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Daily Brief Equity Bottom-Up: HK-Listed Apparel & Footwear Screener July 2025: August 1st Deadline Approaches and more

By | Daily Briefs, Equity Bottom-Up

In today’s briefing:

  • HK-Listed Apparel & Footwear Screener July 2025: August 1st Deadline Approaches
  • Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC Results Ahead; ASE Historically Rare Discount
  • Money Forward (3994) | Mid-Sized Bets Start Paying Off
  • Jensen Went to the White House, and to China
  • Keisei Electric Railway: Oversold on Caution, Not on Fundamentals
  • The Beat Ideas: LIC Housing Finance- RoA at Decade High, Valuation Near Lows?
  • Eli Lilly’s Obesity Pill For The Masses Could Flip The $150 Billion Market on Its Head!
  • Can Ola Electric Stage a Strong Comeback? Analyzing Its Current Performance & Future Potential
  • Toumei (4439 JP): Q3 FY08/25 flash update
  • Hong Kong Office Market: Persistent Vacancy and Rental Pressure – SHORT Champion REIT 2778 HK


HK-Listed Apparel & Footwear Screener July 2025: August 1st Deadline Approaches

By Sameer Taneja

  • The August 1st deadline is approaching, and it seems a bit unclear whether a deal with Vietnam has been reached on a 20% tariff or something lower. 
  • With no formal agreement and just Trump’s Truth Social account as a reference, uncertainty looms. For HK-listed companies, the understanding is that they will pass on tariffs to their customers. 
  • We summarize this in our call with Nameson Holdings (1982 HK) following the results. We also provide updates for Pacific Textiles (1382 HK) and other names. 

Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC Results Ahead; ASE Historically Rare Discount

By Vincent Fernando, CFA

  • TSMC: +20.6% Premium; FY2Q25 Results This Week a Key Catalyst
  • UMC: 0.0% Premium (Parity); Wait for More Extreme Levels Before Going Long or Short
  • ASE: -0.8% Discount; Historically Rare Discount, Long the ADR Spread

Money Forward (3994) | Mid-Sized Bets Start Paying Off

By Mark Chadwick

  • Core Business acceleration: Business segment sales +28% YoY, driven by Mid-sized corporate strength; ARR +32% YoY to ¥29.6bn.
  • Non-Core drag explains topline miss: Total sales +11.7% YoY to ¥11.5bn vs est. ¥12.1bn; ex-Hirac Fund, sales +18% YoY.
  • Margin strength: Record-high EBITDA of ¥0.8bn (7% margin), achieved without one-off gains; signals improving core profitability.

Jensen Went to the White House, and to China

By Nicolas Baratte

  • US – China: Restrictions on Semiconductors are relaxed. EDA tool (Cadence, Synopsys) already relaxed, Nvidia says export license will come, this implies that HBM can be sold to China.     
  • It’s really hard to “guess” what comes next as US restrictions on technology export to China are just one bargaining tool in much broader negotiations (trade deficit, fentanyl, etc).   
  • For Cadence and Synopsys, China is 12% of revenues. For Nvidia, China is US$ 30-35bn revenue in 2025 (15-17%).  Positive to Samsung, supplying HBM3 (Nvidia’s H20), GDDR7 (RTX PRO).

Keisei Electric Railway: Oversold on Caution, Not on Fundamentals

By Oshadhi Kumarasiri

  • Keisei Electric Railway Co (9009 JP) shares fell 52% from February 2024 peak, with losses deepening after its conservative mid-term plan and the failed activist board proposal in June 2025.
  • However, we believe the company’s mid-term guidance is overly conservative and underestimates the company’s underlying earnings potential
  • With depressed valuation, fare-driven revenue growth, and volume recovery potential, we see limited downside and an appealing opportunity for medium-term price appreciation.

The Beat Ideas: LIC Housing Finance- RoA at Decade High, Valuation Near Lows?

By Nimish Maheshwari

  • India’s largest HF company with a stable loan book, supported by LIC’s parentage and a focus on salaried home loans, shows its fundamental strength.  
  • The company demonstrates robust operational performance, marked by a decade-high 1.83% Return on Assets (RoA) and a competitive 16% Return on Equity (ROE).  
  • It targets future growth by efficiently managing borrowing costs and strategically diversifying into higher-margin segments like project finance and LAP/LRD.

