Equity Analyst - Asia Consumer Sector, Investory

Devi Subhakesan

Equity Analyst - Asia Consumer Sector

ASIA CONSUMER: INSIGHTS AND INVESTMENT IDEAS

Investory

Investory is a Singapore-based boutique independent equity research firm founded in January 2017 with a primary focus on consumption themes across Asia-Pacific.

We aim to generate investible ideas based on consumption trends and outlook. We screen our ideas on several parameters - product potential, long-term growth and management commitment being the most critical.  We follow a fundamental analysis approach in our stock selection process and are not restricted by market cap.

We aspire to grow into a leading source of unbiased research, free of conflict of interest, for investors yearning for independent and disciplined analysis. 

We also undertake bespoke research mandates to support our Institutional clients’ investment needs.

Our team comprises of professionals with extensive experience in the Asian equity markets, in areas ranging from research, servicing institutional clients and investment management.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

In this Smartkarma Original Series report, we scan the Asia Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) channel space for Consumer Packaged Goods to identify the verticals that have gained wider consumer acceptance and witnessed steady growth in each of the key geographies - China, South East Asia, and India. We look into the factors that enabled notable D2C brands in the Beauty, Fashion, and Food verticals to make steady inroads and disrupt the sector within a short period. We discuss the D2C ecosystem, brand journey and key challenges. 2020 has been the year that fast-tracked online retail penetration in most parts of Asia. In this context, we profile D2C brands with either a dominant segment presence or unique business model to gain a deeper understanding of the Asia D2C landscape.
What is original about this report? Insights and takeaways for Investors in Asia D2C branded players in consumer space based on our comparative study of the segment across three key geographies - China, SE Asia, and India. China's early march in digital transformation and D2C market space offers valuable lessons to players/investors in early-stage digital markets like India which is witnessing aggressive traction in this space. Insights discussed in the report have mostly been weaned from the startup experiences shared by founders of reputed D2C brands. The report also analyses investment outlook for select digitally native D2C brands with lead segment presence and/or unique business models.

 In this Smartkarma Original Series report, we scan the Asia Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) channel space for Consumer Packaged Goods to identify the verticals that have gained wider consumer acceptance and witnessed steady growth in each of the key geographies - China, South East Asia, and India. We look into the factors that enabled notable D2C brands in the Beauty, Fashion, and Food verticals to make steady inroads and disrupt the sector within a short period. We discuss the D2C ecosystem, brand journey and key challenges. 2020 has been the year that fast-tracked online retail penetration in most parts of Asia. In this context, we profile D2C brands with either a dominant segment presence or unique business model to gain a deeper understanding of the Asia D2C landscape.
What is original about this report? Insights and takeaways for Investors in Asia D2C branded players in consumer space based on our comparative study of the segment across three key geographies - China, SE Asia, and India. China's early march in digital transformation and D2C market space offers valuable lessons to players/investors in early-stage digital markets like India which is witnessing aggressive traction in this space. Insights discussed in the report have mostly been weaned from the startup experiences shared by founders of reputed D2C brands. The report also analyses investment outlook for select digitally native D2C brands with lead segment presence and/or unique business models.

D2C Brands in Asia: Disruption Potential in Consumer Space

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

Our base case continues to be for near-term consolidation while the market determines the implications of states’ reopening (i.e., the “wait-and-see” phase). Until this consolidation period resolves below support or above resistance we are maintaining a relatively neutral stance considering the wide range of outcomes. Many major indexes are testing logical resistance and until we see breakouts it is hard to get too bullish. In this report we highlight attractive stocks from a RS perspective.

Our base case continues to be for near-term consolidation while the market determines the implications of states’ reopening (i.e., the “wait-and-see” phase). Until this consolidation period resolves below support or above resistance we are maintaining a relatively neutral stance considering the wide range of outcomes. Many major indexes are testing logical resistance and until we see breakouts it is hard to get too bullish. In this report we highlight attractive stocks from a RS perspective.

U.S. Equity Strategy: Round Trip Back To Resistance

Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

<ul>
<li>
Increasing Systemic Risks:Events are moving quickly and the fluidity of this pandemic has created a destructive amount of market volatility, which likely is the new normal given issues Quant Funds, illiquidity, the lack of US preparation and global leadership, and the corporate bond market are all becoming systemic risks.</li>
<li> Global Recession Already Underway: A global recession is already well underway, which should worsen given how much this pandemic is having on consumer confidence.  </li>
<li>Financial Stability Called Into Question:The global market rout is calling financial stability into question. This crisis of confidence and increased likelihood of waterfall of losses that will make for a VERY toxic cocktail – especially considering that many names are still not profitable on an operating basis.   </li>
</ul>



Increasing Systemic Risks:Events are moving quickly and the fluidity of this pandemic has created a destructive amount of market volatility, which likely is the new normal given issues Quant Funds, illiquidity, the lack of US preparation and global leadership, and the corporate bond market are all becoming systemic risks.
 Global Recession Already Underway: A global recession is already well underway, which should worsen given how much this pandemic is having on consumer confidence.  
Financial Stability Called Into Question:The global market rout is calling financial stability into question. This crisis of confidence and increased likelihood of waterfall of losses that will make for a VERY toxic cocktail – especially considering that many names are still not profitable on an operating basis.   


