Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

Two days ago the U.K. Financial Reporting Council announced 125 successful signatories (aka "not greenwashers") to the revised U.K. Stewardship Code. Signatories are integrating stewardship and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) factors into investment decisions, to high standards.Whilst this is ostensibly limited to U.K. pension assets, ramifications are more far-reaching than it might at first appear (one indication is the number of North American and Asia Pacific signatories, in addition to the expected European names). More specifically, the broad relevance is because it:<ul>
<li>Affects firms doing business with U.K. asset managers/owners not just the managers/owners.</li>
<li>Is a quasi-blueprint for similar anti-greenwashing initiatives taking root in the U.S. and Asia.</li>
<li>Greenwashing is having an increasing impact on stocks prices (e.g., DWS Group last month).</li>
</ul>This is one battle in an emerging global war on greenwashing. The U.S. SEC has its own agenda to fight greenwashing and Asia isn't far behind (e.g., regulators in Japan stepping up scrutiny). There is more to come, and a lot to learn from this including who is (and is not) on the signatory list.

Two days ago the U.K. Financial Reporting Council announced 125 successful signatories (aka "not greenwashers") to the revised U.K. Stewardship Code. Signatories are integrating stewardship and ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) factors into investment decisions, to high standards.Whilst this is ostensibly limited to U.K. pension assets, ramifications are more far-reaching than it might at first appear (one indication is the number of North American and Asia Pacific signatories, in addition to the expected European names). More specifically, the broad relevance is because it:
Affects firms doing business with U.K. asset managers/owners not just the managers/owners.
Is a quasi-blueprint for similar anti-greenwashing initiatives taking root in the U.S. and Asia.
Greenwashing is having an increasing impact on stocks prices (e.g., DWS Group last month).
This is one battle in an emerging global war on greenwashing. The U.S. SEC has its own agenda to fight greenwashing and Asia isn't far behind (e.g., regulators in Japan stepping up scrutiny). There is more to come, and a lot to learn from this including who is (and is not) on the signatory list.

The War on Greenwashing: UK Stewardship Code "Successful Signatories" Has Broader Implications

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

US Treasury (10 Yr Generic) / Technical Analysis

We are beginning to see some mild deterioration in market dynamics, including a break below the key 1.45% support level on the 10-year Treasury yield which is coupled with underperformance from small-caps and value Sectors. Still, other indicators remain largely positive. As a result, we continue to see a mixed, but overall constructive market.

We are beginning to see some mild deterioration in market dynamics, including a break below the key 1.45% support level on the 10-year Treasury yield which is coupled with underperformance from small-caps and value Sectors. Still, other indicators remain largely positive. As a result, we continue to see a mixed, but overall constructive market.

U.S. Equity Strategy: Shifting To Growth As 10-Yr Yield Breaks Key Support

We see those big numbers in the press, almost daily it seems. About ESG assets under management (AUM) reaching US$40 trillion, expected to hit US$53 trillion by 2025. Or about quarterly ESG fund flows nearing US$100 billion, and the seismic shift in ESG AUM to passively-managed funds.Recent growth in SRI (sustainable and responsible investing) and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) assets and investment products would not be possible without the growing ecosystem of index providers, and the SRI/ESG indices and benchmarks that they create.The ongoing boom in SRI/ESG indexing, which shows no signs of slowing, creates new opportunies for investors – and I do not mean investing in indexed mutual funds or ETFs. Too obvious, and too retail. I am referring to emergent opportunities associated with SRI/ESG index arbitrage.Index rebalancing/reconstitution events often create windows of abnormal returns for constituents being re-weighted, added, or dropped. That much is obvious, and the effects of broad market index changes are well-known. For SRI/ESG indices, this is uncharted territory with huge potential.This Smartkarma Original looks at the evolving SRI/ESG indexing landscape, and more importantly the emergent investing (e.g., stocks of listed indexers) and trading (e.g., arbitraging index changes) strategies arising from this global boom in SRI/ESG indices... from an Original perspective.<h2>WHAT'S ORIGINAL?</h2>Typically, discussions about SRI/ESG indices focus on their performance and in the context of that age-old "ESG-Alpha" debate – i.e., whether incorporating ESG factors into the investment process is worth the effort. To be clear, that is an important debate to have (and win). However, this report takes a different angle on SRI/ESG indices by focusing on investing and trading and strategies that capitalise on the boom in SRI/ESG indices. Theory (and a little speculation) backed by analysis.

