All Posts By

Smartkarma Daily Briefs

Daily Brief ECM: Hexaware Technologies IPO – Not Cheap on Its Own and more

By | Daily Briefs, ECM

In today’s briefing:

  • Hexaware Technologies IPO – Not Cheap on Its Own, but Peers Are Trading a Lot Higher
  • Guming (1364 HK): Upsized at Top-Price. Strong Retail Demand
  • Guming Holdings IPO Trading – Strong Retail Demand, with Decent Coverage on the Insti Tranche
  • PegBio (派格生物) IPO: Thoughts on Valuation
  • SailPoint, Inc. (SAIL) — IPO Price Range Increased; Software Order Book Demand Is Fever Pitch
  • Aardvark Therapeutics (AARD): Caution Needed Ahead of Small-Cap Obesity Biotech IPO


Hexaware Technologies IPO – Not Cheap on Its Own, but Peers Are Trading a Lot Higher

By Clarence Chu

  • Hexaware Technologies (HEXW IN) is looking to raise US$1bn from its India IPO.
  • Hexaware is a global digital and technology services company with AI at its core, delivering innovative solutions that help customers in their digital transformation journey and subsequent operations.
  • In this note, we discuss its RHP updates, undertake a peer comparison and share our thoughts on valuation.

Guming (1364 HK): Upsized at Top-Price. Strong Retail Demand

By Devi Subhakesan

  • Guming Holdings, the leading mid-priced milk tea player in China, has priced its IPO at the top-end and upsized it to 182.6 mn shares, raising a total of HKD1.8 Bn. 
  • With strong HK retail investor demand, International investors bidding for Guming stock in the IPO had their allocations scaled back to 56.5% from 90% earlier.
  • Guming will list at the HK stock exchange today and could likely see a good  uptick upon listing given robust investor demand.

Guming Holdings IPO Trading – Strong Retail Demand, with Decent Coverage on the Insti Tranche

By Clarence Chu

  • Guming Holdings (1364 HK) raised US$233m in its Hong Kong IPO. Guming Holdings (Guming) sells freshly-made beverages in China.
  • Guming Holdings (Guming) sells freshly-made beverages in China. Guming focuses on the mid-priced freshly-made tea beverage market with product prices typically ranging between RMB10-18.
  • We have covered various aspects of the deal in our previous note. In this note, we will talk about the demand and trading dynamics.

PegBio (派格生物) IPO: Thoughts on Valuation

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • PegBio, a China-based biotech company, plans to raise up to USD 150 million via a Hong Kong listing.
  • In our previous note, we examined the company’s core product namely PB-119.
  • In this note, we will provide a valuation for the company’s key products.

SailPoint, Inc. (SAIL) — IPO Price Range Increased; Software Order Book Demand Is Fever Pitch

By IPO Boutique

  • The underwriters amended the terms of this offering with a S-1/A. The price range has been upwardly revised from $19.00-$21.00 to $21.00-$23.00.
  • Cornerstone investor Dragoneer has a strong track record with IPOs that have participated in. 
  • The upwardly-revised price adjustment is a very bullish sign for the IPO and we have adjusted our early expectations on this deal.

Aardvark Therapeutics (AARD): Caution Needed Ahead of Small-Cap Obesity Biotech IPO

By IPO Boutique

  • We believe exercising caution based upon the small market cap of the company and the existing backers is the prudent play at this time.
  • Aardvark Therapeutics develops novel, small-molecule therapeutics to activate innate homeostatic pathways for the treatment of metabolic diseases.
  • Their lead product candidate is an oral gut-restricted small-molecule agonist of certain TAS2Rs expressed in the gut lumen and have initiated a Phase 3 trial for hyperphagia associated with PWS.

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

Sign Up for Free

The Smartkarma Preview Pass is your entry to the Independent Investment Research Network

  • ✓ Unlimited Research Summaries
  • ✓ Personalised Alerts
  • ✓ Custom Watchlists
  • ✓ Company Data and News
  • ✓ Events & Webinars



Daily Brief Equity Bottom-Up: Alibaba (BABA) 3Q25 Preview: Benefit from Boycott Against Competitor and Disposals and more

By | Daily Briefs, Equity Bottom-Up

In today’s briefing:

  • Alibaba (BABA) 3Q25 Preview: Benefit from Boycott Against Competitor and Disposals
  • Uranium Wild Predictions and which Base Metals Restart will Make Bank First?
  • SMIC (981.HK): Revenue Growth Decelerated in 4Q24, and Growth Momentum to Be Regained in 1Q25.
  • Qualcomm’s AI-Powered Future: Will It Dominate PCs, Smartphones, and Cars?
  • AMD’s AI Bet Is Failing? DeepSeek Challenges the Market While Nvidia Widens the Gap!
  • Alphabet’s AI Spending Nightmare: Will $75 Billion CapEx Be Enough To Come Close To DeepSeek & OpenAI?
  • Shanghai Henlius Biotech (2696 HK)- LVC Is Betting on Higher Valuation Upside Due to Business Update
  • Toyota Motors: Is It Really Adapting to China’s Market For Long-Term Growth?
  • China Pair Trade: Long China Comm Const (1800 HK), Short China Railway Group (390 HK)
  • Shimano (7309) | Q4 Preview and Outlook


Alibaba (BABA) 3Q25 Preview: Benefit from Boycott Against Competitor and Disposals

By Ming Lu

  • We believe the boycott against JD.com benefited Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall Group in 3Q25 results. 
  • We believe 3Q25 results will not reflect the benefits of the disposal of Intime and Sun Art despite that Alibaba may not revise its financial data in 3Q25 results.
  • We set a stock upside of 42% for the next twelve months.

