Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Douglas Research Advisory

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>On 29 April, Krafton announced that it plans to acquire a 39.37% controlling stake in Neptune Company from Kakao Games for 165 billion won ($114.9 million).</li>
<li>Prior to this deal, Krafton owned a 3.2% stake in Neptune. After this deal is completed, Krafton will own a 42.53% stake (19.86 million shares) of Neptune.</li>
<li>Krafton reported excellent results in 1Q 2025. The company beat its sales, operating profit, and net profit by 10.1%, 18.3%, and 13.8%, respectively in 1Q 2025. </li>
</ul>


On 29 April, Krafton announced that it plans to acquire a 39.37% controlling stake in Neptune Company from Kakao Games for 165 billion won ($114.9 million).
Prior to this deal, Krafton owned a 3.2% stake in Neptune. After this deal is completed, Krafton will own a 42.53% stake (19.86 million shares) of Neptune.
Krafton reported excellent results in 1Q 2025. The company beat its sales, operating profit, and net profit by 10.1%, 18.3%, and 13.8%, respectively in 1Q 2025. 


Krafton: Acquisition of Controlling Stake in Neptune from Kakao Games

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech, Aequitas Research

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech

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.

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>We analyzed the changes in foreign holdings of KRX stocks as of Apr 25th which has an aggregated holding worth USD480.8bn.</li>
<li>We estimate that foreign flows to be inflows of USD322mln. We tabulate the league table for top changes by value for 1W/4W/1Y and top stocks held by foreign institutions.</li>
<li>We highlight changes of foreign holdings in Shift Up, Leeno Industrial, SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics.</li>
</ul>


We analyzed the changes in foreign holdings of KRX stocks as of Apr 25th which has an aggregated holding worth USD480.8bn.
We estimate that foreign flows to be inflows of USD322mln. We tabulate the league table for top changes by value for 1W/4W/1Y and top stocks held by foreign institutions.
We highlight changes of foreign holdings in Shift Up, Leeno Industrial, SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics.


KRX Foreign Holding Weekly (Apr 25th): Shift Up, Leeno Industrial, SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>We discuss the potential KOSPI 200 rebalance candidates in June 2025. In recent years, there have been some alpha generating stocks arising from the KOSPI 200 rebalances.</li>
<li>We include eight companies as potential inclusion candidates including LG CNS,  HD Hyundai Marine Solution, Shift Up, and Hanwha Engine.</li>
<li>The top 5 potential deletion candidates for KOSPI 200 rebalance in June 2025 include Iljin Hysolus, Hansae, Foosung, Sam A Aluminum, and TKG Huchems.  </li>
</ul>


We discuss the potential KOSPI 200 rebalance candidates in June 2025. In recent years, there have been some alpha generating stocks arising from the KOSPI 200 rebalances.
We include eight companies as potential inclusion candidates including LG CNS,  HD Hyundai Marine Solution, Shift Up, and Hanwha Engine.
The top 5 potential deletion candidates for KOSPI 200 rebalance in June 2025 include Iljin Hysolus, Hansae, Foosung, Sam A Aluminum, and TKG Huchems.  


An Update on the Potential KOSPI 200 Rebalance Candidates in June 2025

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>One of the big thematic events on the Korean stock market has been the expectation that China could lift ban on Korean popular culture (Hallyu) as early as May 2025. </li>
<li>China's President Xi recently stated <em>"Cultural exchanges are a valuable part of our bilateral relations [between China and Korea]. We should avoid any problems occurring in handling such matters.” </em>
</li>
<li>We provide a list of 40 stocks in Korea that could most benefit from the end of lifting ban of Korean popular culture. </li>
</ul>


One of the big thematic events on the Korean stock market has been the expectation that China could lift ban on Korean popular culture (Hallyu) as early as May 2025. 
China's President Xi recently stated "Cultural exchanges are a valuable part of our bilateral relations [between China and Korea]. We should avoid any problems occurring in handling such matters.” 

We provide a list of 40 stocks in Korea that could most benefit from the end of lifting ban of Korean popular culture. 


China Could Lift Ban on Korean Popular Culture (Hallyu) As Early As May 2025

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

<ul>
<li>The review period for the March rebalance of the KOSPI Size Indices commenced on 1 December and will end on 28 February.</li>
<li>Over halfway through the review period, we forecast 39 migrating stocks. Among new listings, 1 stock could be added to LargeCap, 3 to MidCap and 2 to SmallCap.</li>
<li>Three potential downward migrations were deleted from a global index in November. Now, four more potential downward migrations could be deleted from the same global index in February.</li>
</ul>


The review period for the March rebalance of the KOSPI Size Indices commenced on 1 December and will end on 28 February.
Over halfway through the review period, we forecast 39 migrating stocks. Among new listings, 1 stock could be added to LargeCap, 3 to MidCap and 2 to SmallCap.
Three potential downward migrations were deleted from a global index in November. Now, four more potential downward migrations could be deleted from the same global index in February.


KOSPI Size Indices: When Active Met Passive

South Korea

Shift Up is an all-in -one game design and development studio that crosses a wide range of fields from game production to promotional video and music production, based on original illustration and solid planning and programming skills.

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

Shift Up (462870 KS)

Krafton: Acquisition of Controlling Stake in Neptune from Kakao Games

On 29 April, Krafton announced that it plans to acquire a 39.37% controlling stake in Neptune Company from Kakao Games for 165 billion won ($114.9...

Douglas Kim

KRX Foreign Holding Weekly (Apr 25th): Shift Up, Leeno Industrial, SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics

We analyzed KRX foreign holding data for the past week and highlighted foreign holding changes in Shift Up, Leeno Industrial, SK Hynix, Samsung...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

An Update on the Potential KOSPI 200 Rebalance Candidates in June 2025

We discuss the potential KOSPI 200 rebalance candidates in June 2025. We provide 8 potential inclusion candidates and 10 potential deletion...

Douglas Kim

China Could Lift Ban on Korean Popular Culture (Hallyu) As Early As May 2025

One of the big thematic events that have impacted the Korean stock market this week has been the expectation that China could lift ban on Korean...

Douglas Kim

KOSPI Size Indices: When Active Met Passive

There could be 39 migrations in March. Most of the Large to Mid migrations have been, or will be, deleted from a large global index. Along with...

Brian Freitas

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)