Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Back in April of this year, China's President Xi Jinping <a href="http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2020-04/16/nw.D110000renmrb_20200416_1-09.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mentioned</a> taking the initiative to seek change and turn "crises into opportunities".
This was expanded upon in a Politburo meeting on the <a href="http://cpc.people.com.cn/n1/2020/0515/c64094-31709627.html?mc_cid=28966ada58&amp;mc_eid=902fe70bde" target="_blank" rel="noopener">14 May</a> under the guise of a "dual circulation" strategy, such that China will seek to primarily rely on "internal circulation" (domestic production, distribution, and consumption) for its future development. This "internal circulation" would be supplemented with "external circulation". 
During a 21 July <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200811045300/http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/leaders/2020-07/21/c_1126267575.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">speech</a> to public and private business in Beijing, Xi emphasized that “We must gradually form a new development pattern with the domestic internal circulation as the main body and the domestic and international dual circulations mutually promoting each other.
When  co-hosting a China-Germany-EU leaders last week, Xi Jinping <a href="https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-09-14/Xi-attends-China-Germany-EU-leaders-meeting-via-video-link-TMA0kfp5lK/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reiterated</a> that "China is working toward the goal of fostering a new, dual-cycle development architecture with the domestic cycle as the mainstay and with domestic and international development reinforcing each other."
This “dual circulation/cycle” strategy may form a key government initiative in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), which is expected to be released by the National People's Congress early next year, probably March. A Communist Party leaders’ meeting next month is expected to unveil more detail on this strategy. 
Does this strategy point to China turning its back to the world and taking on a closed and self-sufficient path?

Back in April of this year, China's President Xi Jinping mentioned taking the initiative to seek change and turn "crises into opportunities".
This was expanded upon in a Politburo meeting on the 14 May under the guise of a "dual circulation" strategy, such that China will seek to primarily rely on "internal circulation" (domestic production, distribution, and consumption) for its future development. This "internal circulation" would be supplemented with "external circulation". 
During a 21 July speech to public and private business in Beijing, Xi emphasized that “We must gradually form a new development pattern with the domestic internal circulation as the main body and the domestic and international dual circulations mutually promoting each other.
When  co-hosting a China-Germany-EU leaders last week, Xi Jinping reiterated that "China is working toward the goal of fostering a new, dual-cycle development architecture with the domestic cycle as the mainstay and with domestic and international development reinforcing each other."
This “dual circulation/cycle” strategy may form a key government initiative in the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025), which is expected to be released by the National People's Congress early next year, probably March. A Communist Party leaders’ meeting next month is expected to unveil more detail on this strategy. 
Does this strategy point to China turning its back to the world and taking on a closed and self-sufficient path?

China's Dual Circulation: Hedged Integration

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport, Tracking Traffic

Daniel Hellberg

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport

Tracking Traffic

Focusing on Asian logistics, transportation, and travel companies

Event-Driven

The objectives of this report are to examine what express sector consolidation may look like over the next few years, and to offer investors guidance about how to play this trend when the dominoes begin to fall, most likely in 2021-22. We organize the report into six parts as follows:
<ol>
<li>How things used to work in China's express sector</li>
<li>How the sector has begun changing in ways that may force consolidation</li>
<li>The 'Why?' &amp; 'How?' of Chinese express sector consolidation</li>
<li>Alibaba's critical role in potential M&amp;A activity</li>
<li>Some thoughts about the timing of expected changes</li>
<li>Conclusions</li>
</ol>

The objectives of this report are to examine what express sector consolidation may look like over the next few years, and to offer investors guidance about how to play this trend when the dominoes begin to fall, most likely in 2021-22. We organize the report into six parts as follows:

How things used to work in China's express sector
How the sector has begun changing in ways that may force consolidation
The 'Why?' &amp; 'How?' of Chinese express sector consolidation
Alibaba's critical role in potential M&amp;A activity
Some thoughts about the timing of expected changes
Conclusions


Pressure Building: How Consolidation in China's Express Sector Might Look Over the Next Two Years

Equity Bottom-Up

The express sector's big news is that <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zto-express" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23628:1" rel="noopener">ZTO Express (ZTO US) </a>is seeking an IPO in Hong Kong, as many large Chinese tech companies have done in recent months. We understand the rationale for this move, but still dislike the company's deteriorating fundamentals and rich valuation. 
In August, express sector volume growth remained firm (+36.5% YoY), but revenue growth slowed (+17.9%, slowest since March) as average unit pricing tumbled. We believe the current price war will continue in the medium-term, eating into express companies' margins and cash flow.
Outside of China, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kerry-express-thailand" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29253:1" rel="noopener">Kerry Express Thailand (KEX TB)</a> has filed IPO documents. We believe this offering is worth watching, as KEX may be the only public 'pure play' on eCommerce logistics in SE Asia. A successful IPO should also boost sentiment toward <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kerry-logistics-network-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:367:1" rel="noopener">Kerry Logistics Network (636 HK)</a>.
Conclusion: Owning independent market leader <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/maanshan-dingtai-rare-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4128:1" rel="noopener">S.F. Holding (002352 CH)</a> against short positions in any of the listed express companies aligned with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:787:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group (BABA US)</a> has been a winning strategy in 2020, and we see no reason to change course in the near-term.

