TMT & Consumer Independent Equity Research Analyst, Obex Capital Research

Aaron Gabin

TMT & Consumer Independent Equity Research Analyst

TMT & Consumer Independent Equity Research

Obex Capital Research

“Obex” is Latin for Barriers to Entry. Obex Capital Management’s investment philosophy is driven by an intense focus on which business model’s Barriers to Entry are able to withstand the ever increasing competitive disruption in the TMT and Consumer Sectors.

Equity Bottom-Up

<p>DoorDash is one of our highest conviction shorts for 2021. It has a massively unprofitable business model with unstable market share that must be protected through unlimited spending. We think this is a $60-70 stock eventually.</p>

DoorDash is one of our highest conviction shorts for 2021. It has a massively unprofitable business model with unstable market share that must be protected through unlimited spending. We think this is a $60-70 stock eventually.

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport, Tracking Traffic

Daniel Hellberg

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport

Tracking Traffic

Focusing on Asian logistics, transportation, and travel companies

Equity Capital Markets

<p>US-based online food delivery company <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/doordash-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28881:1" rel="noopener">DoorDash Inc (0881510D US)</a> has filed to go public. In this note we describe the company's operations and compare its scale and efficiency to other online food delivery companies in the US and around the globe. </p>
<p>Intensely focused and increasingly dominant in its home market, DoorDash has made admirable progress toward profitability by focusing on smaller cities and suburban areas in the US. This approach is the opposite of conventional wisdom, which suggests that only a handful of large US cities can generate the order density necessary to make online food delivery economically viable. </p>
<p>DoorDash is seeking growth from new market segments adjacent to its core operation even as it faces the threat of a large, disruptive new entrant in US online food delivery. Last valued at US$16 bn in June 2020, we believe DoorDash's unorthodox approach deserves to be thoroughly understood by investors. We will write more about DoorDash as the IPO process moves forward.</p>

US-based online food delivery company DoorDash Inc (0881510D US) has filed to go public. In this note we describe the company's operations and compare its scale and efficiency to other online food delivery companies in the US and around the globe. 
Intensely focused and increasingly dominant in its home market, DoorDash has made admirable progress toward profitability by focusing on smaller cities and suburban areas in the US. This approach is the opposite of conventional wisdom, which suggests that only a handful of large US cities can generate the order density necessary to make online food delivery economically viable. 
DoorDash is seeking growth from new market segments adjacent to its core operation even as it faces the threat of a large, disruptive new entrant in US online food delivery. Last valued at US$16 bn in June 2020, we believe DoorDash's unorthodox approach deserves to be thoroughly understood by investors. We will write more about DoorDash as the IPO process moves forward.

DoorDash IPO Context: What It Is & How It Compares to Online Food Delivery Universe

<p>We hope <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dida-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29701:1" rel="noopener">Dida (DIDA HK)</a> will publish another set of updated financial statements (from Q3 2020) before it lists in Hong Kong later this year. If and when those results are published, investors should study them carefully to detect signs of a resurgent <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/didi-chuxing-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27467:1" rel="noopener">DiDi Chuxing (1284375D CH)</a> , the ride-hailing giant that exited the car pool market in late 2018 but quietly re-entered about a year ago.</p>
<p>The two most telling signs of a DiDi ChuXing resurgence in the car pool segment would be: </p>
<ol>
<li>Dida Inc's car pool revenue growing <em>slower</em> than its car pool ride volume or GTV</li>
<li>A sharp rise in Sales &amp; Marketing expenses relative to DiDa Inc's overall revenue</li>
</ol>
<p>Both of the above metrics would be reflected in DiDa Inc's car pool 'take rate': the <em>net</em> revenue it earns on booking car pool rides <em>after</em> deducting any incentives paid to drivers, payments that have likely diminished dramatically in the two years since Didi ChuXing exited the market. </p>
<p>We suspect that in the absence of a large, savvy competitor (like DiDi ChuXing), DiDa Inc's 'take rate' is <em>higher</em> and its spending on Sales &amp; Marketing is <em>lower</em> than it would be otherwise. Signs that DiDi ChuXing is aggressively pushing its way back into this market -- which it used to dominate, and not so long ago -- would be negative for DiDa Inc, in our view.</p>
<p>In fact, the 'free ride' DiDa Inc has enjoyed as the dominant (and quite profitable) player in the growing car pool segment could come to an end. </p>

