IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wcp-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36076:1" rel="noopener">WCP (WCP KS)</a>, a lithium-ion batteries separator company, is planning to launch a KRW900 billion (US$692 million) IPO in August.</li>
<li>In <strong><em><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/wcp-ipo-hooked-on-lithium" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:72863" rel="noopener">WCP IPO: Hooked on Lithium</a></em></strong> we noted that WCP has attractive fundamentals due to the favourable demand/supply balance, technology, strong revenue growth and improving margins. </li>
<li>In this note, we look at the syndicate's valuation methodology. Our valuation analysis suggests that the IPO price range is unattractive and we would pass on the IPO.</li>
</ul>



WCP (WCP KS), a lithium-ion batteries separator company, is planning to launch a KRW900 billion (US$692 million) IPO in August.
In WCP IPO: Hooked on Lithium we noted that WCP has attractive fundamentals due to the favourable demand/supply balance, technology, strong revenue growth and improving margins. 
In this note, we look at the syndicate's valuation methodology. Our valuation analysis suggests that the IPO price range is unattractive and we would pass on the IPO.


Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

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.

<ul>
<li>WCP aims to raise around US$690m via selling a mix of primary and secondary shares in its Korean IPO.</li>
<li>WCP designs, manufactures, and sells separators, which are one of the four core materials for secondary Lithium-ion batteries</li>
<li>In this note, we will talk about the not-so-positive aspects of the deal.</li>
</ul>


WCP aims to raise around US$690m via selling a mix of primary and secondary shares in its Korean IPO.
WCP designs, manufactures, and sells separators, which are one of the four core materials for secondary Lithium-ion batteries
In this note, we will talk about the not-so-positive aspects of the deal.


WCP IPO - The Negatives - Patent, Going Concern, Customer Concentration

<ul>
<li>WCP aims to raise around US$690m via selling a mix of primary and secondary shares in its Korean IPO.</li>
<li>WCP designs, manufactures, and sells separators, which are one of the four core materials for secondary Lithium-ion batteries</li>
<li>In this note, we will talk about the positive aspects of the deal.</li>
</ul>


WCP aims to raise around US$690m via selling a mix of primary and secondary shares in its Korean IPO.
WCP designs, manufactures, and sells separators, which are one of the four core materials for secondary Lithium-ion batteries
In this note, we will talk about the positive aspects of the deal.


WCP IPO - The Positives - Past Sales Have Been Very Strong

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wcp-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36076:1" rel="noopener">WCP (WCP KS)</a>, a lithium-ion batteries separator company, is planning to launch a KRW900 billion (US$692 million) IPO in August.  </li>
<li>The price range of KRW80,000-100,000 implies a market cap of KRW2.7-3.4 trillion (US$2.1-2.6 billion).</li>
<li>WCP has attractive fundamentals due to the favourable demand/supply balance, technology, strong revenue growth and improving margins. </li>
</ul>



WCP (WCP KS), a lithium-ion batteries separator company, is planning to launch a KRW900 billion (US$692 million) IPO in August.  
The price range of KRW80,000-100,000 implies a market cap of KRW2.7-3.4 trillion (US$2.1-2.6 billion).
WCP has attractive fundamentals due to the favourable demand/supply balance, technology, strong revenue growth and improving margins. 


Korea / Special Situations, Clepsydra Capital

Sanghyun Park

Korea / Special Situations

Korea / Special Sits, Pairs, Index Rebalancing

Clepsydra Capital

Investigate special situations, pairs, and index rebalancing trades in Korea.

<ul>
<li>It is hard to understand why WCP uses future EBITDA in the peer valuation while all the peers are based on the 1Q22 LTM figures.</li>
<li>Not only that, of the eight valuation peers, only SKIET and Shenzhen Senior Tech are the only ones with sufficient business relevance to WCP.</li>
<li>WCP's intrinsic market cap is ₩2.35T with a price per share of ₩69,141, implying that the bankers' indicative price band is rather at a 15.7-44.6% premium.</li>
</ul>


It is hard to understand why WCP uses future EBITDA in the peer valuation while all the peers are based on the 1Q22 LTM figures.
Not only that, of the eight valuation peers, only SKIET and Shenzhen Senior Tech are the only ones with sufficient business relevance to WCP.
WCP's intrinsic market cap is ₩2.35T with a price per share of ₩69,141, implying that the bankers' indicative price band is rather at a 15.7-44.6% premium.


South Korea

W-Scope Chungju Plant Co., Ltd. develops and manufactures battery separator. The Company develops, produces and sales lithium ion secondary battery separator. W-Scope Chungju Plant markets its products worldwide.

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WCP (393890 KS)

WCP IPO: Valuation Insights

WCP aims to launch a KRW900 billion (US$692 million) IPO in August. Our valuation analysis suggests that the IPO price range is unattractive and we...

Arun George

WCP IPO - The Negatives - Patent, Going Concern, Customer Concentration

WCP aims to raise around US$690m via selling a mix of primary and secondary shares in its Korean IPO. In this note, we talk about the not so...

Sumeet Singh

WCP IPO - The Positives - Past Sales Have Been Very Strong

WCP aims to raise around US$690m via selling a mix of primary and secondary shares in its Korean IPO. In this note, we talk about the positive...

Sumeet Singh

WCP IPO: Hooked on Lithium

WCP has attractive fundamentals due to the favourable demand/supply balance, technology, strong revenue growth and improving margins.

Arun George

WCP IPO Terms & Valuation Controversies

This post details the WCP IPO, valued at ₩2.7-3.4T by the bankers, and discusses why this valuation causes over-pricing controversies.

Sanghyun Park

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