Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

<p>As long as market dynamics remain largely positive and the MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), ACWI ex-US (ACWX-US), and EM (EEM-US) indexes are above their respective intermediate-term support levels we believe a constructive outlook is warranted. To reiterate, support levels to watch include $90 on ACWI-US, $53 on ACWX-US, and $52 on EEM-US. Open the attached file to read our complete International Strategy document, and to find links to detailed comments and recommendations for each of our 12 Sectors.</p>

As long as market dynamics remain largely positive and the MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), ACWI ex-US (ACWX-US), and EM (EEM-US) indexes are above their respective intermediate-term support levels we believe a constructive outlook is warranted. To reiterate, support levels to watch include $90 on ACWI-US, $53 on ACWX-US, and $52 on EEM-US. Open the attached file to read our complete International Strategy document, and to find links to detailed comments and recommendations for each of our 12 Sectors.

Global Equity Strategy: Constructive Pullback; Overweight Value

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Equity Bottom-Up

<p>The Kerry Group has been busy of late.</p>
<p>Back in December, <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> IPO'ed <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> as discussed by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/sumeet-singh" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:4" rel="noopener">Sumeet Singh</a> in <em><a href="https://skr.ma/uGPdd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kerry Express Thailand IPO - Time for Delivery</a></em>.</p>
<p>Last month <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kerry-properties-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3320:1" rel="noopener">Kerry Properties (683 HK)</a> ("KPL") and <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> ("KLN") <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2021/0210/2021021000043.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a pre-conditional Partial Offer from  <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>.  This is an ongoing transaction - see <em><a href="https://skr.ma/D9RK7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kerry Logistics (636 HK): SF Holdings' Pre-Conditional Partial Offer</a></em>. KLN announced last night the composite document has been <a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2021/0308/2021030801425.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">delayed</a> potentially up to the 16 August 201. </p>
<div>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shangri-la-asia-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19690:1" rel="noopener">Shangri-La Asia (69 HK)</a>, majority-owned by the Kerry Group, is well up on its March 2020 COVID low, and up 9.5% YTD.  Around half of its hotels are in China, which have witnessed a strong uptick in local leisure and corporate traveling, generating positive EBITDA as early as June last year, the first time since the first outbreak of the pandemic.</div>
<div></div>
<div>Currently trading at 0.6x P/B against a pre-COVID average multiple of 0.8x., this is worth a second look.</div>
<div></div>
<div>More below the fold.</div>

The Kerry Group has been busy of late.
Back in December, Kerry Logistics Network (636 HK) IPO'ed Kerry Express Thailand (KEX TB) as discussed by Sumeet Singh in Kerry Express Thailand IPO - Time for Delivery.
Last month Kerry Properties (683 HK) ("KPL") and Kerry Logistics Network (636 HK) ("KLN") announced a pre-conditional Partial Offer from  S.F. Holding (002352 CH).  This is an ongoing transaction - see Kerry Logistics (636 HK): SF Holdings' Pre-Conditional Partial Offer. KLN announced last night the composite document has been delayed potentially up to the 16 August 201. 

Shangri-La Asia (69 HK), majority-owned by the Kerry Group, is well up on its March 2020 COVID low, and up 9.5% YTD.  Around half of its hotels are in China, which have witnessed a strong uptick in local leisure and corporate traveling, generating positive EBITDA as early as June last year, the first time since the first outbreak of the pandemic.

Currently trading at 0.6x P/B against a pre-COVID average multiple of 0.8x., this is worth a second look.

More below the fold.

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport, Tracking Traffic

Daniel Hellberg

Asian Equities Analyst, Logistics & Transport

Tracking Traffic

Focusing on Asian logistics, transportation, and travel companies

<section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/179/973/original/BANNER-TourDec20.png?1608779882" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="179973"></figure></section><p><em>Outbound</em> Chinese tourism activity remained dormant in November. Macau's recovery slowed, and the appearance of a new variant of the Covid19 virus suggests a potential recovery in Chinese outbound travel may be pushed back until at least the middle of 2021, maybe later. </p><p>To our surprise, the recovery in <em>domestic</em> Chinese tourism also appears to have lost steam in November. Passenger counts at the three major national airlines fell YoY, and overall activity was well below that of October. Chinese consumers remain cautious towards discretionary travel. </p><p>We believe Chinese travel demand <em>will</em> recover gradually in 2021, and that the recovery could gain momentum in the second half of the year. Still, the emergence of a new strain of the virus will likely cap outbound travel in the near-term, and it also appears the rebound in domestic demand is moderating. For now, we would avoid pricey travel-related stocks like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/trip-com-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:180:1" rel="noopener">Trip.com (TCOM US)</a>.</p>

Outbound Chinese tourism activity remained dormant in November. Macau's recovery slowed, and the appearance of a new variant of the Covid19 virus suggests a potential recovery in Chinese outbound travel may be pushed back until at least the middle of 2021, maybe later. To our surprise, the recovery in domestic Chinese tourism also appears to have lost steam in November. Passenger counts at the three major national airlines fell YoY, and overall activity was well below that of October. Chinese consumers remain cautious towards discretionary travel. We believe Chinese travel demand will recover gradually in 2021, and that the recovery could gain momentum in the second half of the year. Still, the emergence of a new strain of the virus will likely cap outbound travel in the near-term, and it also appears the rebound in domestic demand is moderating. For now, we would avoid pricey travel-related stocks like Trip.com (TCOM US).

