Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>The real driver of ITCEN Global's sales, profits, and value is the Digital Asset and Web3 vertical, run partly through strategic holdings such as the Korea Gold Exchange. </li>
<li>If we annualize the company's net profit in 1Q 2026, that would suggest annualized net profit of 291 billion won. </li>
<li>If we attach a 10x P/E on annualized net profit of 291 billion won, this would suggest market cap of 2.9 trillion won (136% higher than its current market cap).</li>
</ul>


The real driver of ITCEN Global's sales, profits, and value is the Digital Asset and Web3 vertical, run partly through strategic holdings such as the Korea Gold Exchange. 
If we annualize the company's net profit in 1Q 2026, that would suggest annualized net profit of 291 billion won. 
If we attach a 10x P/E on annualized net profit of 291 billion won, this would suggest market cap of 2.9 trillion won (136% higher than its current market cap).


Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Following the short sell ban announced on the weekend, the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">KOSPI 200</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kosdaq-150-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31077:1" rel="noopener">KOSDAQ 150</a> opened higher on Monday and rallied through the day.</li>
<li>A lot of the intraday gains on Monday have been given up over the next two trading days. Surprisingly, KRX data indicates that not a lot of shorts have covered.</li>
<li>Foreigners have been net cash buyers since Monday (could indicate covering of offshore borrow) while retail were big sellers on Monday.</li>
</ul>


Following the short sell ban announced on the weekend, the KOSPI 200 and KOSDAQ 150 opened higher on Monday and rallied through the day.
A lot of the intraday gains on Monday have been given up over the next two trading days. Surprisingly, KRX data indicates that not a lot of shorts have covered.
Foreigners have been net cash buyers since Monday (could indicate covering of offshore borrow) while retail were big sellers on Monday.


Korea Short Sell Ban: Not a Lot Covered on Monday; Shorts Holding On?

Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 / Event-Driven

Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200 (KOSPI2 INDEX EQUITY)

<ul>
<li>Korea banned all short selling in March 2020 and resumed short selling only on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-stock-exchange-kospi-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26021:1" rel="noopener">KOSPI 200</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kosdaq-150-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31077:1" rel="noopener">KOSDAQ 150</a> index constituents in May 2021.</li>
<li>News reports indicate that there could be another short sell ban as soon as the coming week. Indications are that the ban could last 6 months.</li>
<li>There are many implications of a total short sell ban including futures backwardation, market manipulation, and no emerging to developed market promotion.</li>
</ul>


Korea banned all short selling in March 2020 and resumed short selling only on KOSPI 200 and KOSDAQ 150 index constituents in May 2021.
News reports indicate that there could be another short sell ban as soon as the coming week. Indications are that the ban could last 6 months.
There are many implications of a total short sell ban including futures backwardation, market manipulation, and no emerging to developed market promotion.


Korea Short Sell Ban: Background, Manipulation, Holdings, Flows, Short Interest, Implications

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>The biggest takeaway from President Yoon's address to the nation today was his focus on election integrity and election fraud. </li>
<li>He was basically implying that the biggest reason for declaring a martial law was due to severe concerns about security breach issues at the National Election Commission.</li>
<li>One of the clear beneficiaries of President Yoon's speech today will be the cybersecurity sector.</li>
</ul>


The biggest takeaway from President Yoon's address to the nation today was his focus on election integrity and election fraud. 
He was basically implying that the biggest reason for declaring a martial law was due to severe concerns about security breach issues at the National Election Commission.
One of the clear beneficiaries of President Yoon's speech today will be the cybersecurity sector.


South Korean President Yoon's Address to the Nation: Focus on Election Integrity and Election Fraud

<ul>
<li>Korea Exchange announced KOSPI 200 rebalance additions and deletions today. There were 14 new additions and deletions (7 each).</li>
<li>Some surprises in KOSPI 200 rebalance included addition of Seah Besteel and deletion of HDC Hyundai Development. </li>
<li>There were a lot more additions and deletions in KOSDAQ 150 (34 total additions and deletions). Among the KOSDAQ 150 additions included Neowiz, JNTC, Lunit, and Jeio.</li>
</ul>


Korea Exchange announced KOSPI 200 rebalance additions and deletions today. There were 14 new additions and deletions (7 each).
Some surprises in KOSPI 200 rebalance included addition of Seah Besteel and deletion of HDC Hyundai Development. 
There were a lot more additions and deletions in KOSDAQ 150 (34 total additions and deletions). Among the KOSDAQ 150 additions included Neowiz, JNTC, Lunit, and Jeio.


KOSPI 200 and KOSDAQ 150 Rebalance Additions and Deletions Announced (December 2023)

South Korea

Posco DX Company Ltd. provides information and technology services. The Company provides computer systems design, computer and server merchant wholesale, computer and office machine repair and maintenance services. Posco DX also offers eic engineering, smart factory, wireless networking equipment, steel manufacturing, and digital video recorder manufacturing services.

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Posco DX (022100 KS)

Korea Small Cap Gem #61: ITCEN Global

The real driver of ITCEN Global's sales, profits, and value is the Digital Asset and Web3 vertical, run partly through strategic holdings such as...

Douglas Kim

Korea Short Sell Ban: Not a Lot Covered on Monday; Shorts Holding On?

Not a lot of shorts were covered on Monday. There could be more covering in the near term as the market drifts lower. KOSPI200 underperformed...

Brian Freitas

Korea Short Sell Ban: Background, Manipulation, Holdings, Flows, Short Interest, Implications

Media reports indicate that there could be a temporary short sell ban in Korea. This could lead to futures backwardation, market manipulation and a...

Brian Freitas

South Korean President Yoon's Address to the Nation: Focus on Election Integrity and Election Fraud

The biggest takeaway from President Yoon's address to the nation today was his focus on election integrity and election fraud.

Douglas Kim

KOSPI 200 and KOSDAQ 150 Rebalance Additions and Deletions Announced (December 2023)

Korea Exchange announced KOSPI 200 rebalance additions and deletions today. There were 14 new additions and deletions (7 each). There were a lot...

Douglas Kim

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