Eli Lilly’s Obesity Pill For The Masses Could Flip The $150 Billion Market on Its Head!

By Baptista Research

  • Eli Lilly has firmly positioned itself at the forefront of the global anti-obesity drug race, fueled by its blockbuster GLP-1-based injectable Zepbound and an upcoming oral pill called orforglipron that could further cement its dominance.
  • While rival Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy enjoyed a first-mover advantage, Lilly’s more effective compound tirzepatide rapidly seized control of the market, capturing 60% share and 75% of new treatment starts.
  • Despite facing a setback with CVS’s recent formulary switch favoring Wegovy, Lilly continues to add approximately 500,000 new Zepbound patients each month and is expanding aggressively into international markets including India, China, and Mexico.

Can Ola Electric Stage a Strong Comeback? Analyzing Its Current Performance & Future Potential

By Nimish Maheshwari

  • Ola Electric reported a strong 35.5% QoQ increase in revenue, with a significant 32.7% increase in vehicle deliveries
  • Overall company showed a rebound and improvement in operational and financial performance, along with strong guidance for FY26.
  • Though the company continue to face key headwinds in terms of cost pressures, rare-earth related macro headwinds along with increased competition and regulatory challenges.

Toumei (4439 JP): Q3 FY08/25 flash update

By Shared Research

  • Toumei’s Q3 FY08/25 revenue reached JPY21.2bn, a 25.8% YoY increase, with record highs in all profit categories.
  • Office Denki 119 revenue rose 44.9% YoY to JPY9.3bn, with segment profit up 104.8% YoY to JPY1.5bn.
  • Office Solutions segment revenue grew 64.9% YoY to JPY2.5bn, with profit increasing 47.5% YoY to JPY276mn.

Hong Kong Office Market: Persistent Vacancy and Rental Pressure – SHORT Champion REIT 2778 HK

By Jacob Cheng

  • The Hong Kong office market is now facing multiple headwinds including an oversupply, persistently weak demand and slowdown in Chinese corporates expansion
  • Accordingly, the availability rate In Hong Kong office rose to record high, reaching 19.3% as of Q2 2025, according to Cushman.  Vacancy rate in Central is at 13%
  • We are bearish on Champion REIT, given its direct exposure to HK Grade A office market

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Daily Brief Australia: Abacus Storage King, CSL Ltd, Macquarie Telecom and more

By | Australia, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • Abacus Storage King (ASK AU): Ki Corp/Public Storage’s Revised NBIO Faces a Daunting Challenge
  • Treasure Chest: CSL Not A One-Trick Pony
  • Macquarie Telecom Group Ltd – The Overnight Report: US-EU Talks Calm Nerves


Abacus Storage King (ASK AU): Ki Corp/Public Storage’s Revised NBIO Faces a Daunting Challenge

By Arun George

  • Abacus Storage King (ASK AU) disclosed a non-binding proposal from Ki Corporation and Public Storage (PSA US) at A$1.65 per unit, a 14.7% premium to its previously rejected offer.
  • The Board will grant six weeks of due diligence. While below NTA (implies P/NTA of 0.95x), the offer is reasonable compared to peer multiples and historical trading ranges.   
  • The consortium will likely need to switch to a takeover offer as National Storage REIT (NSR AU), which holds effectively a blocking stake, is unlikely to vote in favour. 

Treasure Chest: CSL Not A One-Trick Pony

By FNArena

  • FNArena’s Treasure Chest reports on money making ideas from stockbrokers and other experts.
  • Today’s idea is on CSL


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Daily Brief South Korea: Samsung Electronics, Samsung C&T and more

By | Daily Briefs, South Korea

In today’s briefing:

  • Samsung Daily Buyback Flow Compiled (Excel): Notable Flow/Price Sync Pattern Identified
  • Supreme Court’s Final Ruling on Samsung’s Lee Jae-Yong on 17 July: Impact on Samsung Group Companies


Samsung Daily Buyback Flow Compiled (Excel): Notable Flow/Price Sync Pattern Identified

By Sanghyun Park

  • Daily buyback flow data for Samsung (ord + pref) since last Nov compiled — Excel file attached below.
  • Started with ~1M/day (for ord), ramped up at 20–30%, then tapered post-60% — same playbook in both legs, with the second showing even more methodical, steady pacing.
  • Price action tracked buyback flow closely — especially in leg 2, where the mid-heavy-light volume pattern showed strong consistency.