We hope Dida (DIDA HK) will publish another set of updated financial statements (from Q3 2020) before it lists in Hong Kong later this year. If and when those results are published, investors should study them carefully to detect signs of a resurgent DiDi Chuxing (1284375D CH) , the ride-hailing giant that exited the car pool market in late 2018 but quietly re-entered about a year ago.
The two most telling signs of a DiDi ChuXing resurgence in the car pool segment would be: 

Dida Inc's car pool revenue growing slower than its car pool ride volume or GTV
A sharp rise in Sales &amp; Marketing expenses relative to DiDa Inc's overall revenue

Both of the above metrics would be reflected in DiDa Inc's car pool 'take rate': the net revenue it earns on booking car pool rides after deducting any incentives paid to drivers, payments that have likely diminished dramatically in the two years since Didi ChuXing exited the market. 
We suspect that in the absence of a large, savvy competitor (like DiDi ChuXing), DiDa Inc's 'take rate' is higher and its spending on Sales &amp; Marketing is lower than it would be otherwise. Signs that DiDi ChuXing is aggressively pushing its way back into this market -- which it used to dominate, and not so long ago -- would be negative for DiDa Inc, in our view.
In fact, the 'free ride' DiDa Inc has enjoyed as the dominant (and quite profitable) player in the growing car pool segment could come to an end. 

No More 'Free Ride'? Key DiDa Inc Metrics That Could Reveal a DiDi ChuXing Resurgence

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

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<p>This week in StubWorld ...</p>
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<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/prosus-nv" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28104:1" rel="noopener">Prosus (PRX NA)</a>'s discount to NAV has narrowed since its low in late March; yet <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/naspers-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21085:1" rel="noopener">Naspers (NPN SJ)</a> is around its widest NAV discount subsequent to the Prosus spin-off in September last year.  Naspers' look-thru discount into Tencent is currently 54%, vs. 34% at the time of the spin-off. </p>
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<p>Preceding my comments on Naspers/Prosus/Tencent <em>and </em><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-lung-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:50:1" rel="noopener">Hang Lung (10 HK)</a> / <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-lung-properties-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:49:1" rel="noopener">Hang Lung Properties (101 HK)</a>, are the weekly setup/unwind tables for Asia-Pacific Holdcos.</p>
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<p>These relationships trade with a minimum liquidity threshold of US$1mn on a 90-day moving average, and a % market capitalisation threshold - the $ value of the holding/opco held, over the parent’s market capitalisation, expressed in percent - of at least 20%.</p>
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<p>As always, more below the fold.</p>
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This week in StubWorld ...

Prosus (PRX NA)'s discount to NAV has narrowed since its low in late March; yet Naspers (NPN SJ) is around its widest NAV discount subsequent to the Prosus spin-off in September last year.  Naspers' look-thru discount into Tencent is currently 54%, vs. 34% at the time of the spin-off. 





Preceding my comments on Naspers/Prosus/Tencent and Hang Lung (10 HK) / Hang Lung Properties (101 HK), are the weekly setup/unwind tables for Asia-Pacific Holdcos.

These relationships trade with a minimum liquidity threshold of US$1mn on a 90-day moving average, and a % market capitalisation threshold - the $ value of the holding/opco held, over the parent’s market capitalisation, expressed in percent - of at least 20%.





As always, more below the fold.


