Greater China Equity Long/Short Analyst

Eric Chen

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>BILIBILI shares have rallied more than 200% since early November on prospects of China exiting zero-COVID, short covering, and accelerated breakeven timeline.</li>
<li>Yet simply achieving breakeven doesn’t justify its US$10 billion valuation. It has to be accompanied by decent profitable growth - an unlikely scenario given the aggressive downsizing needed for breakeven.</li>
<li>BILI’s businesses also entail structurally low margin. Stock could easily de-rate by 30% or more when growth euphoria recedes and disappointed profitability checks in during 2023.</li>
</ul>


BILIBILI shares have rallied more than 200% since early November on prospects of China exiting zero-COVID, short covering, and accelerated breakeven timeline.
Yet simply achieving breakeven doesn’t justify its US$10 billion valuation. It has to be accompanied by decent profitable growth - an unlikely scenario given the aggressive downsizing needed for breakeven.
BILI’s businesses also entail structurally low margin. Stock could easily de-rate by 30% or more when growth euphoria recedes and disappointed profitability checks in during 2023.


BILIBILI (BILI US): Can Achieving Breakeven Justify US$10bn Market Cap?

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.

Equity Capital Markets

Zhihu Technology / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zhihu-technology-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32185:1" rel="noopener">Zhihu Technology (ZH US)</a> has launched an HKEx dual-primary listing to raise $150-200 million. Zhihu will not receive any of the net proceeds as it is offering from selling shareholders.</li>
<li>Zhihu shares are down 73% from the IPO price of $9.50 per ADS (March 2021) largely due to the tech sell-off and regulatory uncertainty on ADR listings.  </li>
<li>While a loss-making Chinese tech name is not everybody's cup of tea in the current environment, Zhihu has delivered resilient performance and the valuation is undemanding. </li>
</ul>



Zhihu Technology (ZH US) has launched an HKEx dual-primary listing to raise $150-200 million. Zhihu will not receive any of the net proceeds as it is offering from selling shareholders.
Zhihu shares are down 73% from the IPO price of $9.50 per ADS (March 2021) largely due to the tech sell-off and regulatory uncertainty on ADR listings.  
While a loss-making Chinese tech name is not everybody's cup of tea in the current environment, Zhihu has delivered resilient performance and the valuation is undemanding. 


Zhihu Dual-Primary Listing: A Question of Judgment

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.

<ul>
<li>On 2nd Apr 2022, CSRC put out a draft for public comments on the revision of certain provisions which would allow easier access by overseas regulators to China ADRs audits.</li>
<li>On 8th Mar 2022, Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) had added five China ADR names to its provisional list of issuers under HFCAA, which set the clock ticking for their delisting.</li>
<li>In this note, we'll talk about the latest developments and its implications.</li>
</ul>


On 2nd Apr 2022, CSRC put out a draft for public comments on the revision of certain provisions which would allow easier access by overseas regulators to China ADRs audits.
On 8th Mar 2022, Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) had added five China ADR names to its provisional list of issuers under HFCAA, which set the clock ticking for their delisting.
In this note, we'll talk about the latest developments and its implications.


China ADRs Delisting - Tide Is Turning with CSRC Showing Signs of a Compromise

NetEase Cloud Music / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cloud-village-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33412:1" rel="noopener">Cloud Village (CLV HK)</a> is the second-largest online music platform after <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-music-entertainment" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27255:1" rel="noopener">Tencent Music (TME US)</a> in China. It has launched its IPO to raise $400 million at the IPO mid-point.</li>
<li>In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/cloud-village-netease-music-ipo-not-yet-a-sound-investment" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:61441" rel="noopener">Cloud Village (NetEase Music) IPO: Not yet a Sound Investment</a>, we stated that the 9M21 update is underwhelming with slowing growth and a marginal decline in losses. </li>
<li>Our valuation analysis suggests that the IPO price is unattractive. We would give the IPO a pass. </li>
</ul>



Cloud Village (CLV HK) is the second-largest online music platform after Tencent Music (TME US) in China. It has launched its IPO to raise $400 million at the IPO mid-point.
In Cloud Village (NetEase Music) IPO: Not yet a Sound Investment, we stated that the 9M21 update is underwhelming with slowing growth and a marginal decline in losses. 
Our valuation analysis suggests that the IPO price is unattractive. We would give the IPO a pass. 


