Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>PCAOB officials concluded their Hong Kong visit last month and PCAOB is due to announce its annual judgment on whether it had adequate access to US listed China companies.</li>
<li>The Hong Kong visit was on the back of the 26th Aug 2022 announcement by PCAOB and CSRC that they had entered into an agreement with US authorities for access.</li>
<li>In this note, we'll talk about the latest developments, possible outcomes and implications.</li>
</ul>


PCAOB officials concluded their Hong Kong visit last month and PCAOB is due to announce its annual judgment on whether it had adequate access to US listed China companies.
The Hong Kong visit was on the back of the 26th Aug 2022 announcement by PCAOB and CSRC that they had entered into an agreement with US authorities for access.
In this note, we'll talk about the latest developments, possible outcomes and implications.


China ADRs Delisting - Friday Could Be Judgment Day for over US$800bn Mcap of Stocks

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Seeing as though it is Chinese New Year week, I thought it might be appropriate to conduct a brief analysis of US-listed China plays.</li>
<li>According to a recent US-China Economic and Security Review Commission report, 265 Chinese companies were listed on the NYSE, Nasdaq and NYSE American exchanges in January 2024 worth US$848bn. </li>
<li>That's down from 252 companies worth US$1.03tn a year ago, a 17.5% decline. 91% of the total market capitalization of Chinese firms listed on U.S. exchanges use VIEs.</li>
</ul>


Seeing as though it is Chinese New Year week, I thought it might be appropriate to conduct a brief analysis of US-listed China plays.
According to a recent US-China Economic and Security Review Commission report, 265 Chinese companies were listed on the NYSE, Nasdaq and NYSE American exchanges in January 2024 worth US$848bn. 
That's down from 252 companies worth US$1.03tn a year ago, a 17.5% decline. 91% of the total market capitalization of Chinese firms listed on U.S. exchanges use VIEs.


Equity Research Analyst - Long-Short

Raj S, CA, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Regulation steady, not softer; policy silence reaffirms the 24% cap as industry standard, with industry participants electing to comply with immediate effect.</li>
<li>Asset stress rising; delinquencies peak as low-tier borrowers struggle, but QFIN’s disciplined underwriting and data scale set the stage for recovery in 2026e.</li>
<li>Leadership and capital strength, market-leading balance sheet and strong commitment to shareholder returns underpin confidence through the transition phase.</li>
</ul>


Regulation steady, not softer; policy silence reaffirms the 24% cap as industry standard, with industry participants electing to comply with immediate effect.
Asset stress rising; delinquencies peak as low-tier borrowers struggle, but QFIN’s disciplined underwriting and data scale set the stage for recovery in 2026e.
Leadership and capital strength, market-leading balance sheet and strong commitment to shareholder returns underpin confidence through the transition phase.


QFIN US - Follow-Up: Asset-Quality Pressure Undermines Early Bull Case; Recovery Shifts to 2026e

<ul>
<li>QFIN US is down 30% since July on fear that the Oct 1 regulatory action on 24%+ loans will lead to significant and sustained earnings downgrades.</li>
<li>QFIN’s industry-leading franchise, risk management history, capital return yield (~18-20%), and strong balance sheet support a strong recovery post-regulatory clarity and cleanup.</li>
<li>Valuation at 1.2x FY1 P/BV already discounts worst case; QFIN’s recovery potential leaves scope for 100%+ upside (peak valuation at 2.4x in Mar-24 pre-regulation).</li>
</ul>


QFIN US is down 30% since July on fear that the Oct 1 regulatory action on 24%+ loans will lead to significant and sustained earnings downgrades.
QFIN’s industry-leading franchise, risk management history, capital return yield (~18-20%), and strong balance sheet support a strong recovery post-regulatory clarity and cleanup.
Valuation at 1.2x FY1 P/BV already discounts worst case; QFIN’s recovery potential leaves scope for 100%+ upside (peak valuation at 2.4x in Mar-24 pre-regulation).


