Senior Credit Analyst, Lucror Analytics

Leonard Law, CFA

Senior Credit Analyst

High Yield Experts

Lucror Analytics

Lucror Analytics is a leading credit and ESG research specialist and a provider of technology solutions for differentiated fixed income strategies. Our roots are in bottom-up fundamental credit analysis with a specialization in high yield corporate credits from Europe, Asia and Latin America. We are one of few research specialists integrating ESG considerations with fundamental credit research through a dedicated ESG platform. Our ESG assessment covers five key criteria: Disclosure, E,S, & G Pillars, Controversies, ESG Impact on Credit and ESG Momentum.

Recognizing the importance and value-add of Factor Investing in fixed income, Lucror developed the Smart Quant Navigator (SQN), an intuitive platform that helps clients devise and implement factor-based strategies ranging from pure quant to active fundamental, with integrated ESG.

Our company has been at the forefront of developments in the fixed income markets, identifying opportunities and consistently delivering new products and value-adding solutions to clients. Lucror has close relationships with the largest and most reputable asset managers, family offices, hedge funds, investment and wealth managers globally.

Credit

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.<ul><li><a href='#lucror-entity-13359'>Lenovo</a></li><li><a href='#lucror-entity-20776'>UPL Ltd</a></li><li><a href='#lucror-entity-24409'>Xiaomi Corp</a></li></ul>

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.LenovoUPL LtdXiaomi Corp

Morning Views Asia: Lenovo, UPL Ltd, Xiaomi Corp

Trung Nguyen

UPL Limited's Q4/23-24 results appear to be better than in the past three quarters, with lower declines registered for revenues and EBITDA. That said, we note that this was against a low comparison base, with Q4/22-23 marking the beginning of the downturn. The company has been severely affected by post-patent competition and cheap supply from China, with these not likely to improve much in the near term. The financial risk profile deteriorated significantly, and is now not consistent with the Ba1/BB/BB+ rating. While liquidity appears to be adequate, we expect it to weaken during the year as the company takes on working-capital debt. We highlight that while leverage and the liquidity profile tend to be better at financial year-end, they typically deteriorate significantly during the year. However, the USD 500 mn right issuance should shore up the balance sheet significantly.

  UPL Limited's Q4/23-24 results appear to be better than in the past three quarters, with lower declines registered for revenues and EBITDA. That said, we note that this was against a low comparison base, with Q4/22-23 marking the beginning of the downturn. The company has been severely affected by post-patent competition and cheap supply from China, with these not likely to improve much in the near term. The financial risk profile deteriorated significantly, and is now not consistent with the Ba1/BB/BB+ rating. While liquidity appears to be adequate, we expect it to weaken during the year as the company takes on working-capital debt. We highlight that while leverage and the liquidity profile tend to be better at financial year-end, they typically deteriorate significantly during the year. However, the USD 500 mn right issuance should shore up the balance sheet significantly. 

UPL Limited - Earnings Flash - FY 2023-24 Results - Lucror Analytics

Market & Forensics Analyst, Beat the Street

Nimish Maheshwari

Market & Forensics Analyst

Beat the Street

Beat The Street was founded by Nimish Maheshwari and Sudarshan Bhandari, both of whom are Chartered Accountants by Profession, known for their expert analysis in the fields of Business, Sectoral analysis, and Corporate governance.

With a strong social media presence of 45,000+ Subscribers across various platforms, they are considered trusted voices in the industry. Their insights and analysis have been featured in some of India’s most prominent publications, including the Economic Times, Dalal Street Investment Journal, The Morning Context, and The Ken.

Their analysis on Bankrupt & Insolvent companies has been instrumental in saving investors from significant losses. They have a keen eye for identifying red flags and has identified exclusive redflags earlier in Vedanta, Nykaa, Dhani Services, Adani and many more.

Read Business Not Stock Prices

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/upl-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20776:1" rel="noopener">UPL Ltd (UPLL IN)</a>'s Q4 FY23 results show a significant improvement in margins to 13% after a drastic fall to 1% in December 2023, despite a 15% YoY revenue decline.</li>
<li>Revenue drops were driven by lower prices and high-cost inventory liquidation, yet margin recovery signals operational improvements and potential future stability.</li>
<li>Planning to reduce the debt by raising capital via right issue as well as IPO of Advanta.</li>
</ul>



UPL Ltd (UPLL IN)'s Q4 FY23 results show a significant improvement in margins to 13% after a drastic fall to 1% in December 2023, despite a 15% YoY revenue decline.
Revenue drops were driven by lower prices and high-cost inventory liquidation, yet margin recovery signals operational improvements and potential future stability.
Planning to reduce the debt by raising capital via right issue as well as IPO of Advanta.