Uranium Wild Predictions and which Base Metals Restart will Make Bank First?

By Money of Mine

  • BHP plans for a small increase in uranium production at Olympic Dam, with speculation on the impact
  • Interview with Grant Isaac from Cameco sheds light on the uranium market trends

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


SMIC (981.HK): Revenue Growth Decelerated in 4Q24, and Growth Momentum to Be Regained in 1Q25.

By Patrick Liao

  • SMIC’s 1Q25 guidance is for revenue to increase by 6% to 8% QoQ, and the gross margin to range from 19% to 21%.   
  • Client revenue contribution from China/Europe/US has changed from 80.8%/15.7%/3.5% in 4Q23 to 89.1%/8.9%/2% in 4Q24. These numbers indicate that SMIC is gradually becoming independent from Europe and the US. 
  • SMIC’s guidance for the year 2025 is that revenue growth is expected to be higher than the industry average in the same markets.

Qualcomm’s AI-Powered Future: Will It Dominate PCs, Smartphones, and Cars?

By Baptista Research

  • Qualcomm reported a strong financial performance in its latest quarter, with revenue increasing 17% year-over year to $11.67 billion, surpassing analyst expectations.
  • Growth was primarily driven by increased sales in its handset and automotive segments.
  • Despite a broader market slowdown, Qualcomm’s handset revenue rose 13%, benefiting from higher premium-tier smartphone sales and design wins with major manufacturers like Samsung and Chinese OEMs. The company also reported a 61% increase in automotive revenue to $961 million, reflecting strong demand for its Snapdragon Digital Chassis solutions.

AMD’s AI Bet Is Failing? DeepSeek Challenges the Market While Nvidia Widens the Gap!

By Baptista Research

  • Advanced Micro Devices reported fourth-quarter revenue of $7.7 billion, a 24% increase year-over-year, driven by strong growth in the data center and client segments.
  • The data center segment, which includes AI accelerators and server processors, delivered $3.9 billion in revenue, up 69% year-over-year but missing analyst expectations of $4.09 billion.
  • The company gained market share in CPUs, securing key wins with hyperscalers like Microsoft, Meta, and Google.

Alphabet’s AI Spending Nightmare: Will $75 Billion CapEx Be Enough To Come Close To DeepSeek & OpenAI?

By Baptista Research

  • Alphabet Inc. has faced a significant market correction, with its stock declining by 5% over the past week, leading to a $200 billion reduction in its market capitalization.
  • This sell-off followed the release of the company’s latest financial results, which, despite reporting revenue growth, highlighted structural challenges that have raised concerns among investors.
  • The primary issues stem from Alphabet Inc.’s substantial capital expenditure on artificial intelligence, slowing momentum in cloud computing, and increasing competitive pressures from more agile AI players such as OpenAI and DeepSeek.

Shanghai Henlius Biotech (2696 HK)- LVC Is Betting on Higher Valuation Upside Due to Business Update

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • LVC continues to increase its holdings in Henlius, indicating that LVC remains optimistic about Henlius as its internationalization process significantly accelerated. We are interested to see Lin Lijun’s next move. 
  • In the short to medium term, based on our conservative forecast on peak sales of HANQUYOU/HANSIZHUANG in overseas markets and domestic product sales, Henlius’ market value could reach RMB13-16 billion.
  • Considering other candidates(e.g. HLX15, HLX11, HLX14), indication expansion, drug combination, etc., revenue of Henlius could reach about RMB8-9 billion in the long term, with market value to reach RMB24-27 billion.

Toyota Motors: Is It Really Adapting to China’s Market For Long-Term Growth?

By Baptista Research

  • Toyota Motor Corporation’s financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 reveal a period of cautious resilience amidst both internal challenges and external pressures.
  • The company’s operating income for the first half of the fiscal year was recorded at JPY 2.4642 trillion, closely matching the figures from the same period last year, despite hurdles including production halts due to certification issues and the incremental costs associated with addressing these disruptions.
  • 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.

China Pair Trade: Long China Comm Const (1800 HK), Short China Railway Group (390 HK)

By Osbert Tang, CFA

  • Long China Communications Construction (1800 HK), short China Railway Group Ltd H (390 HK) is a good strategy to capitalise on the recent underperformance of CCCC.
  • CCCC has a stronger contract momentum than CRG – its FY24 new contracts were up 7.3%, but CRG was down 12.4%. CCCC is also better positioned for urban construction growth.
  • In terms of dividend yield, CCCC is higher at 6.8% for FY25, yet CRG is only 6.3%. CCCC’s performance should pick up in the rest of 2025.

