24 results in our view, driven by higher volumes and a recovery in steel prices. The numbers were in line...

Lucror Analytics

Morning Views Asia: AAC Technologies Holdings, JSW Steel Ltd, Reliance Industries

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region,...

Lucror Analytics

SENSEX Ad Hoc Rebalance: JSW Steel Replaces HDFC

JSW Steel (JSTL) replaces HDFC in the SENSEX at the close on 12 July. There will be pre-positions on JSTL but the stock could move higher on the...

Brian Freitas

HDFC/​​​​​​HDFC Bank Mega Merger: Are We There Yet?

The HDFC/HDFCB merger could complete in 2-3 weeks. This will set off changes to a bunch of indices and impact a bunch of stocks. We look at the...

Brian Freitas

HDFC/HDFC Bank Mega Merger: Are We There Yet?