The express sector's big news is that ZTO Express (ZTO US) is seeking an IPO in Hong Kong, as many large Chinese tech companies have done in recent months. We understand the rationale for this move, but still dislike the company's deteriorating fundamentals and rich valuation. 
In August, express sector volume growth remained firm (+36.5% YoY), but revenue growth slowed (+17.9%, slowest since March) as average unit pricing tumbled. We believe the current price war will continue in the medium-term, eating into express companies' margins and cash flow.
Outside of China, Kerry Express Thailand (KEX TB) has filed IPO documents. We believe this offering is worth watching, as KEX may be the only public 'pure play' on eCommerce logistics in SE Asia. A successful IPO should also boost sentiment toward Kerry Logistics Network (636 HK).
Conclusion: Owning independent market leader S.F. Holding (002352 CH) against short positions in any of the listed express companies aligned with Alibaba Group (BABA US) has been a winning strategy in 2020, and we see no reason to change course in the near-term. 

TRACKING TRAFFIC/Chinese Express: ZTO HK Listing | August Pricing Still Weak | KEX IPO in Bangkok

Overseas Chinese Equities, Aequitas Research

Ming Lu

Overseas Chinese Equities

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

<ul>
<li>Alibaba (BABA) launched a platform of real estate agency.</li>
<li>Alibaba (BABA) promoted its interactive entertainment unit to first-level department because of a popular game.</li>
<li>We do not believe BABA’s acquisition of an online job agency is rational or true.</li>
</ul>


Alibaba (BABA) launched a platform of real estate agency.
Alibaba (BABA) promoted its interactive entertainment unit to first-level department because of a popular game.
We do not believe BABA’s acquisition of an online job agency is rational or true.


China Internet Weekly (21Sep2020): BABA Launched Property Agency and Promoted Game Department

Equity Capital Markets

ZTO Express Cayman  / Equity Capital Markets

We've been bearish on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zto-express" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23628:1" rel="noopener">ZTO Express (ZTO US)</a> for some time now. In addition to accounting issues the company has been unable to explain, we have long expected heavy downward pressure on profit margins and Operating Cash flow, as seen clearly in the company's weak Q220 results. We appreciate the rationale for seeking a second listing in Hong Kong, though we admit we are surprised by the relatively large scale of the issue, rumored to be around US$2 bn (implying about 8% dilution). Given the continued deterioration of conditions in China's express sector, ZTO may be opportunistically raising a large sum on the expectation that doing so later will prove difficult.In Q220, ZTO posted parcel volume growth of 48% -- well ahead of market growth -- yet EPS grew by only 6%. We believe such poor "conversion" will remain the norm for ZTO in the medium term, and we do not believe such a performance warrants a PER multiple of over 34 times. Retain SELL.

We've been bearish on ZTO Express (ZTO US) for some time now. In addition to accounting issues the company has been unable to explain, we have long expected heavy downward pressure on profit margins and Operating Cash flow, as seen clearly in the company's weak Q220 results. We appreciate the rationale for seeking a second listing in Hong Kong, though we admit we are surprised by the relatively large scale of the issue, rumored to be around US$2 bn (implying about 8% dilution). Given the continued deterioration of conditions in China's express sector, ZTO may be opportunistically raising a large sum on the expectation that doing so later will prove difficult.In Q220, ZTO posted parcel volume growth of 48% -- well ahead of market growth -- yet EPS grew by only 6%. We believe such poor "conversion" will remain the norm for ZTO in the medium term, and we do not believe such a performance warrants a PER multiple of over 34 times. Retain SELL.

Thoughts on ZTO Express' HK Listing: Expensive & Struggling to Maintain Margins & Cash Flow

Hong Kong

S. F. Holding Co., Ltd. offers express courier services. The Company provides logistics, order tracking, supply chain management, warehousing, and other services. S. F. Holding offers services worldwide.

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S.F. Holding (6936 HK)

China's Dual Circulation: Hedged Integration

Back in April, Xi Jinping

David Blennerhassett

Pressure Building: How Consolidation in China's Express Sector Might Look Over the Next Two Years

Objective of this note: How things used to work How the sector has begun changing

Tracking Traffic

TRACKING TRAFFIC/Chinese Express: ZTO HK Listing | August Pricing Still Weak | KEX IPO in Bangkok

Big news is ZTO Express (ZTO US) launching

Tracking Traffic

China Internet Weekly (21Sep2020): BABA Launched Property Agency and Promoted Game Department

Alibaba (BABA) launched a platform of real estate agency. Alibaba (BABA) promoted its interactive entertainment unit to first-level department...

Ming Lu

Thoughts on ZTO Express' HK Listing: Expensive & Struggling to Maintain Margins & Cash Flow

We've been bearish on ZTO Express (ZTO US) for some time now. Beyond some accout

Tracking Traffic

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