Cloud Village (NetEase Music) IPO: Valuation Insights

Event-Driven

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/joyy-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:285:1" rel="noopener">JOYY (YY US)</a> may be subject to a privatisation bid from Mr David Li (co-founder and Chairman) and Mr Jun Lei (founder and Chairman of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/xiaomi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24409:1" rel="noopener">Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK)</a>), its top two shareholders, according to Reuters report on 26 August. Mr David Li and Mr Jun Lei are looking to privatise Joyy at $75-$100 per ADS and finalise the deal by the end of 2021. Mr David Li and Mr Jun Lei aim to spin off Joyy's key asset, BIGO, and list it in Hong Kong, to take advantage of higher valuations, according to Reuters. On 27 August, Joyy said it has not received any formal takeover offers, according to Chinese media reports.  Joyy shares are around 60% below their February peak due to weak guidance (3Q21 revenue guidance was around 16% below consensus), the delay of SAMR anti-trust approval for the YY Live disposal and ongoing policy uncertainty on Chinese tech.As a reminder, on 16 November 2020, Joyy entered into a definitive agreement with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/baidu-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:179:1" rel="noopener">Baidu (BIDU US)</a> for the disposal of YY Live for $3.6 billion in cash, subject to certain adjustments. The sale was substantially completed on 8 February 2021 resulting in a $1.9 billion payment from Baidu. Notably, Joyy’s market cap of $4.9 billion is 7% below its net cash of $5.2 billion, which is the sum of the 2Q1 net cash of $3.9 billion and Baidu's remaining payment net of tax $1.4 billion.As Joyy is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, for potential privatisation to succeed, shareholders representing two-thirds of shares present and voting need to approve the deal. Mr David Li represents 76.0% of the voting interest and has the two-thirds voting interest threshold needed to approve any potential privatisation deal.<div class="content-highlight">Our SOTP and relative valuation suggest that the rumoured privatisation range of $75-100 per ADS is justifiable and reasonable. Our base-case SOTP valuation is $71.69 per ADS, which is a 16% premium to the last close price of $61.97 per ADS. Despite Joyy's insistence that no formal bid has been received, we would be buyers as the shares offer a favourable risk/reward profile to the emergence of a formal privatisation bid.</div>

JOYY (YY US) may be subject to a privatisation bid from Mr David Li (co-founder and Chairman) and Mr Jun Lei (founder and Chairman of Xiaomi Corp (1810 HK)), its top two shareholders, according to Reuters report on 26 August. Mr David Li and Mr Jun Lei are looking to privatise Joyy at $75-$100 per ADS and finalise the deal by the end of 2021. Mr David Li and Mr Jun Lei aim to spin off Joyy's key asset, BIGO, and list it in Hong Kong, to take advantage of higher valuations, according to Reuters. On 27 August, Joyy said it has not received any formal takeover offers, according to Chinese media reports.  Joyy shares are around 60% below their February peak due to weak guidance (3Q21 revenue guidance was around 16% below consensus), the delay of SAMR anti-trust approval for the YY Live disposal and ongoing policy uncertainty on Chinese tech.As a reminder, on 16 November 2020, Joyy entered into a definitive agreement with Baidu (BIDU US) for the disposal of YY Live for $3.6 billion in cash, subject to certain adjustments. The sale was substantially completed on 8 February 2021 resulting in a $1.9 billion payment from Baidu. Notably, Joyy’s market cap of $4.9 billion is 7% below its net cash of $5.2 billion, which is the sum of the 2Q1 net cash of $3.9 billion and Baidu's remaining payment net of tax $1.4 billion.As Joyy is incorporated in the Cayman Islands, for potential privatisation to succeed, shareholders representing two-thirds of shares present and voting need to approve the deal. Mr David Li represents 76.0% of the voting interest and has the two-thirds voting interest threshold needed to approve any potential privatisation deal.Our SOTP and relative valuation suggest that the rumoured privatisation range of $75-100 per ADS is justifiable and reasonable. Our base-case SOTP valuation is $71.69 per ADS, which is a 16% premium to the last close price of $61.97 per ADS. Despite Joyy's insistence that no formal bid has been received, we would be buyers as the shares offer a favourable risk/reward profile to the emergence of a formal privatisation bid.

Joyy’s Potential Privatisation by Top Two Shareholders

China

Hello Group Inc. operates as a mobile-based social networking platform. The Company enables users to establish and expand social relationships based on location and interests. Hello Group operates out of the Peoples Republic of China.

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Hello Group (MOMO US)

BILIBILI (BILI US): Can Achieving Breakeven Justify US$10bn Market Cap?

Simply achieving breakeven can't justify BILI's US$10bn market cap. Expect the company to be a leaner, profitable company yet without bright...

Eric Chen

Zhihu Dual-Primary Listing: A Question of Judgment

Zhihu has launched an HKEx dual-primary listing to raise $150-200m. While a loss-making Chinese tech name is not enticing, Zhihu has delivered...

Arun George

China ADRs Delisting - Tide Is Turning with CSRC Showing Signs of a Compromise

On 2nd Apr 2022, CSRC put out a draft for public comments on the revision of certain provisions which would allow easier access by overseas...

Sumeet Singh

Cloud Village (NetEase Music) IPO: Valuation Insights

Cloud Village has launched its IPO to raise $400 million at the IPO mid-point. Our valuation analysis suggests that the IPO price is unattractive....

Arun George

Joyy’s Potential Privatisation by Top Two Shareholders

Joyy's rumoured privatisation bid is at $75-$100 per ADS. Our base-case SOTP valuation is $71.69, a 16% premium to the last close. Consequently,...

Arun George

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