Shimano (7309) | Q4 Preview and Outlook

By Mark Chadwick

  • Q4 Risks Remain: Market conditions deteriorated in late 2024, and key data points suggest a potential miss on Q4 earnings expectations.
  • Focus on 2025 Outlook: Investors should shift attention to Shimano’s guidance, capital allocation strategy, and potential shareholder return initiatives in the coming year.
  • Long-Term Value: Despite short-term uncertainties, Shimano’s strong fundamentals and disciplined strategy position it well for sustainable growth and high returns.

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

Sign Up for Free

The Smartkarma Preview Pass is your entry to the Independent Investment Research Network

  • ✓ Unlimited Research Summaries
  • ✓ Personalised Alerts
  • ✓ Custom Watchlists
  • ✓ Company Data and News
  • ✓ Events & Webinars



Daily Brief Event-Driven: Block Deal Sale of About 278 Billion Won of Samsung Electronics by Samsung Life and Samsung F&M and more

By | Daily Briefs, Event-Driven

In today’s briefing:

  • Block Deal Sale of About 278 Billion Won of Samsung Electronics by Samsung Life and Samsung F&M
  • Furukawa (5715 JP) – Third Capital Policy Change in a Year Means Big Buyback
  • HKBN (1310 HK): A Press Report Causes Trepidation
  • Paragon REIT (PGNREIT SP): Cuscaden Peak’s Attractive Privatisation Offer
  • EQD | Commonwealth Bank (CBA AU) – Expected Move on Profit Announcement and Option Insights
  • Taiwan Top 50 ETF Rebalance Preview: Eva Air (2618 TT) Winging Its Way In
  • Industrivärden’s FY 2024: NAV Evolution, Discount, Target NAV, Replication
  • Carlyle/SNP Schneider-Neureither & Partner Ag: Trading Above Offer Price


Block Deal Sale of About 278 Billion Won of Samsung Electronics by Samsung Life and Samsung F&M

By Douglas Kim

  • Samsung Life Insurance (032830 KS) and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (000810 KS) plan to sell about 278 billion won of Samsung Electronics (005930 KS) in block deal sales.
  • A total of 5 million shares of Samsung Electronics shares that are expected to be sold in this block deal sale represents 0.1% of Samsung Electronics’ outstanding shares.
  • If Samsung Life Insurance is able to sell 4.256 million shares of Samsung Electronics for 236.4 billion won, this would represent 1.3% of Samsung Life Insurance’s market cap. 

Furukawa (5715 JP) – Third Capital Policy Change in a Year Means Big Buyback

By Travis Lundy

  • In May 2023, Furukawa Co Ltd (5715 JP) decided it would review cross-holdings as part of its Actions to Implement Management Awareness of Capital Cost and Share Price.
  • In February 2024, it announced a cross-holding reduction policy, and then accelerated it in May 2024. They’ve been selling. They did a small buyback too. 
  • Monday they announced a LARGE buyback (looks larger than it is) leaving future capital allocation policy better, but still wanting. The question is now the forward-forward bet.

HKBN (1310 HK): A Press Report Causes Trepidation

By Arun George


Paragon REIT (PGNREIT SP): Cuscaden Peak’s Attractive Privatisation Offer

By Arun George

  • Paragon REIT (PGNREIT SP) announced a privatisation proposal from Cuscaden Peak at S$1.0033 per unit (S$0.98 cash per unit and the 2H FY2024 distribution of S$0.0233 per unit).  
  • The offer price is attractive compared to historical trading ranges, peer multiples and precedent privatisations.  It represents an all-time high. 
  • No disinterested shareholder holds a blocking stake. At the current price and for an end-of-May payment, the gross/annualised spread was 1.3%/4.6%. 

EQD | Commonwealth Bank (CBA AU) – Expected Move on Profit Announcement and Option Insights

By Gaudenz Schneider

  • Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA AU) is set to announce its 2025 Half Year Results on 12 February.
  • Option prices suggest a 2.4% move in either direction, which is less than the historic move of 3.4% over the past six announcements.
  • Traders can trade the event through 13 February 2025 listed options (weekly expiration).

Taiwan Top 50 ETF Rebalance Preview: Eva Air (2618 TT) Winging Its Way In

By Brian Freitas


Industrivärden’s FY 2024: NAV Evolution, Discount, Target NAV, Replication

By Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

  • NAV of Industrivarden (INDUC SS) was c. SEK 160 bn (SEK 370/share) on December 31. NAV increased by 6% during FY 2024. 5-Y total return 78% (OMX30, 64%).
  • Industrivärden C shares are trading at a 3.9% discount to NAV (vs. 7.4% average for last 5-years). It seems risky to bet on a further discount reduction, rather a reversal.
  • My target NAV is SEK 171 bn. My TP for the C shares of Industrivärden, assuming a 5% discount to NAV, is SEK 376.5 (4.5% downside).

