IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Ahead of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aag-energy-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:501:1" rel="noopener">Aag Energy Holdings (2686 HK)</a>’s vote on 27 April, the gross spread to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/xinjiang-xintai-natural-gas-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27036:1" rel="noopener">Xinjiang Xintai Natural Gas (603393 CH)</a>’s HK$1.85 offer sits uncomfortably high at 13.5%. </li>
<li>The key risk remains that minorities vote down the scheme. Retail forums are active with mixed views on the offer. Peers have also modestly re-rated, which helps the NO camp. </li>
<li>At the last close, the risk-reward profile is unfavourable as the downside to a scheme fail (-16.0%) is greater than the upside to a scheme pass (+13.5%).  </li>
</ul>


Ahead of Aag Energy Holdings (2686 HK)’s vote on 27 April, the gross spread to Xinjiang Xintai Natural Gas (603393 CH)’s HK$1.85 offer sits uncomfortably high at 13.5%. 
The key risk remains that minorities vote down the scheme. Retail forums are active with mixed views on the offer. Peers have also modestly re-rated, which helps the NO camp. 
At the last close, the risk-reward profile is unfavourable as the downside to a scheme fail (-16.0%) is greater than the upside to a scheme pass (+13.5%).  


AAG Energy (2686 HK): Nervousness Ahead of the 27 April Vote

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aag-energy-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:501:1" rel="noopener">Aag Energy Holdings (2686 HK)</a> scheme document is out with the court meeting scheduled for 27 April. The IFA considers the HK$1.85 offer to be fair and reasonable.</li>
<li>The IFA’s conclusion is dubious as the contents of the report could easily have come to the opposite conclusion. The quick despatch of the scheme document is worrying. </li>
<li>The weak IFA report will further annoy minorities and push more towards the NO camp. The vote is on a knife edge which is reflected in the current 13.5% spread. </li>
</ul>



Aag Energy Holdings (2686 HK) scheme document is out with the court meeting scheduled for 27 April. The IFA considers the HK$1.85 offer to be fair and reasonable.
The IFA’s conclusion is dubious as the contents of the report could easily have come to the opposite conclusion. The quick despatch of the scheme document is worrying. 
The weak IFA report will further annoy minorities and push more towards the NO camp. The vote is on a knife edge which is reflected in the current 13.5% spread. 


AAG Energy (2686 HK): Rushed Scheme Document Points to a Vote on a Knife Edge

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Core earnings of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kunlun-energy-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10054:1" rel="noopener">Kunlun Energy (135 HK)</a> rose 25.2% in FY22, providing solid evidence for its strength against peers. We are delighted to see dollar margin even expanded 4.1%.</li>
<li>Pace of new project addition has not weakened as it secured 25 new projects in FY22. Collectively, they will increase sales volume by 3.2bn cu.m., 7% of FY22 volume.</li>
<li>Net cash of Rmb13.6bn equals 28% of share price, making 8.9% ROE look decent. Market earnings forecast is too low; and even so, it trades on just 7.2x FY23 PER.</li>
</ul>


Core earnings of Kunlun Energy (135 HK) rose 25.2% in FY22, providing solid evidence for its strength against peers. We are delighted to see dollar margin even expanded 4.1%.
Pace of new project addition has not weakened as it secured 25 new projects in FY22. Collectively, they will increase sales volume by 3.2bn cu.m., 7% of FY22 volume.
Net cash of Rmb13.6bn equals 28% of share price, making 8.9% ROE look decent. Market earnings forecast is too low; and even so, it trades on just 7.2x FY23 PER.


Kunlun Energy (135 HK): Rock Solid as Usual

<ul>
<li>While <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-gas-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14315:1" rel="noopener">China Gas Holdings (384 HK)</a> expects better gas dollar margin HoH, there are still high profit uncertainties and its full-year operational guidance does not look exciting.</li>
<li>The expectation of flat to 10% YoY decline in new residential household connections is not encouraging. With 1H FY23 profit only amounted to 42% of consensus, we see downgrade risks.</li>
<li>Despite achieving positive free cash flow, its high gearing of 69.9% (+4pp HoH) is still very stretched relative to peers. We prefer <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kunlun-energy-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10054:1" rel="noopener">Kunlun Energy (135 HK)</a>.</li>
</ul>


While China Gas Holdings (384 HK) expects better gas dollar margin HoH, there are still high profit uncertainties and its full-year operational guidance does not look exciting.
The expectation of flat to 10% YoY decline in new residential household connections is not encouraging. With 1H FY23 profit only amounted to 42% of consensus, we see downgrade risks.
Despite achieving positive free cash flow, its high gearing of 69.9% (+4pp HoH) is still very stretched relative to peers. We prefer Kunlun Energy (135 HK).


China Gas Holdings (384 HK): Still Not Meeting Expectations

<ul>
<li>3Q22 result of Kunlun Gas is weaker than expected, but this is due to lower other income and surge in non-operating expenses. Without them, profit growth is actually more encouraging.</li>
<li>While there is gross margin squeeze on higher input costs, Kunlun managed to reduce operating costs by 14.1%, successfully mitigated the negative impact.</li>
<li>Kunlun Gas contributed 62.5% of 1H22 net profit of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kunlun-energy-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10054:1" rel="noopener">Kunlun Energy (135 HK)</a>. Its solid 36.2% 9M22 earnings growth still points to healthy underlying momentum for its parent.</li>
</ul>


3Q22 result of Kunlun Gas is weaker than expected, but this is due to lower other income and surge in non-operating expenses. Without them, profit growth is actually more encouraging.
While there is gross margin squeeze on higher input costs, Kunlun managed to reduce operating costs by 14.1%, successfully mitigated the negative impact.
Kunlun Gas contributed 62.5% of 1H22 net profit of Kunlun Energy (135 HK). Its solid 36.2% 9M22 earnings growth still points to healthy underlying momentum for its parent.


Kunlun Energy (135 HK): Kunlun Gas 3Q22 Masked by Non-Operating Factors

Hong Kong

KunLun Energy is an integrated oil and gas service company engaged in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas. It operates natural gas pipelines, processes and stores liquefied natural gas (LNG), and sells LNG and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) across China. The company is headquartered in Hong Kong and was founded in 1994.

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KunLun Energy (135 HK)

AAG Energy (2686 HK): Nervousness Ahead of the 27 April Vote

The vote remains on a knife edge. At the last close, the risk-reward profile is unfavourable as the downside to a scheme fail (-16.0%) is greater...

Arun George

AAG Energy (2686 HK): Rushed Scheme Document Points to a Vote on a Knife Edge

The quick despatch of the scheme document suggests that the offeror is worried. The vote is on a knife edge. While the deal-break downside is...

Arun George