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>We’ve got a locked-in floor on ’26 DPS and clear upside, providing a solid dividend yield baseline—ideal for leaning into aggressive trade setups.</li>
<li>We can lean into spot longs with covered calls, but yields (especially KB, Shinhan) aren’t yet compelling. A pullback before the ’26 dividend run is a prime entry window.</li>
<li>Plus, a bank long-short: long KB/Shinhan, short Hana/Woori. KB and Shinhan face payout increases, with ’26 guidance in 4Q25 earnings as the catalyst.</li>
</ul>


We’ve got a locked-in floor on ’26 DPS and clear upside, providing a solid dividend yield baseline—ideal for leaning into aggressive trade setups.
We can lean into spot longs with covered calls, but yields (especially KB, Shinhan) aren’t yet compelling. A pullback before the ’26 dividend run is a prime entry window.
Plus, a bank long-short: long KB/Shinhan, short Hana/Woori. KB and Shinhan face payout increases, with ’26 guidance in 4Q25 earnings as the catalyst.


Korea Local Banks: New Dividend Tax Effectively Locks in a De Facto Minimum Yield Play

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>We stick with Hana Financial as our sole buy in Korean banks; even though it does not top our proprietary scorecard, it remains attractively valued and its returns are improving</li>
<li>We downgrade Woori to a neutral from a buy, with Woori now trading at a PBV premium to Hana; historically, this has been an indicator of future poor share performance</li>
<li>KB Financial ranks top in our scorecard; KB is one watch, but remains a neutral due to limited appeal in terms of valuation</li>
</ul>


We stick with Hana Financial as our sole buy in Korean banks; even though it does not top our proprietary scorecard, it remains attractively valued and its returns are improving
We downgrade Woori to a neutral from a buy, with Woori now trading at a PBV premium to Hana; historically, this has been an indicator of future poor share performance
KB Financial ranks top in our scorecard; KB is one watch, but remains a neutral due to limited appeal in terms of valuation


Korean Banks; Keep Buy on Hana (086790 KS), Take Profits on Woori (316140 KS)

Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Cor / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
Context: This Insight follows up on previously highlighted relative value opportunities, using a statistical methodology based on mean-reversion to identify opportunities in paired securities.</li>
<li>
Highlight: Currently six pair trade opportunities across three markets and three sectors persist.</li>
<li>
Why read: Statistical analysis offers a unique perspective on relative value. Gain insights into actionable statistical pair trade opportunities and monitor performance of previously highlighted pairs.</li>
</ul>



Context: This Insight follows up on previously highlighted relative value opportunities, using a statistical methodology based on mean-reversion to identify opportunities in paired securities.

Highlight: Currently six pair trade opportunities across three markets and three sectors persist.

Why read: Statistical analysis offers a unique perspective on relative value. Gain insights into actionable statistical pair trade opportunities and monitor performance of previously highlighted pairs.


Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (04 Aug)

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>South Korea rebounds from a record low, with fund allocations rising from 8.6% to 10.4%—bringing net positioning close to equal weight for the first time in 17 years.</li>
<li>Tech and Financials lead the revival, with SK Hynix surging in both price and ownership. Other names like NAVER and Hyundai Rotem show growing traction.</li>
<li>Selectivity is back. While some stocks still lag, the shift toward Korea’s global leaders is helping EM investors rebuild exposure after years of structural underweight.</li>
</ul>


South Korea rebounds from a record low, with fund allocations rising from 8.6% to 10.4%—bringing net positioning close to equal weight for the first time in 17 years.
Tech and Financials lead the revival, with SK Hynix surging in both price and ownership. Other names like NAVER and Hyundai Rotem show growing traction.
Selectivity is back. While some stocks still lag, the shift toward Korea’s global leaders is helping EM investors rebuild exposure after years of structural underweight.


South Korea: Rebounding as Underweight Narrows

<ul>
<li>
Context: This Insight follows up on previously highlighted relative value opportunities, using a statistical methodology based on mean-reversion to identify opportunities in paired securities.</li>
<li>
Highlight: Currently five pair trade opportunities across three markets and three sectors persist.</li>
<li>
Why read: Statistical analysis offers a unique perspective on relative value. Gain insights into actionable statistical pair trade opportunities and monitor performance of previously highlighted pairs.</li>
</ul>



Context: This Insight follows up on previously highlighted relative value opportunities, using a statistical methodology based on mean-reversion to identify opportunities in paired securities.

Highlight: Currently five pair trade opportunities across three markets and three sectors persist.

Why read: Statistical analysis offers a unique perspective on relative value. Gain insights into actionable statistical pair trade opportunities and monitor performance of previously highlighted pairs.


Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (28 Jul)

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)

Korea Local Banks: New Dividend Tax Effectively Locks in a De Facto Minimum Yield Play

This post covers a trade angle on local banks benefiting from the dividend income separate tax floor — effectively locking in a de facto minimum...

Sanghyun Park

Korean Banks; Keep Buy on Hana (086790 KS), Take Profits on Woori (316140 KS)

We stick with Hana as a buy in Korean banks, downgrading Woori to neutral, due to its premium PBV ratio to Hana; scorecard-topping KB Financial is...

Victor Galliano

Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (04 Aug)

Statistical methodology identifies six pair trade opportunities across three markets and three sectors, offering unique insights into relative value.

Gaudenz Schneider

South Korea: Rebounding as Underweight Narrows

South Korea is back on the radar. Fund allocations have rebounded to 10.4%, with net positioning near equal weight for the first time in 17...

Steven Holden

Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (28 Jul)

Statistical methodology identifies five pair trade opportunities across three markets and sectors, offering unique insights into relative value.

Gaudenz Schneider

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Korea Local Banks: New Dividend Tax Effectively Locks in a De Facto Minimum Yield Play

This post covers a trade angle on local banks benefiting from the dividend income separate tax floor — effectively locking in a de facto minimum...

Sanghyun Park

Korean Banks; Keep Buy on Hana (086790 KS), Take Profits on Woori (316140 KS)

​We stick with Hana as a buy in Korean banks, downgrading Woori to neutral, due to its premium PBV ratio to Hana; scorecard-topping KB Financial is...

Victor Galliano

Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (04 Aug)

​Statistical methodology identifies six pair trade opportunities across three markets and three sectors, offering unique insights into relative value.

Gaudenz Schneider

South Korea: Rebounding as Underweight Narrows

South Korea is back on the radar. Fund allocations have rebounded to 10.4%, with net positioning near equal weight for the first time in 17...

Steven Holden

Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (28 Jul)

​Statistical methodology identifies five pair trade opportunities across three markets and sectors, offering unique insights into relative value.

Gaudenz Schneider

We stick with Hana as a buy in Korean banks, downgrading Woori to neutral, due to its premium PBV ratio to Hana; scorecard-topping KB Financial is...

Statistical methodology identifies six pair trade opportunities across three markets and three sectors, offering unique insights into relative value.

Statistical methodology identifies five pair trade opportunities across three markets and sectors, offering unique insights into relative value.