Carlyle/SNP Schneider-Neureither & Partner Ag: Trading Above Offer Price

By Jesus Rodriguez Aguilar

  • Carlyle has secured 76.3% of SNP’s voting rights and intends to delist the company, leaving minority shareholders with an illiquid stock if they do not tender their shares.
  • The €61.00 offer price represents a 5.2% premium to the DCF-based fair value of €57.96, and shares currently trade at €66.20, likely due to speculative expectations of a higher bid.
  • Investors should tender shares before the March 7, 2025 deadline, as post-delisting liquidity risks outweigh the uncertain potential for an improved offer. Short if there is enough available to borrow.

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

Sign Up for Free

The Smartkarma Preview Pass is your entry to the Independent Investment Research Network

  • ✓ Unlimited Research Summaries
  • ✓ Personalised Alerts
  • ✓ Custom Watchlists
  • ✓ Company Data and News
  • ✓ Events & Webinars



Daily Brief Macro: Japanese Auto and more

By | Daily Briefs, Macro

In today’s briefing:

  • Japanese Auto, Tire Firms Sense Opportunity As Trump Clamps Tariffs
  • Korea Exchange Announces 8 Major Incentives for Selected Excellent Value-Up Companies
  • [US Crude Oil Options Weekly 2025/06] WTI Falls on Trade Policy Uncertainty, Rising Inventories
  • [US Nat Gas Options Weekly 2025/06] Henry Hub Rises on Colder Forecasts and Falling Gas Reserves
  • CX Daily: How DeepSeek Is Redefining the Future of AI
  • Early Days of New Trump Administration
  • U.S. Rig Count Rises for the Second Straight Week
  • Neutral Rates Are Shifting Sands
  • The Rise of Quant Investing in Crypto w/ Truvius CEO Connor Farley | The New Barbarians #007


Japanese Auto, Tire Firms Sense Opportunity As Trump Clamps Tariffs

By Vinod Nedumudy

  • Japanese tire firms mull option of broadening production base in US  
  • May explore low-cost Southeast Asian destinations too  
  • Diversifying supply-chain network to be on top of agenda  

Korea Exchange Announces 8 Major Incentives for Selected Excellent Value-Up Companies

By Douglas Kim

  • On 11 February, the Korea Exchange announced eight major incentives for selected excellent Corporate Value Up companies every May starting this year.
  • Some of the major incentives include preferential tax treatment and preferential inclusion in the Korea Value Up index. 
  • The Korea Exchange plans to select and announce 10 companies that will be included as Excellent Value Up Companies for the first time in May 2025.

[US Crude Oil Options Weekly 2025/06] WTI Falls on Trade Policy Uncertainty, Rising Inventories

By Suhas Reddy

  • WTI futures fell by 2.1% for the week ending 07/Feb on the back of uncertain trade policy, growing U.S. crude stockpiles, and a strengthening dollar.
  • WTI options Put/Call volume ratio fell to 1.18 from 1.31 (31/Jan) last week, as call volume fell by 51% WoW while put volume dropped by 56.1%.  
  • WTI OI PCR fell to 0.98 from 1.00 last week. Call OI rose by 5.2% WoW, while put OI grew by 3.5%.

[US Nat Gas Options Weekly 2025/06] Henry Hub Rises on Colder Forecasts and Falling Gas Reserves

By Suhas Reddy

  • For the week ending 07/Feb, U.S. natural gas prices gained 8.7% on the back of colder weather forecasts, rising LNG exports, and falling inventories.
  • Henry Hub Put/Call volume ratio decreased to 1.33 from 1.50 (31/Jan) the previous week as call volumes fell by 26.7% WoW, while put volumes declined by 35%. 
  • Henry Hub OI PCR rose to 0.97 from 0.96 from last week. Call OI rose by 5.6% WoW, while put OI increased by 7.2%.

CX Daily: How DeepSeek Is Redefining the Future of AI

By Caixin Global

  • DeepSeek / Cover Story: How DeepSeek is redefining the future of AI
  • Panama /: Panama quits China’s Belt and Road Initiative amid pressure from U.S.
  • Consumption /Analysis: What are the key factors to spur China’s consumption?

Early Days of New Trump Administration

By Alex Ng

  • The early days of the Trump administration has seen lots of volatility around the tariffs with Canada and Mexico, but the more stable U.S. Treasury market helps provide an anchor. 
  • U.S. Treasuries have shift towards the view that the 10yr budget bill will be delayed until H2 and likely be only modestly stimulative in 2026. 
  • Combined with the Fed still leaving the door open to rate cuts this has helped avoid major directional movements. 

U.S. Rig Count Rises for the Second Straight Week

By Suhas Reddy

  • The U.S. oil and gas rig count rose for the second straight week, increasing by 4 to 586 for the week ending 07/Feb.
  • For the week ending 31/Jan, U.S. oil production rose to 13.48m bpd from 13.24m bpd the week prior.
  • The number of active oil rigs rose by 1 to 480 and gas rigs grew by 2 to 100. The number of rigs in Permian basin remained unchanged at 303.