Supreme Court’s Final Ruling on Samsung’s Lee Jae-Yong on 17 July: Impact on Samsung Group Companies

By Douglas Kim

  • The Supreme Court of Korea plans to make a final ruling on Samsung’s Lee Jae-Yong on 17 July.
  • If the Supreme Court confirms this appellate court’s ruling, then Lee Jae-Yong would finally be cleared of all charges related to the Samsung C&T and Cheil Industries merger. 
  • The market is mostly expecting the confirmation of “not guilty” on all 19 charges on Lee Jae-Yong.

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Daily Brief Singapore: SGX Rubber Future TSR20, CapitaLand Ascendas REIT, Sunmoon Food Company and more

By | Daily Briefs, Singapore

In today’s briefing:

  • European Tire Rubber Sector Faces Structural, Regulatory Headwinds
  • REIT Watch – NTT DC REIT IPO on July 14 broadens AI-related opportunities on SGX
  • Industrials take sector lead in 2025 net institutional inflow


European Tire Rubber Sector Faces Structural, Regulatory Headwinds

By Vinod Nedumudy

  • Plant closures signal Europe’s industrial competitiveness crisis  
  • Regulatory burdens over Europe’s retreading sector future  
  • Weak enforcement and oversight cloud UK ELT exports   

REIT Watch – NTT DC REIT IPO on July 14 broadens AI-related opportunities on SGX

By Geoff Howie

  • NTT DC REIT’s IPO, scheduled for July 14, has a market capitalisation of US$1.03 billion, featuring six data centres.
  • NTT DC REIT projects a 7.5% annualised distribution yield for 9M FY26, surpassing other Data Centre S-REITs.
  • KDC’s AUM is S$4.9 billion, with 24 data centres; Digital Core REIT manages US$1.7 billion in assets.

Industrials take sector lead in 2025 net institutional inflow

By Geoff Howie

  • Institutions were net buyers of Singapore stocks, with a net inflow of S$94 million from Jul 4 to 10.
  • Industrials sector led 2025 net institutional inflows, booking S$629 million, surpassing telecommunications sector by Jul 10.
  • UOB led share buybacks with S$35.4 million, while Hongkong Land Holdings repurchased 946,000 shares at US$6.23 each.

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Daily Brief Indonesia: Dian Swastatika Sentosa and more

By | Daily Briefs, Indonesia

In today’s briefing:

  • LQ45 Index Rebalance Preview (Jul 2025): Identifying Potential Index Changes


LQ45 Index Rebalance Preview (Jul 2025): Identifying Potential Index Changes

By Brian Freitas

  • The review period for the LQ45 Index July rebalance ended on 30 June. The changes should be announced later in two weeks, becoming effective after the close on 31 July.
  • We highlight 2 potential inclusions and 2 potential exclusions for the index at the rebalance, though there is a possibility that there are no constituent changes.
  • Both potential inclusions will have over 2x ADV to trade from passive trackers and the flow is significant for one stock.

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Daily Brief India: Travel Food Services, Anthem Biosciences, Bombay Stock Exchange, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and more

By | Daily Briefs, India

In today’s briefing:

  • Travel Food Services IPO Trading – Decent Anchor; Subdued Overall Demand
  • Anthem Biosciences IPO – Thoughts on Peer Comp and Valuation
  • Anthem BioSciences IPO Analysis ~ The Fastest-Growing Indian CRDMO
  • Anthem Biosciences IPO: Despite 100% OFS, Worth Accumulating for Long-Term Compounding
  • BSE Derivative Volumes Hit by Jane Street Ban, Volatility Slump: EPS Cuts & Near-Term Downgrade
  • Glenmark’s R&D Leap: How a Large Biotech Liscensing Deal with AbbVie Could Change Its Fortune


Travel Food Services IPO Trading – Decent Anchor; Subdued Overall Demand

By Akshat Shah

  • Travel Food Services Ltd (1450229D IN) raised about US$233m in its India IPO.
  • Travel Food Services Limited (TFS) operates a network of travel quick service restaurants (Travel QSRs) and private lounges in airports.
  • We have looked at the company’s past performance and valuations in our previous notes. In this note, we will talk about the trading dynamics.

