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Smartkarma Daily Briefs

Most Read: Tsuruha Holdings, Yum China Holdings , Kioxia Holdings , Iress Ltd, Teco Electric & Machinery, Dear Life and more

By | Daily Briefs, Most Read

In today’s briefing:

  • [Japan Activism/M&A] Thinking About the Partial Tender Trade Coming in Dec25
  • Kioxia IPO Lockup Expiry – US$6.7bn Release, with Shareholders Eager to Sell
  • HSCEI Index Rebalance: 3 Changes; Yum China In; Double Add for Innovent Bio
  • Kioxia (285A JP): Bain’s US$2.1 Billion Selldown
  • [Japan Offering] Bain Starting Kioxia (285A) Selldown; More to Come Soonish?
  • Kioxia (285A JP) Placement: Limited Passive Buying & Big Runup Opens Up More Downside
  • Kioxia Placement – US$2bn Deal, Relatively Small, Index Upweight but the Shares Have Runup
  • Iress (IRE AU): Suitors Engaged, But (Still) Nothing Firm
  • Yuanta/P-Shares Taiwan Div+ ETF Rebalance Preview: 3 Changes; US$4bn Trade
  • [Japan Offering] Dear Life (3245 JP) – Unusual Offer Dynamics Are Bullish Despite Dilution


[Japan Activism/M&A] Thinking About the Partial Tender Trade Coming in Dec25

By Travis Lundy


Kioxia IPO Lockup Expiry – US$6.7bn Release, with Shareholders Eager to Sell

By Sumeet Singh

  • Kioxia Holdings (285A JP) raised around US$800m (including over-allocation) in its Japan IPO, after pricing its IPO in the middle of its range. Its IPO linked lockup will expire soon.
  • Kioxia is a manufacturer and a global leader in flash memory and solid state drives for smartphones, PCs, enterprise servers and data centers.
  • In this note, we will talk about the lock-up dynamics and updates since our last note.

HSCEI Index Rebalance: 3 Changes; Yum China In; Double Add for Innovent Bio

By Brian Freitas


Kioxia (285A JP): Bain’s US$2.1 Billion Selldown

By Arun George

  • Bloomberg reports that Bain Capital is selling 36.0 million Kioxia Holdings (285A JP) shares through a block trade. IFR reports that the offering is worth up to JPY330 billion (US$2.1 billion).
  • The offering is unsurprising given the shares are up around 7x since the IPO. The offering is easily digestible as it represents 2.7 days of the average ADV since listing.
  • Kioxia is anticipated to return to growth in 3Q, and the underlying margin is recovering from recent lows. However, Kioxia’s EV/EBITDA multiple is full compared to peers and historical ranges. 

[Japan Offering] Bain Starting Kioxia (285A) Selldown; More to Come Soonish?

By Travis Lundy

  • After the close today, BCPE Pangea Cayman announced plans to sell a stake of 36mm shares of Kioxia Holdings (285A JP) in an overnight block. It trades tomorrow.
  • This is 6.7% of shares out, 1.5x ADV. The discount is 7-9%. But it is 35% of Max Real World Float. And probably gets tradable shares to 34+%, not 35%.
  • That means another offering is likely near-term. The lockup is only 30 days it appears. There is possibly a fair bit of long-dated index demand.

Kioxia (285A JP) Placement: Limited Passive Buying & Big Runup Opens Up More Downside

By Brian Freitas

  • Bain Capital is looking to place 36m shares of Kioxia Holdings (285A JP) to overseas investors at a 7-9% discount to the last close of the stock.
  • The stock has run up a lot since its IPO with the last leg driven by inclusion in a global index that took place at the close on Friday.
  • Toshiba (6502 JP) had already been selling stock, and the Bain selling could take the stock lower, especially with limited passive buying in the short-term to support the big runup.

Kioxia Placement – US$2bn Deal, Relatively Small, Index Upweight but the Shares Have Runup

By Sumeet Singh

  • Bain aims to raise around US$2bn via selling around 6% of its stake in Kioxia Holdings (285A JP). The IPO linked lockup on its shareholding had expired in Jun 2025.
  • Kioxia is a manufacturer and a global leader in flash memory and solid state drives for smartphones, PCs, enterprise servers and data centers.
  • In this note, we will talk about deal dynamics and run the deal through our ECM framework.

Iress (IRE AU): Suitors Engaged, But (Still) Nothing Firm

By David Blennerhassett

  • The board of Iress Ltd (IRE AU), a trading and wealth management software provider, has denied reports in an Australian article concerning a possible takeover from Blackstone. 
  • The article said that Blackstone was reportedly back in talks for a bid “that could be worth between $11 and $12 per share“. Iress’ share price promptly popped 8% yesterday. 
  • Iress is still very much in play as it “continues to engage with multiple parties“. 