We see those big numbers in the press, almost daily it seems. About ESG assets under management (AUM) reaching US$40 trillion, expected to hit US$53 trillion by 2025. Or about quarterly ESG fund flows nearing US$100 billion, and the seismic shift in ESG AUM to passively-managed funds.Recent growth in SRI (sustainable and responsible investing) and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) assets and investment products would not be possible without the growing ecosystem of index providers, and the SRI/ESG indices and benchmarks that they create.The ongoing boom in SRI/ESG indexing, which shows no signs of slowing, creates new opportunies for investors – and I do not mean investing in indexed mutual funds or ETFs. Too obvious, and too retail. I am referring to emergent opportunities associated with SRI/ESG index arbitrage.Index rebalancing/reconstitution events often create windows of abnormal returns for constituents being re-weighted, added, or dropped. That much is obvious, and the effects of broad market index changes are well-known. For SRI/ESG indices, this is uncharted territory with huge potential.This Smartkarma Original looks at the evolving SRI/ESG indexing landscape, and more importantly the emergent investing (e.g., stocks of listed indexers) and trading (e.g., arbitraging index changes) strategies arising from this global boom in SRI/ESG indices... from an Original perspective.WHAT'S ORIGINAL?Typically, discussions about SRI/ESG indices focus on their performance and in the context of that age-old "ESG-Alpha" debate – i.e., whether incorporating ESG factors into the investment process is worth the effort. To be clear, that is an important debate to have (and win). However, this report takes a different angle on SRI/ESG indices by focusing on investing and trading and strategies that capitalise on the boom in SRI/ESG indices. Theory (and a little speculation) backed by analysis.

Sustainability and ESG Indices: A Booming Ecosystem and New Investing and Trading Opportunities

Consumer Analyst / Channel Surveillance Specialist, Trudence Capital Advisors

Pranav Bhavsar

Consumer Analyst / Channel Surveillance Specialist

ASA Capital Management

ASA Capital Management is a boutique Research and Investment Advisory firm focusing on primary research in India. ASA provides bespoke research services to Institutional Clients with a focus on due diligence backed with primary research, Field Trips & Channel Checks.

Equity Bottom-Up

HDFC Asset Management Co Ltd / Equity Bottom-Up

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hdfc-asset-management-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27027:1" rel="noopener">HDFC Asset Management Co Ltd (HDFCAMC IN)</a>  is our preferred Asset Management play in spite of rich valuations thanks to the HDFC Parentage. With a focus on Individual Investor, HDFC AMC has carved out a unique space in the asset management industry, which offers substantial revenue visibility backed with strong industry tailwinds. 
A strong fund management team, high market share in B30 cities, and growth in preference for Equity as an asset class by individual investors are some of the key catalysts which could help maintain AAUM Growth.
Our Target Price based on 45x FY21 EPS works out INR 3,334.50 offering a mere 3% return over the previous close of INR 3,244. Investors with a short term horizon will be better off waiting for an attractive entry point that can provide a more attractive return.
However, the HDFC Parentage and strong structural tailwinds in the Industry keep us bullish on this stock.

