HK/China Equity Long-Short

Osbert Tang, CFA

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Weaker OECD demand, diversification of supply chain out of China, lesser room for Rmb depreciation and high base effects all suggest challenging export environment for China in 2023. </li>
<li>We expect 5-10% drop in China's export in next year, against consensus of 0.2% growth. Except ASEAN, exports to all major trading partners are already deep in negative in Nov.</li>
<li>Long-Haul container shipping is the most disastrous, while port and logistics sectors are less vulnerable. We think <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sitc-international-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15301:1" rel="noopener">SITC International (1308 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sinotrans-limited-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1321:1" rel="noopener">Sinotrans (598 HK)</a> will fare better than others.</li>
</ul>


Weaker OECD demand, diversification of supply chain out of China, lesser room for Rmb depreciation and high base effects all suggest challenging export environment for China in 2023. 
We expect 5-10% drop in China's export in next year, against consensus of 0.2% growth. Except ASEAN, exports to all major trading partners are already deep in negative in Nov.
Long-Haul container shipping is the most disastrous, while port and logistics sectors are less vulnerable. We think SITC International (1308 HK) and Sinotrans (598 HK) will fare better than others.


China's Export Outlook 2023: How Port, Shipping and Logistics Fare?

<ul>
<li>The trend of Rmb depreciation is generally negative to China companies, but we think the shipping companies present an interesting angle given their USD revenue stream and partial Rmb costs.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-cosco-holdings-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:286:1" rel="noopener">COSCO Shipping Holdings (1919 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cosco-shipping-energy-tran-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:646:1" rel="noopener">Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation (H) (1138 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sitc-international-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15301:1" rel="noopener">SITC International (1308 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pacific-basin-shipping-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:929:1" rel="noopener">Pacific Basin Shipping (2343 HK)</a> are some names that can realise benefits.<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cosco-capital-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10665:1" rel="noopener"></a>
</li>
<li>We think <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-cosco-holdings-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:286:1" rel="noopener">COSCO Shipping Holdings (1919 HK)</a> is the most attractive one, given its USD revenue, partial Rmb cost base, reporting in Rmb, low net debt and potentially better volume. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cosco-shipping-holdings-co-ltd-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27590:1" rel="noopener"></a>
</li>
</ul>


The trend of Rmb depreciation is generally negative to China companies, but we think the shipping companies present an interesting angle given their USD revenue stream and partial Rmb costs.

COSCO Shipping Holdings (1919 HK), Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation (H) (1138 HK), SITC International (1308 HK) and Pacific Basin Shipping (2343 HK) are some names that can realise benefits.

We think COSCO Shipping Holdings (1919 HK) is the most attractive one, given its USD revenue, partial Rmb cost base, reporting in Rmb, low net debt and potentially better volume. 



Rmb Depreciation: An Angle for the Shipping Names?

Asian Insight Provider - Actionable ideas, CrossASEAN Research

Henry Soediarko

Asian Insight Provider - Actionable ideas

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

For investors who are not based in Singapore, the mini lockdown in Singapore has started again due to the sudden increase in the number of community cases which previously was relatively under control. Before one thinks that it is a too-harsh of a policy, the rate of the increase of unlinked community cases in Singapore is high. This matters a lot because every Singapore residents need to check in every establishment using either an Identification card, Trace Together app, or token which has proved to be very effective as for months, most of the COVID-19 cases can be traced and therefore allows the government to take the necessary actions. 
<div class="content-highlight">
This time is different. Alongside the third wave that has hit India and Thailand, Singapore, too, is hit. The Singapore government's response to this is very much like the first lock-down (Circuit Breaker), that they minimize public interactions so that the number of community cases does not increase and provide them with the time to perform contact tracing thoroughly. 
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In this report, we identify that <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sheng-siong-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6824:1" rel="noopener">Sheng Siong (SSG SP)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea Ltd (SE US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/singapore-post-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:150:1" rel="noopener">Singapore Post (SPOST SP)</a>as winners while <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/comfortdelgro-corp-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:497:1" rel="noopener">Comfortdelgro Corp (CD SP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/genting-singapore-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:439:1" rel="noopener">Genting Singapore (GENS SP)</a>as losers.

For investors who are not based in Singapore, the mini lockdown in Singapore has started again due to the sudden increase in the number of community cases which previously was relatively under control. Before one thinks that it is a too-harsh of a policy, the rate of the increase of unlinked community cases in Singapore is high. This matters a lot because every Singapore residents need to check in every establishment using either an Identification card, Trace Together app, or token which has proved to be very effective as for months, most of the COVID-19 cases can be traced and therefore allows the government to take the necessary actions. 

This time is different. Alongside the third wave that has hit India and Thailand, Singapore, too, is hit. The Singapore government's response to this is very much like the first lock-down (Circuit Breaker), that they minimize public interactions so that the number of community cases does not increase and provide them with the time to perform contact tracing thoroughly. 

