Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>It seems like every week, Bloomberg reports a HK-listed company weighing privatisation options. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hkbn-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:289:1" rel="noopener">HKBN (1310 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/esr-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27983:1" rel="noopener">ESR (1821 HK)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/samsonite-international-sa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12790:1" rel="noopener">Samsonite (1910 HK)</a> have all been rumoured of late.</li>
<li>Last Friday, Samsonite <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2024/0322/2024032200048.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> it was focused on pursuing the listing of its shares on a second exchange.</li>
<li>No preferred exchange was mentioned. Nor whether the goal is to secure a dual primary listing, or a secondary listing. A buyout, for now, appears to be on the backburner.</li>
</ul>


It seems like every week, Bloomberg reports a HK-listed company weighing privatisation options. HKBN (1310 HK), ESR (1821 HK), and Samsonite (1910 HK) have all been rumoured of late.
Last Friday, Samsonite announced it was focused on pursuing the listing of its shares on a second exchange.
No preferred exchange was mentioned. Nor whether the goal is to secure a dual primary listing, or a secondary listing. A buyout, for now, appears to be on the backburner.


Samsonite (1910 HK): Dual-Listing Musings

External broker reports(aggregated public sources), CMB International

CMB International

External broker reports(aggregated public sources)

Incorporated in Hong Kong, supported by the mainland and targeting in global market, CMB International Capital Corporation Limited (“CMBI”) is an integrated financial institution providing comprehensive and professional services. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Merchants Bank ("CMB"), by leveraging on the Group’s synergy and coordination in domestic and overseas markets, as well as CMB’s strong resources and outstanding social reputation, CMBI and its subsidiaries have been actively implementing diversified business strategies and set up an overall layout of main business segments including Corporate Finance, Asset Management, Wealth Management, Global Markets and Structured Finance, etc. Adhering to the philosophy of “being clients oriented and increasing our own values by the way of creating value for clients”, CMBI endeavors to provide quality and integrated financial services to institutional, corporate and individual customers both domestic and overseas including Hong Kong IPO sponsorship and underwriting, share placement and rights issue for listed companies, financial advisors, bonds issuance services, asset management, direct investment, wealth management, equity sales and trading, etc.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Prudential reported strong FY23 results with new business profit (NBP) jumping by 45% YoY (CER) to US$3.13bn, beating consensus by 6.4%, thanks to +3ppt NBP margin expansion to 53% in full year.</li><li>The Group’s NBP margin (NBM) sequentially improved in 2H23 to 57% from 49% in 1H23, driven by a trend of margin recovery in 2H in almost all key markets, except the mainland JV CPL, whose NBP fell by 70% YoY in 2H23, adversely affected by tanked bancassurance sales and unfavourable economic sentiment that dragged down demand for protections.</li><li>Hong Kong sustained strong momentum into 4Q23 with NBP up by 3.3x YoY in 2H23, reflecting its market-first position for mainland Chinese visitors (MCVs). </li></ul>Content is external broker report sourced from online content aggregator through publicly available sources and is displayed below for general informational purposes only. Refer full disclaimer below.

Prudential reported strong FY23 results with new business profit (NBP) jumping by 45% YoY (CER) to US$3.13bn, beating consensus by 6.4%, thanks to +3ppt NBP margin expansion to 53% in full year.The Group’s NBP margin (NBM) sequentially improved in 2H23 to 57% from 49% in 1H23, driven by a trend of margin recovery in 2H in almost all key markets, except the mainland JV CPL, whose NBP fell by 70% YoY in 2H23, adversely affected by tanked bancassurance sales and unfavourable economic sentiment that dragged down demand for protections.Hong Kong sustained strong momentum into 4Q23 with NBP up by 3.3x YoY in 2H23, reflecting its market-first position for mainland Chinese visitors (MCVs). Content is external broker report sourced from online content aggregator through publicly available sources and is displayed below for general informational purposes only. Refer full disclaimer below.

Prudential Plc. (2378 HK) - NBP Beat Driven by Better 2H Margin

Research and consultancy, Tabbush Report

Daniel Tabbush

Research and consultancy

Tabbush Report

We provide research and consultancy on Asian banks. Our focus is on what we call “Asian bank research, without the noise.” We are interested in the most critical swing-factors for banks, the NPL and credit cycle, and where we believe there is a gap between perception and reality. We often focus on the less studied components of bank financial statements.  Our research is highly thematic, sometimes examining unlisted banks and companies as a window on mainstream banks. 

Being independent allows us to look at smaller banks, often overlooked by others. Analysis of BIS bank guidelines in the context of Asia, is also a focal point, while we also analyze global banks operating in the region. We use what we believe is the most comprehensive, reliable financials database, SNL Financial. S&P Capital IQ augments our database, with corporate data and CEIC, with economics. 

