Director, Head of Research, Smartkarma

Pranav Rao

Director, Head of Research

Smartkarma

Smartkarma unites the fragmented investment industry, connecting institutional investors, independent research providers, and corporates within a single network.

Research Reinvented

Event-Driven

Korea Stock Exchange Kospi Index / Event-Driven

Korea Stock Exchange Kospi Index (KOSPI INDEX)

<ul>
<li>Welcome to Curator’s Cut — a fortnightly roundup of standout themes from the 1,500+ insights published on Smartkarma.</li>
<li>In this cut, we uncover large- and small-cap opportunities in South Korea, examine whether it's time for a luxury rebound, and assess some opportunities in the insurance sector. </li>
<li>Want to dig deeper? Comment or message with the themes you’d like to see highlighted next.</li>
</ul>


Welcome to Curator’s Cut — a fortnightly roundup of standout themes from the 1,500+ insights published on Smartkarma.
In this cut, we uncover large- and small-cap opportunities in South Korea, examine whether it's time for a luxury rebound, and assess some opportunities in the insurance sector. 
Want to dig deeper? Comment or message with the themes you’d like to see highlighted next.


Curator's Cut: Seoul Searching, Luxury Lulls & Getting Insurance for Portfolios

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Samsung Electronics announced that it will pay a special dividend of 1.3 trillion won for 4Q 2025.</li>
<li>Samsung Electronics had excellent results in 4Q 2025. It beat consensus sales and operating profit estimates by 4.8% and 20.1%, respectively in 4Q 2025.</li>
<li>The combination of the company beating the consensus sales and profit estimates and higher special dividends are likely to further boost the positive sentiment on Samsung Electronics.</li>
</ul>


Samsung Electronics announced that it will pay a special dividend of 1.3 trillion won for 4Q 2025.
Samsung Electronics had excellent results in 4Q 2025. It beat consensus sales and operating profit estimates by 4.8% and 20.1%, respectively in 4Q 2025.
The combination of the company beating the consensus sales and profit estimates and higher special dividends are likely to further boost the positive sentiment on Samsung Electronics.


Samsung Electronics: A 20% Beat in OP for 4Q25 and a Special Dividend of 1.3 Trillion Won

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

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.

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>2025 marked our tenth year covering Equity Capital Markets (ECM) in Asia Pacific. In 2025, IPO volumes were driven by a strong rebound in HK, while India flow remained resilient.</li>
<li>We ended 2025 with an accuracy rate of 72.2% across 119 IPOs that we covered and 64.3% across 125 placements.</li>
<li>For those not familiar with our coverage, we aim to cover all IPOs and placements with a minimum deal size of US$100m across Asia-Pacific, including China ADRs.</li>
</ul>


2025 marked our tenth year covering Equity Capital Markets (ECM) in Asia Pacific. In 2025, IPO volumes were driven by a strong rebound in HK, while India flow remained resilient.
We ended 2025 with an accuracy rate of 72.2% across 119 IPOs that we covered and 64.3% across 125 placements.
For those not familiar with our coverage, we aim to cover all IPOs and placements with a minimum deal size of US$100m across Asia-Pacific, including China ADRs.


Aequitas 2025 IPOs and Placements Performance Review - HK Breached COVID Peak, India Flow Strong

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>FnGuide announced that Mirae Asset TIGER Semiconductor TOP 10 ETF, which operates based on its FnGuide's own index, surpassed 3 trillion won in net assets.</li>
<li>In this insight, we discuss the impact of this change on FnGuide Semiconductor Top10 Index Rebalance in April 2026. </li>
<li>ISC Co Ltd (095340 KS) is a potential inclusion candidate (borderline) in the FnGuide Semiconductor Top10 Index Rebalance in April 2026.</li>
</ul>


FnGuide announced that Mirae Asset TIGER Semiconductor TOP 10 ETF, which operates based on its FnGuide's own index, surpassed 3 trillion won in net assets.
In this insight, we discuss the impact of this change on FnGuide Semiconductor Top10 Index Rebalance in April 2026. 
ISC Co Ltd (095340 KS) is a potential inclusion candidate (borderline) in the FnGuide Semiconductor Top10 Index Rebalance in April 2026.


TIGER Semiconductor TOP 10 ETF > 3 Trillion Won in AUM: Impact on FnGuide Index's Next Rebalance

Chief Executive Officer, Emmer Capital Partners Limited

Manishi Raychaudhuri

Chief Executive Officer

Emmer Capital Partners Limited

Emmer Capital Partners is an Asia Pacific focused financial advisory firm engaging in strategic financial asset allocation advice, bespoke thematic research and advising early-stage companies and connecting them to investors. Emmer Capital provides macro-economic and multi-asset investment strategy inputs to institutions, family offices, private wealth managers, private equity, and corporate boards directly and through independent research platforms. Emmer Capital also advises a wide range of startup companies on fund raising and business strategy. Emmer Capital's active engagement with the print and electronic media reaches a broad spectrum of investors across the globe.