Neutral Rates Are Shifting Sands

By Phil Rush

  • Central banks provide vague and evolving estimates of neutral rates that are unreliable guides to policy decisions, although these estimates inform the perceived terminal rate.
  • Resilient labour markets and persistent unit labour cost growth challenge the dovish view that policy rates are well above their neutral settings, urging caution.
  • Neutral estimates gradually drift to explain the prevailing regime, which doesn’t prevent a pause in cuts or a return to rate hikes consistent with historical norms.

The Rise of Quant Investing in Crypto w/ Truvius CEO Connor Farley | The New Barbarians #007

By William Mann

  • The podcast is called New Barbarians and focuses on digital assets and opportunities in the market
  • The special guest, Connor Farley, is the CEO and co-founder of Truvias, an SEC registered investment advisor specializing in digital asset portfolio management
  • The current market trends include rising inflation concerns, increasing interest in gold, and the potential for Bitcoin to act as digital gold, according to the hosts and guest.

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


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

Sign Up for Free

The Smartkarma Preview Pass is your entry to the Independent Investment Research Network

  • ✓ Unlimited Research Summaries
  • ✓ Personalised Alerts
  • ✓ Custom Watchlists
  • ✓ Company Data and News
  • ✓ Events & Webinars



Daily Brief Australia: Commonwealth Bank of Australia, BHP Group Ltd, CSL Ltd and more

By | Australia, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • EQD | Commonwealth Bank (CBA AU) – Expected Move on Profit Announcement and Option Insights
  • Uranium Wild Predictions and which Base Metals Restart will Make Bank First?
  • CSL Ltd (CSL AU): Weak Vaccine Sales Affect H1FY25 Performance; FY25 Guidance Maintained


EQD | Commonwealth Bank (CBA AU) – Expected Move on Profit Announcement and Option Insights

By Gaudenz Schneider

  • Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA AU) is set to announce its 2025 Half Year Results on 12 February.
  • Option prices suggest a 2.4% move in either direction, which is less than the historic move of 3.4% over the past six announcements.
  • Traders can trade the event through 13 February 2025 listed options (weekly expiration).

Uranium Wild Predictions and which Base Metals Restart will Make Bank First?

By Money of Mine

  • BHP plans for a small increase in uranium production at Olympic Dam, with speculation on the impact
  • Interview with Grant Isaac from Cameco sheds light on the uranium market trends

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


CSL Ltd (CSL AU): Weak Vaccine Sales Affect H1FY25 Performance; FY25 Guidance Maintained

By Tina Banerjee

  • For H1FY25, CSL Ltd (CSL AU) reported net profit of $2.01B, up 6% YoY, missing estimate of $2.07B. Underlying profit (NPATA) grew 3% YoY to $2.07B.
  • H1FY25 revenue increased 5% YoY to $8.48B. Solid performance from CSL Behring and CSL Vifor was partially offset by negative impact from CSL Seqirus.
  • The company has reaffirmed FY25 underlying profit guidance of $3.2–3.3B at constant currency, up 10–13% YoY. Revenue growth is anticipated to be 5–7% YoY at constant currency.    

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

Sign Up for Free

The Smartkarma Preview Pass is your entry to the Independent Investment Research Network

  • ✓ Unlimited Research Summaries
  • ✓ Personalised Alerts
  • ✓ Custom Watchlists
  • ✓ Company Data and News
  • ✓ Events & Webinars



Daily Brief Singapore: Paragon REIT, SGX Rubber Future TSR20, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding and more

By | Daily Briefs, Singapore

In today’s briefing:

  • Paragon REIT (PGNREIT SP): Cuscaden Peak’s Attractive Privatisation Offer
  • Japanese Auto, Tire Firms Sense Opportunity As Trump Clamps Tariffs
  • Straits Times Index Makes Fresh All-Time High Above 3,900


Paragon REIT (PGNREIT SP): Cuscaden Peak’s Attractive Privatisation Offer

By Arun George

  • Paragon REIT (PGNREIT SP) announced a privatisation proposal from Cuscaden Peak at S$1.0033 per unit (S$0.98 cash per unit and the 2H FY2024 distribution of S$0.0233 per unit).  
  • The offer price is attractive compared to historical trading ranges, peer multiples and precedent privatisations.  It represents an all-time high. 
  • No disinterested shareholder holds a blocking stake. At the current price and for an end-of-May payment, the gross/annualised spread was 1.3%/4.6%. 

Japanese Auto, Tire Firms Sense Opportunity As Trump Clamps Tariffs

By Vinod Nedumudy

  • Japanese tire firms mull option of broadening production base in US  
  • May explore low-cost Southeast Asian destinations too  
  • Diversifying supply-chain network to be on top of agenda  

Straits Times Index Makes Fresh All-Time High Above 3,900

By Geoff Howie

  • The Straits Times Index recorded a net institutional inflow of S$489 million over the 10-month period.
  • DBS reported a record net profit of S$11.4 billion for FY24, with plans for capital management.
  • Yangzijiang Shipbuilding led STI gains with a 65% price increase, continuing its trend from previous years.

