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

<ul>
<li>Welcome to Curator’s Cut - a fortnightly roundup of standout themes from the 1,200+ insights published on Smartkarma.</li>
<li>In this cut, we assess whether Indonesian equities have bottomed, the ongoing capital-hungry data center build-out, and the blend of activism and geopolitics making waves in shipping.</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 1,200+ insights published on Smartkarma.
In this cut, we assess whether Indonesian equities have bottomed, the ongoing capital-hungry data center build-out, and the blend of activism and geopolitics making waves in shipping.
Want to dig deeper? Comment or message with the themes you’d like to see highlighted next.


Curator's Cut: Indonesia Stabilizing, Compute Capital & Shipping Surges

Founder

Kemp Dolliver, CFA

Cherrystone Hill Research

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA: US) has named Executive Vice Chairman and interim CEO Stefano Pessina as CEO, a move that has been expected. Mr. Pessina had built up Alliance Boots into a leading European and Asian health &amp; beauty retail chain. We expect the company to resume its acquisition program, but the US market looks like the top priority at the moment. WBA will increase its presence in Asia: the only question is timing.

Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA: US) has named Executive Vice Chairman and interim CEO Stefano Pessina as CEO, a move that has been expected. Mr. Pessina had built up Alliance Boots into a leading European and Asian health &amp; beauty retail chain. We expect the company to resume its acquisition program, but the US market looks like the top priority at the moment. WBA will increase its presence in Asia: the only question is timing.

Walgreens Boots Alliance Names Permanent CEO: Global Expansion to Continue

Transport Sector, China and Asia-focused Research

Charles De Trenck

The "new" Economic Silk Belt initiative is not new, and includes more dimensions than initially believed to have. It is a positive for China and global infrastructure plays. But other issues include continued massive movement outward of people via construction workforces as well as potential and eventual growth of military influence.

The "new" Economic Silk Belt initiative is not new, and includes more dimensions than initially believed to have. It is a positive for China and global infrastructure plays. But other issues include continued massive movement outward of people via construction workforces as well as potential and eventual growth of military influence.

China's New International Political Economy

This post is a follow-up to discuss potential follow-on impacts of Hutchison Whampoa's restructuring on the Watson's retail segment. With a deal for O2 in the works, a Watson's listing or sale could be a source of permanent funding for this transaction. As an entity with its own currency, Watson's could accelerate its expansion program. The same is true if a retailer with global ambitions buys control.

This post is a follow-up to discuss potential follow-on impacts of Hutchison Whampoa's restructuring on the Watson's retail segment. With a deal for O2 in the works, a Watson's listing or sale could be a source of permanent funding for this transaction. As an entity with its own currency, Watson's could accelerate its expansion program. The same is true if a retailer with global ambitions buys control.

Hutchison Whampoa Restructuring: Next Move for Watson's? Part Two

HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

Orient Overseas (International) / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/orient-overseas-international" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:801:1" rel="noopener">Orient Overseas International (316 HK)</a>'s 25.9% YTD surge in share price is difficult to justify, as the load factor started to contract and the average freight rate declined.  </li>
<li>Transpacific and Asia-Europe freight rates plunged by 14.7% and 17.3% in 2Q25, respectively. The transpacific volume also registered the first YoY decline in the quarter. </li>
<li>Its P/B of 0.85x is 1SD above average, and is way higher than FY21-22. However, the FY25F earnings of US$1.5bn are incomparable to US$7-10bn in FY21-22.</li>
</ul>



Orient Overseas International (316 HK)'s 25.9% YTD surge in share price is difficult to justify, as the load factor started to contract and the average freight rate declined.  
Transpacific and Asia-Europe freight rates plunged by 14.7% and 17.3% in 2Q25, respectively. The transpacific volume also registered the first YoY decline in the quarter. 
Its P/B of 0.85x is 1SD above average, and is way higher than FY21-22. However, the FY25F earnings of US$1.5bn are incomparable to US$7-10bn in FY21-22.


Orient Overseas Intl (316 HK): Something Seems Not Quite Right!

Hong Kong

SITC International Holdings Co., Ltd. is a leading shipping logistics company in the intra-Asia area. It provides integrated transportation and logistics solutions, including container liner shipping, freight forwarding, shipping agency, and warehousing services. The company was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Hong Kong.

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SITC International (1308 HK)

Curator's Cut: Indonesia Stabilizing, Compute Capital & Shipping Surges

This Curator's Cut highlights Indonesian equities, the capital intensity of the data center build-out, and shipping opportunities.

Pranav Rao

Walgreens Boots Alliance Names Permanent CEO: Global Expansion to Continue

Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA: US) has named Executive Vice Chairman and interim CEO Stefano Pessina as CEO, a move that has been expected. Mr....

Kemp Dolliver, CFA

China's New International Political Economy

The "new" Economic Silk Belt initiative is not new, and includes more dimensions than initially believed to have. It is a positive for China and...

Charles De Trenck

Hutchison Whampoa Restructuring: Next Move for Watson's? Part Two

This post is a follow-up to discuss potential follow-on impacts of Hutchison Whampoa's restructuring on the Watson's retail segment. With a deal...

Kemp Dolliver, CFA

Orient Overseas Intl (316 HK): Something Seems Not Quite Right!

OOIL's share price surge is hard to justify as freight rates decline, volume decelerates and load factor contracts. Its P/B ratio is also above...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Curator's Cut: Indonesia Stabilizing, Compute Capital & Shipping Surges

This ​Curator's Cut highlights Indonesian equities, the capital intensity of the data center build-out, and shipping opportunities.

Pranav Rao

Walgreens Boots Alliance Names Permanent CEO: Global Expansion to Continue

Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA: US) has named Executive Vice Chairman and interim CEO Stefano Pessina as CEO, a move that has been expected. Mr....

Kemp Dolliver, CFA

China's New International Political Economy

The "new" Economic Silk Belt initiative is not new, and includes more dimensions than initially believed to have. It is a positive for China and...

Charles De Trenck

Hutchison Whampoa Restructuring: Next Move for Watson's? Part Two

This post is a follow-up to discuss potential follow-on impacts of Hutchison Whampoa's restructuring on the Watson's retail segment. With a deal...

Kemp Dolliver, CFA

Orient Overseas Intl (316 HK): Something Seems Not Quite Right!

OOIL's share price surge is hard to justify as freight rates decline, volume decelerates and load factor contracts. Its P/B ratio is also above...

Osbert Tang, CFA

This Curator's Cut highlights Indonesian equities, the capital intensity of the data center build-out, and shipping opportunities.