Anthem Biosciences IPO – Thoughts on Peer Comp and Valuation

By Akshat Shah

  • Anthem Biosciences (1234D IN) is looking to raise about US$397m in its India IPO.
  • Anthem Biosciences (ABS) is a contract research, development and manufacturing organisation (CRDMO) with fully integrated operations spanning drug discovery, development, and manufacturing.
  • We have looked at the company’s past performance in our previous notes. In this note, we will talk about the peer comp and IPO valuations.

Anthem BioSciences IPO Analysis ~ The Fastest-Growing Indian CRDMO

By Sudarshan Bhandari

  • Anthem Biosciences (1234D IN) is launching a 3,395 crore IPO via a complete OFS, with a price band of INR 540–570 per share, open from July 14 to July 16.
  • Company is a fully integrated CRDMO with capabilities across drug discovery, development, and manufacturing for both small molecules and biologics, serving 550+ customers globally.
  • The company is undertaking a major capacity expansion, set to make its fermentation capacity over 6x larger than the second-largest Indian CRDMO player post-expansion.

Anthem Biosciences IPO: Despite 100% OFS, Worth Accumulating for Long-Term Compounding

By Sreemant Dudhoria,CFA

  • Strong Revenue Momentum and Profitability:Anthem Biosciences (1234D IN) achieved INR 18.4bn in revenue in FY25, growing 25% CAGR over FY20–FY25,with industry-leading EBITDA margins of 36.8% and PAT margin of 23.4%
  • Unique Dual Capability in Biologics and Small Molecules:Among the few Indian CRDMOs with end-to-end capabilities across both small and large molecules, and technology-driven portfolio including ADCs, RNAi, peptides, and oligonucleotides
  • Peer-Leading Returns and Robust Pipeline: Anthem boasts the highest ROCE (26.9%) among Indian peers, with significant IP-backed revenue streams and global molecule commercialization. It is a BUY for long term.

BSE Derivative Volumes Hit by Jane Street Ban, Volatility Slump: EPS Cuts & Near-Term Downgrade

By Sudarshan Bhandari

  • BSE’s Option Premium ADTO in July MTD is down 25% MoM to INR 105bn amid lower market volatility and regulatory overhang from SEBI’s ban on Jane Street.
  • This weakness has triggered another 6–8% volume cut assumption in the market, on top of the 4–5% volume cut in June 2025.
  • BSE will face pressure in the near-term due to lower volume and valuation pressure, but long-term optimism tied to earnings if volumes normalize and reforms push investors toward cash equities.

Glenmark’s R&D Leap: How a Large Biotech Liscensing Deal with AbbVie Could Change Its Fortune

By Sudarshan Bhandari

  • Glenmark Pharmaceuticals (GNP IN) signed the world’s fourth-largest biotech licensing deal by upfront value, receiving $700 million from AbbVie for its cancer drug ISB 2001. 
  • The agreement grants AbbVie global rights for key markets while Glenmark retains Emerging Market access, unlocking $1.9 billion in total potential proceeds. 
  • This transforms Glenmark into a net-cash company, funds IGI’s R&D pipeline, delays IPO needs, and positions India as a serious biotech innovation hub.

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Daily Brief China: BYD, Ascentage Pharma Group Corp, Guangdong – Hong Kong Greater Bay Area Holdings, Qingdao Port International , Meituan, HKEX, China International Capital Corporation, Busy Ming Group, MegaRobo Technologies and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • BYD (1211 HK): Sales Volume Slowing Down in 2Q25, But Competitors Facing Cash Flow Stress
  • Ascentage Pharma Top-Up Placement – Past Deals Didn’t Done Well, Stock up a Lot but Sector Is Strong
  • Guangdong-Hong Kong Greater Bay Area (1396 HK): This Doesn’t Add Up
  • Quiddity Leaderboard CSI 300/​​500 Dec25: Some Changes to Expectations; Large Index Flows
  • Meituan (3690): Full Round-Trip, Surge in Call Volumes Provide Strong Trade Setup
  • Hong Kong Financials in Focus: Sub-Sector Option Volumes Reveal Emerging Themes
  • BYD (1211 HK) Outlook Under Pressure as Sales Momentum Fades
  • CICC (3908 HK): It Is the Best of the Time
  • Pre-IPO Busy Ming Group – Concerns Behind the High Growth
  • MegaRobo Technologies IPO Preview: AI-Driven Robotics Unicorn With Strong IP Moat In Automation


BYD (1211 HK): Sales Volume Slowing Down in 2Q25, But Competitors Facing Cash Flow Stress

By Ming Lu

  • The sales volume growth rate slowed down month by month in 2Q25.
  • The domestic sales volume was stagnant in 2Q25 and decreased YoY from March to June.
  • However, competitors expanded aggressively; therefore, we believe small ones may go bankrupt.

