Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport, Tracking Traffic

Daniel Hellberg

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport

Tracking Traffic

Focusing on Asian logistics, transportation, and travel companies

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Tracking Asian air cargo trends can uncover investment opportunities &amp; offer read-throughs</li>
<li>In November 2024, no clear signs of market tightness in data from Taiwanese, Chinese carriers</li>
<li>A quick look at numbers from CX, SIA, LAX also suggests ample available cargo space</li>
</ul>


Tracking Asian air cargo trends can uncover investment opportunities &amp; offer read-throughs
In November 2024, no clear signs of market tightness in data from Taiwanese, Chinese carriers
A quick look at numbers from CX, SIA, LAX also suggests ample available cargo space


Quick Update on Asian Air Cargo Trends: No Signs of Market Tightness in These Numbers

<ul>
<li>In container shipping, 'normalization' means lower rates, lower margins, &amp; lower returns</li>
<li>In Chinese express, a potential recovery in ground segment, more risks in X-border business</li>
<li>In Chinese tourism, how will investors react to inevitable slowing</li>
</ul>


In container shipping, 'normalization' means lower rates, lower margins, &amp; lower returns
In Chinese express, a potential recovery in ground segment, more risks in X-border business
In Chinese tourism, how will investors react to inevitable slowing


Crystal Baller: Tracking Traffic's Key 2025 Themes & Events: Containers | Express | Chinese Tourism

China New Economy Equity Analyst, Blue Lotus Research Institute

Robert McKay

China New Economy Equity Analyst

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

<ul>
<li>Despite being breakeven just quarters ago, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jd-logistics-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31500:1" rel="noopener">JD Logistics (2618 HK)</a> has achieved profitability on par with global peers nearly 3x its size. Margin still has upside with further subsidiary integration;</li>
<li>JDL is still positioned to accelerate revenue by taking share from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-f-holding" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:44093:1" rel="noopener">S.F. Holding (6936 HK)</a> in untapped opportunities, including domestic B2C (Taobao/Tmall), cross-border B2C (Kuayue acquisition), and B2B;</li>
<li>JDL's stock price rose 60%+ while it was our top pick for 2024. We reiterate the company as our TOP buy idea in the China logistics space for 2025;</li>
</ul>


Despite being breakeven just quarters ago, JD Logistics (2618 HK) has achieved profitability on par with global peers nearly 3x its size. Margin still has upside with further subsidiary integration;
JDL is still positioned to accelerate revenue by taking share from S.F. Holding (6936 HK) in untapped opportunities, including domestic B2C (Taobao/Tmall), cross-border B2C (Kuayue acquisition), and B2B;
JDL's stock price rose 60%+ while it was our top pick for 2024. We reiterate the company as our TOP buy idea in the China logistics space for 2025;


China Logistics (Part 2): All JD Logistic Roads Lead Back to S.F. Express

<ul>
<li>ZTO's market share losses may accelerate as peers continue to cut prices. Worse yet, margins of its competitors are improving, which will sustain the war for a longer time;</li>
<li>ZTO has maintained profitability growth despite the price war, but we think this situation is unsustainable. Management will eventually need to sacrifice profitability or suffer accelerated share loss. </li>
<li>We now take a more bearish view on ZTO as we see no quick solution to the profit and market share balancing act. </li>
</ul>


ZTO's market share losses may accelerate as peers continue to cut prices. Worse yet, margins of its competitors are improving, which will sustain the war for a longer time;
ZTO has maintained profitability growth despite the price war, but we think this situation is unsustainable. Management will eventually need to sacrifice profitability or suffer accelerated share loss. 
We now take a more bearish view on ZTO as we see no quick solution to the profit and market share balancing act. 


China Logistics (Part 1): ZTO Has a Unit Economics Problem

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>2024 ECM offerings in the Greater China logistics &amp; transport segment included TS Lines (in Hong Kong), SF Holding(Hong Kong), and BingEx (US)</li>
<li>Generally, recent share offerings in the segment have <em>not</em> performed well at all</li>
<li>Looking to 2025, we see several deals, including SHEIN and a possible Didi return</li>
</ul>


2024 ECM offerings in the Greater China logistics &amp; transport segment included TS Lines (in Hong Kong), SF Holding(Hong Kong), and BingEx (US)
Generally, recent share offerings in the segment have not performed well at all
Looking to 2025, we see several deals, including SHEIN and a possible Didi return


2024 Greater China Logistics & Transport ECM Review & A Look at Potential 2025 Deals

China

S.F. Holding Co., Ltd operates as a holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, provides logistics, order tracking, supply chain management, and warehousing services. S.F. Holding operates worldwide.

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S.F. Holding (002352 CH)

Quick Update on Asian Air Cargo Trends: No Signs of Market Tightness in These Numbers

Our review of Asian air cargo data aims to uncover investment ideas and potentially provide "read-throughs" to adjacent segments. In the November...

Tracking Traffic

Crystal Baller: Tracking Traffic's Key 2025 Themes & Events: Containers | Express | Chinese Tourism

In this insight we outline the important 2025 themes & events facing the three sectors we cover in our monthly Tracking Traffic series: Container...

Tracking Traffic

China Logistics (Part 2): All JD Logistic Roads Lead Back to S.F. Express

JD Logistics has achieved profitability on par with global peers nearly 3x its size, with upside potential in margins and opportunities to...

Blue Lotus Research Institute

China Logistics (Part 1): ZTO Has a Unit Economics Problem

ZTO faces increasing market share losses and margin pressure as competitors cut prices, leading to a more bearish outlook on the company's future...

Blue Lotus Research Institute

2024 Greater China Logistics & Transport ECM Review & A Look at Potential 2025 Deals

After 2024 began with raised expectations, actual ECM activity in the Greater China logistics & transportation space disappointed. But there are a...

Tracking Traffic

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Quick Update on Asian Air Cargo Trends: No Signs of Market Tightness in These Numbers

Our review of Asian air cargo data aims to uncover investment ideas and potentially provide "read-throughs" to adjacent segments. In the November...

Tracking Traffic

Crystal Baller: Tracking Traffic's Key 2025 Themes & Events: Containers | Express | Chinese Tourism

In this insight we outline the important 2025 themes & events facing the three sectors we cover in our monthly Tracking Traffic series: Container...

Tracking Traffic

China Logistics (Part 2): All JD Logistic Roads Lead Back to S.F. Express

​JD Logistics has achieved profitability on par with global peers nearly 3x its size, with upside potential in margins and opportunities to...

Blue Lotus Research Institute

China Logistics (Part 1): ZTO Has a Unit Economics Problem

​ZTO faces increasing market share losses and margin pressure as competitors cut prices, leading to a more bearish outlook on the company's future...

Blue Lotus Research Institute

2024 Greater China Logistics & Transport ECM Review & A Look at Potential 2025 Deals

After 2024 began with raised expectations, actual ECM activity in the Greater China logistics & transportation space disappointed. But there are a...

Tracking Traffic

JD Logistics has achieved profitability on par with global peers nearly 3x its size, with upside potential in margins and opportunities to...

ZTO faces increasing market share losses and margin pressure as competitors cut prices, leading to a more bearish outlook on the company's future...