HDFC Asset Management Co Ltd (HDFCAMC IN)  is our preferred Asset Management play in spite of rich valuations thanks to the HDFC Parentage. With a focus on Individual Investor, HDFC AMC has carved out a unique space in the asset management industry, which offers substantial revenue visibility backed with strong industry tailwinds. 
A strong fund management team, high market share in B30 cities, and growth in preference for Equity as an asset class by individual investors are some of the key catalysts which could help maintain AAUM Growth.
Our Target Price based on 45x FY21 EPS works out INR 3,334.50 offering a mere 3% return over the previous close of INR 3,244. Investors with a short term horizon will be better off waiting for an attractive entry point that can provide a more attractive return.
However, the HDFC Parentage and strong structural tailwinds in the Industry keep us bullish on this stock. 

HDFC AMC | Walk the Talk - Preferred Asset Management Play

Japan/Asia Long-Short, LightStream Research

Mio Kato

Japan/Asia Long-Short

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

Assetmark Financial Holdings / Equity Capital Markets

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/assetmark-financial-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28186:1" rel="noopener">Assetmark Financial Holdings (AMK US)</a> is selling 12.5m shares (6.25m primary shares and 6.25m shares from parent <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/huatai-securities-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28124:1" rel="noopener">Huatai Securities Co Ltd (HTSC LI)</a>) with a 1.875m greenshoe at an indicated range of USD19-21 per share, expecting to list on 17 Jul.The company offers a variety of technological solutions and consulting services for wealth managers, and currently boasts USD49.7bn in assets on its platform, managed by about 7,600 advisers of whom almost 2,000 manage over USD5m in assets each. Following the acquisition of Global Financial Private Capital in April for USD35.9m, the company should add USD3.6bn in assets to take the total on its platform above USD50bn.We examine the company's business model, industry and financial trends and competitor valuations below.

Assetmark Financial Holdings (AMK US) is selling 12.5m shares (6.25m primary shares and 6.25m shares from parent Huatai Securities Co Ltd (HTSC LI)) with a 1.875m greenshoe at an indicated range of USD19-21 per share, expecting to list on 17 Jul.The company offers a variety of technological solutions and consulting services for wealth managers, and currently boasts USD49.7bn in assets on its platform, managed by about 7,600 advisers of whom almost 2,000 manage over USD5m in assets each. Following the acquisition of Global Financial Private Capital in April for USD35.9m, the company should add USD3.6bn in assets to take the total on its platform above USD50bn.We examine the company's business model, industry and financial trends and competitor valuations below.

AssetMark IPO: Manage Your Wealth in the Other Direction

United States

Morningstar, Inc. is an investment information and services company providing data, research, and analysis of mutual funds, stocks, and variable annuities. The Company publishes a line of print, software, and Internet products for individual, financial advisors and institutional investors.

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Morningstar Inc (MORN US)

The War on Greenwashing: UK Stewardship Code "Successful Signatories" Has Broader Implications

Telegraph from European front in global war on greenwashing. U.K. names stewardship victors ("not greenwashers"). Many notable casualties. Anti...

Kyle Rudden

U.S. Equity Strategy: Shifting To Growth As 10-Yr Yield Breaks Key Support

Upgrading Technology, Downgrading Financials, Materials, and Industrials. We discuss implications of the break below the key 1.45% support level on...

Vermilion Research

Sustainability and ESG Indices: A Booming Ecosystem and New Investing and Trading Opportunities

Index rebalancing and reconstitution often creates a window of abnormal returns (and opportunity). For broad market indices, these effects are well...

Kyle Rudden

HDFC AMC | Walk the Talk - Preferred Asset Management Play

HDFC Asset Management Co Ltd (HDFCAMC IN) is our preferred Asset Management play in spite of rich valuations thanks to the HDFC Parentage. With a...

Pranav Bhavsar

AssetMark IPO: Manage Your Wealth in the Other Direction

Assetmark Financial Holdings (AMK US) is selling 12.5m shares (6.25m primary shares and 6.25m shares from parent Huatai Securities Co Ltd (HTSC...

Mio Kato

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