Yuanta/P-Shares Taiwan Div+ ETF Rebalance Preview: 3 Changes; US$4bn Trade

By Brian Freitas

  • With the review period now complete, there could be 3 constituent changes for the Yuanta/​P-Shares Taiwan Dividend Plus ETF in December.
  • Constituent changes along with capping changes will lead to a one-way turnover of 12.7% and in a round-trip trade of TWD 125bn (US$4bn).
  • There are multiple stocks that have same-way or opposite flow from trackers of other Taiwan indices and present some interesting trading opportunities.

[Japan Offering] Dear Life (3245 JP) – Unusual Offer Dynamics Are Bullish Despite Dilution

By Travis Lundy

  • Today after the close, Tokyo-based Dear Life (3245 JP) announced a primary offering to raise approximately ¥7bn through 15% dilution. Implying a 13+% price drop to protect PER.
  • But the company plans on growing earnings. It has some projects in inventory, but it obviously plans a lot of turnover this year and needs to replenish.
  • The MTMP “slogan” is “2028 – Ride the Wave!”  This is a bit what investing in Tokyo real estate is like now. So one rides it until one doesn’t.

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Daily Brief ESG: Confirmation of Cancellation of Treasury Shares To Be Made Into Law by End of 2025 and a Loophole? and more

By | Daily Briefs, ESG

In today’s briefing:

  • Confirmation of Cancellation of Treasury Shares To Be Made Into Law by End of 2025 and a Loophole?


Confirmation of Cancellation of Treasury Shares To Be Made Into Law by End of 2025 and a Loophole?

By Douglas Kim

  • On 25 November, the Democratic Party of Korea confirmed that the cancellation of treasury shares will be made into law by the end of 2025.
  • Companies that buyback their shares (as treasury shares) will be required to cancel them within one year of the buyback. 
  • There may be a LOOPHOLE if the company fails to cancel the treasury shares on time. Fine per director is only 50 million won and this may be too low. 

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Daily Brief Technical Analysis: Back to Near-Term Bullish on SPX and Nasdaq 100; Supports Held at SPX 6480-6520 and QQQ $580-583 and more

By | Daily Briefs, Technical Analysis

In today’s briefing:

  • Back to Near-Term Bullish on SPX and Nasdaq 100; Supports Held at SPX 6480-6520 and QQQ $580-583


Back to Near-Term Bullish on SPX and Nasdaq 100; Supports Held at SPX 6480-6520 and QQQ $580-583

By Joe Jasper

  • We downgraded our near-term outlook on SPX and QQQ to neutral last week (11/19/25), after being bullish since 4/22/25, while we maintained our intermediate-term bullish outlook (as of 5/14/25).
  • Crucial support levels of 6480-6520 on SPX and $580-$583 on QQQ held last week, and we are back to being near-term bullish as long as these supports continue to hold
  • The latest pullback offers an attractive entry point into all the speculative growth areas that we were pounding the table on since May, WITH A STOP AT LAST WEEKS LOWS

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Daily Brief ECM: Kioxia (285A JP): Bain’s US$2.1 Billion Selldown and more

By | Daily Briefs, ECM

In today’s briefing:

  • Kioxia (285A JP): Bain’s US$2.1 Billion Selldown
  • [Japan Offering] Bain Starting Kioxia (285A) Selldown; More to Come Soonish?
  • Kioxia Placement – US$2bn Deal, Relatively Small, Index Upweight but the Shares Have Runup
  • [Japan Offering] Dear Life (3245 JP) – Unusual Offer Dynamics Are Bullish Despite Dilution
  • Jingdong Industrials (JDI) IPO: The Investment Case
  • SBI Shinsei Bank Pre-IPO – Thoughts on Valuations
  • Nippon Steel Placement – Cleanup by Posco Right After Expiry of Previous Deal
  • Bharti Airtel Block – Third Selldown by Promoter Entity This Year
  • NS Group IPO – Peer Comp and Thoughts on Valuation
  • Grayscale Investments (GRAY): Peeking at the IPO Prospectus of a Digital Asset Focused Platform


Kioxia (285A JP): Bain’s US$2.1 Billion Selldown

By Arun George

  • Bloomberg reports that Bain Capital is selling 36.0 million Kioxia Holdings (285A JP) shares through a block trade. IFR reports that the offering is worth up to JPY330 billion (US$2.1 billion).
  • The offering is unsurprising given the shares are up around 7x since the IPO. The offering is easily digestible as it represents 2.7 days of the average ADV since listing.
  • Kioxia is anticipated to return to growth in 3Q, and the underlying margin is recovering from recent lows. However, Kioxia’s EV/EBITDA multiple is full compared to peers and historical ranges. 

[Japan Offering] Bain Starting Kioxia (285A) Selldown; More to Come Soonish?