Ascentage Pharma Top-Up Placement – Past Deals Didn’t Done Well, Stock up a Lot but Sector Is Strong

By Sumeet Singh

  • Ascentage Pharma Group Corp (6855 HK) (AP) aims to raise around US$196m via  top-up placement.
  • The company has undertaken a number of deals in the past, with none of the deals having done well. Although stock momentum has been strong this year.
  • In this note, we will talk about the deal dynamics and run the deal through our ECM framework.

Guangdong-Hong Kong Greater Bay Area (1396 HK): This Doesn’t Add Up

By David Blennerhassett

  • Property developer Guangdong – Hong Kong Greater Bay Area Holdings (1396 HK) (GHKGBA) is currently suspended pursuant to the Takeovers Code.
  • GHKGBA, previously known as Hydoo, was subject to an unconditional MGO in 2019 after China Guangdong-Hong Kong Greater Bay Area (CGHKGBA) acquired a 51.56%.  CGHKGBA currently holds a 50.94% stake
  • At a guess, CGHKGBA will seek to take GHKGBA private by way of a Scheme. The rub/pushback? GHKGBA’s share price is up 2,383% YTD. And trailing P/B is ~7x. 

Quiddity Leaderboard CSI 300/​​500 Dec25: Some Changes to Expectations; Large Index Flows

By Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

  • CSI 300 represents the 300 largest stocks by market cap and liquidity from the Shanghai and Shenzhen Exchanges. CSI 500 is the next 500 names.
  • In this insight, we take a look at the potential ADDs and DELs leading the race for the semiannual index rebal event in December 2025.
  • Currently, we see 9 ADDs/DELs for the CSI 300 index and 45 ADDs/DELs for the CSI 500 index.

Meituan (3690): Full Round-Trip, Surge in Call Volumes Provide Strong Trade Setup

By John Ley

  • Meituan has completed a full roundtrip from its 2024 rally and is now back near key support.
  • Option traders have taken notice, with a notable pickup in activity—especially for Calls.
  • We outline two trade structures depending on directional or vol views.

Hong Kong Financials in Focus: Sub-Sector Option Volumes Reveal Emerging Themes

By John Ley

  • Volume trends and sub-sector splits highlight where interest is most concentrated.
  • We revisit top names that appeared prominently in last week’s active lists
  • Trading patterns suggest a mix of positioning motives across Financial names.

BYD (1211 HK) Outlook Under Pressure as Sales Momentum Fades

By Nico Rosti

  • BYD (1211 HK) fell for longer than expected since our last insight was published. We said that if BYD was going to fall below 120, the trend would become bearish.
  • The stock did not fall a lot, it briefly reached below our 120 support level (75% probability of reversal), but has been down for 5 weeks. It is oversold.
  • The big question now is: can BYD recover and start to trend up again? Or are we going to see a small bounce from oversold levels, followed by lower prices?

CICC (3908 HK): It Is the Best of the Time

By Osbert Tang, CFA

  • China International Capital Corporation (3908 HK)‘s 1H25 positive profit alert is encouraging, with 1H25 results growing by 55-78% YoY.  
  • YTD, CICC has a 59.5% share of the HK IPO market. The solid H-share IPO pipeline of A-share companies is beneficial, as this is its major area of strength.
  • Market consensus has underestimated its FY25 earnings, inflating its PER multiples. The current 51% discount of its H-share to A-share is just too steep (average 37.7%).

Pre-IPO Busy Ming Group – Concerns Behind the High Growth

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • BUSY MING operates under the franchise model, under which franchisees and BUSY MING form collaboration and a virtuous cycle, benefiting from the ecological logic of high turnover.
  • However, the potential risk is increasing homogeneous competition. Price wars and competitors’ rapid expansion would further squeeze the profit margin of BUSY MING and lead to market oversaturation.
  • The current high growth may not sustain.BUSY MING clearly hopes to successfully IPO during the current peak period of performance, but investors may face a decline in performance after IPO.