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

Sign Up for Free

The Smartkarma Preview Pass is your entry to the Independent Investment Research Network

  • ✓ Unlimited Research Summaries
  • ✓ Personalised Alerts
  • ✓ Custom Watchlists
  • ✓ Company Data and News
  • ✓ Events & Webinars



Daily Brief South Korea: Samsung Life Insurance and more

By | Daily Briefs, South Korea

In today’s briefing:

  • Block Deal Sale of About 278 Billion Won of Samsung Electronics by Samsung Life and Samsung F&M


Block Deal Sale of About 278 Billion Won of Samsung Electronics by Samsung Life and Samsung F&M

By Douglas Kim

  • Samsung Life Insurance (032830 KS) and Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (000810 KS) plan to sell about 278 billion won of Samsung Electronics (005930 KS) in block deal sales.
  • A total of 5 million shares of Samsung Electronics shares that are expected to be sold in this block deal sale represents 0.1% of Samsung Electronics’ outstanding shares.
  • If Samsung Life Insurance is able to sell 4.256 million shares of Samsung Electronics for 236.4 billion won, this would represent 1.3% of Samsung Life Insurance’s market cap. 

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

Sign Up for Free

The Smartkarma Preview Pass is your entry to the Independent Investment Research Network

  • ✓ Unlimited Research Summaries
  • ✓ Personalised Alerts
  • ✓ Custom Watchlists
  • ✓ Company Data and News
  • ✓ Events & Webinars



Daily Brief United States: SGX Rubber Future TSR20, Qualcomm Inc, Crude Oil, Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet , Natural Gas, Microstrategy Inc Cl A, Sailpoint Technologies Holdings, The Walt Disney Co, Cognizant Tech Solutions A and more

By | Daily Briefs, United States

In today’s briefing:

  • Japanese Auto, Tire Firms Sense Opportunity As Trump Clamps Tariffs
  • Qualcomm’s AI-Powered Future: Will It Dominate PCs, Smartphones, and Cars?
  • [US Crude Oil Options Weekly 2025/06] WTI Falls on Trade Policy Uncertainty, Rising Inventories
  • AMD’s AI Bet Is Failing? DeepSeek Challenges the Market While Nvidia Widens the Gap!
  • Alphabet’s AI Spending Nightmare: Will $75 Billion CapEx Be Enough To Come Close To DeepSeek & OpenAI?
  • [US Nat Gas Options Weekly 2025/06] Henry Hub Rises on Colder Forecasts and Falling Gas Reserves
  • MicroStrategy Incorporated: How Is The Management Embracing Volatility & Innovative Capital Structures?
  • SailPoint, Inc. (SAIL) — IPO Price Range Increased; Software Order Book Demand Is Fever Pitch
  • Disney: A $293M Streaming Comeback and the Big ESPN Gamble—Will It Pay Off?
  • Cognizant Technology Solutions: Executing Large-Sized Strategic Deals & Acquisitions Like Belcan Can Truly Widen Its Market Reach!


Japanese Auto, Tire Firms Sense Opportunity As Trump Clamps Tariffs

By Vinod Nedumudy

  • Japanese tire firms mull option of broadening production base in US  
  • May explore low-cost Southeast Asian destinations too  
  • Diversifying supply-chain network to be on top of agenda  

Qualcomm’s AI-Powered Future: Will It Dominate PCs, Smartphones, and Cars?

By Baptista Research

  • Qualcomm reported a strong financial performance in its latest quarter, with revenue increasing 17% year-over year to $11.67 billion, surpassing analyst expectations.
  • Growth was primarily driven by increased sales in its handset and automotive segments.
  • Despite a broader market slowdown, Qualcomm’s handset revenue rose 13%, benefiting from higher premium-tier smartphone sales and design wins with major manufacturers like Samsung and Chinese OEMs. The company also reported a 61% increase in automotive revenue to $961 million, reflecting strong demand for its Snapdragon Digital Chassis solutions.

[US Crude Oil Options Weekly 2025/06] WTI Falls on Trade Policy Uncertainty, Rising Inventories

By Suhas Reddy

  • WTI futures fell by 2.1% for the week ending 07/Feb on the back of uncertain trade policy, growing U.S. crude stockpiles, and a strengthening dollar.
  • WTI options Put/Call volume ratio fell to 1.18 from 1.31 (31/Jan) last week, as call volume fell by 51% WoW while put volume dropped by 56.1%.  
  • WTI OI PCR fell to 0.98 from 1.00 last week. Call OI rose by 5.2% WoW, while put OI grew by 3.5%.

AMD’s AI Bet Is Failing? DeepSeek Challenges the Market While Nvidia Widens the Gap!

By Baptista Research

  • Advanced Micro Devices reported fourth-quarter revenue of $7.7 billion, a 24% increase year-over-year, driven by strong growth in the data center and client segments.
  • The data center segment, which includes AI accelerators and server processors, delivered $3.9 billion in revenue, up 69% year-over-year but missing analyst expectations of $4.09 billion.
  • The company gained market share in CPUs, securing key wins with hyperscalers like Microsoft, Meta, and Google.