By Travis Lundy

  • After the close today, BCPE Pangea Cayman announced plans to sell a stake of 36mm shares of Kioxia Holdings (285A JP) in an overnight block. It trades tomorrow.
  • This is 6.7% of shares out, 1.5x ADV. The discount is 7-9%. But it is 35% of Max Real World Float. And probably gets tradable shares to 34+%, not 35%.
  • That means another offering is likely near-term. The lockup is only 30 days it appears. There is possibly a fair bit of long-dated index demand.

Kioxia Placement – US$2bn Deal, Relatively Small, Index Upweight but the Shares Have Runup

By Sumeet Singh

  • Bain aims to raise around US$2bn via selling around 6% of its stake in Kioxia Holdings (285A JP). The IPO linked lockup on its shareholding had expired in Jun 2025.
  • Kioxia is a manufacturer and a global leader in flash memory and solid state drives for smartphones, PCs, enterprise servers and data centers.
  • In this note, we will talk about deal dynamics and run the deal through our ECM framework.

[Japan Offering] Dear Life (3245 JP) – Unusual Offer Dynamics Are Bullish Despite Dilution

By Travis Lundy

  • Today after the close, Tokyo-based Dear Life (3245 JP) announced a primary offering to raise approximately ¥7bn through 15% dilution. Implying a 13+% price drop to protect PER.
  • But the company plans on growing earnings. It has some projects in inventory, but it obviously plans a lot of turnover this year and needs to replenish.
  • The MTMP “slogan” is “2028 – Ride the Wave!”  This is a bit what investing in Tokyo real estate is like now. So one rides it until one doesn’t.

Jingdong Industrials (JDI) IPO: The Investment Case

By Arun George

  • JD Industrial Technology (2231713D CH), a leading industrial supply chain technology and service provider in China, is seeking to raise US$500 million.
  • JDI is the largest industrial supply chain technology and service provider in China in terms of GMV, customer coverage and SKU offerings in 2024, according to CIC.
  • The investment case is bearish due to weak market share gains, declining product revenue growth, margin pressures, declining cash generation and factoring of receivables. 

SBI Shinsei Bank Pre-IPO – Thoughts on Valuations

By Sumeet Singh

  • SBI Shinsei Bank (8303 JP), a Japanese financial institution, aims to raise around US$2bn in its Japan listing
  • SBI Shinsei Bank (SBISB) is a Japanese financial institution providing a range of financial products and services to both individual and institutional customers.
  • We have looked at past performance in our earlier notes. In this note, we talk about valuations.

Nippon Steel Placement – Cleanup by Posco Right After Expiry of Previous Deal

By Akshat Shah

  • POSCO Holdings (005490 KS) is looking to sell its remaining stake in Nippon Steel Corporation (5401 JP) to raise up to US$154m via a cleanup block trade.
  • This deal represents 1.6 days of ADV and is around 1% of shares outstanding.
  • In this note, we will talk about the placement and run the deal through our ECM framework.

Bharti Airtel Block – Third Selldown by Promoter Entity This Year

By Akshat Shah

  • Sunil Mittal-led promoter entity, Indian Continent Investment (ICI) is looking to raise around US$806m via selling a 0.6% stake in Bharti Airtel (BHARTI IN).
  • ICI had earlier sold around US$1bn in Feb and Aug 2025 while Singtel had sold US$1bn+ via 0.8% stake sales in Airtel in May 2025 and Nov 2025 as well.
  • In this note, we run the deal through our ECM framework and comment on deal dynamics.

NS Group IPO – Peer Comp and Thoughts on Valuation

By Akshat Shah

  • NS Group (471A JP) (NSG) is one of Japan’s leading rent guarantee service providers, offering payment guarantee and rent collection solutions to property owners and management companies.
  • NSG aims to raise around US$256m in its Japan IPO via an entirely secondary offering, marking Bain Capital’s full exit from the company.
  • In our previous note, we looked at the firm’s past performance. In this note, we talk about the peer comparison and IPO valuations.

Grayscale Investments (GRAY): Peeking at the IPO Prospectus of a Digital Asset Focused Platform

By IPO Boutique

  • Grayscale positions for a 2025 IPO as the largest U.S. digital-asset investment platform with $35 billion AUM and broad institutional-grade product coverage.
  • The firm targets a $4 trillion digital-asset market, leveraging diversified ETPs and strong investor adoption to expand regulated access and long-term growth potential.
  • Despite sector volatility, Grayscale aims to capitalize on rising institutional demand, product innovation, and its scale advantages to drive future public-market performance.

