Smartkarma AI Primers, Smartkarma

αSK Primers

Smartkarma AI Primers

Smartkarma

Smartkarma unites the fragmented investment industry, connecting institutional investors, independent research providers, and corporates within a single network.

Research Reinvented

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
 <li>
Post-SPAC Industrial Digitalization Leader: <a href="https://smartkarma.com/entities/zg-group">ZG Group</a> is no longer a SPAC; it is an operating company that became publicly listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on March 10, 2025, following a de-SPAC transaction with Aquila Acquisition Corporation. The deal valued <a href="https://smartkarma.com/entities/zg-group">ZG Group</a> at approximately HK$10 billion.</li>
 <li>
Dominant B2B Steel E-commerce Platform: The company operates the largest digital platform for third-party steel transactions in China, measured by online transaction volume in 2023. It provides a one-stop, integrated suite of B2B services, including online steel transactions, logistics, warehousing, processing, SaaS products, and big data analytics.</li>
 <li>
High-Growth Profile with International Expansion: <a href="https://smartkarma.com/entities/zg-group">ZG Group</a> is in a high-growth phase, with reported revenue increasing significantly. The company is actively expanding its international operations, particularly in markets like the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and Malaysia, to complement its strong presence in China.</li>
</ul>This content is AI-generated and displayed for general informational purposes only. Please verify independently before use.


  
Post-SPAC Industrial Digitalization Leader: ZG Group is no longer a SPAC; it is an operating company that became publicly listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on March 10, 2025, following a de-SPAC transaction with Aquila Acquisition Corporation. The deal valued ZG Group at approximately HK$10 billion.
  
Dominant B2B Steel E-commerce Platform: The company operates the largest digital platform for third-party steel transactions in China, measured by online transaction volume in 2023. It provides a one-stop, integrated suite of B2B services, including online steel transactions, logistics, warehousing, processing, SaaS products, and big data analytics.
  
High-Growth Profile with International Expansion: ZG Group is in a high-growth phase, with reported revenue increasing significantly. The company is actively expanding its international operations, particularly in markets like the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, and Malaysia, to complement its strong presence in China.
This content is AI-generated and displayed for general informational purposes only. Please verify independently before use.

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>There have been 14 new listings on the Main Board of the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-exchanges-clearing" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:490:1" rel="noopener">HKEX</a> in Q1. One listing is a transfer from the GEM Board and one is a De-SPAC.</li>
<li>Of the 14 stocks, we see <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mixue-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40623:1" rel="noopener">Mixue Group (2097 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/guming-holdings-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40622:1" rel="noopener">Guming Holdings (1364 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bloks-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:43648:1" rel="noopener">Bloks Group (1850960D CH)</a> as potential HSCI inclusions in June.</li>
<li>There are no lock-up expiries in the stocks ahead of inclusion in Southbound Stock Connect and the low float could take the stocks higher ahead of the index inclusion announcement.</li>
</ul>


There have been 14 new listings on the Main Board of the HKEX in Q1. One listing is a transfer from the GEM Board and one is a De-SPAC.
Of the 14 stocks, we see Mixue Group (2097 HK), Guming Holdings (1364 HK) and Bloks Group (1850960D CH) as potential HSCI inclusions in June.
There are no lock-up expiries in the stocks ahead of inclusion in Southbound Stock Connect and the low float could take the stocks higher ahead of the index inclusion announcement.


HSCI Index Rebalance Preview: Three Hot Inclusions to Stock Connect in June

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.

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>A weekly summary of key developments across ECM and Event-Driven names tracked by us across Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, India and Chinese ADRs.</li>
<li>ECM developments - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/doosan-robotics" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36816:1" rel="noopener">Doosan Robotics (454910 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/arm-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21816:1" rel="noopener">ARM Holdings (1822695D US)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/vng-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26716:1" rel="noopener">VNG (VinaGame) (VNG US)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/integral-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40028:1" rel="noopener">Integral Corporation (5842 JP)</a> IPOs and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aquila-acquisition-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35435:1" rel="noopener">Aquila Acquisition Corporation (7836 HK)</a> de-SPAC.</li>
<li>Event-Driven developments - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jmdc-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28673:1" rel="noopener">JMDC (4483 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/intage-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3151:1" rel="noopener">Intage Holdings (4326 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mason-group-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:17664:1" rel="noopener">Mason Group Holdings (273 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/liontown-resources-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20488:1" rel="noopener">Liontown Resources (LTR AU)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/newcrest-mining-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:691:1" rel="noopener">Newcrest Mining (NCM AU)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/orecorp-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8120:1" rel="noopener">Orecorp Ltd (ORR AU)</a>. </li>
</ul>