MegaRobo Technologies IPO Preview: AI-Driven Robotics Unicorn With Strong IP Moat In Automation

By Andrei Zakharov

  • MegaRobo Technologies, AI & robotics unicorn with focus on lab automation in life sciences and intelligent manufacturing, files to list IPO on Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
  • Founder led, AI native company was backed by Sinovation Ventures, Goldman Sachs, Asia Investment Capital, Robert Bosch Venture Capital, GGV Capital, and Joy Capital, among others.
  • The business is growing fast and increases the number of use cases across new verticals. However, negative free cash flows and operating losses are a headwind.

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Daily Brief United States: Unitedhealth Group, USD, Copper, Galaxy Gaming, Intel Corp, NIQ Global Intelligence, Gold, Unum Group, McGraw Hill, NanoViricides and more

By | Daily Briefs, United States

In today’s briefing:

  • UnitedHealth Group’s Bold Healthcare Transformation—Is This The Future of Affordable Medicine?
  • Global FX: Keeping the bearish USD view
  • Global Commodities: 50% copper tariffs coming soon; now comes the copper hangover
  • Merger and Acquisition Updates: GLXZ, OCFT, ASLI:L, and CPPTL’s Strategic Developments
  • Intel Layoffs Finally Kick Off With A Chaotic Start In Oregon
  • NIQ Global Intelligence Plc (NIQ): Advent-Backed, Consumer Intelligence Company Sets Terms for IPO
  • Don’t Get Fooled by Commodity Social Media Craziness
  • Unum Group Surges Internationally with Double-Digit Growth in Poland and the U.K.; What Lies Ahead?
  • McGraw Hill, Inc. (MH): Legacy Education Company Sets Terms, Down-Round from 2021 Purchase
  • NanoViricides Inc –


UnitedHealth Group’s Bold Healthcare Transformation—Is This The Future of Affordable Medicine?

By Baptista Research

  • UnitedHealth Group’s first quarter 2025 results reveal a number of positive developments alongside several challenges that have led to a downward revision of the company’s adjusted earnings per share outlook.
  • The company now expects an adjusted earnings per share range of $26 to $26.50, down from previous estimates, partly attributed to higher-than-expected care activity within its Medicare Advantage business and changes in member profiles impacting revenue at Optum Health.
  • Baptista Research looks to evaluate the different factors that could influence the company’s price in the near future and attempts to carry out an independent valuation of the company using a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) methodology.

Global FX: Keeping the bearish USD view

By At Any Rate

  • Discussion covers topics including dollar signals, $CNY fixes, tariffs, and observations on Swiss and sterling
  • Dollar remains bearish despite some systematic signals turning less bearish or even bullish
  • Client sentiment may be shifting tactically towards throwing in the towel on the bearish dollar trend due to technical patterns, but long-term view remains unchanged

This content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only.


Global Commodities: 50% copper tariffs coming soon; now comes the copper hangover

By At Any Rate

  • Trump announced a 50% Section 232 base tariff on copper imports starting August 1st
  • The details of the tariff, including which products it applies to and any exemptions, remain unknown
  • The arbitrage between London LME prices and US Comex prices has widened following the tariff announcement, with implications for copper prices in both regions.

This content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only.


Merger and Acquisition Updates: GLXZ, OCFT, ASLI:L, and CPPTL’s Strategic Developments

By Special Situation Investments

  • Galaxy Gaming (GLXZ) merger with Evolution AB is pending gaming regulatory review, with a 14% spread remaining.
  • OneConnect Financial Technology (OCFT) secured antitrust approval from SAMR for Ping An takeover, narrowing spread to 5%.
  • abrdn European Logistics Income (ASLI:L) sold two warehouses at a premium, with further asset sales in advanced discussions.

Intel Layoffs Finally Kick Off With A Chaotic Start In Oregon

By William Keating

  • Despite initially WARNing of 529 job cuts in Oregon, the actual number turned out to be 2,392
  • Only 9% of the Oregon cuts are in management positions
  • Huge cuts in technical employees across the board with a total of thirty Principal Engineers losing their jobs in Oregon alone.