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Daily Brief Thematic (Sector/Industry): Tracking the AI Cycle : A Macro View and more

By | Daily Briefs, Thematic (Sector/Industry)

In today’s briefing:

  • Tracking the AI Cycle : A Macro View
  • Ohayo Japan | Nvidia Wobbles on Google Chip Threat
  • Singapore Market Roundup (25-Nov-2025): RHB’s Natarajan keeps IREIT Global’s target price at 35c.
  • Japan Morning Connection: New Potential Fed Chairman Likely to Add Another Voice for 50 Bps Cut
  • Asia Real Estate Tracker (25-Nov-2025): Jardine Matheson Reports Stable Full-Year Results
  • Monday Delight: 24/11/25
  • Exencial Industry Tidings 25/11/2025


Tracking the AI Cycle : A Macro View

By Kok Peng Chan

  • By tracking chip sales, sector earnings and ICT profit margins our analysis point to an early-to-mid-cycle AI expansion, not an AI-bubble about to implode
  • WSTS data show AI demand in a de-synchronised mode, revealing a multi-speed chip cycle with AI in the fast lane and legacy end-markets still digesting past booms
  • Tech and communication stocks dominate the S&P 500, but unlike 1999 their market and earnings share are broadly matched, suggesting elevated but not irrational pricing provided AI monetisation holds up

Ohayo Japan | Nvidia Wobbles on Google Chip Threat

By Mark Chadwick

  • Markets refocus on imminent Fed cuts, lifting rate-sensitive stocks as volatility eases.
  • Google TPUs pressure Nvidia pricing but CUDA lock-in prevents near-term displacement, just diversification.
  • Risk-On mood to boost Japan stocks; AI sector bifurcation persists until Nvidia stabilises.

Singapore Market Roundup (25-Nov-2025): RHB’s Natarajan keeps IREIT Global’s target price at 35c.

By Singapore Market Roundup

  • RHB’s Natarajan maintains IREIT Global’s target price at 35 cents. uSmart places ‘hold’ on Kimly amid stagnant income growth.
  • uSMART starts ‘buy’ on Starhill Global REIT, target price at 67 cents. CGS International maintains ‘add’ on Sanli Environmental, lowers target price post-placement.
  • Analysts remain positive on CSE Global after 3QFY2025 update and potential DC wins.

Japan Morning Connection: New Potential Fed Chairman Likely to Add Another Voice for 50 Bps Cut

By Andrew Jackson

  • Homebuilders surging on prospect for lower rates to help Sumi Forestry and Sekisui House.
  • NVDA and AMD down as rivalry with Google for AI chips heats up.
  • Bain looking to take around 13%/36mm shs of their holding in Kioxia off the table in a block trade this Friday.

Asia Real Estate Tracker (25-Nov-2025): Jardine Matheson Reports Stable Full-Year Results

By Asia Real Estate Tracker

  • Jardine Matheson reported stable full-year results, indicating consistent performance amid market changes.
  • Tokyo has been recognized as the leading city for real estate investment in the Asia-Pacific region for three years running.
  • JD Property aims to enhance its global footprint by targeting three significant markets by the year 2025.

Monday Delight: 24/11/25

By Contrarian Cashflows

  • Each week, I’ll share five intriguing investment ideas that recently caught my attention. These ideas are meant to spark your research and help you kickstart the week ahead with fresh insights.
  • Because these ideas are the result of my first-level idea generation process, they require more in depth research. Therefore, the ideas will often be concise, with occasional references to valuable work from other practitioners that I encourage you to explore.
  • If you have something fascinating to share that could benefit me and the wider community, don’t hesitate to send it my way—I’d love to hear from you!

Exencial Industry Tidings 25/11/2025

By Viral Kishorchandra Shah

  • Rabi sowing up 12.3 % as of 21 November 2025
  • Acrylic staple fibre exports fall by 48.2% in September 2025
  • Fertiliser imports up 143.67 % during July -October 20 25

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Daily Brief Equity Bottom-Up: Alibaba (BABA and more

By | Daily Briefs, Equity Bottom-Up

In today’s briefing:

  • Alibaba (BABA, 9988 HK): F2Q26, Up by 18% Excluding Disposals
  • How Much of Nvidia’s Demand Is Nvidia-Enabled?
  • CICC (3908 HK): Initial Assessment of the Merger
  • Sold Out Yet Stockpiled: Nvidia’s Q3 Highlights Potential Deployment Limits
  • Primer: Kioxia Holdings (285A JP) – Nov 2025
  • Dominion Energy Is Targeting NOVEC—Here’s Why That Should Get Everyone’s Attention!
  • Chuangxin Industries: Buy – Attractive Cost Positioning and Medium-Term Growth Visibility
  • United Arrows on a Roll Again with Korean Brands
  • Bajaj Housing Finance (BHF IN) | Running to Stand Still
  • Primer: Mars Group Holdings (6419 JP) – Nov 2025


Alibaba (BABA, 9988 HK): F2Q26, Up by 18% Excluding Disposals

By Ming Lu

  • In F2Q26, pro forma revenue increased by 18% YoY excluding two disposals.
  • It was successful that the company rebranded its food delivery business.
  • However, the rebranding brought significant sales and marketing expenses in F2Q26.

