ASEAN Insight Provider, CrossASEAN Research

Angus Mackintosh

ASEAN Insight Provider

CrossASEAN Research

At CrossASEAN Research we strive to produce unbiased and differentiated on the ground insights on companies across South East Asia. Our Research is produced for the most part after face to face meetings and conversations with company management to dig deep into the long term vision and strategy of the companies we cover. We seek to deliver investable and actionable themes on sectors and markets across SE Asia, often in collaboration with other Insight Providers across the region, pooling the vast experience of the analysts within the Smartkarma Ecosystem. We also offer bespoke work and tailor made trips for our clients. 

Insights across South East Asia

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bukalapak-com-pt-tbk" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33575:1" rel="noopener">Bukalapak (BUKA IJ)</a> has seen a sharp share price rebound recently with speculation over a tie up with Temu, which appears ill-founded, with the only newsflow being a Director resigning.</li>
<li>The company swung back into a slight negative adjusted EBITDA in 2Q2024, mainly due to the seasonal impact of Lebaran on its O2O business and increased competition in virtual products.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bukalapak-com-pt-tbk" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33575:1" rel="noopener">Bukalapak</a> remains a differentiated player in Indonesian e-commerce with a focus on serving MSMEs through its marketplace, with increasing take rates ahead. Dealing with excess cash is a potential catalyst. </li>
</ul>



Bukalapak (BUKA IJ) has seen a sharp share price rebound recently with speculation over a tie up with Temu, which appears ill-founded, with the only newsflow being a Director resigning.
The company swung back into a slight negative adjusted EBITDA in 2Q2024, mainly due to the seasonal impact of Lebaran on its O2O business and increased competition in virtual products.

Bukalapak remains a differentiated player in Indonesian e-commerce with a focus on serving MSMEs through its marketplace, with increasing take rates ahead. Dealing with excess cash is a potential catalyst. 


Insurance & Central Asia-focused Analyst, KT Capital Group

Alec Tseung

Insurance & Central Asia-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>
<a href="https://smartkarma.zoom.us/rec/share/greN_IcTNbNIKfXkLUrkLPlmSXvDzuNh6Oad7iFT39LMx6BL5WsQXTLHfLErBwPT.Xt9FLCjm5WkeCCsj" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:131779" rel="noopener">A recent Smartkarma Corporate Webinar | iFAST: Stellar Performance of Singapore's Global Fintech Player</a> introduced one of the few Fintech players in Asia that has been making profits since 2011.</li>
<li>The successful launch of its HK ePension platform can be highly scalable and is expected to be an important growth driver for the company in 2024 and 2025. </li>
<li>IFast Global Bank is expected to break even in Q4 this year and to be an important growth driver for the group's next 3-year plan (2025 and beyond). </li>
</ul>
<p><em>This Insight is part of the Smartkarma Corporate Webinar series, supported by SGX through the Investor Education Fund.</em></p>



A recent Smartkarma Corporate Webinar | iFAST: Stellar Performance of Singapore's Global Fintech Player introduced one of the few Fintech players in Asia that has been making profits since 2011.
The successful launch of its HK ePension platform can be highly scalable and is expected to be an important growth driver for the company in 2024 and 2025. 
IFast Global Bank is expected to break even in Q4 this year and to be an important growth driver for the group's next 3-year plan (2025 and beyond). 

This Insight is part of the Smartkarma Corporate Webinar series, supported by SGX through the Investor Education Fund.

IFast: A Profitable Fintech Player that Deserves More Investor Attention

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Equity Analyst

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea (SE US)</a> has completed a full cycle of growth followed by a phase of profitability improvements/cost-cutting.</li>
<li>Although substantial cost reductions have been implemented, these efforts have mainly focused on fixed costs.</li>
<li>With marketing efficiency unchanged and significant improvements in gross margin difficult, the company appears no closer to achieving stable profitability than it initially was.</li>
</ul>



Sea (SE US) has completed a full cycle of growth followed by a phase of profitability improvements/cost-cutting.
Although substantial cost reductions have been implemented, these efforts have mainly focused on fixed costs.
With marketing efficiency unchanged and significant improvements in gross margin difficult, the company appears no closer to achieving stable profitability than it initially was.


