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.

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>The index focuses on qualitative factors like capital efficiency and shareholder returns, but efforts to impose sector balance may have overextended its market benchmark role.</li>
<li>Some companies not fitting the 'value-up' narrative got included, while market favorites were sidelined by sector rankings, which is puzzling given the index's original goal.</li>
<li>Still, with rebalancing cut down to once a year, we should expect the flow impact on the index names to hit harder than initially thought compared to their sector peers.</li>
</ul>


The index focuses on qualitative factors like capital efficiency and shareholder returns, but efforts to impose sector balance may have overextended its market benchmark role.
Some companies not fitting the 'value-up' narrative got included, while market favorites were sidelined by sector rankings, which is puzzling given the index's original goal.
Still, with rebalancing cut down to once a year, we should expect the flow impact on the index names to hit harder than initially thought compared to their sector peers.


All the Scoop on the Korea Value-Up Index

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

Woori Financial Group  / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>In our latest South Korean banks screener; we add Woori Financial to existing buy KB Financial as our preferred Korean banks picks</li>
<li>Delinquency ratios continued to worsen QoQ, with only Woori bucking the 4Q23 NPL trend; Woori has lagged in terms of returns, but we expect CoR control to support 2024 returns</li>
<li>KB has a low PBV ratio relative to its ROE, it delivers rising post-provision returns,  it has a high CET1 ratio and it maintains a healthy LDR</li>
</ul>


In our latest South Korean banks screener; we add Woori Financial to existing buy KB Financial as our preferred Korean banks picks
Delinquency ratios continued to worsen QoQ, with only Woori bucking the 4Q23 NPL trend; Woori has lagged in terms of returns, but we expect CoR control to support 2024 returns
KB has a low PBV ratio relative to its ROE, it delivers rising post-provision returns,  it has a high CET1 ratio and it maintains a healthy LDR


South Korean Banks; Woori Financial (316140 KS) Added to Buy List, Joining KB Financial (105560 KS)

<ul>
<li>A high-ranking official from the local financial regulatory authority has confirmed to several local media outlets that the tax benefits for the value-up program will be unveiled this month.</li>
<li>Corporate tax cuts and separate taxation on dividend income will be included. The short-term impact at the time of the announcement will likely be more significant for corporate tax cuts.</li>
<li>Local market is focused on screening large companies within the KOSPI 200 that have substantial pre-tax profits in anticipation of the corporate tax cut momentum to be announced this month.</li>
</ul>


A high-ranking official from the local financial regulatory authority has confirmed to several local media outlets that the tax benefits for the value-up program will be unveiled this month.
Corporate tax cuts and separate taxation on dividend income will be included. The short-term impact at the time of the announcement will likely be more significant for corporate tax cuts.
Local market is focused on screening large companies within the KOSPI 200 that have substantial pre-tax profits in anticipation of the corporate tax cut momentum to be announced this month.


Value-Up Tax Support Revealed by End of June: Local Market Eyes Corporate Tax Cut Beneficiaries

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering / Event-Driven

HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering

<ul>
<li>Market sniffing policy push; low-float names flagged as junk risk with skewed control. Desks circling, Palliser hit early—LG Chem trade popped, timing spot on.</li>
<li>Trade setup: screen &gt;₩1tn caps with low float, parent stakes 60–80%. Policy push likely forces stake cuts, driving float higher and squeezing NAV discounts—LG Chem shows the play.</li>
<li>Screening &gt;₩1tn caps flags 11 names: parents hold 60–80%. All potential stake-sale plays to boost float, squeeze NAV discount.</li>
</ul>


Market sniffing policy push; low-float names flagged as junk risk with skewed control. Desks circling, Palliser hit early—LG Chem trade popped, timing spot on.
Trade setup: screen &gt;₩1tn caps with low float, parent stakes 60–80%. Policy push likely forces stake cuts, driving float higher and squeezing NAV discounts—LG Chem shows the play.
Screening &gt;₩1tn caps flags 11 names: parents hold 60–80%. All potential stake-sale plays to boost float, squeeze NAV discount.