2025 High Conviction: QFIN US – Event-Driven: Regulatory Overhang Sets Up 100%+ Upside Post-Clarity

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

Equity Analyst

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>Asia-Based leading personal finance aggregation and comparison platform MoneyHero has filed to go public in the US by merging with Bridgetown Holdings and raise proceeds of up to US$154m.</li>
<li>This would give MoneyHero a pre-money enterprise value of US$200m and an equity value of US$198m with post-money EV of US$342m assuming no redemption by Bridgetown’s public shareholders.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/moneyhero-global-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:39828:1" rel="noopener">MoneyHero Global (1534965D HK)</a>  plans to use proceeds from the deal to further accelerate growth and capture market opportunity in the region.</li>
</ul>


Asia-Based leading personal finance aggregation and comparison platform MoneyHero has filed to go public in the US by merging with Bridgetown Holdings and raise proceeds of up to US$154m.
This would give MoneyHero a pre-money enterprise value of US$200m and an equity value of US$198m with post-money EV of US$342m assuming no redemption by Bridgetown’s public shareholders.

MoneyHero Global (1534965D HK)  plans to use proceeds from the deal to further accelerate growth and capture market opportunity in the region.


MoneyHero SPAC Listing: Thoughts on Valuation

China

LexinFintech Holdings Ltd. operates as a holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, provides online consumer finance services. LexinFintech Holdings offers installments, money loans, wealth management, and other financial services. LexinFintech Holdings serves customers in China.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
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Lexinfintech Holdings (LX US)

China ADRs Delisting - Friday Could Be Judgment Day for over US$800bn Mcap of Stocks

PCAOB officials concluded their Hong Kong visit last month and PCAOB is due to announce its annual judgment on whether it had adequate access to US...

Sumeet Singh

Musings On US-Listed China Plays

Investors in Chinese companies may be willing to support activities that are contrary to US national interests, including technology used for...

David Blennerhassett

QFIN US - Follow-Up: Asset-Quality Pressure Undermines Early Bull Case; Recovery Shifts to 2026e

Newsflash on QFIN: Market chatter today points to further tightening in China’s consumer finance regulations beyond the 24% capping. If confirmed,...

Raj S, CA, CFA

2025 High Conviction: QFIN US – Event-Driven: Regulatory Overhang Sets Up 100%+ Upside Post-Clarity

QFIN US down 30% on regulatory fears, but strong fundamentals suggest potential for 100%+ upside post-regulatory clarity.

Raj S, CA, CFA

MoneyHero SPAC Listing: Thoughts on Valuation

Asian personal finance aggregation and comparison platform MoneyHero has filed to go public in the US by merging with Bridgetown Holdings....

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

China ADRs Delisting - Friday Could Be Judgment Day for over US$800bn Mcap of Stocks

PCAOB officials concluded their Hong Kong visit last month and PCAOB is due to announce its annual judgment on whether it had adequate access to US...

Sumeet Singh

Musings On US-Listed China Plays

Investors in Chinese companies may be willing to support activities that are contrary to US national interests, including technology used for...

David Blennerhassett

QFIN US - Follow-Up: Asset-Quality Pressure Undermines Early Bull Case; Recovery Shifts to 2026e

Newsflash on QFIN: Market chatter today points to further tightening in China’s consumer finance regulations beyond the 24% capping. If confirmed,...

Raj S, CA, CFA

2025 High Conviction: QFIN US – Event-Driven: Regulatory Overhang Sets Up 100%+ Upside Post-Clarity

​QFIN US down 30% on regulatory fears, but strong fundamentals suggest potential for 100%+ upside post-regulatory clarity.

Raj S, CA, CFA

MoneyHero SPAC Listing: Thoughts on Valuation

Asian personal finance aggregation and comparison platform MoneyHero has filed to go public in the US by merging with Bridgetown Holdings....

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

QFIN US down 30% on regulatory fears, but strong fundamentals suggest potential for 100%+ upside post-regulatory clarity.