Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Reportedly, Chinese investors, as well as Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, have expressed interest in acquiring a "significant " minority stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pccw-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:873:1" rel="noopener">PCCW Ltd (8 HK)</a>'s fibre ops. </li>
<li>Preceding my comments on PCCW are the current setup/unwind tables for Asia-Pacific Holdcos.</li>
<li>These relationships trade with a minimum liquidity of US$1mn, and a % market capitalisation &gt;20%.</li>
</ul>


Reportedly, Chinese investors, as well as Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, have expressed interest in acquiring a "significant " minority stake in PCCW Ltd (8 HK)'s fibre ops. 
Preceding my comments on PCCW are the current setup/unwind tables for Asia-Pacific Holdcos.
These relationships trade with a minimum liquidity of US$1mn, and a % market capitalisation &gt;20%.


StubWorld: Rumoured Interest In PCCW's Fibre

<ul>
<li>Malaysian conglomerate <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ytl-corp-bhd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8553:1" rel="noopener">YTL Corp Bhd (YTL MK)</a> is coming up "cheap" versus <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ytl-power-international-bhd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1239:1" rel="noopener">YTL Power International (YTLP MK)</a>. And Richard Li chips away at <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pccw-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:873:1" rel="noopener">PCCW Ltd (8 HK)</a>.</li>
<li>Preceding my comments on YTL and PCCW are the current setup/unwind tables for Asia-Pacific Holdcos.</li>
<li>These relationships trade with a minimum liquidity of US$1mn, and a % market capitalisation &gt;20%.</li>
</ul>


Malaysian conglomerate YTL Corp Bhd (YTL MK) is coming up "cheap" versus YTL Power International (YTLP MK). And Richard Li chips away at PCCW Ltd (8 HK).
Preceding my comments on YTL and PCCW are the current setup/unwind tables for Asia-Pacific Holdcos.
These relationships trade with a minimum liquidity of US$1mn, and a % market capitalisation &gt;20%.


StubWorld: YTL Is Coming Up Cheap; Li Buys More PCCW

<ul>
<li>The Companies (Amendment) Act 2021 of the Cayman Islands (Amendment Act), which will come into force on 31 August 2022, will abolish the current 'headcount test'.</li>
<li>Those companies incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and subject to a members' Scheme of Arrangement, were previously required to satisfy the headcount test under section 86 of the Companies Act.</li>
<li>This development clarifies previous uncertainty/ambiguity which could arise, with 'take private' deals of Cayman-incorporated, Hong Kong-listed companies, where a Scheme is the favoured privatisation path.</li>
</ul>


The Companies (Amendment) Act 2021 of the Cayman Islands (Amendment Act), which will come into force on 31 August 2022, will abolish the current 'headcount test'.
Those companies incorporated in the Cayman Islands, and subject to a members' Scheme of Arrangement, were previously required to satisfy the headcount test under section 86 of the Companies Act.
This development clarifies previous uncertainty/ambiguity which could arise, with 'take private' deals of Cayman-incorporated, Hong Kong-listed companies, where a Scheme is the favoured privatisation path.


Cayman Islands: Headcount To Be Decapitated On 31 August

<ul>
<li>Net of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hkt-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:874:1" rel="noopener">HKT Ltd (6823 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pccw-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:873:1" rel="noopener">PCCW Ltd (8 HK)</a> recorded negative EBITDA of HK$378mn in the 1H23.</li>
<li>This is the largest six-month negative EBITDA figure since the EBITDA loss of HK$427mn in 2H22, and the third largest in the past decade. </li>
<li>PCCWs current discount to NAV is at an unsustainable 5%.</li>
</ul>


Net of HKT Ltd (6823 HK), PCCW Ltd (8 HK) recorded negative EBITDA of HK$378mn in the 1H23.
This is the largest six-month negative EBITDA figure since the EBITDA loss of HK$427mn in 2H22, and the third largest in the past decade. 
PCCWs current discount to NAV is at an unsustainable 5%.


<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pccw-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:873:1" rel="noopener">PCCW Ltd (8 HK)</a> is selling an initial 26.1% equity stake in its streaming platform Viu, to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/vivendi-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21076:1" rel="noopener">Vivendi SA (VIV FP)</a>'s Canal+, for US$200mn.</li>
<li>Via a staggered investment, Canal+ can increase its equity to US$300mn. In addition, a further investment, at Canal+'s option, could result in increasing its stake in Viu to 51%.  </li>
<li>Elsewhere, PCCW's 18% discount to NAV is the narrowest in over two years.</li>
</ul>



PCCW Ltd (8 HK) is selling an initial 26.1% equity stake in its streaming platform Viu, to Vivendi SA (VIV FP)'s Canal+, for US$200mn.
Via a staggered investment, Canal+ can increase its equity to US$300mn. In addition, a further investment, at Canal+'s option, could result in increasing its stake in Viu to 51%.  
Elsewhere, PCCW's 18% discount to NAV is the narrowest in over two years.


Hong Kong

PCCW Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications, Internet access, multimedia services and related equipment.  The Company also offers computer, engineering, and other technical services in Hong Kong.  In addition, PCCW invests in and develops system integration and technology-related business, infrastructure and properties in Hong Kong and China.

PCCW Ltd (8 HK)

StubWorld: Rumoured Interest In PCCW's Fibre

A 7% premium is unsustainable for this holding company structure. Reverse the stub here. If Hong Kong fibre is in vogue. perhaps it might be...

David Blennerhassett

StubWorld: YTL Is Coming Up Cheap; Li Buys More PCCW

PCCW has an attractive yield on its side, and Li buying. But a 6% premium is unsustainable for this holding company structure. I'd reverse the stub...

David Blennerhassett

Cayman Islands: Headcount To Be Decapitated On 31 August

On 31 August 2022, the Cayman Islands will abolish the current 'headcount test' which a Cayman Islands members' Scheme (including HK companies) had...

David Blennerhassett

PCCW's Stub Ops Spill More Red Ink

A 5% discount to NAV is tight, relative to history, for this holding company structure. If you had set up the stub, I'd be unwinding here, with a...

David Blennerhassett

Vivendi Acquires A Stake In PCCW's Viu

An 18% discount to NAV is tight, relative to history, for this holding company structure. If you had set up the stub, I'd be unwinding here, with...

David Blennerhassett