Sea Ltd: No Nearer to Stable Profitability Than Before

<ul>
<li>Looks like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea (SE US)</a> decided to take a detour back to the land of losses this quarter.</li>
<li>But it's not a massive issue. They've maintained close to 7% QoQ revenue growth, so things should be okay.</li>
<li>Investors likely won't delve into the details further to uncover the substantial costs hidden behind that apparent growth.</li>
</ul>


Looks like Sea (SE US) decided to take a detour back to the land of losses this quarter.
But it's not a massive issue. They've maintained close to 7% QoQ revenue growth, so things should be okay.
Investors likely won't delve into the details further to uncover the substantial costs hidden behind that apparent growth.


Sea Ltd: A Detour Back to the Land of Losses

<ul>
<li>We suspect that the recent strength in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea (SE US)</a>'s price performance is likely due to short covering, with shorts incentivized to cover after a nearly 38% gain.</li>
<li>As earnings approach, short positions have been increasing since late October, likely anticipating another earnings disappointment from Sea Ltd's Q3 report on November 14, 2023.</li>
<li>Consensus estimates for Sea Ltd are at their lowest since its inception. A modest outperformance could lead to a squeeze in short interest.</li>
</ul>


We suspect that the recent strength in Sea (SE US)'s price performance is likely due to short covering, with shorts incentivized to cover after a nearly 38% gain.
As earnings approach, short positions have been increasing since late October, likely anticipating another earnings disappointment from Sea Ltd's Q3 report on November 14, 2023.
Consensus estimates for Sea Ltd are at their lowest since its inception. A modest outperformance could lead to a squeeze in short interest.


Singapore

Sea Limited is a Singapore-based global technology company founded in 2009. It operates three core businesses: digital entertainment through Garena, e-commerce via Shopee, and digital financial services under Monee. The company is headquartered in Singapore.

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Sea Ltd (SE US)

Bukalapak (BUKA IJ) - Changes Afoot?

Bukalapak remains a differentiated player in Indonesian e-commerce with a focus on serving MSMEs through its marketplace and increasing take rates...

Angus Mackintosh

IFast: A Profitable Fintech Player that Deserves More Investor Attention

iFast Corporation is one of the few Fintech players in Asia that has been consistently making net profits since as early as 2011. It operates in...

Alec Tseung

Sea Ltd: No Nearer to Stable Profitability Than Before

Sea (SE US) has gone through growth and cost-cutting phases, but struggles to achieve stable profitability due to unchanged marketing efficiency...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Sea Ltd: A Detour Back to the Land of Losses

Sea took a detour back to the land of losses this quarter. But it's not a massive issue. They've maintained close to 7% QoQ growth, investors...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Sea Ltd: Potential for a Short Squeeze

We find it unlikely that Sea will return to making losses in Q3, as projected by consensus. While cautious about medium-term projections, we...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Bukalapak (BUKA IJ) - Changes Afoot?

Bukalapak remains a differentiated player in Indonesian e-commerce with a focus on serving MSMEs through its marketplace and increasing take rates...

Angus Mackintosh

IFast: A Profitable Fintech Player that Deserves More Investor Attention

iFast Corporation is one of the few Fintech players in Asia that has been consistently making net profits since as early as 2011. It operates in...

Alec Tseung

Sea Ltd: No Nearer to Stable Profitability Than Before

​Sea (SE US) has gone through growth and cost-cutting phases, but struggles to achieve stable profitability due to unchanged marketing efficiency...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Sea Ltd: A Detour Back to the Land of Losses

​Sea took a detour back to the land of losses this quarter. But it's not a massive issue. They've maintained close to 7% QoQ growth, investors...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Sea Ltd: Potential for a Short Squeeze

We find it unlikely that Sea will return to making losses in Q3, as projected by consensus. ​While cautious about medium-term projections, we...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Sea (SE US) has gone through growth and cost-cutting phases, but struggles to achieve stable profitability due to unchanged marketing efficiency...

Sea took a detour back to the land of losses this quarter. But it's not a massive issue. They've maintained close to 7% QoQ growth, investors...

We find it unlikely that Sea will return to making losses in Q3, as projected by consensus. While cautious about medium-term projections, we...