NIQ Global Intelligence Plc (NIQ): Advent-Backed, Consumer Intelligence Company Sets Terms for IPO

By IPO Boutique

  • NIQ Global Intelligence plc is offering 50.0mm shares at $20.00-$24.00 equating to a market cap of $5.9b-$7.1b and is scheduled to debut on July 23rd.
  • If successful, this will be the third IPO to raise $1 billion in 2025. 
  • NIQ Global Intelligence has a boat-load of debt, is private-equity backed but has a growth profile that is promising. We believe price sensitivity may play a role.

Don’t Get Fooled by Commodity Social Media Craziness

By The Commodity Report

  • While it may seem as a logical step to compare the current cash price with the forward futures contract, that’s unfortunately way too easy to justify such a statement.
  • In fact, it is even miss-information.
  • What makes more sense is to look at the input cost factors and the forecasts for these components that the USDA is providing. 

Unum Group Surges Internationally with Double-Digit Growth in Poland and the U.K.; What Lies Ahead?

By Baptista Research

  • Unum Group’s first quarter results for 2025 demonstrate a blend of strengths and challenges that are vital for investors to consider.
  • The company reported a return on equity (ROE) for core operations exceeding 20%, alongside premium growth of more than 4%.
  • However, despite these positive indicators, Unum’s earnings per share of $2.04 fell short of expectations, primarily due to an increase in disability claims.

McGraw Hill, Inc. (MH): Legacy Education Company Sets Terms, Down-Round from 2021 Purchase

By IPO Boutique

  • McGraw Hill is offering 24.39mm shares at $19.00-$22.00 equating to a market cap of $3.6b-$4.2b and is scheduled to debut on July 24th.
  • The company is backed by Platinum Equity, a private equity firm that acquired the company from Apollo Global Management for approximately $4.5 billion in August 2021. 
  • Private Equity IPOs are to be a theme in the 2H of 2025 and McGraw Hill will be a test for the market based on the financial profile.

NanoViricides Inc –

By Zacks Small Cap Research

  • Zacks Small-Cap Research Note for NanoViricides, Inc. (NNVC)

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Daily Brief Japan: GMO Internet, DD Group, Azoom, Hikari Tsushin, Astellas Pharma, Ryohin Keikaku, Kasumigaseki Hotel REIT, Goldwin Inc, Shin Pro Maint and more

By | Daily Briefs, Japan

In today’s briefing:

  • GMO Internet (4784) – Shares Appear Manipulated/Squeezed (Again), but ParentCo MUST SELL
  • [Japan M&A] Polaris MBO for DD Group (3073) – Too Light But Probably a Done Deal
  • TOPIX Inclusions: Who Is Ready (Jul 2025)
  • DD Group (3073 JP): Polaris Capital-Sponsored MBO Is Light
  • Hikari Tsushin’s Portfolio
  • Astellas Pharma (4503 JP): Izervay on Strong Footing, Strategic Brands Key for Future
  • Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP): Q3 FY08/25 flash update
  • Kasumigaseki Hotel REIT Pre-IPO: Young Hotel Assets and Improving Economics
  • Goldwin’s The North Face License Surpasses ¥100 Billion but Faces Headwinds
  • Shin Pro Maint (6086 JP): Q1 FY02/26 flash update


GMO Internet (4784) – Shares Appear Manipulated/Squeezed (Again), but ParentCo MUST SELL

By Travis Lundy

  • GMO Internet (4784 JP) was squeezed after a merger which was a Reverse Takeover followed by a ridiculous TOPIX inclusion. Then the parent tried an offering, which failed. 
  • The clearing price demanded was WAAAY lower so the offering was pulled. Shares fell 70%, then bounced 65%. Now 48x book and 66x EBITDA for an ISP. Super expensive. Manipulated.
  • ParentCo needs to sell 90mm shares ASAP. The only clean way is through a liquidation trust to get shares lower before a larger offering.

[Japan M&A] Polaris MBO for DD Group (3073) – Too Light But Probably a Done Deal

By Travis Lundy

  • Diamond Dining (3073 JP) (DD Group) head Matsumura-san appears to be getting out in this Polaris MBO for the dining group. 
  • The premium is low, and the the price is probably light, but there are a couple of small things which mean it isn’t quite as light as it might look. 
  • But the company prints cash, so yeah, it’s light. This should probably be a bit better, but F&B is a fickle business. 