How Much of Nvidia’s Demand Is Nvidia-Enabled?

By Raghav Vashisht

  • Nvidia’s multi-year cloud service commitments jumped from $12.6B to $26B in one quarter, but only $1B is due in cash before late FY26, raising questions about the immediacy of demand.
  • Nvidia is backstopping customer infrastructure via an $860M facility lease guarantee, with only $470M escrowed; effectively transferring counterparty credit risk onto Nvidia’s balance sheet.
  • Structurally, this resembles circular financing, where customers take on debt (facilitated by Nvidia) to secure future compute capacity, enabling Nvidia to book future revenue while cash conversion lags.

CICC (3908 HK): Initial Assessment of the Merger

By Osbert Tang, CFA

  • CICC (3908 HK)‘s announced merger with Dongxing Securities (601198 CH) and Cinda Securities (601059 CH) will elevate it to the 3rd largest HK-listed Chinese securities company.
  • Based on our assumptions, its EPS will be diluted by 7.1%, BPS enhanced by 12.2%, and ROE lowered by 1pp for FY26, before accounting for synergy.
  • Its presence in Fujian (+616.7%), Liaoning (+500%), and Beijing (+100%) will be significantly enlarged. Additionally, it will open up potential benefits from optimisation.

Sold Out Yet Stockpiled: Nvidia’s Q3 Highlights Potential Deployment Limits

By Raghav Vashisht

  • Nvidia is transitioning from a GPU vendor to a full-stack systems supplier for AI infrastructure, with the Data Centre segment driven more by integrated rack-scale deployments than standalone accelerators.
  • Management positions Nvidia as the reference architecture for a “$3–4 trillion annual AI infrastructure build”, but finished goods inventories are up 90%+ amid “sold-out cloud capacity.”
  • The rapid shift toward rack-scale systems introduces new ecosystem tensions, as Nvidia’s move into full system design increasingly overlaps with the domain of OEM partners.

Primer: Kioxia Holdings (285A JP) – Nov 2025

By αSK

  • Kioxia is a leading global supplier of NAND flash memory, experiencing a strong financial recovery driven by surging demand from AI, data centers, and smart devices.
  • The company’s strategic focus is on technological leadership in 3D NAND and advanced SSDs, supported by a significant joint venture with Western Digital that enhances R&D and production scale.
  • While the outlook is positive, key risks include the inherent cyclicality of the memory industry, intense competition from established players, and execution risks associated with ambitious margin and technology targets.

This content is AI-generated and displayed for general informational purposes only. Please verify independently before use.


Dominion Energy Is Targeting NOVEC—Here’s Why That Should Get Everyone’s Attention!

By Baptista Research

  • Dominion Energy is accelerating into one of the most consequential growth phases in its history, with data centerdriven load growth, multibillion dollar transmission expansions, and the 2.6 gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project advancing toward first power in early 2026.
  • Now, reports indicate that Dominion is exploring a potential acquisition of Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC), a move that would deepen its footprint in the world’s busiest data center corridor—Loudoun County’s “Data Center Alley.” The timing is notable: Dominion disclosed that contracted and in process data center demand has surged to roughly 47 gigawatts, up 17% since year end 2024, while the company simultaneously works through major regulatory, financing, and construction milestones across its portfolio.
  • Dominion and NOVEC already share deeply interconnected transmission infrastructure, and NOVEC’s customer mix—where data centers account for roughly two thirds of electricity sales—aligns with Dominion’s strategy to serve rapidly rising AI related load.

Chuangxin Industries: Buy – Attractive Cost Positioning and Medium-Term Growth Visibility

By Rahul Jain

  • Vertically integrated Inner Mongolia smelter with second-quartile cost positioning, expanding renewables and alumina self-sufficiency, and entering overseas low-carbon production via its Saudi project.
  • FY24 margins inflected sharply; mid-cycle valuation implies material upside with strong sensitivity to aluminium pricing and structural demand drivers including AI datacentres, EVs, and grid expansion.
  • Base-Case Target Price HK$18.6 (24% upside); bull-case HK$22.1; bear-case HK$16.9, supported by integrated operations and medium-term EBITDA expansion potential.

United Arrows on a Roll Again with Korean Brands

By Michael Causton

  • United Arrows is beginning to flex its market power by launching more new brands rather than just iterations of its eponymous name
  • A key focus is a move to exploit the massive demand for Korean brands in Japan with Korean licenses for Nice Weather and Osoi.
  • More licenses are expected in the near future as the select shop retailer looks to take more share of the premium market.