Korea’s Next Policy Play: NAV Discount Squeeze on Low‑Float Large Caps

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech, Aequitas Research

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China biotech

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.

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>We analyzed the changes in short interest of KRX stocks as of Sep 5th. The aggregated short interest was USD10.8bn.</li>
<li>We tabulate league tables for top short by value and short as multiple of ADT, as well as weekly increases &amp; decreases in short value, short as multiple of ADT.</li>
<li>We highlight short interest changes in kakaopay, L&amp;F, NAVER, SK Hynix, Alteogen.</li>
</ul>


We analyzed the changes in short interest of KRX stocks as of Sep 5th. The aggregated short interest was USD10.8bn.
We tabulate league tables for top short by value and short as multiple of ADT, as well as weekly increases &amp; decreases in short value, short as multiple of ADT.
We highlight short interest changes in kakaopay, L&amp;F, NAVER, SK Hynix, Alteogen.


KRX Short Interest Weekly (Sep 5th): Kakaopay, L&F, NAVER, SK Hynix, Alteogen

South Korea

Woori Financial Group Inc. provides commercial banking services. The Company offers deposit services, loan services, bill services, settlement services, credit card, international, online banking, and other related services. Woori Financial Group also operates banking and retail banking businesses.

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

Woori Financial Group (316140 KS)

All the Scoop on the Korea Value-Up Index

This post breaks down everything we need to know about the Korea Value-up Index that KRX just unveiled today, especially focusing on those...

Sanghyun Park

South Korean Banks; Woori Financial (316140 KS) Added to Buy List, Joining KB Financial (105560 KS)

Adding Woori as a buy alongside KB; Woori shows undemanding multiples, a promising NPL trend and potential for improved 2024 returns. KB has a low...

Victor Galliano

Value-Up Tax Support Revealed by End of June: Local Market Eyes Corporate Tax Cut Beneficiaries

A high-ranking official confirmed that tax cut incentives for the value-up program will be unveiled by the end of this month. This post...

Sanghyun Park

Korea’s Next Policy Play: NAV Discount Squeeze on Low‑Float Large Caps

This post lays out a live watchlist for NAV discount traders as Korea’s policy narrative shifts to low‑float large caps.

Sanghyun Park

KRX Short Interest Weekly (Sep 5th): Kakaopay, L&F, NAVER, SK Hynix, Alteogen

We analyzed KRX short interest report for the past week and highlighted short interest changes in kakaopay, L&F, NAVER, SK Hynix, Alteogen.

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

All the Scoop on the Korea Value-Up Index

This post breaks down everything we need to know about the Korea Value-up Index that KRX just unveiled today, especially focusing on those...

Sanghyun Park

South Korean Banks; Woori Financial (316140 KS) Added to Buy List, Joining KB Financial (105560 KS)

​Adding Woori as a buy alongside KB; Woori shows undemanding multiples, a promising NPL trend and potential for improved 2024 returns. KB has a low...

Victor Galliano

Value-Up Tax Support Revealed by End of June: Local Market Eyes Corporate Tax Cut Beneficiaries

A high-ranking official confirmed that tax cut incentives for the value-up program will be unveiled by the end of this month. This post...

Sanghyun Park

Korea’s Next Policy Play: NAV Discount Squeeze on Low‑Float Large Caps

This post lays out a live watchlist for NAV discount traders as Korea’s policy narrative shifts to low‑float large caps.

Sanghyun Park

KRX Short Interest Weekly (Sep 5th): Kakaopay, L&F, NAVER, SK Hynix, Alteogen

We analyzed KRX short interest report for the past week and highlighted short interest changes in kakaopay, L&F, NAVER, SK Hynix, Alteogen.

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Adding Woori as a buy alongside KB; Woori shows undemanding multiples, a promising NPL trend and potential for improved 2024 returns. KB has a low...