Financials & FinTech research, Galliano’s Financials Research

Victor Galliano

Financials & FinTech research

Financials & FinTech, EM & Developed Markets

Galliano’s Financials Research

Galliano's Financials Research provides fundamental research in Emerging Markets financials, including FinTech, as well as financials in select Developed Markets.

The investment style applied is generally value oriented, although Growth At Reasonable Price (GARP) strategies can also be used where appropriate. 

Our investment research approach aim is often contrarian, looking to capitalise on overly sceptical or optimistic consensus views. In terms of valuation techniques, the focus is on PBV ratio to ROE, PE multiples and dividend yield, as well as the application of PEG ratios and, where appropriate, Sum of the Parts (SOTP) valuations.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>These five value oriented Thai banks all have healthy credit quality, NPL coverage and sound capital adequacy ratios; in addition, encouraging cost of risk trends support the outlook for earnings</li>
<li>Of these, we believe Kasikorn Bank screens well, with its attractive pre-provision and post-provision profitability versus peers, whilst trading on relatively undemanding multiples; we also highlight Bangkok Bank positively</li>
<li>Of the other Thai banks, we think that TMBThanchart could be a potential “turn around” stock, especially if management can improve credit quality, driving down its cost of risk further</li>
</ul>


These five value oriented Thai banks all have healthy credit quality, NPL coverage and sound capital adequacy ratios; in addition, encouraging cost of risk trends support the outlook for earnings
Of these, we believe Kasikorn Bank screens well, with its attractive pre-provision and post-provision profitability versus peers, whilst trading on relatively undemanding multiples; we also highlight Bangkok Bank positively
Of the other Thai banks, we think that TMBThanchart could be a potential “turn around” stock, especially if management can improve credit quality, driving down its cost of risk further


Top Five Thai Banks in Our Chart Screener; Kasikorn Bank (KBANK TB)  Is Top

Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

<ul>
<li>Bangkok Bank reported 4Q21 bottom-line results of THB 6.3 bn, declining THB 591 mn (8.6%) on a linked quarter basis, driven by costs which rose THB 3.5 bn or 21.8%; </li>
<li>Outside of expenses, BBL had a pretty solid quarter with net interest income improving and provisions declining; and </li>
<li>We find that BBL’s annualized net new NPLs were negative, and that reserves likely will begin being reversed in the near-term. </li>
</ul>


Bangkok Bank reported 4Q21 bottom-line results of THB 6.3 bn, declining THB 591 mn (8.6%) on a linked quarter basis, driven by costs which rose THB 3.5 bn or 21.8%; 
Outside of expenses, BBL had a pretty solid quarter with net interest income improving and provisions declining; and 
We find that BBL’s annualized net new NPLs were negative, and that reserves likely will begin being reversed in the near-term. 


*Weak Numerics: Bangkok Bank (BBL.TB) [BBL] reported 2Q21 bottom-line results of THB 6.4 bn, declining THB 566 mn (8.2%) on a linked quarter basis. Core operating results were far worse, however, coming in at THB 553 mn or down 86.2% over the same period; and*Credit Risk Remains Elevated: We find that BBL’s annualized net new NPLs during the period are THB 4.2 bn or 8.3% annualized. Given the increase in net new NPLs, moratorium credits are unknown and remain a wild card, and that COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc, we find that while loss reserves are hefty, the aggressive push to build reserves and de minimis NCOs despite the consistently high NPLs may suggest a big clean-up is coming.

*Weak Numerics: Bangkok Bank (BBL.TB) [BBL] reported 2Q21 bottom-line results of THB 6.4 bn, declining THB 566 mn (8.2%) on a linked quarter basis. Core operating results were far worse, however, coming in at THB 553 mn or down 86.2% over the same period; and*Credit Risk Remains Elevated: We find that BBL’s annualized net new NPLs during the period are THB 4.2 bn or 8.3% annualized. Given the increase in net new NPLs, moratorium credits are unknown and remain a wild card, and that COVID-19 continues to wreak havoc, we find that while loss reserves are hefty, the aggressive push to build reserves and de minimis NCOs despite the consistently high NPLs may suggest a big clean-up is coming.

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

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Quantitative Analysis

<div>In this Insight, we look at Asian financial pairs that normally trade in a tight band versus each other and are now trading at levels that are close to an extreme, making it likely that there could be a short term reversal. We also recap our earlier ideas and recommend exiting a position where there are gains and the price ratio is near a turning point.</div><div>These are all large cap financials that trade in excess of US$20m a day, so implementing the strategy should be possible using stock borrow or single stock futures.</div><div>
These ideas are based purely off the stock price history and we recommend investors use a fundamental overlay to determine if the price action is reflective of changes in the sector that benefit one company at the expense of the other, or benefit one company more than the other.
Over the last couple of months, our pair trades have returned 2.54% on average.
</div>

In this Insight, we look at Asian financial pairs that normally trade in a tight band versus each other and are now trading at levels that are close to an extreme, making it likely that there could be a short term reversal. We also recap our earlier ideas and recommend exiting a position where there are gains and the price ratio is near a turning point.These are all large cap financials that trade in excess of US$20m a day, so implementing the strategy should be possible using stock borrow or single stock futures.
These ideas are based purely off the stock price history and we recommend investors use a fundamental overlay to determine if the price action is reflective of changes in the sector that benefit one company at the expense of the other, or benefit one company more than the other.
Over the last couple of months, our pair trades have returned 2.54% on average.