Bajaj Housing Finance (BHF IN) | Running to Stand Still

By Pranav Bhavsar

  • Bajaj Housing Finance (BHF IN) is a priced to perfection narrative.
  • The current valuation (37.3x P/E, 4.2x P/B) prices the stock for absolute perfection in an environment that is distinctly imperfect and rapidly deteriorating.
  • A critical red flag highlighted in the Q2 transcript is the elevated annualized attrition rate.

Primer: Mars Group Holdings (6419 JP) – Nov 2025

By αSK

  • Mars Group Holdings exhibits a compelling value and dividend profile, underpinned by a robust history of financial growth and a strong net cash position, making it attractive for income-oriented investors.
  • The company’s primary exposure to the Japanese pachinko industry presents a significant headwind, as the market is in a long-term structural decline due to demographic shifts, regulatory pressures, and competition from other entertainment forms.
  • A recent downturn in quarterly performance (FY1Q26) following years of strong growth introduces uncertainty, making near-term earnings and regulatory developments critical catalysts to monitor.

This content is AI-generated and displayed for general informational purposes only. Please verify independently before use.


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Daily Brief Credit: Lucror Analytics – Morning Views Asia and more

By | Credit, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • Lucror Analytics – Morning Views Asia


Lucror Analytics – Morning Views Asia

By Leonard Law, CFA

  • In today’s Morning Views publication we comment on developments of the following high yield issuers: Delhi Int’l Airport
  • UST yields fell yesterday, led by the long end, on the back of a solid 2-year note auction and surprisingly dovish comments from San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly. The yield on the 2Y UST declined 1 bp to 3.50%, while that on the 10Y UST was down 4 bps at 4.03%.
  • Equities rose for a second day, as tech stocks recovered slightly from the prior week’s sell-off. The S&P 500 advanced 1.5% to 6,705, and the Nasdaq jumped 2.7% to 22,872.

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Daily Brief Event-Driven: Kioxia (285A JP) Placement: Limited Passive Buying & Big Runup Opens Up More Downside and more

By | Daily Briefs, Event-Driven

In today’s briefing:

  • Kioxia (285A JP) Placement: Limited Passive Buying & Big Runup Opens Up More Downside
  • Iress (IRE AU): Suitors Engaged, But (Still) Nothing Firm
  • National Storage REIT (NSR AU) In Trading Halt Ahead Of Possible Brookfield/GIC Tilt
  • SMEC (099440 KS) Pops As SNT Shifts Its Intent
  • Priority Technology Faces Management Buyout Proposal Amid Activist Opposition
  • POSCO Holdings: Selling Remaining Stake in Nippon Steel in a Block Deal Sale
  • Management Buyouts and Litigation Updates: PRTH, KNOP, LEN, ABCP, and NANO Developments in Focus


Kioxia (285A JP) Placement: Limited Passive Buying & Big Runup Opens Up More Downside

By Brian Freitas

  • Bain Capital is looking to place 36m shares of Kioxia Holdings (285A JP) to overseas investors at a 7-9% discount to the last close of the stock.
  • The stock has run up a lot since its IPO with the last leg driven by inclusion in a global index that took place at the close on Friday.
  • Toshiba (6502 JP) had already been selling stock, and the Bain selling could take the stock lower, especially with limited passive buying in the short-term to support the big runup.

Iress (IRE AU): Suitors Engaged, But (Still) Nothing Firm

By David Blennerhassett

  • The board of Iress Ltd (IRE AU), a trading and wealth management software provider, has denied reports in an Australian article concerning a possible takeover from Blackstone. 
  • The article said that Blackstone was reportedly back in talks for a bid “that could be worth between $11 and $12 per share“. Iress’ share price promptly popped 8% yesterday. 
  • Iress is still very much in play as it “continues to engage with multiple parties“. 

National Storage REIT (NSR AU) In Trading Halt Ahead Of Possible Brookfield/GIC Tilt

By David Blennerhassett

  • Reportedly, Brookfield and Singapore’s GIC will make an Offer for National Storage REIT (NSR AU), Australia and New Zealand’s largest landlord of self-storage sites .
  • The AFR is reporting that Brookfield/GIC are on the cusp of launching a bid around NTA.  NSR entered into a trading halt this morning. 
  • Earlier this year, key peer Abacus Storage King (ASK AU) fielded an NBIO from Ki Corporation/Public Storage (PSA US) at a ~3% premium to NTA; however, Ki/PSA ultimately walked. 

