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>There will be 3 changes for the Hang Seng Internet &amp; Information Technology Index (HSIII) at the March rebalance. There are some surprises.</li>
<li>Estimated one-way turnover at the rebalance is 5.6% resulting in a round-trip trade of HK$3.26bn (US$416m). 6 stocks will have over 1x ADV to trade.</li>
<li>There is huge short interest on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/east-buy-holding-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27796:1" rel="noopener">East Buy Holding (1797 HK)</a> and there could be some short covering ahead of the inclusion of the stock in the index.</li>
</ul>


There will be 3 changes for the Hang Seng Internet &amp; Information Technology Index (HSIII) at the March rebalance. There are some surprises.
Estimated one-way turnover at the rebalance is 5.6% resulting in a round-trip trade of HK$3.26bn (US$416m). 6 stocks will have over 1x ADV to trade.
There is huge short interest on East Buy Holding (1797 HK) and there could be some short covering ahead of the inclusion of the stock in the index.


Hang Seng Internet & IT Index Rebalance: Three Changes & One Big Surprise

Greater China Equity Long/Short Analyst

Eric Chen

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Koolearn’s successful transformation into a live-streaming e-commerce business showcased outstanding entrepreneurship and leadership of its founder Michael Yu, whom we highly respect.</li>
<li>That said, we expect its growth to decelerate materially after hitting RMB18 billion GMV by 2024. We value Koolearn at RMB36 billion (20% downside), drawing reference to VIPShop growth trajectory.</li>
<li>While high-frequency data on live-streaming business will drive near-term stock price (and potentially to the upside), its current valuation doesn’t pay off for long -term investors in our view.</li>
</ul>


Koolearn’s successful transformation into a live-streaming e-commerce business showcased outstanding entrepreneurship and leadership of its founder Michael Yu, whom we highly respect.
That said, we expect its growth to decelerate materially after hitting RMB18 billion GMV by 2024. We value Koolearn at RMB36 billion (20% downside), drawing reference to VIPShop growth trajectory.
While high-frequency data on live-streaming business will drive near-term stock price (and potentially to the upside), its current valuation doesn’t pay off for long -term investors in our view.


Koolearn (1797 HK): Don't Overpay for Growth

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.

Summary: Coursera, an online education platform will see its business model decelerate faster than expected. While the TAM trajectory of online education has clearly inflected higher due to the pandemic, we think  the Coursera’s growth trajectory is being mismodeled based on 2020’s surge in signups. Coursera’s profitability is dependent on scaling its enterprise and degree customer bases. While the demand for upskilling employees is real, intense competition from LinkedIn, Pluralsight, and others may crimp growth and gross margins segment, while a lack of leverage with its content suppliers (university partners), plus edX’s open source alternative  weaken revenue sharing over time. A lack of tangible evidence of Coursera’s skills-based credentialing translating to jobs will result in underwhelming consumer growth and lack of pricing power. Downside risks around regulation and competitive incursion by tech platforms paired with an obscene valuation make a compelling short case. Base Case Valuation: $33                                  Bull Case: $57                                 Bear Case: $20<div class="content-highlight">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.</div>

Summary: Coursera, an online education platform will see its business model decelerate faster than expected. While the TAM trajectory of online education has clearly inflected higher due to the pandemic, we think  the Coursera’s growth trajectory is being mismodeled based on 2020’s surge in signups. Coursera’s profitability is dependent on scaling its enterprise and degree customer bases. While the demand for upskilling employees is real, intense competition from LinkedIn, Pluralsight, and others may crimp growth and gross margins segment, while a lack of leverage with its content suppliers (university partners), plus edX’s open source alternative  weaken revenue sharing over time. A lack of tangible evidence of Coursera’s skills-based credentialing translating to jobs will result in underwhelming consumer growth and lack of pricing power. Downside risks around regulation and competitive incursion by tech platforms paired with an obscene valuation make a compelling short case. Base Case Valuation: $33                                  Bull Case: $57                                 Bear Case: $20Obex’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.