US-EU Index Rebalances / Quantitative Researcher

Dimitris Ioannidis

Global Financial Data and Analytics Platform

ORTEX

ORTEX is a global financial data and analytics platform providing real-time securities lending and short interest data, index rebalance data, holdings and insider transactions, trading signals, corporate actions and news,  stock machine learning and factor scores and other analytics. The majority of the data are downloadable and accessible through APIs.

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>There are 5 additions and 5 deletions expected in Nasdaq100 at the June 2026 review following the new methodology.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rocket-lab-usa-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:37023:1" rel="noopener">Rocket Lab (RKLB US)</a> is forecasted to become eligible after the June 2026 review following its recent listing transfer from the Nasdaq Capital Market to Nasdaq Global Market.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/flex-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36680:1" rel="noopener">Flex (FLEX US)</a> is projected to be a high-impact addition to Nasdaq100 combined with its expected S&amp;P500 inclusion in June 2026.</li>
</ul>


There are 5 additions and 5 deletions expected in Nasdaq100 at the June 2026 review following the new methodology.

Rocket Lab (RKLB US) is forecasted to become eligible after the June 2026 review following its recent listing transfer from the Nasdaq Capital Market to Nasdaq Global Market.

Flex (FLEX US) is projected to be a high-impact addition to Nasdaq100 combined with its expected S&amp;P500 inclusion in June 2026.


Rocket Lab (RKLB US): Delayed Launch Into Nasdaq100 After 10 Expected Changes in Jun26

<div class="content-highlight">
Highlights of this week's consumption diary:
Entry and an Exit. IKEA's recent entry into India and its massive investment plans could transform India's home improvement sector. GSK is exiting its consumer healthcare business and suitors have queued up for Horlicks, the iconic malt-based drink.
Weekly update of actionable Insights published on SmartKarma in the Asia consumption sector:
Two high conviction BUYs from SmartKarma: well-known piano maker from Japan <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/17841" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:17841:1">Yamaha Corp (7951 JP)</a> and fast growth tech product retailer from Thailand, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/27411" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27411:1">Com7 PCL (COM7 TB)</a> 
</div>
Asia's Consumer discretionary, staples and services sector offers attractive investment opportunities with long-term growth potential. However, disruptive technology, rising internet penetration, changing millennial preferences, shifting demographic patterns, increasing female education levels/labor participation rates are influencing industry trends and impacting traditional players while opening opportunities for new. Watch out for our Consumption Diary to give you a heads up on events and insights in this space.


Highlights of this week's consumption diary:
Entry and an Exit. IKEA's recent entry into India and its massive investment plans could transform India's home improvement sector. GSK is exiting its consumer healthcare business and suitors have queued up for Horlicks, the iconic malt-based drink.
Weekly update of actionable Insights published on SmartKarma in the Asia consumption sector:
Two high conviction BUYs from SmartKarma: well-known piano maker from Japan Yamaha Corp (7951 JP) and fast growth tech product retailer from Thailand, Com7 PCL (COM7 TB) 

Asia's Consumer discretionary, staples and services sector offers attractive investment opportunities with long-term growth potential. However, disruptive technology, rising internet penetration, changing millennial preferences, shifting demographic patterns, increasing female education levels/labor participation rates are influencing industry trends and impacting traditional players while opening opportunities for new. Watch out for our Consumption Diary to give you a heads up on events and insights in this space.

Consumption Diary: As IKEA Storms India, GSK Wants a Way Out; Actionable Insights from Smartkarma

United States

The Kraft Heinz Company provides food services. The Company offers foods including ketchup, sauces, meals, snacks, and other food products.

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Kraft Heinz Co (KHC US)

D2C Brands in Asia: Disruption Potential in Consumer Space

Insights for investors based on comparative study of Asia D2C landscape across India, SE Asia & China.Analysis of relative segment attractiveness....

Devi Subhakesan

U.S. Equity Strategy: Round Trip Back To Resistance

Our base case continues to be for near-term consolidation while the market determines the implications of states’ reopening (i.e., the...

Vermilion Research

Toxic Cocktail

Increasing Systemic Risks:Events are moving quickly and the fluidity of this pandemic has created a destructive amount of market volatility,...

Thomas J. Monaco

Rocket Lab (RKLB US): Delayed Launch Into Nasdaq100 After 10 Expected Changes in Jun26

From the methodology footnote it was derived that Nasdaq-affiliated exchanges exclude the Nasdaq Capital Market where RKLB traded until May26 so...

Dimitris Ioannidis

Consumption Diary: As IKEA Storms India, GSK Wants a Way Out; Actionable Insights from Smartkarma

Highlights of this week's consumption diary: Entry and an Exit. IKEA's recent entry into India and its massive investment plans could transform...

Devi Subhakesan

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