SMEC (099440 KS) Pops As SNT Shifts Its Intent

By David Blennerhassett

  • SNT Holdings (036530 KS) has lifted its stake in SMEC (099440 KS), South Korea’s second-largest machine tool manufacturer, to 13.65% from 8.19%. SNT’s chairman also holds 6.55%, or 20.2% all-in.
  • Concurrent with the stake increase, SNT formally declared its equity holding in SMEC to  “management participation” from “simple investment“. 
  • The move could simply be one of SNT aligning its interests with SMEC’s management. But more likely, it’s a precursor to a potential hostile takeover. SMEC is now up ~40%.

Priority Technology Faces Management Buyout Proposal Amid Activist Opposition

By Special Situation Investments

  • Priority Technology received a non-binding privatization offer from founder Thomas Priore at $6-$6.15/share, with Priore owning 58%.
  • Activists Buckley Capital and Steamboat Capital oppose the bid, claiming it undervalues PRTH, suggesting a fair value of $10-$17/share.
  • The company’s segments include Merchant Solutions, Payables, and Treasury Solutions, with 64% of adjusted gross profit from recurring revenues.

POSCO Holdings: Selling Remaining Stake in Nippon Steel in a Block Deal Sale

By Douglas Kim

  • After the market close on 25 November, it was reported that POSCO Holdings is selling its remaining stake in Nippon Steel Corporation in a block deal sale.
  • The block deal sale involves selling the remaining 39.2 million shares of Nippon Steel. The deal is valued at 24.2 billion yen (approximately 227 billion won). 
  • Given the overall negative sentiment on POSCO’s potential acquisition of HMM, until this uncertainty is resolved, POSCO Holdings’ share price could continue to face stiff headwinds. 

Management Buyouts and Litigation Updates: PRTH, KNOP, LEN, ABCP, and NANO Developments in Focus

By Special Situation Investments

  • Priority Technology (PRTH) received a non-binding privatization offer from its founder at $6-$6.15/share, with activist opposition.
  • KNOT Offshore Partners (KNOP) received a non-binding privatization offer at $10/unit, with expectations of a bumped offer.
  • Lennar Corporation (LEN) completed a tender offer, with a final exchange ratio of 4.1367x and oversubscription.

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Daily Brief Macro: Japan: CAN TAKAICHI SURVIVE THE COMING TSUNAMI? and more

By | Daily Briefs, Macro

In today’s briefing:

  • Japan: CAN TAKAICHI SURVIVE THE COMING TSUNAMI?
  • Japan Is at a Policy Crossroads, Yen Offers a Guide
  • Asian Equities: Strong Step-Up in Earnings Environment. 24 Market-Sectors Show Robust EPS Upgrades
  • China: Winning the Trade War While Still Imploding Domestically
  • CX Daily: The AI Boom’s Unsettling Paradox
  • Oil futures: Prices recover as updated Russia-Ukraine peace deal eyed


Japan: CAN TAKAICHI SURVIVE THE COMING TSUNAMI?

By David Mudd

  • Prime Minister Takaichi started a firestorm with her comments about attacking  China over the Taiwan issue. Japan’s missile deployment near Taiwan further inflamed the situation.
  • President Xi called President Trump on the matter, and Trump followed up with a call to Takaichi soon after.   Takaichi’s miscalculation in provoking China may have led to U.S. concessions.
  • PM Takaichi’s fiscally reckless budget is adding fuel to a fire as the yen, JGBs, and stock market are falling simultaneously.  Inflation, currently at 3% is rising again.

Japan Is at a Policy Crossroads, Yen Offers a Guide

By Pranay Yadav

  • BOJ minutes from the October meeting show 8 of 13 members backing near-term hikes, raising odds of tightening in December–January as wage negotiations strengthen.
  • Japan’s JPY 21.3T fiscal package and rising JGB yields highlight a growing policy clash, pushing the yen toward the prior 160 intervention zone.
  • Historical patterns of rapid yen reversals indicate that a BOJ hike alongside emerging Fed cut expectations materially increases the probability of a near-term yen appreciation.

Asian Equities: Strong Step-Up in Earnings Environment. 24 Market-Sectors Show Robust EPS Upgrades

By Manishi Raychaudhuri

  • Breadth of Asian market-sectors with robust earnings estimate upgrades improved remarkably. We spot 24 with upgrades over the past 1-month, 3-months and 6-months. Couple of weeks ago there were 18.
  • The new sectors that joined the list from our previous study are Chinese technology services, Korean utilities, Indian energy, Malaysian consumer durables and financials and Philippines basic materials.
  • Across Asia, basic materials, financials and electronic technology are prominent earnings gainers. They are driving upgrades in the US also. The AI capex and base metal demand themes seem robust.

