Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>On 4 November, the Chinese government suddenly announced it will waive visa requirements for South Korean citizens entering China. </li>
<li>This is likely to have a major positive impact on major travel/airline stocks including Hana Tour Service, Korean Air Lines,  Very Good Leisure, Yellow Balloon Tour, and Modetour Network.</li>
<li>A no-visa policy by China for South Korean citizens could also imply a reciprocal policy by the South Korean government. </li>
</ul>


On 4 November, the Chinese government suddenly announced it will waive visa requirements for South Korean citizens entering China. 
This is likely to have a major positive impact on major travel/airline stocks including Hana Tour Service, Korean Air Lines,  Very Good Leisure, Yellow Balloon Tour, and Modetour Network.
A no-visa policy by China for South Korean citizens could also imply a reciprocal policy by the South Korean government. 


Chinese Government Announces a No-Visa Policy for South Korean Citizens Entering China

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

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/paradise-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14940:1" rel="noopener">Paradise Co Ltd (034230 KS)</a> will move from the KOSDAQ Market to the KOSPI Market from the open of trading on 24 June.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/e-d-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29151:1" rel="noopener">E&amp;D Co Ltd (101360 KS)</a> will be added to the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kosdaq-150-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31077:1" rel="noopener">KOSDAQ 150 Index (KOSDQ150 INDEX)</a> at the close on 21 June to replace <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/paradise-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14940:1" rel="noopener">Paradise Co Ltd (034230 KS)</a>. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/paradise-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14940:1" rel="noopener">Paradise Co Ltd (034230 KS)</a> belongs to the Consumer Discretionary sector and there is a possibility of inclusion to the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX)</a> in December.</li>
</ul>



Paradise Co Ltd (034230 KS) will move from the KOSDAQ Market to the KOSPI Market from the open of trading on 24 June.

E&amp;D Co Ltd (101360 KS) will be added to the KOSDAQ 150 Index (KOSDQ150 INDEX) at the close on 21 June to replace Paradise Co Ltd (034230 KS). 

Paradise Co Ltd (034230 KS) belongs to the Consumer Discretionary sector and there is a possibility of inclusion to the Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX) in December.


KOSDAQ150 Adhoc Index Rebalance: Eco&Dream to Replace Paradise Co

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>On 28 November, the Korean National Assembly reached an agreement on a tax reform plan to officially lower taxes on dividends income. </li>
<li>The decline in tax on dividends is a definite step in the right direction. Nonetheless, the top bracket dividend tax rate cut was slightly less than what market was expecting. </li>
<li>Given that about 15%-25% dividend tax rates are more common in other developed countries,  Korea's reduction of dividend taxes is likely to be welcomed highly by many global investors.</li>
</ul>


On 28 November, the Korean National Assembly reached an agreement on a tax reform plan to officially lower taxes on dividends income. 
The decline in tax on dividends is a definite step in the right direction. Nonetheless, the top bracket dividend tax rate cut was slightly less than what market was expecting. 
Given that about 15%-25% dividend tax rates are more common in other developed countries,  Korea's reduction of dividend taxes is likely to be welcomed highly by many global investors.


Top Bracket Dividend Tax Rate Lowered to 30% in Korea [Moderately Positive]

<ul>
<li>The review period for the March rebalance of the KOSPI Size Indices will commence on 1 December and will end on 28 February.</li>
<li>Nearing the start of the averaging period, we forecast 34 migrating stocks. Among new listings, 1 stock could be added to LargeCap, 2 to MidCap and 2 to SmallCap.</li>
<li>The upward migrations have outperformed the downward migrations by a lot over the last 3 months. The gap in returns versus the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">KOSPI2 INDEX</a> is a lot smaller.</li>
</ul>


The review period for the March rebalance of the KOSPI Size Indices will commence on 1 December and will end on 28 February.
Nearing the start of the averaging period, we forecast 34 migrating stocks. Among new listings, 1 stock could be added to LargeCap, 2 to MidCap and 2 to SmallCap.
The upward migrations have outperformed the downward migrations by a lot over the last 3 months. The gap in returns versus the KOSPI2 INDEX is a lot smaller.


KOSPI Size Indices: Lots of Change as Averaging Starts

<ul>
<li>Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Hyun-jung has introduced a revised Income Tax Act that would lower the top tax rate on dividend income from 35% to 25%.</li>
<li>Given that this proposal is coming from the ruling Democratic Party, there is a fairly high probability that this could be passed into law in 3Q 2025.</li>
<li>We provide a list of 28 mid-cap/large cap stocks in Korea with more than 35% dividend payout and 3% or more dividend yield that could benefit from this new proposal.</li>
</ul>


Democratic Party lawmaker Kim Hyun-jung has introduced a revised Income Tax Act that would lower the top tax rate on dividend income from 35% to 25%.
Given that this proposal is coming from the ruling Democratic Party, there is a fairly high probability that this could be passed into law in 3Q 2025.
We provide a list of 28 mid-cap/large cap stocks in Korea with more than 35% dividend payout and 3% or more dividend yield that could benefit from this new proposal.


Separate Dividend Tax Plan in Korea: A Push for a 25% Rate for Top Bracket

South Korea

Kangwon Land Inc. is a casino and hotel services provider located in the Kangwon province area of South Korea.  The Company develops abandoned mines and builds gaming and entertainment facilities.  Kangwon Land operates a number of game tables and slot machines for domestic and international customers under its gaming licenses.

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Kangwon Land (035250 KS)

Chinese Government Announces a No-Visa Policy for South Korean Citizens Entering China

The Chinese government suddenly announced it will waive visa requirements for South Korean citizens entering China. This is likely to have a major...

Douglas Kim

KOSDAQ150 Adhoc Index Rebalance: Eco&Dream to Replace Paradise Co

Eco&Dream will replace Paradise Co in the KOSDAQ150 Index at the close on Friday. Paradise Co could be added to the KOSPI200 Index in December...

Brian Freitas

Top Bracket Dividend Tax Rate Lowered to 30% in Korea [Moderately Positive]

On 28 November, the Korean National Assembly reached an agreement on a tax reform plan to officially lower taxes on dividends income.

Douglas Kim

KOSPI Size Indices: Lots of Change as Averaging Starts

There could be 34 migrations for the KOSPI Size Indices in March. Among new listings, there could be 1 LargeCap add, 2 MidCap adds and 2 SmallCap...

Brian Freitas

Separate Dividend Tax Plan in Korea: A Push for a 25% Rate for Top Bracket

The final decision to lower top bracket dividend tax from 35% to 25% could be made in the next several days. There have been increasing local news...

Douglas Kim

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