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.

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/laopu-gold-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:44036:1" rel="noopener">Laopu Gold (6181 HK)</a>  targets to raise approximately USD350 mn from a primary placement of 4.31 million new shares at HKD630 per share.</li>
<li>Laopu Gold has delivered both superior margins and rapid growth by marrying cultural resonance, premium pricing, artisanal excellence, and outstanding store economics.</li>
<li>Laopu’s growth track record coincides with period of rising gold prices. Investors should weigh its impressive margins and brand strength against the risk of a less supportive gold price environment.</li>
</ul>



Laopu Gold (6181 HK)  targets to raise approximately USD350 mn from a primary placement of 4.31 million new shares at HKD630 per share.
Laopu Gold has delivered both superior margins and rapid growth by marrying cultural resonance, premium pricing, artisanal excellence, and outstanding store economics.
Laopu’s growth track record coincides with period of rising gold prices. Investors should weigh its impressive margins and brand strength against the risk of a less supportive gold price environment.


Laopu Gold (6181 HK): Heritage Luxury, Guochao Appeal. Key Facts, Financials & Valuation

Asia L/S Equity PM/Macro/Thematic Idea Generation

Rikki Malik

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>Act 1 of the US bear market is likely complete, with diverging price signals from stocks, bonds and the dollar.</li>
<li>This will be a rebound bounce to sell into, as we are not going back to previous highs.</li>
<li>Looking at companies servicing high-income consumers is a good hunting ground for shorts.</li>
</ul>


Act 1 of the US bear market is likely complete, with diverging price signals from stocks, bonds and the dollar.
This will be a rebound bounce to sell into, as we are not going back to previous highs.
Looking at companies servicing high-income consumers is a good hunting ground for shorts.


Investors Have that “Oh Sh#t Moment” - Part 2:  Trading Opportunities.

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

<ul>
<li>Our outlook remains bullish on MSCI ACWI. Discussed in latest Int’l Compass (1/9/2025) how viewed the pullback as buying opportunity and were watching for $116-$117 support to hold on ACWI-US.</li>
<li>$116 support held perfectly and we expect upside to continue following 1+ month bull flag breakouts, followed by successful retests of support, on ACWI-US and the S&amp;P 500.</li>
<li>We also upgraded Germany to overweight last week, with RS on the DAX breaking out from a 2-year base. U.S. (SPX) and Germany are our only two country overweights.</li>
</ul>


Our outlook remains bullish on MSCI ACWI. Discussed in latest Int’l Compass (1/9/2025) how viewed the pullback as buying opportunity and were watching for $116-$117 support to hold on ACWI-US.
$116 support held perfectly and we expect upside to continue following 1+ month bull flag breakouts, followed by successful retests of support, on ACWI-US and the S&amp;P 500.
We also upgraded Germany to overweight last week, with RS on the DAX breaking out from a 2-year base. U.S. (SPX) and Germany are our only two country overweights.


Remain Risk-On With Market Dynamics Improving; 6+ Month Base Breakouts for MSCI ACWI Ex-US and EAFE

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

<ul>
<li>68.2% of global equity funds are positioned ahead of the benchmark in France, with an average overweight of 2%, making it the second largest country overweight after the UK.</li>
<li>France is currently the second largest country overweight after the UK, effectively offsetting some of the underweights in the USA, China &amp; Hong Kong, and Australia.</li>
<li>Overweights driven by by Schneider Electric, L'Oreal, and LVMH, whilst Pernod Ricard and Sanofi see investor outflows.</li>
</ul>


68.2% of global equity funds are positioned ahead of the benchmark in France, with an average overweight of 2%, making it the second largest country overweight after the UK.
France is currently the second largest country overweight after the UK, effectively offsetting some of the underweights in the USA, China &amp; Hong Kong, and Australia.
Overweights driven by by Schneider Electric, L'Oreal, and LVMH, whilst Pernod Ricard and Sanofi see investor outflows.