Asian bank research, without the noise.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>China insurance sector may seem like there is strong growth prospects due the population, but relatively long term data on insurance premium growth is not robust in recent years.</li>
<li>Aggregate impairment losses on assets of insurance companies have been soaring in recent years, well higher than in the GFC, which can continue with weak CRE, investments.</li>
<li>Ping An Insurance has seen sharp fall in operating income in the past 2 quarters, with levels near quarterly lows in the past five years. Lower rates may hurt further. </li>
</ul>


China insurance sector may seem like there is strong growth prospects due the population, but relatively long term data on insurance premium growth is not robust in recent years.
Aggregate impairment losses on assets of insurance companies have been soaring in recent years, well higher than in the GFC, which can continue with weak CRE, investments.
Ping An Insurance has seen sharp fall in operating income in the past 2 quarters, with levels near quarterly lows in the past five years. Lower rates may hurt further. 


Ping An Insurance - Recent Profit Growth Is Weak, Industry Aggregates Do Not Suggest a Change

<ul>
<li>The earnings decline at <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-group-co-of-c2975d60-47cd-4246-a7a6-25297586242b" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24682:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance Group of (601318 CH)</a> is well in place for the past three years and including the last 12 months and YTD. </li>
<li>A worsening China should see accelerated weakness at Ping An Insurance: bond mark downs, less product sales, lower bank contribution, falling investment returns as rates are cut.</li>
<li>Earnings risk perspective: profit RMB79bn in LTM against bond holdings of RMB2,622bn putting its bonds/profit at 33x. Bonds to capital is 2.9x: book value risk too.</li>
</ul>


The earnings decline at Ping An Insurance Group of (601318 CH) is well in place for the past three years and including the last 12 months and YTD. 
A worsening China should see accelerated weakness at Ping An Insurance: bond mark downs, less product sales, lower bank contribution, falling investment returns as rates are cut.
Earnings risk perspective: profit RMB79bn in LTM against bond holdings of RMB2,622bn putting its bonds/profit at 33x. Bonds to capital is 2.9x: book value risk too.


Ping An Insurance - Worsening Profit for Some Years, Can Accelerate with Corporate Bond Impairments

Fintech & EM-focused Analyst, KT Capital Group

Alec Tseung

Fintech & EM-focused Analyst

KT Capital Group

Principal investments and advisory firm that focuses on connecting the CIS countries with East Asia.

Principal investments and advisory firm

<ul>
<li>PICC P&amp;C's Q3 underwriting profitability deteriorated due to typhoon/catastrophe-related losses in both motor and non-motor business.</li>
<li>Samsung Life's new business growth momentum continued in Q3'23; new business CSM margin slightly improved QoQ.</li>
<li>Prudential disclosed limited details in its Q3 results but we can see the growth trend of new business volume and profits continuing in the quarter.</li>
</ul>


PICC P&amp;C's Q3 underwriting profitability deteriorated due to typhoon/catastrophe-related losses in both motor and non-motor business.
Samsung Life's new business growth momentum continued in Q3'23; new business CSM margin slightly improved QoQ.
Prudential disclosed limited details in its Q3 results but we can see the growth trend of new business volume and profits continuing in the quarter.


APAC Insurers Series (#4): How We See the 3 Insurance Stocks in 2024

Hong Kong

Prudential Public Limited Company provides long term savings and protection products. The Company offers life and health insurance for long term business including asset management services. Prudential serves customers in Asia and Africa.

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Prudential (2378 HK)

Samsonite (1910 HK): Dual-Listing Musings

A secondary NASDAQ listing appears preferable. One that is a dual primary listing. A privatisation cannot be ruled out. But it won't come cheap. If...

David Blennerhassett

Prudential Plc. (2378 HK) - NBP Beat Driven by Better 2H Margin

Prudential reported strong FY23 results with new business profit (NBP) jumping by 45% YoY (CER) to US$3.13bn, beating consensus by 6.4%, thanks to...

CMB International

Ping An Insurance - Recent Profit Growth Is Weak, Industry Aggregates Do Not Suggest a Change

Ping An Insurance demonstrates weakening profit, China insurance industry aggregates, do not suggest this will change. Rather, investment returns...

Daniel Tabbush

Ping An Insurance - Worsening Profit for Some Years, Can Accelerate with Corporate Bond Impairments

Ping An Insurance can see meaningful risk to profit and book value from mark downs in its corporate bonds with a weak China economy.

Daniel Tabbush

APAC Insurers Series (#4): How We See the 3 Insurance Stocks in 2024

While we see limited upside in both PICC P&C and Samsung Life, we believe Prudential is the only one out of the three insurance stocks we...

Alec Tseung

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