Blue Lotus Non US Internet research, Blue Lotus Research Institute

Ying Pan

Blue Lotus Non US Internet research

China growth and global non-US Internet equities

Blue Lotus Research Institute

Blue Lotus Research is a Hong Kong Type 4 Licensed investment advisory firm focusing on Chinese growth equities and global non-US Internet equities

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>PDD US: Temu merchants report a new round of forced price reductions (+)</li>
<li>3690 HK: Meituan Restructures Delivery Business to Boost Efficiency, Refine Operations Amid Slowing Order Growth(+)</li>
<li>Douyin/1797 HK/2618 HK/3690 HK: JD Logistics Partners with EastBuy to Launch "Delivery in hours" Service, Directly Competing with Meituan(+/-)</li>
</ul>


PDD US: Temu merchants report a new round of forced price reductions (+)
3690 HK: Meituan Restructures Delivery Business to Boost Efficiency, Refine Operations Amid Slowing Order Growth(+)
Douyin/1797 HK/2618 HK/3690 HK: JD Logistics Partners with EastBuy to Launch "Delivery in hours" Service, Directly Competing with Meituan(+/-)


[Blue Lotus Daily - TMT Update]:PDD US/3690 HK/Douyin/1797 HK/2618 HK/NTES US/TCOM US/ATAT US

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

<ul>
<li>The Hang Seng announces changes along with prospective flows 2wks before the actual change. Capping flows are calculated off the close three days before implementation. That was today.</li>
<li>There have been some minor movements in the rankings. Nothing major. There is still just over US$1bn to trade, one-way.</li>
<li>Enclosed are totals for each of the three major indices (Hang Seng, HSCEI, and HS Tech) and then netted flows. The biggest is US$470mm of BABA to sell. Spreadsheet attached.</li>
</ul>


The Hang Seng announces changes along with prospective flows 2wks before the actual change. Capping flows are calculated off the close three days before implementation. That was today.
There have been some minor movements in the rankings. Nothing major. There is still just over US$1bn to trade, one-way.
Enclosed are totals for each of the three major indices (Hang Seng, HSCEI, and HS Tech) and then netted flows. The biggest is US$470mm of BABA to sell. Spreadsheet attached.


Final Hang Seng Index Flows for 1 Sep Rebal (AAC, EastBuy, BABA, Sinopharm, Trip.com)

China

East Buy Holding Limited operates livestreaming platform businesses. The Company provides private label products including agricultural products, food, books, and household goods. East Buy Holding also conducts college education businesses.

East Buy Holding (1797 HK)

Hang Seng Internet & IT Index Rebalance: Three Changes & One Big Surprise

There are 3 changes for the HSIII in March. Estimated one-way turnover at the rebalance is 5.6% resulting in a round-trip trade of HK$3.26bn...

Brian Freitas

Koolearn (1797 HK): Don't Overpay for Growth

We draw reference to VIPShop and value Koolearn at RMB36 billion by 2024 – 20% downside to its current valuation, based on 20x PE on RMB1.8 billion...

Eric Chen

Coursera: Back to School

Coursera, an online education platform will see its business model decelerate faster than expected. Downside risks around regulation and...

Aaron Gabin

[Blue Lotus Daily - TMT Update]:PDD US/3690 HK/Douyin/1797 HK/2618 HK/NTES US/TCOM US/ATAT US

Merchants in Temu report forced price reductions, Meituan restructures delivery business for efficiency, JD Logistics partners with EastBuy for...

Blue Lotus Research Institute

Final Hang Seng Index Flows for 1 Sep Rebal (AAC, EastBuy, BABA, Sinopharm, Trip.com)

The Hang Seng indices will be rebalanced at the close of 1 Sep based on FAF and name changes announced 18 August, and capping flows based on 29...

Travis Lundy

Hang Seng Internet & IT Index Rebalance: Three Changes & One Big Surprise

There are 3 changes for the HSIII in March. Estimated one-way turnover at the rebalance is 5.6% resulting in a round-trip trade of HK$3.26bn...

Brian Freitas

Koolearn (1797 HK): Don't Overpay for Growth

We draw reference to VIPShop and value Koolearn at RMB36 billion by 2024 – 20% downside to its current valuation, based on 20x PE on RMB1.8 billion...

Eric Chen

Coursera: Back to School

Coursera, an online education platform will see its business model decelerate faster than expected. Downside risks around regulation and...

Aaron Gabin

[Blue Lotus Daily - TMT Update]:PDD US/3690 HK/Douyin/1797 HK/2618 HK/NTES US/TCOM US/ATAT US

​Merchants in Temu report forced price reductions, Meituan restructures delivery business for efficiency, JD Logistics partners with EastBuy for...

Blue Lotus Research Institute

Final Hang Seng Index Flows for 1 Sep Rebal (AAC, EastBuy, BABA, Sinopharm, Trip.com)

The Hang Seng indices will be rebalanced at the close of 1 Sep based on FAF and name changes announced 18 August, and capping flows based on 29...

Travis Lundy

Merchants in Temu report forced price reductions, Meituan restructures delivery business for efficiency, JD Logistics partners with EastBuy for...