TRACKING TRAFFIC/Chinese Tourism: Domestic Recovery Lost Steam in November

<section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/174/124/original/BANNER-TOURISM.png?1606332998" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="174124"></figure></section><p>Chinese outbound travel activity remained moribund in October, even after another increase in trips to Macau, which eased some travel restrictions in July. Macau's slow recovery suggests it will take many months for outbound activity to normalize once regional restrictions are lifted. </p><p>China's 'Golden Week' holiday period was a day longer this year, but by most measures domestic air activity in October remained weak versus 2019. Sequential improvement in RPKs and passenger counts in October was just +5% MoM, roughly in-line with normal seasonality, and travelers are still opting for shorter trips. We believe the pace of recovery in domestic travel is moderating. </p><p>Can the 2021 Lunar New Year holiday rescue China's travel service providers? Without a relaxation of restrictions in key regional markets, another major holiday travel period could be 'lost', in our opinion. We do not believe improving domestic activity can offset 'lost' outbound travel in Q121.</p><p>We remain negative on Chinese travel demand. We believe the normalization of domestic and especially outbound activitity will take longer than expected -- no 'snap back' scenario, in other words. Furthermore, we believe underlying demand growth was slowing even before Covid19 hit, and it's become clear that domestic travel activity is unlikely to fully offset 'lost' outbound trips. </p>

Chinese outbound travel activity remained moribund in October, even after another increase in trips to Macau, which eased some travel restrictions in July. Macau's slow recovery suggests it will take many months for outbound activity to normalize once regional restrictions are lifted. China's 'Golden Week' holiday period was a day longer this year, but by most measures domestic air activity in October remained weak versus 2019. Sequential improvement in RPKs and passenger counts in October was just +5% MoM, roughly in-line with normal seasonality, and travelers are still opting for shorter trips. We believe the pace of recovery in domestic travel is moderating. Can the 2021 Lunar New Year holiday rescue China's travel service providers? Without a relaxation of restrictions in key regional markets, another major holiday travel period could be 'lost', in our opinion. We do not believe improving domestic activity can offset 'lost' outbound travel in Q121.We remain negative on Chinese travel demand. We believe the normalization of domestic and especially outbound activitity will take longer than expected -- no 'snap back' scenario, in other words. Furthermore, we believe underlying demand growth was slowing even before Covid19 hit, and it's become clear that domestic travel activity is unlikely to fully offset 'lost' outbound trips. 

TRACKING TRAFFIC/Chinese Tourism: Macau's Slog | Golden Week Fails to Shine | LNY 2021 At Risk?

<p>Chinese online travel agency (OTA) <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tongcheng-elong-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27363:1" rel="noopener">Tongcheng-Elong Holdings Ltd (780 HK)</a> released Q3 results on Monday evening in HK. Revenue and adjusted EBITDA were still below year-ago levels, but both metrics were significantly improved from Q2 levels. Notably, purchasing users in Q3 were flat YoY.</p>
<p>Market leading OTA <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/trip-com-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:180:1" rel="noopener">Trip.com (TCOM US)</a> will report its Q3 results on Tuesday, December 1st after the US close. We expect Trip.com to report a sequential improvement, but we believe Q3 results will show its recovery lags Tongcheng-ELong's, mainly due to Trip.com's international exposure.</p>
<p>The expected availability of Covid19 vaccines in 2021 should eventually open up cross-border travel for Chinese tourists next year, but Trip.com and other travel service providers may still be facing a difficult start to 2021, including the long Lunar New Year holiday in February.</p>
<p>As such, we retain a negative view of Chinese tourism demand in the medium-term, anticipating that even a return to the modest demand growth seen pre-Covid19 will require another few quarters, at least. </p>

Chinese online travel agency (OTA) Tongcheng-Elong Holdings Ltd (780 HK) released Q3 results on Monday evening in HK. Revenue and adjusted EBITDA were still below year-ago levels, but both metrics were significantly improved from Q2 levels. Notably, purchasing users in Q3 were flat YoY.
Market leading OTA Trip.com (TCOM US) will report its Q3 results on Tuesday, December 1st after the US close. We expect Trip.com to report a sequential improvement, but we believe Q3 results will show its recovery lags Tongcheng-ELong's, mainly due to Trip.com's international exposure.
The expected availability of Covid19 vaccines in 2021 should eventually open up cross-border travel for Chinese tourists next year, but Trip.com and other travel service providers may still be facing a difficult start to 2021, including the long Lunar New Year holiday in February.
As such, we retain a negative view of Chinese tourism demand in the medium-term, anticipating that even a return to the modest demand growth seen pre-Covid19 will require another few quarters, at least. 

Tough Times (Still) In Chinese Tourism | Trip.com Q3 Preview | TongCheng-ELong Q3 Review

Hong Kong

Shangri-La Asia Limited, through its subsidiaries, owns and operates hotels, and provides management and related services.  The Company also leases offices, commercial, residential and exhibition hall space.

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Shangri-La Asia (69 HK)

Global Equity Strategy: Constructive Pullback; Overweight Value

As long as the MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), ACWI ex-US (ACWX-US), and EM (EEM-US) indexes are above their respective intermediate-term support levels we...

Vermilion Research