France:  Global Funds Overweight Ahead of Snap Election

Analyst

Steve

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Today, according to public news, Kirin Holdings will launch a tender offer for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fancl-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15862:1" rel="noopener">Fancl Corp (4921 JP)</a> at a likely 30% premium. </li>
<li>The beauty industry is historically ripe with M&amp;A deals.  It is not hard to see why, as the global beauty sector trades at a hefty valuation multiple. </li>
<li>In this insight, we brainstorm for potential buyers of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shiseido-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5718:1" rel="noopener">Shiseido Company (4911 JP)</a> and analyze the viability of such. </li>
</ul>


Today, according to public news, Kirin Holdings will launch a tender offer for Fancl Corp (4921 JP) at a likely 30% premium. 
The beauty industry is historically ripe with M&amp;A deals.  It is not hard to see why, as the global beauty sector trades at a hefty valuation multiple. 
In this insight, we brainstorm for potential buyers of Shiseido Company (4911 JP) and analyze the viability of such. 


Shiseido (4911 JP):  Brainstorming For Potential Buyers

France

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE is a diversified luxury goods group. The Company produces and sells wine, cognac, perfumes, cosmetics, luggage, and watches and jewelry.

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (MC FP)

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LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE (MC FP)

Laopu Gold (6181 HK): Heritage Luxury, Guochao Appeal. Key Facts, Financials & Valuation

Laopu Gold's multiples are not too steep given strong earnings growth outlook. Investors however need to weigh its upside potential against...

Devi Subhakesan

Investors Have that “Oh Sh#t Moment” - Part 2: Trading Opportunities.

US bear market Act 1 likely over, rebound is a selling opportunity as previous highs won't be reached. High-income consumer companies are good...

Rikki Malik

Remain Risk-On With Market Dynamics Improving; 6+ Month Base Breakouts for MSCI ACWI Ex-US and EAFE

Remain Risk-On With Market Dynamics Improving; 6+ Month Base Breakouts for MSCI $ACWI ex-US and $EAFE; U.S. Dollar $DXY and 10-Year Yields $TNX...

Vermilion Research

France: Global Funds Overweight Ahead of Snap Election

Global equity fund managers are entering the French election with an overweight position compared to the SPDRs MSCI ACWI ETF benchmark

Steven Holden

Shiseido (4911 JP): Brainstorming For Potential Buyers

Today, according to public news, Kirin Holdings will launch a tender offer for Fancl Corp (4921 JP) at a likely 30% premium. In this insight, we...

Steve

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Laopu Gold (6181 HK): Heritage Luxury, Guochao Appeal. Key Facts, Financials & Valuation

Laopu Gold's multiples are not too steep given strong earnings growth outlook. Investors however need to weigh its upside potential against...

Devi Subhakesan

Investors Have that “Oh Sh#t Moment” - Part 2: Trading Opportunities.

​US bear market Act 1 likely over, rebound is a selling opportunity as previous highs won't be reached. High-income consumer companies are good...

Rikki Malik

Remain Risk-On With Market Dynamics Improving; 6+ Month Base Breakouts for MSCI ACWI Ex-US and EAFE

Remain Risk-On With Market Dynamics Improving; 6+ Month Base Breakouts for MSCI $ACWI ex-US and $EAFE; U.S. Dollar $DXY and 10-Year Yields $TNX...

Vermilion Research

France: Global Funds Overweight Ahead of Snap Election

Global equity fund managers are entering the French election with an overweight position compared to the SPDRs MSCI ACWI ETF benchmark

Steven Holden

Shiseido (4911 JP): Brainstorming For Potential Buyers

Today, according to public news, Kirin Holdings will launch a tender offer for Fancl Corp (4921 JP) at a likely 30% premium. In this insight, we...

Steve

US bear market Act 1 likely over, rebound is a selling opportunity as previous highs won't be reached. High-income consumer companies are good...