<ul>
<li>Since the last rebalancing of our portfolio on 5th September, it has returned 13.5% vs 9.5% from MSCI-Asia-ex-Japan. Since inception (15th May), our portfolio has appreciated 20.1% vs MXASJ's 18.6%.</li>
<li>Six stocks, SK Hynix, TSMC, Samsung Electronics, Alibaba, China Hongqiao, Tencent, contributed almost the entire return of our portfolio. Overweight on Korea drove more than half the portfolio's return.</li>
<li>We turn more selective on Chinese discretionary consumption and step into the Korean defense sector. We exclude Anta Sports and Mediatek and include Hyundai Rotem and Hon Hai Precision.</li>
</ul>


Since the last rebalancing of our portfolio on 5th September, it has returned 13.5% vs 9.5% from MSCI-Asia-ex-Japan. Since inception (15th May), our portfolio has appreciated 20.1% vs MXASJ's 18.6%.
Six stocks, SK Hynix, TSMC, Samsung Electronics, Alibaba, China Hongqiao, Tencent, contributed almost the entire return of our portfolio. Overweight on Korea drove more than half the portfolio's return.
We turn more selective on Chinese discretionary consumption and step into the Korean defense sector. We exclude Anta Sports and Mediatek and include Hyundai Rotem and Hon Hai Precision.


Asian Equities: Model Portfolio Outperformed Sharply; Less China Consumption, More Korea Defence

South Korea

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. manufactures a wide range of consumer and industrial electronic equipment and products such as semiconductors, personal computers, peripherals, monitors, televisions, and home appliances including air conditioners and microwave ovens. The Company also produces Internet access network systems and telecommunications equipment including mobile phones.

Samsung Electronics Pref Shares (005935 KS)

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Samsung Electronics Pref Shares (005935 KS)

Curator's Cut: Seoul Searching, Luxury Lulls & Getting Insurance for Portfolios

Discover investment opportunities in South Korea, luxury rebound potential, and insurance sector insights in the latest Curator's Cut from...

Pranav Rao

Samsung Electronics: A 20% Beat in OP for 4Q25 and a Special Dividend of 1.3 Trillion Won

The combination of the company beating the consensus sales and profit estimates and higher special dividends are likely to further boost the...

Douglas Kim

Aequitas 2025 IPOs and Placements Performance Review - HK Breached COVID Peak, India Flow Strong

2025 marked our tenth year covering Equity Capital Markets (ECM) in Asia Pacific. In 2025, IPO volumes were driven by a strong rebound in HK, while...

Sumeet Singh

TIGER Semiconductor TOP 10 ETF > 3 Trillion Won in AUM: Impact on FnGuide Index's Next Rebalance

ISC Co Ltd (095340 KS) is a potential inclusion candidate (borderline) in the FnGuide Semiconductor Top10 Index Rebalance in April 2026.

Douglas Kim

Asian Equities: Model Portfolio Outperformed Sharply; Less China Consumption, More Korea Defence

China's economic data (FAI & industrial growth sharply lower than expected, retail sales growth underwhelming) underscores the need for nuanced...

Manishi Raychaudhuri

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Curator's Cut: Seoul Searching, Luxury Lulls & Getting Insurance for Portfolios

​Discover investment opportunities in South Korea, luxury rebound potential, and insurance sector insights in the latest Curator's Cut from...

Pranav Rao

Samsung Electronics: A 20% Beat in OP for 4Q25 and a Special Dividend of 1.3 Trillion Won

The combination of the company beating the consensus sales and profit estimates and higher special dividends are likely to further boost the...

Douglas Kim

Aequitas 2025 IPOs and Placements Performance Review - HK Breached COVID Peak, India Flow Strong

2025 marked our tenth year covering Equity Capital Markets (ECM) in Asia Pacific. In 2025, IPO volumes were driven by a strong rebound in HK, while...

Sumeet Singh

TIGER Semiconductor TOP 10 ETF > 3 Trillion Won in AUM: Impact on FnGuide Index's Next Rebalance

ISC Co Ltd (095340 KS) is a potential inclusion candidate (borderline) in the FnGuide Semiconductor Top10 Index Rebalance in April 2026.

Douglas Kim

Asian Equities: Model Portfolio Outperformed Sharply; Less China Consumption, More Korea Defence

China's economic data (FAI & industrial growth sharply lower than expected, retail sales growth underwhelming) underscores the need for nuanced...

Manishi Raychaudhuri

Discover investment opportunities in South Korea, luxury rebound potential, and insurance sector insights in the latest Curator's Cut from...