TOPIX Inclusions: Who Is Ready (Jul 2025)

By Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

  • Quiddity’s “Who is Ready” series of insights aims to objectively identify names listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange that are potential additions to the TOPIX Index in future.
  • At the end of July 2025, GMO Financial Gate (4051 JP) and Azoom (3496 JP) will be included in the TOPIX Index.
  • Newly-Listed company Kitazato (368A JP) will also be included in the TOPIX index at the end of this month.

DD Group (3073 JP): Polaris Capital-Sponsored MBO Is Light

By Arun George

  • Diamond Dining (3073 JP) has recommended a Polaris Capital-sponsored MBO at JPY1,700, a 17.8% premium to the last close price.
  • The offer is light and is 16% below the midpoint of the IFA DCF valuation range. The process was lacking as there was no auction. 
  • DD has no recent history of activism. Therefore, the likelihood of a bump is low unless there is vocal opposition or an activist becomes a substantial shareholder. 

Hikari Tsushin’s Portfolio

By Michael Fritzell

  • This write-up is about Hikari Tsushin — a Japanese sales organization run by a visionary founder called Yasumitsu Shigeta

  • It’s been much talked about on Twitter and Substack, but few of the write-ups discuss Hikari Tsushin’s portfolio of publicly listed equities

  • I am personally not particularly interested in Hikari Tsushin itself, as it is primarily a sales organization helping other businesses find customers


Astellas Pharma (4503 JP): Izervay on Strong Footing, Strategic Brands Key for Future

By Tina Banerjee

  • Astellas Pharma (4503 JP) announced that in Q1FY26 the sales of their drug Izervay (avacincaptad pegol intravitreal solution) in the U.S. market will be ¥15.9B (~$110M, up 25% YoY).
  • Strategic brands (Padcev, Izervay, Veozah, Vyloy, and Xospata) revenue expanded to ¥336B (+¥176B or +110% YoY) in FY25, representing 18% of the total revenue.
  • Astellas agreement with Evopoint Biosciences for a novel investigational clinical-stage antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting CLDN18.2, will help expand its pipeline and augurs well given its expertise in similar therapies (Vyloy).

Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP): Q3 FY08/25 flash update

By Shared Research

  • Operating revenue increased by 19.2% YoY to JPY591.1bn, driven by new store openings and solid sales performance.
  • The company revised its FY08/25 forecast, projecting operating revenue of JPY776.0bn and operating profit of JPY70.0bn.
  • Comparable-store sales in Japan rose 15.1% YoY, with customer traffic up 8.4% and average sales per customer up 6.2%.

Kasumigaseki Hotel REIT Pre-IPO: Young Hotel Assets and Improving Economics

By Nicholas Tan


Goldwin’s The North Face License Surpasses ¥100 Billion but Faces Headwinds

By Michael Causton

  • Goldwin had a solid year last year thanks to its license for The North Face, but there are now headwinds. 
  • Inbound tourist support is falling away, and the push into footwear has not offset weakness elsewhere, while domestic consumer confidence remains patchy.
  • But Goldwin’s long-term prospects remain positive as its own brand is beginning to gain traction, establishing strong foundations in China.

Shin Pro Maint (6086 JP): Q1 FY02/26 flash update

By Shared Research

  • Revenue increased 17.0% YoY to JPY6.7bn, driven by strong performance in Emergency and Preventive Maintenance Services.
  • Operating profit rose 30.6% YoY to JPY446mn, with an operating profit margin up 0.7pp YoY to 6.6%.
  • Shin Maint Holdings expanded market share by winning projects from competitors and forming a specialized air conditioning team.

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Daily Brief ESG: There Is Also a Difference in Perspective Between Investors and Companies on the Remuneration System and more

By | Daily Briefs, ESG

In today’s briefing:

  • There Is Also a Difference in Perspective Between Investors and Companies on the Remuneration System


There Is Also a Difference in Perspective Between Investors and Companies on the Remuneration System

By Aki Matsumoto

  • From the perspective of securing human resources, global companies have increased % of performance-based compensation and stock-based compensation, but there is still large gap between them and many other companies.
  • Most Prime Market-listed companies have established remuneration committees, but do not disclose individual executive compensation, raising doubts about the transparency of the remuneration decision-making process.
  • As an element of performance-based compensation, many companies still place far greater emphasis on profits than on capital profitability, which leads to a difference in perspective with investors.

💡 Before it’s here, it’s on Smartkarma

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