StubWorld: Naspers Is Cheap To Prosus & Look-Thru

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<p><strong>This week we highlight Snapchat's platform ambitions, the rebound in social media ad dollars, and the conclusion (?) of the Grubhub deal saga.</strong></p><div class="content-highlight"><p>Obex’s fundamental research process is focused on secular change in the TMT and Consumer sectors. We seek to differentiate between fundamental business analysis and security analysis. Before deciding if a security’s pricing and positioning merit a long or short position, we analyze the four pillars of business fundamentals (Secular Factors, TAM, Competitive Advantage, Business Model) in order to determine if this is a “good” or “not so good” opportunity.</p></div>

This week we highlight Snapchat's platform ambitions, the rebound in social media ad dollars, and the conclusion (?) of the Grubhub deal saga.Obex’s fundamental research process is focused on secular change in the TMT and Consumer sectors. We seek to differentiate between fundamental business analysis and security analysis. Before deciding if a security’s pricing and positioning merit a long or short position, we analyze the four pillars of business fundamentals (Secular Factors, TAM, Competitive Advantage, Business Model) in order to determine if this is a “good” or “not so good” opportunity.

TMT Weekly: 3 Things that Stood Out The Week of 6/​​12/​​2020

United Kingdom

Just Eat PLC provides online marketplace for restaurant delivery. The Company offers online takeaway ordering services that allows consumers to search for and order in real-time from their local takeaway restaurants. Just Eat operates worldwide.

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Just Eat (JE/ LN)

DoorDash: Run for the Exits

DoorDash is one of our top short picks for 2021. We think the earnings implosion is just the start as it fails to comp its outrageously fortunate...

Aaron Gabin

DoorDash IPO Context: What It Is & How It Compares to Online Food Delivery Universe

US-based on-demand food delivery company DoorDash plans to list soon. In this note we show investors how DoorDash differs from some of its peers in...

Tracking Traffic

No More 'Free Ride'? Key DiDa Inc Metrics That Could Reveal a DiDi ChuXing Resurgence

DiDa Inc has carved out a niche for itself in China's growing car pool segment. But should ride-hailing giant DiDi ChuXing re-emerge as a player,...

Tracking Traffic

StubWorld: Naspers Is Cheap To Prosus & Look-Thru

This week in StubWorld ... Prosus (PRX NA)'s discount to NAV has narrowed since its low in late March; yet Naspers (NPN SJ) is around its widest...

David Blennerhassett

TMT Weekly: 3 Things that Stood Out The Week of 6/12/2020

This week we highlight Snapchat's platform ambitions, the rebound in social media ad dollars, and the conclusion (?) of the Grubhub deal...

Aaron Gabin

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

DoorDash: Run for the Exits

DoorDash is one of our top short picks for 2021. We think the earnings implosion is just the start as it fails to comp its outrageously fortunate...

Aaron Gabin

DoorDash IPO Context: What It Is & How It Compares to Online Food Delivery Universe

US-based on-demand food delivery company DoorDash plans to list soon. In this note we show investors how DoorDash differs from some of its peers in...

Tracking Traffic

No More 'Free Ride'? Key DiDa Inc Metrics That Could Reveal a DiDi ChuXing Resurgence

DiDa Inc has carved out a niche for itself in China's growing car pool segment. But should ride-hailing giant DiDi ChuXing re-emerge as a player,...

Tracking Traffic

StubWorld: Naspers Is Cheap To Prosus & Look-Thru

This week in StubWorld ... Prosus (PRX NA)'s discount to NAV has narrowed since its low in late March; yet Naspers (NPN SJ) is around its widest...

David Blennerhassett

TMT Weekly: 3 Things that Stood Out The Week of 6/​​12/​​2020

This week we highlight Snapchat's platform ambitions, the rebound in social media ad dollars, and the conclusion (?) of the Grubhub deal...

Aaron Gabin

TMT Weekly: 3 Things that Stood Out The Week of 6/12/2020