Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

Singapore Telecommunications / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Even if you were an activist, or a trader with an activism tilt, be long <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/keisei-electric-railway-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10876:1" rel="noopener">Keisei Electric Railway Co (9009 JP)</a> vs. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/oriental-land-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13517:1" rel="noopener">Oriental Land (4661 JP)</a>.</li>
<li>Reportedly, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/singapore-telecommunications" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20:1" rel="noopener">Singtel (ST SP)</a> is negotiating a sale of Optus. Both Singtel and Optus scotch those rumours. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alumina-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:939:1" rel="noopener">Alumina Ltd (AWC AU)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alcoa-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6510:1" rel="noopener">Alcoa (AA US)</a> enter into a Scheme. As expected. The key question: is CITIC, with 18.9% of shares out, supportive?</li>
</ul>


Even if you were an activist, or a trader with an activism tilt, be long Keisei Electric Railway Co (9009 JP) vs. Oriental Land (4661 JP).
Reportedly, Singtel (ST SP) is negotiating a sale of Optus. Both Singtel and Optus scotch those rumours. 

Alumina Ltd (AWC AU) and Alcoa (AA US) enter into a Scheme. As expected. The key question: is CITIC, with 18.9% of shares out, supportive?


Last Week in Event SPACE: Keisei Electric /Oriental Land, SingTel, Alumina/Alcoa, Li Ning

Quantitative Equity Analyst, DMA

Charlotte van Tiddens, CFA

Quantitative Equity Analyst

Technology-First Company

DMA is a technology-first company that provides an end-to-end SaaS solution to institutional investors. DMA enables regulated entities like asset managers, wealth managers, investment managers and financial advisors to connect their front and back office, break silos and reduce headcount.

<ul>
<li>We expect to see large volumes of AGL, MNP and INP to trade in the closing auction due to the index harmonisation.</li>
<li>Passive trackers and hedgers with exposure to vanilla indices will need to sell down their holdings to transition to the SWIX methodology.</li>
<li>The top buys include: NPN, FSR, SBK, GFI, CPI and PRX.</li>
</ul>


We expect to see large volumes of AGL, MNP and INP to trade in the closing auction due to the index harmonisation.
Passive trackers and hedgers with exposure to vanilla indices will need to sell down their holdings to transition to the SWIX methodology.
The top buys include: NPN, FSR, SBK, GFI, CPI and PRX.


JSE March Rebalance Day: Top Sells AGL, MNP & INP

European Event-Driven Analyst

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

<ul>
<li>Gross spread (as of 13 March closing) on an estimated 1 <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mondi-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22048:1" rel="noopener">Mondi PLC (MNDI LN)</a> x 0.2701 <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ds-smith-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22150:1" rel="noopener">DS Smith PLC (SMDS LN)</a> exchange equation is 5.6%. New PUSU is 4 April.</li>
<li>The merger would create a European board and packaging giant. Interloper risk seems low, as are the chances of the deal being contested by antitrust regulators. </li>
<li>Mondi and DS Smith are verifying the anticipated synergies resulting from their combination. Considering synergies of 3% of DS Smith revenues, the present value might not cover the premium offered.</li>
</ul>


Gross spread (as of 13 March closing) on an estimated 1 Mondi PLC (MNDI LN) x 0.2701 DS Smith PLC (SMDS LN) exchange equation is 5.6%. New PUSU is 4 April.
The merger would create a European board and packaging giant. Interloper risk seems low, as are the chances of the deal being contested by antitrust regulators. 
Mondi and DS Smith are verifying the anticipated synergies resulting from their combination. Considering synergies of 3% of DS Smith revenues, the present value might not cover the premium offered.


Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>The first phase of the JSE's index harmonisation project will take place at the March rebalance. The vanilla/non-swix index series will be replaced with SWIX exposures.</li>
<li>The SWIX methodology weights all foreign entities by the local/STRATE float (shares sitting on the South African register).</li>
<li>Due to legacy issues, the vanilla/non-swix series (eg. Top 40) weights the Grandfathered group of constituents by their global free floats, upweighting AGL, INP and MNP.</li>
</ul>


The first phase of the JSE's index harmonisation project will take place at the March rebalance. The vanilla/non-swix index series will be replaced with SWIX exposures.
The SWIX methodology weights all foreign entities by the local/STRATE float (shares sitting on the South African register).
Due to legacy issues, the vanilla/non-swix series (eg. Top 40) weights the Grandfathered group of constituents by their global free floats, upweighting AGL, INP and MNP.


JSE Mar '24 Rebalance (Part 1): Index Series to Converge, Passives to Sell AGL, INP, MNP

Bloomberg reported on 24 February that <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mondi-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22048:1" rel="noopener">Mondi PLC (MNDI LN)</a> had been "speaking with advisers" about a potential takeover offer for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ds-smith-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22150:1" rel="noopener">DS Smith PLC (SMDS LN)</a>. Bloomberg added that "deliberations are at an early stage and there is no certainty they will lead to a transaction".
<ul>
<li>DS Smith shares rose on 25 February by 5.7%, the top performer on the FTSE100, having also risen by 3.2% on the previous trading session. Mondi shares fell by 0.1% on 25 February.</li>
<li>Both DS Smith and Mondi declined to comment.</li>
<li>Mondi has a market cap of £8,726 mn vs. £5,568 for DS Smith.</li>
</ul>
The attraction of DS Smith lies in its scale and market share in Europe, exposure to relatively stable end-markets (which has limited the impact of the pandemic), integration between recycling and paper production and geographic diversification.
<ul>
<li>A combined Mondi-DS Smith would help European container board and corrugated box consolidation (price discipline) and would enhance the competitive positioning of the resulting company (c. 16.4% of of European container board capacity).</li>
<li>It would also benefit from the increased demand from e-commerce sales and plastic containers reduction (substitution of plastics by paper and board).</li>
<li>Mondi would also be less exposed to fine paper, which is declining.</li>
<li>
Synergies would not be that relevant, in my view.</li>
<li>
Production optimisation: DS Smith needs more cardboard, so merging would help find a destination for Mondi's capacity, i.e. Mondi supplying virgin fibre to DS Smith for its container board needs. Whilst DS Smith prioritises the use of recycled fibres through its circular business model, a small amount of virgin fibres is required.</li>
</ul>
Both historical and projected EBITDA margins for DS Smith are lower than Mondi's. For the last five FY an average of 20.6% for Mondi vs. 12.8% for DS Smith. Equally, last five FYs average ROCE for Mondi is 15.5% vs. 11.4% for DS Smith. Mondi is also financially more sound, as it is rated BBB+ whilst DS Smith is rated BBB-.
On an EV/Fwd EBITDA (Capital IQ consensus) basis, Mondi is trading at 9.2x while DS Smith is trading at 9.0x.
Based on comparables, the implied median EV/Fwd EBITDA valuation of DS Smith is 419p (vs. a Capital IQ consensus median TP of 405p).
On the back of strong momentum for DS Smith and comparables valuation, I would be long SMDS LN. Theremay be further upside from a potential offer for the company.

Bloomberg reported on 24 February that Mondi PLC (MNDI LN) had been "speaking with advisers" about a potential takeover offer for DS Smith PLC (SMDS LN). Bloomberg added that "deliberations are at an early stage and there is no certainty they will lead to a transaction".

DS Smith shares rose on 25 February by 5.7%, the top performer on the FTSE100, having also risen by 3.2% on the previous trading session. Mondi shares fell by 0.1% on 25 February.
Both DS Smith and Mondi declined to comment.
Mondi has a market cap of £8,726 mn vs. £5,568 for DS Smith.

The attraction of DS Smith lies in its scale and market share in Europe, exposure to relatively stable end-markets (which has limited the impact of the pandemic), integration between recycling and paper production and geographic diversification.