Financials Credit Analyst

Hank Calenti, CFA

CreditContinuum

Credit

Executive Summary:  Rapidly rising interest rates present a challenge for credit to generate positive total returns. Unfortunately, the upward sloping sawtooth pattern of rising US interest rates ended the month on an upswing. Credit spreads needed to compress by as much to generate positive total returns. Only a small handful of Asia’s US$-denominated bank bonds (x-Japan) managed to generate positive total returns during the month of March. This was concentrated in a select sweet spot.Long duration, low investment grade rated, and high BB rated bonds led tightening over the month. Lower risk tolerance, as evidenced by the rating preferences, combined with duration desires to drive performance in March, as in February. One differentiating factor between March and February is the concentration amongst Thai- and South Korean-headquartered banks during March; however, these institutions are also the largest issuers of longer duration bank paper in Asia. As such, we see this as more of a duration, than a country story.From a pure credit spread perspective, ignoring movements in the risk-free rate, Asia’s bank bonds had an outstanding month with each of the +100 bonds that we track tightening during the month. Global monetary accommodation is in large part responsible for this spread compression. Credit fundamentals have yet to catch-up. Continued tightening, however, cannot be ruled out as credit tourists crowd-in and markets melt-up. Unfortunately for most, the recent tightening did not exceed the speed with which interest rates rose.Q1 2021 was a tough quarter for real money asset managers. We anticipate that US interest rates will continue to climb higher and may even accelerate their upward trajectory. If the trend is your friend and longer duration bonds continue to outperform, the risk is that of buying a bond which either has a higher level of volatility or is fully priced. With South Korean long-dated Senior Unsecured notes trading just north of 100 basis points (bps), it is hard to imagine these notes continuing to compress faster than interest rates. Asset managers may need to consider more subordinated, higher yielding notes to generate positive total returns over the near term. Investors will likely be pushed towards lower rated Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds in April / May to achieve positive total returns. Security selection may become more important.

Executive Summary:  Rapidly rising interest rates present a challenge for credit to generate positive total returns. Unfortunately, the upward sloping sawtooth pattern of rising US interest rates ended the month on an upswing. Credit spreads needed to compress by as much to generate positive total returns. Only a small handful of Asia’s US$-denominated bank bonds (x-Japan) managed to generate positive total returns during the month of March. This was concentrated in a select sweet spot.Long duration, low investment grade rated, and high BB rated bonds led tightening over the month. Lower risk tolerance, as evidenced by the rating preferences, combined with duration desires to drive performance in March, as in February. One differentiating factor between March and February is the concentration amongst Thai- and South Korean-headquartered banks during March; however, these institutions are also the largest issuers of longer duration bank paper in Asia. As such, we see this as more of a duration, than a country story.From a pure credit spread perspective, ignoring movements in the risk-free rate, Asia’s bank bonds had an outstanding month with each of the +100 bonds that we track tightening during the month. Global monetary accommodation is in large part responsible for this spread compression. Credit fundamentals have yet to catch-up. Continued tightening, however, cannot be ruled out as credit tourists crowd-in and markets melt-up. Unfortunately for most, the recent tightening did not exceed the speed with which interest rates rose.Q1 2021 was a tough quarter for real money asset managers. We anticipate that US interest rates will continue to climb higher and may even accelerate their upward trajectory. If the trend is your friend and longer duration bonds continue to outperform, the risk is that of buying a bond which either has a higher level of volatility or is fully priced. With South Korean long-dated Senior Unsecured notes trading just north of 100 basis points (bps), it is hard to imagine these notes continuing to compress faster than interest rates. Asset managers may need to consider more subordinated, higher yielding notes to generate positive total returns over the near term. Investors will likely be pushed towards lower rated Additional Tier 1 (AT1) bonds in April / May to achieve positive total returns. Security selection may become more important.

Bank Credit Compass: Positive Total Return Sweet Spot

Thailand

TMBThanachart Bank Public Company Limited (ttb) is a financial institution in Thailand offering a comprehensive range of banking and financial products and services. The bank serves retail, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and corporate customers, emphasizing customer-centricity and digital innovation. TMBThanachart Bank is headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand, and was founded in 1957.

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

TMBThanachart Bank (TTB TB)

Top Five Thai Banks in Our Chart Screener; Kasikorn Bank (KBANK TB) Is Top

Thai banks have healthy credit quality, NPL coverage & sound capital adequacy ratios, also positive cost of risk trends support the outlook for...

Victor Galliano

Bangkok Bank – Positive Credit Turn

BANGKOK BANK: BBL reported 4Q21 bottom-line results of THB 6.3 bn, declining 8.6% QOQ, driven by costs. BBL’s net new NPLs were negative and...

Thomas J. Monaco

Bangkok Bank – Rotten To The Core

BANGKOK BANK: BBL reported a 2Q21 QOQ core operating results decline of 86.2%. The increase in net new NPLs, unknown moratorium credits, and COVID...

Thomas J. Monaco

Pair Trading Ideas - Asian Financials

We highlight potential trades among liquid large cap Asian financial stocks that are correlated and exhibit mean reversion. We recommend closing...

Brian Freitas

Bank Credit Compass: Positive Total Return Sweet Spot

The sweet spot for positive total returns seems to be in long duration, low investment grade, and high BB rated bonds. This was concentrated in...

Hank Calenti, CFA

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)