Alphabet’s AI Spending Nightmare: Will $75 Billion CapEx Be Enough To Come Close To DeepSeek & OpenAI?

By Baptista Research

  • Alphabet Inc. has faced a significant market correction, with its stock declining by 5% over the past week, leading to a $200 billion reduction in its market capitalization.
  • This sell-off followed the release of the company’s latest financial results, which, despite reporting revenue growth, highlighted structural challenges that have raised concerns among investors.
  • The primary issues stem from Alphabet Inc.’s substantial capital expenditure on artificial intelligence, slowing momentum in cloud computing, and increasing competitive pressures from more agile AI players such as OpenAI and DeepSeek.

[US Nat Gas Options Weekly 2025/06] Henry Hub Rises on Colder Forecasts and Falling Gas Reserves

By Suhas Reddy

  • For the week ending 07/Feb, U.S. natural gas prices gained 8.7% on the back of colder weather forecasts, rising LNG exports, and falling inventories.
  • Henry Hub Put/Call volume ratio decreased to 1.33 from 1.50 (31/Jan) the previous week as call volumes fell by 26.7% WoW, while put volumes declined by 35%. 
  • Henry Hub OI PCR rose to 0.97 from 0.96 from last week. Call OI rose by 5.6% WoW, while put OI increased by 7.2%.

MicroStrategy Incorporated: How Is The Management Embracing Volatility & Innovative Capital Structures?

By Baptista Research

  • MicroStrategy Incorporated, now rebranded as Strategy, recently held its earnings call to discuss the performance and strategic developments for the fourth quarter and full year 2024.
  • The company is undergoing significant transformation, with its rebranding reflecting its commitment to business intelligence and its role as a major Bitcoin treasury company.
  • This name change and strategic shift symbolize a simplification of its identity while retaining continuity with its past and setting ambitious goals for future growth in digital assets and business intelligence.

SailPoint, Inc. (SAIL) — IPO Price Range Increased; Software Order Book Demand Is Fever Pitch

By IPO Boutique

  • The underwriters amended the terms of this offering with a S-1/A. The price range has been upwardly revised from $19.00-$21.00 to $21.00-$23.00.
  • Cornerstone investor Dragoneer has a strong track record with IPOs that have participated in. 
  • The upwardly-revised price adjustment is a very bullish sign for the IPO and we have adjusted our early expectations on this deal.

Disney: A $293M Streaming Comeback and the Big ESPN Gamble—Will It Pay Off?

By Baptista Research

  • Disney’s latest earnings report underscores a company in transition, leveraging its content dominance to bolster its streaming business while facing industry headwinds.
  • The entertainment giant exceeded Wall Street’s expectations across key financial metrics, with revenue climbing 5% to $24.7 billion and net income surging 34% to $2.6 billion.
  • A major contributor was the company’s streaming division, where Disney+ and Hulu posted a $293 million profit in the December quarter, a stark improvement from the $138 million loss a year prior.

Cognizant Technology Solutions: Executing Large-Sized Strategic Deals & Acquisitions Like Belcan Can Truly Widen Its Market Reach!

By Baptista Research

  • Cognizant Technology Solutions reported its fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 financial outcomes, showing signs of growth and robust strategic positioning in the evolving technology landscape.
  • The company’s revenue for the fourth quarter reached $5.1 billion, reflecting a 6.7% year-over-year increase in constant currency.
  • This growth was fuellled by a rise in demand within its two key segments, Health Sciences and Financial Services, along with the strategic acquisitions of Thirdera and Belcan.

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

Sign Up for Free

The Smartkarma Preview Pass is your entry to the Independent Investment Research Network

  • ✓ Unlimited Research Summaries
  • ✓ Personalised Alerts
  • ✓ Custom Watchlists
  • ✓ Company Data and News
  • ✓ Events & Webinars



Daily Brief Indonesia: Indosat Tbk PT and more

By | Daily Briefs, Indonesia

In today’s briefing:

  • Indosat (ISAT IJ) – A More Intelligent Future


Indosat (ISAT IJ) – A More Intelligent Future

By Angus Mackintosh

  • Indosat (ISAT IJ) booked 4Q2024 results below estimates, despite improving ARPUs and headline revenues, as margins were depressed with a greater focus on its B2B business. 
  • There was also continuing aggressive competition in starter packs during the quarter, although this abated somewhat in early December but the company also lost non-productive subscribers as a result.
  • Indosat continues to build on its AI edge both around its mobile strategies and as a standalone AI-as-a-service business. Valuations are attractive after sharp correction. 