A combined Mondi-DS Smith would help European container board and corrugated box consolidation (price discipline) and would enhance the competitive positioning of the resulting company (c. 16.4% of of European container board capacity).
It would also benefit from the increased demand from e-commerce sales and plastic containers reduction (substitution of plastics by paper and board).
Mondi would also be less exposed to fine paper, which is declining.

Synergies would not be that relevant, in my view.

Production optimisation: DS Smith needs more cardboard, so merging would help find a destination for Mondi's capacity, i.e. Mondi supplying virgin fibre to DS Smith for its container board needs. Whilst DS Smith prioritises the use of recycled fibres through its circular business model, a small amount of virgin fibres is required.

Both historical and projected EBITDA margins for DS Smith are lower than Mondi's. For the last five FY an average of 20.6% for Mondi vs. 12.8% for DS Smith. Equally, last five FYs average ROCE for Mondi is 15.5% vs. 11.4% for DS Smith. Mondi is also financially more sound, as it is rated BBB+ whilst DS Smith is rated BBB-.
On an EV/Fwd EBITDA (Capital IQ consensus) basis, Mondi is trading at 9.2x while DS Smith is trading at 9.0x.
Based on comparables, the implied median EV/Fwd EBITDA valuation of DS Smith is 419p (vs. a Capital IQ consensus median TP of 405p).
On the back of strong momentum for DS Smith and comparables valuation, I would be long SMDS LN. Theremay be further upside from a potential offer for the company.

United Kingdom

Mondi is a multinational packaging and paper group that manufactures and supplies pulp, paper, and flexible plastic packaging products. Its portfolio includes packaging paper, consumer packaging products, and uncoated fine paper, which are used across various industries like automotive, retail, and food. The company is headquartered in Weybridge, England, and was founded in 1967.

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Mondi (MNDI LN)

Last Week in Event SPACE: Keisei Electric /Oriental Land, SingTel, Alumina/Alcoa, Li Ning

The weekend is here! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed...

David Blennerhassett

JSE March Rebalance Day: Top Sells AGL, MNP & INP

We expect large volumes of AGL, MNP and INP to trade in the closing auction as the JSE implement Phase 1 of the harmonisation project.

DMA

Spread on Paper so Far

Merger between Mondi PLC and DS Smith PLC could create a European packaging giant with low interloper risk and antitrust concerns, but potential...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

JSE Mar '24 Rebalance (Part 1): Index Series to Converge, Passives to Sell AGL, INP, MNP

Understanding why AGL will be sold down at the JSE March rebalance. The vanilla and SWIX indices will converge reducing the number of JSE equity...

DMA

DS Smith - Mondi: Potential Combination

Mondi-DS Smith would be + for Euro container board & corrugated box consolidation. Synergies not that relevant. LONG SMDS LN on strong momentum,...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

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Last Week in Event SPACE: Keisei Electric /Oriental Land, SingTel, Alumina/Alcoa, Li Ning

The weekend is here! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed...

David Blennerhassett

JSE March Rebalance Day: Top Sells AGL, MNP & INP

We expect large volumes of AGL, MNP and INP to trade in the closing auction as the JSE implement Phase 1 of the harmonisation project.

DMA

Spread on Paper so Far

​Merger between Mondi PLC and DS Smith PLC could create a European packaging giant with low interloper risk and antitrust concerns, but potential...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

JSE Mar '24 Rebalance (Part 1): Index Series to Converge, Passives to Sell AGL, INP, MNP

Understanding why AGL will be sold down at the JSE March rebalance. The vanilla and SWIX indices will converge reducing the number of JSE equity...

DMA

DS Smith - Mondi: Potential Combination

Mondi-DS Smith would be + for Euro container board & corrugated box consolidation. Synergies not that relevant. LONG SMDS LN on strong momentum,...

Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

Merger between Mondi PLC and DS Smith PLC could create a European packaging giant with low interloper risk and antitrust concerns, but potential...