China: Winning the Trade War While Still Imploding Domestically

By Prasenjit K. Basu

  • China has ‘won’ the first phase of the trade war, with exports up 5%YoY and imports down 1%YoY in Jan-Oct’25 despite an appreciating RMB and high US tariffs (now stabilised). 
  • FAI has declined YoY since Jun’25, declining 12.5%YoY in Oct’25, and severe PPI deflation has persisted for 37 months. Declining imports widened the 12m rolling-sum trade surplus to US$1.17trn. 
  • Stagnant FX reserves show net capital and service/income outflows of US$825bn in Jan-Oct’25. Domestic vulnerabilities, however, are being papered over by the trade truce with the US. Bullish for China.

CX Daily: The AI Boom’s Unsettling Paradox

By Caixin Global

  • Cover Story: The AI Boom’s Unsettling Paradox
  • In Depth: How China’s Unified QR Code System Is Redefining Cross-Border Payments
  • China’s Online Exporters Face Tax Scrutiny as Platforms Share Data
  • Saudi Central Bank Chief Sets Out Vision for the Kingdom’s Fintech Future

Oil futures: Prices recover as updated Russia-Ukraine peace deal eyed

By Quantum Commodity Intelligence

  • Crude oil futures closed higher Monday, rebounding from early lows in choppy trade, as investors eyed an updated peace deal to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.
  • Front-month Jan26 ICE Brent futures were trading at $63.39/b (1950 GMT) versus Friday’s settle of $62.56/b, while Jan26 NYMEX WTI was at $58.86/b against a previous close of $58.06/b.
  • Oil had dropped to one-month lows last week after the Trump administration gave Ukraine a Thursday deadline to accept the terms of a ceasefire drafted by Washington, with alleged significant input from Moscow.

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Daily Brief Utilities: Dominion Energy Inc, Naturgy Energy Group SA, Atmos Energy, Essential Utilities and more

By | Daily Briefs, Utilities Sector

In today’s briefing:

  • Dominion Energy Is Targeting NOVEC—Here’s Why That Should Get Everyone’s Attention!
  • Naturgy Index Re-Entry Confirmed – €250M Passive Flows Incoming
  • Atmos Energy: Is Texas House Bill 4384 the Game-Changer Investors Have Waited For?
  • Essential Utilities’ High-Impact Strategy: What 700,000 Smart Meters Could Unlock!


Dominion Energy Is Targeting NOVEC—Here’s Why That Should Get Everyone’s Attention!

By Baptista Research

  • Dominion Energy is accelerating into one of the most consequential growth phases in its history, with data centerdriven load growth, multibillion dollar transmission expansions, and the 2.6 gigawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project advancing toward first power in early 2026.
  • Now, reports indicate that Dominion is exploring a potential acquisition of Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC), a move that would deepen its footprint in the world’s busiest data center corridor—Loudoun County’s “Data Center Alley.” The timing is notable: Dominion disclosed that contracted and in process data center demand has surged to roughly 47 gigawatts, up 17% since year end 2024, while the company simultaneously works through major regulatory, financing, and construction milestones across its portfolio.
  • Dominion and NOVEC already share deeply interconnected transmission infrastructure, and NOVEC’s customer mix—where data centers account for roughly two thirds of electricity sales—aligns with Dominion’s strategy to serve rapidly rising AI related load.

Naturgy Index Re-Entry Confirmed – €250M Passive Flows Incoming

By Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

  • Naturgy’s float now stands at 18.6% with re-inclusion into a major index confirmed; €150–250M in tracker flows expected by Feb 2026.
  • Liquidity metrics now well above thresholds, with September ADTV at €15.2M, ensuring long-term compliance.
  • Passive inflows of €150–250M expected by February 2026; increased ETF demand may tighten spreads, raise visibility, and shift borrow dynamics as short availability potentially declines.

Atmos Energy: Is Texas House Bill 4384 the Game-Changer Investors Have Waited For?

By Baptista Research

  • Atmos Energy Corporation reported a strong fiscal 2025 performance, achieving a diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $7.46, marking the 23rd consecutive year of EPS growth and the 41st consecutive year of dividend growth.
  • The company’s results signify successful execution of its strategy focusing on modernization and reliability of its natural gas systems, coupled with a commitment to safety and service expansion.
  • Positive outcomes of the fiscal year include substantial customer growth, with approximately 57,000 new residential customers and expansions in the commercial and industrial sectors, suggesting increased demand and confidence in natural gas as a key energy source.

Essential Utilities’ High-Impact Strategy: What 700,000 Smart Meters Could Unlock!

By Baptista Research

  • Essential Utilities, Inc. has presented a transformative quarter, marked by a notable 32% growth in earnings per share year-over-year and several strategic undertakings.
  • A key highlight is the merger with American Water, expected to significantly enhance the company’s footprint, serving over 5 million connections across 17 states and strengthening its position as a premier water and wastewater utility firm.
  • This merger is anticipated to deliver synergies and present a robust investment case with projected growth rates in earnings per share and dividends of 7% to 9%, propelled by ongoing infrastructure investments.

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