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

Sign Up for Free

The Smartkarma Preview Pass is your entry to the Independent Investment Research Network

  • ✓ Unlimited Research Summaries
  • ✓ Personalised Alerts
  • ✓ Custom Watchlists
  • ✓ Company Data and News
  • ✓ Events & Webinars



Daily Brief China: Alibaba Group Holding , HKBN Ltd, Guming Holdings, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC), Shanghai Henlius Biotech , China Communications Construction, PegBio and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • Alibaba (BABA) 3Q25 Preview: Benefit from Boycott Against Competitor and Disposals
  • HKBN (1310 HK): A Press Report Causes Trepidation
  • Guming (1364 HK): Upsized at Top-Price. Strong Retail Demand
  • SMIC (981.HK): Revenue Growth Decelerated in 4Q24, and Growth Momentum to Be Regained in 1Q25.
  • Guming Holdings IPO Trading – Strong Retail Demand, with Decent Coverage on the Insti Tranche
  • Shanghai Henlius Biotech (2696 HK)- LVC Is Betting on Higher Valuation Upside Due to Business Update
  • China Pair Trade: Long China Comm Const (1800 HK), Short China Railway Group (390 HK)
  • PegBio (派格生物) IPO: Thoughts on Valuation


Alibaba (BABA) 3Q25 Preview: Benefit from Boycott Against Competitor and Disposals

By Ming Lu

  • We believe the boycott against JD.com benefited Alibaba’s Taobao and Tmall Group in 3Q25 results. 
  • We believe 3Q25 results will not reflect the benefits of the disposal of Intime and Sun Art despite that Alibaba may not revise its financial data in 3Q25 results.
  • We set a stock upside of 42% for the next twelve months.

HKBN (1310 HK): A Press Report Causes Trepidation

By Arun George


Guming (1364 HK): Upsized at Top-Price. Strong Retail Demand

By Devi Subhakesan

  • Guming Holdings, the leading mid-priced milk tea player in China, has priced its IPO at the top-end and upsized it to 182.6 mn shares, raising a total of HKD1.8 Bn. 
  • With strong HK retail investor demand, International investors bidding for Guming stock in the IPO had their allocations scaled back to 56.5% from 90% earlier.
  • Guming will list at the HK stock exchange today and could likely see a good  uptick upon listing given robust investor demand.

SMIC (981.HK): Revenue Growth Decelerated in 4Q24, and Growth Momentum to Be Regained in 1Q25.

By Patrick Liao

  • SMIC’s 1Q25 guidance is for revenue to increase by 6% to 8% QoQ, and the gross margin to range from 19% to 21%.   
  • Client revenue contribution from China/Europe/US has changed from 80.8%/15.7%/3.5% in 4Q23 to 89.1%/8.9%/2% in 4Q24. These numbers indicate that SMIC is gradually becoming independent from Europe and the US. 
  • SMIC’s guidance for the year 2025 is that revenue growth is expected to be higher than the industry average in the same markets.

Guming Holdings IPO Trading – Strong Retail Demand, with Decent Coverage on the Insti Tranche

By Clarence Chu

  • Guming Holdings (1364 HK) raised US$233m in its Hong Kong IPO. Guming Holdings (Guming) sells freshly-made beverages in China.
  • Guming Holdings (Guming) sells freshly-made beverages in China. Guming focuses on the mid-priced freshly-made tea beverage market with product prices typically ranging between RMB10-18.
  • We have covered various aspects of the deal in our previous note. In this note, we will talk about the demand and trading dynamics.

Shanghai Henlius Biotech (2696 HK)- LVC Is Betting on Higher Valuation Upside Due to Business Update

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • LVC continues to increase its holdings in Henlius, indicating that LVC remains optimistic about Henlius as its internationalization process significantly accelerated. We are interested to see Lin Lijun’s next move. 
  • In the short to medium term, based on our conservative forecast on peak sales of HANQUYOU/HANSIZHUANG in overseas markets and domestic product sales, Henlius’ market value could reach RMB13-16 billion.
  • Considering other candidates(e.g. HLX15, HLX11, HLX14), indication expansion, drug combination, etc., revenue of Henlius could reach about RMB8-9 billion in the long term, with market value to reach RMB24-27 billion.

China Pair Trade: Long China Comm Const (1800 HK), Short China Railway Group (390 HK)

By Osbert Tang, CFA

  • Long China Communications Construction (1800 HK), short China Railway Group Ltd H (390 HK) is a good strategy to capitalise on the recent underperformance of CCCC.
  • CCCC has a stronger contract momentum than CRG – its FY24 new contracts were up 7.3%, but CRG was down 12.4%. CCCC is also better positioned for urban construction growth.
  • In terms of dividend yield, CCCC is higher at 6.8% for FY25, yet CRG is only 6.3%. CCCC’s performance should pick up in the rest of 2025.

PegBio (派格生物) IPO: Thoughts on Valuation

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • PegBio, a China-based biotech company, plans to raise up to USD 150 million via a Hong Kong listing.
  • In our previous note, we examined the company’s core product namely PB-119.
  • In this note, we will provide a valuation for the company’s key products.

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

Sign Up for Free

The Smartkarma Preview Pass is your entry to the Independent Investment Research Network

  • ✓ Unlimited Research Summaries
  • ✓ Personalised Alerts
  • ✓ Custom Watchlists
  • ✓ Company Data and News
  • ✓ Events & Webinars