HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-expressway-co-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2875:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen Expressway Co H (548 HK)</a> announced a positive profit alert for 1Q21, indicating that its recurring profit will reach about Rmb533m, versus losses of Rmb160m a year ago as the impact of COVID-19 subsided. More importantly, such profit indication is even 10.2% higher than 1Q19, suggesting a full-recovery in traffic and toll revenue momentum.SZ Exp contributed 44.3% of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-intl-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen Intl (152 HK)</a>'s recurring profit (ex-Shenzhen Airlines) in the last two years. The potential acquisition of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-investment-holdings-bay-area-development" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12134:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen Investment Holdings Bay Area Development (737 HK)</a> has received waiver from the SFC for a mandatory general offer and a successful conclusion should beef up SZ Exp's assets. Lastly, with SZ Exp's target of an estimated 35% increase in its EBITDA, we believe these factors will support SZ Exp's contribution to SZ Int's profit outlook in this year.

Shenzhen Expressway Co H (548 HK) announced a positive profit alert for 1Q21, indicating that its recurring profit will reach about Rmb533m, versus losses of Rmb160m a year ago as the impact of COVID-19 subsided. More importantly, such profit indication is even 10.2% higher than 1Q19, suggesting a full-recovery in traffic and toll revenue momentum.SZ Exp contributed 44.3% of Shenzhen Intl (152 HK)'s recurring profit (ex-Shenzhen Airlines) in the last two years. The potential acquisition of Shenzhen Investment Holdings Bay Area Development (737 HK) has received waiver from the SFC for a mandatory general offer and a successful conclusion should beef up SZ Exp's assets. Lastly, with SZ Exp's target of an estimated 35% increase in its EBITDA, we believe these factors will support SZ Exp's contribution to SZ Int's profit outlook in this year.

Shenzhen Expressway (548 HK): 1Q21 Positive Profit Alert Highly Welcome to Shenzhen Int (152 HK)

Shenzhen International / Equity Bottom-Up

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-intl-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen Intl (152 HK)</a> managed to engine a rebound in 2H20 after the serious negative impact of COVID-19 outbreak on its two key businesses - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-expressway-co-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2875:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen Expressway Co H (548 HK)</a> and Shenzhen Airlines. Instead of the 20% YoY decline in headline FY20 profit, we think the market's focus should be on the sharp HoH turnaround in its bottomline (excluding one-off items).In the post-FY20 result call, management believes that SZ Int has significant potential to be released in the future. Besides the recovery of logistics, toll road and airlines operations, it will benefit from the expansion in logistics network, securitisation of logistics facilities, contribution from Qianhai project and in the longer term, the transformation and upgrade of South China Logistics Park. We remain positive on SZ Int and believe the stock's current multiples are far from being able to fully reflect its value.

Shenzhen Intl (152 HK) managed to engine a rebound in 2H20 after the serious negative impact of COVID-19 outbreak on its two key businesses - Shenzhen Expressway Co H (548 HK) and Shenzhen Airlines. Instead of the 20% YoY decline in headline FY20 profit, we think the market's focus should be on the sharp HoH turnaround in its bottomline (excluding one-off items).In the post-FY20 result call, management believes that SZ Int has significant potential to be released in the future. Besides the recovery of logistics, toll road and airlines operations, it will benefit from the expansion in logistics network, securitisation of logistics facilities, contribution from Qianhai project and in the longer term, the transformation and upgrade of South China Logistics Park. We remain positive on SZ Int and believe the stock's current multiples are far from being able to fully reflect its value.

Shenzhen Intl (152 HK): Remarkable 2H20; Promising Prospects Revealed in Post-Result Call

We believe the potential acquisition of a 71.83% stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-investment-holdings-bay-area-development" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12134:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen Investment Holdings Bay Area Development (737 HK)</a> by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-expressway-co-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2875:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen Expressway Co H (548 HK)</a> has positive strategic implications on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-intl-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen Intl (152 HK)</a>. SZ Bay Area Dev's historical stable earnings stream and its net cash balance are other added strengths of the proposed deal. Since the deal is still on a MoU stage, it is too early to discuss on the funding arrangement. However, we prefer SZ Exp issuing new shares as acquisition consideration, as this will be more advantageous to SZ Int. Under this scenario, SZ Int's stake in SZ Exp will dilute to 38% from 52% but the earnings impact is relatively insignificant. The best thing is that without the need to consolidate the heavily leveraged SZ Exp, SZ Int's overall gearing will be lowered and possibly provide more financial muscle for it to focus on logistics expansion.