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

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>The last week was a very busy one. The coming week has some announcements and implementations but is a relatively quieter one.</li>
<li>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sse-science-and-technology-innovation-board-50-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29279:1" rel="noopener">SSE STAR50 (STAR50 INDEX)</a> and STAR100 Index changes for March will be implemented at the close on Friday, the 8th.</li>
<li>Another week of inflows for the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ishares-msci-emerging-markets-223f5da3-7054-4e4f-bc55-b7f0852c2581" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31998:1" rel="noopener">iShares Emerging Markets ex-China (EMXC US)</a> ETF as creations cross US$2bn for 2024. ETF AUM has gone from US$420m in 2021 to US$11bn now!</li>
</ul>


The last week was a very busy one. The coming week has some announcements and implementations but is a relatively quieter one.
The SSE STAR50 (STAR50 INDEX) and STAR100 Index changes for March will be implemented at the close on Friday, the 8th.
Another week of inflows for the iShares Emerging Markets ex-China (EMXC US) ETF as creations cross US$2bn for 2024. ETF AUM has gone from US$420m in 2021 to US$11bn now!


Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: STAR50/100, FXI, NIFTY/NEXT50, S&P500, KOSPI, Goodman, Ecopro BM

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shriram-finance-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:253:1" rel="noopener">Shriram Finance (SHFL IN)</a> will replace <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/upl-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20776:1" rel="noopener">UPL Ltd (UPLL IN)</a> in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nifty-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23617:1" rel="noopener">NIFTY Index (NIFTY INDEX)</a> at the close of trading on 27 March. This was a high probability change.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/trent-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8410:1" rel="noopener">Trent Ltd (TRENT IN)</a> missed out on inclusion and that results in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bharat-petroleum-corp-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10222:1" rel="noopener">Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL IN)</a> staying in the index.</li>
<li>There is over 11 days of delivery volume to trade in the add and delete and there appears to be significant positioning in one of the stocks.</li>
</ul>



Shriram Finance (SHFL IN) will replace UPL Ltd (UPLL IN) in the NIFTY Index (NIFTY INDEX) at the close of trading on 27 March. This was a high probability change.

Trent Ltd (TRENT IN) missed out on inclusion and that results in Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL IN) staying in the index.
There is over 11 days of delivery volume to trade in the add and delete and there appears to be significant positioning in one of the stocks.


NIFTY50 Index Rebalance: Shriram Finance to Replace UPL

India

UPL Ltd. manufactures, distributes and exports off-patent agrochemicals. The Company also manufactures phosphorus & phosphorus-based compounds and its products include herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, fumigants and rodenticides. United Phosphorus also manufactures industrial chemicals, specialty chemicals and chloralkaline products

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UPL Ltd (UPLL IN)

Morning Views Asia: Lenovo, UPL Ltd, Xiaomi Corp

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region,...

Lucror Analytics

UPL Limited - Earnings Flash - FY 2023-24 Results - Lucror Analytics

UPL Limited's Q4/23-24 results appear to be better than in the past three quarters, with lower declines registered for revenues and EBITDA. That...

Lucror Analytics

What’s Wrong with UPL?

UPL Ltd's Q4 FY23 results show margin improvement to 13% despite revenue decline, signaling operational improvements whereas Q1 is still expected...

Nimish Maheshwari

Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: STAR50/100, FXI, NIFTY/NEXT50, S&P500, KOSPI, Goodman, Ecopro BM

This recap highlights Insights covering Asian index rebalances (announcements/ forecasts/ IPO Fast Entry/ M&A driven changes). We also highlight...

Brian Freitas

NIFTY50 Index Rebalance: Shriram Finance to Replace UPL

Shriram Finance replaces UPLL in the NIFTY at the close on 27 March. Trent misses out on inclusion and that saves BPCL. There is over 11 days of...

Brian Freitas

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Morning Views Asia: Lenovo, UPL Ltd, Xiaomi Corp

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region,...

Lucror Analytics

UPL Limited - Earnings Flash - FY 2023-24 Results - Lucror Analytics

UPL Limited's Q4/23-24 results appear to be better than in the past three quarters, with lower declines registered for revenues and EBITDA. That...

Lucror Analytics

What’s Wrong with UPL?

​UPL Ltd's Q4 FY23 results show margin improvement to 13% despite revenue decline, signaling operational improvements whereas Q1 is still expected...

Nimish Maheshwari

Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: STAR50/100, FXI, NIFTY/NEXT50, S&P500, KOSPI, Goodman, Ecopro BM

This recap highlights Insights covering Asian index rebalances (announcements/ forecasts/ IPO Fast Entry/ M&A driven changes). We also highlight...

Brian Freitas

NIFTY50 Index Rebalance: Shriram Finance to Replace UPL

Shriram Finance replaces UPLL in the NIFTY at the close on 27 March. Trent misses out on inclusion and that saves BPCL. There is over 11 days of...

Brian Freitas

UPL Ltd's Q4 FY23 results show margin improvement to 13% despite revenue decline, signaling operational improvements whereas Q1 is still expected...