In this report, we identify that Sheng Siong (SSG SP) , Sea Ltd (SE US) and Singapore Post (SPOST SP)as winners while Comfortdelgro Corp (CD SP) and Genting Singapore (GENS SP)as losers. 

Singapore Mini Lockdown: Winners and Losers

In this Insight, we review our three best trades - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cosco-shipping-energy-tran-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:646:1" rel="noopener">Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation Co. Ltd. (H) (1138 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lonking-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3944:1" rel="noopener">Lonking Holdings (3339 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sitc-international-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15301:1" rel="noopener">SITC International (1308 HK)</a> - in 2020. Based on our calls, these trades generated at least 42%, 37.5% and 81.6%, respectively, in this year, without staying 100% of the time in the market.As for 2021, we believe the current levels for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cosco-shipping-energy-tran-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:646:1" rel="noopener">Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation Co. Ltd. (H) (1138 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lonking-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3944:1" rel="noopener">Lonking Holdings (3339 HK)</a> are still attractive in building new positions, while for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sitc-international-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15301:1" rel="noopener">SITC International (1308 HK)</a>, we will wait for a pull-back to HK$12.0-13.0 levels before we re-establish our position.

In this Insight, we review our three best trades - Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation Co. Ltd. (H) (1138 HK), Lonking Holdings (3339 HK) and SITC International (1308 HK) - in 2020. Based on our calls, these trades generated at least 42%, 37.5% and 81.6%, respectively, in this year, without staying 100% of the time in the market.As for 2021, we believe the current levels for Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation Co. Ltd. (H) (1138 HK) and Lonking Holdings (3339 HK) are still attractive in building new positions, while for SITC International (1308 HK), we will wait for a pull-back to HK$12.0-13.0 levels before we re-establish our position. 

Our Three Best Trades in 2020! and How Will We Position for 2021?

With an 11.6% YoY growth (in Rmb terms), China's export trade continued its recovery momentum in Aug. This represents a further acceleration from 10.5% growth in Jul and is the fifth consecutive monthly YoY growth since Apr. Export to US has picked up in the last two months while the growth to ASEAN maintained at over 15%. ASEAN sustained its position as China's largest trading partner, accounting for 15% of China's total trade value in 8M20.We believe China' strong export and trade figures for Aug bode well for both <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sinotrans-limited-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1321:1" rel="noopener">Sinotrans (598 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sitc-international-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15301:1" rel="noopener">SITC International (1308 HK)</a>. Both companies are heavily geared towards China's trade activities and are with particular exposure to the intra-Asia market. Sinotrans has 50% of its freight forwarding volume in 1H20 from this geographical market while SITC has sole presence in intra-Asia trade. In our view, both companies will report solid 3Q20 figures by end-Oct.

With an 11.6% YoY growth (in Rmb terms), China's export trade continued its recovery momentum in Aug. This represents a further acceleration from 10.5% growth in Jul and is the fifth consecutive monthly YoY growth since Apr. Export to US has picked up in the last two months while the growth to ASEAN maintained at over 15%. ASEAN sustained its position as China's largest trading partner, accounting for 15% of China's total trade value in 8M20.We believe China' strong export and trade figures for Aug bode well for both Sinotrans (598 HK) and SITC International (1308 HK). Both companies are heavily geared towards China's trade activities and are with particular exposure to the intra-Asia market. Sinotrans has 50% of its freight forwarding volume in 1H20 from this geographical market while SITC has sole presence in intra-Asia trade. In our view, both companies will report solid 3Q20 figures by end-Oct.

China Transportation: Strong Aug Export to Benefit Sinotrans (598 HK) And SITC Intl (1308 HK)

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)

China's Export Outlook 2023: How Port, Shipping and Logistics Fare?

We are cautious on China's export outlook in 2023, and operating environment of port, container shipping and logistics sectors will be challenging....

Osbert Tang, CFA

Rmb Depreciation: An Angle for the Shipping Names?

Shipping companies present an interesting angle to look at under the current trend of Rmb depreciation. USD revenue stream and partial Rmb costs...

Osbert Tang, CFA

Singapore Mini Lockdown: Winners and Losers

In this report, we identify that Sheng Siong (SSG SP) , Sea Ltd (SE US) and Singapore Post (SPOST SP)as winners while Comfortdelgro Corp (CD SP)...

Henry Soediarko

Our Three Best Trades in 2020! and How Will We Position for 2021?

We review our three best trades in 2020 which generated returns of at least 42%, 37.5% and 81.6%, respectively; and we lay out our strategy for the...

Osbert Tang, CFA

China Transportation: Strong Aug Export to Benefit Sinotrans (598 HK) And SITC Intl (1308 HK)

We believe China' strong export and trade figures for Aug bode well for both Sinotrans (598 HK)

Osbert Tang, CFA

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