We believe the potential acquisition of a 71.83% stake in Shenzhen Investment Holdings Bay Area Development (737 HK) by Shenzhen Expressway Co H (548 HK) has positive strategic implications on Shenzhen Intl (152 HK). SZ Bay Area Dev's historical stable earnings stream and its net cash balance are other added strengths of the proposed deal. Since the deal is still on a MoU stage, it is too early to discuss on the funding arrangement. However, we prefer SZ Exp issuing new shares as acquisition consideration, as this will be more advantageous to SZ Int. Under this scenario, SZ Int's stake in SZ Exp will dilute to 38% from 52% but the earnings impact is relatively insignificant. The best thing is that without the need to consolidate the heavily leveraged SZ Exp, SZ Int's overall gearing will be lowered and possibly provide more financial muscle for it to focus on logistics expansion.  

Shenzhen Intl (152 HK): Implications of SZ Exp's Potential Acquisition of SZ Bay Area Dev

We took a deep look in the recent plan to acquire 8% stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/suning-com-co-ltd-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9178:1" rel="noopener">Suning Commerce Group Co., Ltd. A (002024 CH)</a> as announced by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shenzhen-intl-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9:1" rel="noopener">Shenzhen Intl (152 HK)</a> (SZIH). We believe the deal is not only good to SZIH, but is also a wise one. While the Rmb5.2bn consideration is sizable and will not generate much near-term financial impacts, the strategic benefits to SZIH are significantly more important.We estimate that the cost of acquisition only equals to 1.2-2.2% of SZIH's FY19 profit, but the strategic benefits will include fostering further collaboration, accelerating network expansion, potentially restructuring assets and gaining quasi-control in Suning.

We took a deep look in the recent plan to acquire 8% stake in Suning Commerce Group Co., Ltd. A (002024 CH) as announced by Shenzhen Intl (152 HK) (SZIH). We believe the deal is not only good to SZIH, but is also a wise one. While the Rmb5.2bn consideration is sizable and will not generate much near-term financial impacts, the strategic benefits to SZIH are significantly more important.We estimate that the cost of acquisition only equals to 1.2-2.2% of SZIH's FY19 profit, but the strategic benefits will include fostering further collaboration, accelerating network expansion, potentially restructuring assets and gaining quasi-control in Suning. 

Shenzhen Intl (152 HK): Is Investing in Suning a Good or Bad Deal?

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zhejiang-expressway-co-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2178:1" rel="noopener">Zhejiang Expressway Co H (576 HK)</a>'s (ZJEC) subsidiary <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zheshang-securities-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29981:1" rel="noopener">Zheshang Securities Co Ltd (601878 CH)</a> pre-announced a set of solid FY20 result on 26 Jan. With the current strength of the A-share market, we believe this business will add to the recovery of toll road business in FY21, driving encouraging momentum for ZJEC.Focusing back to the core toll road business, both traffic and toll revenue are showing positive YoY growth in Dec 2020, suggesting good recovery pace. ZJEC is also progressing ahead with the plan to list the toll collection rights of Hanghui Expressway as a public infrastructure REIT. We think these factors are important catalysts for ZJEC in this year. Its 5.9x PER and 0.86x P/B for 12-month forward are undemanding and its ROE vs. P/B is also inexpensive in the sector.

Zhejiang Expressway Co H (576 HK)'s (ZJEC) subsidiary Zheshang Securities Co Ltd (601878 CH) pre-announced a set of solid FY20 result on 26 Jan. With the current strength of the A-share market, we believe this business will add to the recovery of toll road business in FY21, driving encouraging momentum for ZJEC.Focusing back to the core toll road business, both traffic and toll revenue are showing positive YoY growth in Dec 2020, suggesting good recovery pace. ZJEC is also progressing ahead with the plan to list the toll collection rights of Hanghui Expressway as a public infrastructure REIT. We think these factors are important catalysts for ZJEC in this year. Its 5.9x PER and 0.86x P/B for 12-month forward are undemanding and its ROE vs. P/B is also inexpensive in the sector.  

Zhejiang Expressway (576 HK): Gaining from Both Growth and Stable Business Exposures

China

Shenzhen Expressway Corporation Limited primarily invests in, constructs, operates, and manages toll highways and roads, alongside other urban and transportation infrastructure. The company also engages in environmental protection, including solid waste management and clean energy power generation. It was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.

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Shenzhen Expressway (548 HK)