A weekly summary of key developments across ECM and Event-Driven names tracked by us across Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Korea, India and Chinese ADRs.
ECM developments - Doosan Robotics (454910 KS), ARM Holdings (1822695D US), VNG (VinaGame) (VNG US), Integral Corporation (5842 JP) IPOs and Aquila Acquisition Corporation (7836 HK) de-SPAC.
Event-Driven developments - JMDC (4483 JP), Intage Holdings (4326 JP), Mason Group Holdings (273 HK), Liontown Resources (LTR AU), Newcrest Mining (NCM AU), Orecorp Ltd (ORR AU). 


Weekly Deals Digest (10 Sep) - JMDC, Intage, Mason, Liontown, Newcrest, ARM, Integral, Doosan, VNG

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aquila-acquisition-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35435:1" rel="noopener">Aquila Acquisition Corporation (7836 HK)</a> agreed to a De-SPAC transaction with ZG Group (formerly Zhaogang.com), the world’s largest digital platform for third-party steel transactions.</li>
<li>ZG has a questionable business model, struggling to generate profits or underlying FCF. This dynamic suggests that ZG has not established a sustainable competitive advantage. </li>
<li>The negotiated value of ZG in the De-SPAC transaction is HK$10,004 million (US$1,277 million). Our valuation analysis suggests that this negotiated value is unrealistic.</li>
</ul>



Aquila Acquisition Corporation (7836 HK) agreed to a De-SPAC transaction with ZG Group (formerly Zhaogang.com), the world’s largest digital platform for third-party steel transactions.
ZG has a questionable business model, struggling to generate profits or underlying FCF. This dynamic suggests that ZG has not established a sustainable competitive advantage. 
The negotiated value of ZG in the De-SPAC transaction is HK$10,004 million (US$1,277 million). Our valuation analysis suggests that this negotiated value is unrealistic.


Aquila Acquisition Corp (7836 HK): ZG Group’s Punchy Valuation

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

<ul>
<li>SPACs - remember them? US offerings in 2021 topped ~US$150bn, falling to US$13bn in 2022. Singapore joined the bandwagon in January 2022  and Hong Kong two months later.</li>
<li>That Hong Kong stock is <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aquila-acquisition-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35435:1" rel="noopener">Aquila Acquisition Corporation (7836 HK)</a>, and it recently announced a merger with ZG Group, a Chinese steel trading website.</li>
<li>That's positive. Less positive is how de-SPACed shares tend to trade in the US. </li>
</ul>


SPACs - remember them? US offerings in 2021 topped ~US$150bn, falling to US$13bn in 2022. Singapore joined the bandwagon in January 2022  and Hong Kong two months later.
That Hong Kong stock is Aquila Acquisition Corporation (7836 HK), and it recently announced a merger with ZG Group, a Chinese steel trading website.
That's positive. Less positive is how de-SPACed shares tend to trade in the US. 


Hong Kong

ZG Group operates a third-party digital platform for steel transactions, offering a suite of business-to-business services including online trading, logistics, warehousing, processing, SaaS products, and data analytics. The company also provides financial solutions and serves various industrial sectors. It was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Shanghai, China.

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ZG Group (6676 HK)

Primer: ZG Group (6676 HK) - May 2026

Post-SPAC Industrial Digitalization Leader: ZG Group is no longer a SPAC; it is an operating company that became publicly listed on the Hong...

αSK Primers

HSCI Index Rebalance Preview: Three Hot Inclusions to Stock Connect in June

There could be 3 adds to the HSCI and Southbound Stock Connect in June. There are no lock-up expiries in the stocks prior to June and the low float...

Brian Freitas

Weekly Deals Digest (10 Sep) - JMDC, Intage, Mason, Liontown, Newcrest, ARM, Integral, Doosan, VNG

Last week, notable developments occurred in Event-Driven (JMDC, Intage, Mason, Liontown, Newcrest, OreCorp, United Malt, MPI) and ECM (Doosan...

Arun George

Aquila Acquisition Corp (7836 HK): ZG Group’s Punchy Valuation

ZG has a questionable business model, struggling to generate profits or underlying FCF. Our valuation analysis suggests that ZG's negotiated value...

Arun George

Aquila Acquisition: The De-SPACed Arb

The gross spread to the redemption price is 4.8%. I'd be redeeming. Shares are beyond illiquid. Unless shares were to dip here, on some volume,...

David Blennerhassett

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