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Smartkarma Daily Briefs

Daily Brief Equity Bottom-Up: General Dynamics: Aerospace Segment Growth & Margin Expansion Driving Our ‘Buy’ Rating! – Major Drivers and more

By | Daily Briefs, Equity Bottom-Up

In today’s briefing:

  • General Dynamics: Aerospace Segment Growth & Margin Expansion Driving Our ‘Buy’ Rating! – Major Drivers
  • Logitech International: Geographical Diversification & Market Penetration To Help Tilt The Competitive Dynamics In Its Favor? – Major Drivers
  • Delta Air Lines’ Strong 2024: Record Profits
  • Intel Q424. It’s A Journey, Not A Destination
  • China Healthcare Weekly (Feb.2)- Update on CR Sanjiu’s Acquisition of Tasly, China Biotech’s Outlook
  • Rubrik Inc.: Initiation Of Coverage – Strategic Expansion & Technology Partnerships To Widen Market Reach & Offerings! – Major Drivers
  • Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance: Strong Corporate Value Up Plan
  • ServiceNow: Go-To-Market Strategy & Platform Innovation To Drive Transformative Business Solutions Globally! – Major Drivers
  • Tesla’s Growth Story Facing Challenges Amidst Optimism for AI and Autonomy?
  • United Rentals: Will The Capital Expenditure & Fleet Optimization Be Able To Reinforce Its Market Position? – Major Drivers


General Dynamics: Aerospace Segment Growth & Margin Expansion Driving Our ‘Buy’ Rating! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • General Dynamics (GD) has reported its financial performance for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, showcasing a mixed bag of results across its diverse operations.
  • On the positive side, the company demonstrated strong revenue growth, with 14.3% increase for the quarter compared to the previous year, leading to full-year revenue growth of 12.9%.
  • However, challenges in the Aerospace segment tempered overall performance expectations.

Logitech International: Geographical Diversification & Market Penetration To Help Tilt The Competitive Dynamics In Its Favor? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Logitech recently reported strong financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025, showcasing robust demand across various products and geographies, leading to a rise in their annual outlook.
  • The company’s net sales increased by 6% year-over-year, with a notable 8% growth in demand, driven primarily by strategic focuses introduced the previous year.
  • One of the key highlights for Logitech was the gaming segment, which saw double-digit growth of 13%, propelled by the launch of 16 new gaming products before the holiday season.

Delta Air Lines’ Strong 2024: Record Profits

By Baptista Research

  • Delta Air Lines reported a strong performance for the December quarter and full year 2024, highlighted by a record pretax profit of $1.6 billion in the fourth quarter and earnings per share of $1.85, topping their own guidance.
  • This positive result was achieved against a backdrop of industry leading operational performance, with Delta achieving the highest system completion factor and on time performance among its peers.
  • For the full year 2024, Delta’s operational achievements included 78 “Brand Perfect” days and recognition with Cirium’s Platinum Award for operational excellence for the fourth consecutive year.

Intel Q424. It’s A Journey, Not A Destination

By William Keating

  • Q424 revenues of $14.3 billion which was $500 million above the guided midpoint, down 7% YoY but up 7.5% QoQ.
  • Forecasted Q125 revenues of $12.2 billion at the midpoint, down $500 million YoY and down 15% QoQ
  • Transition to EUV abysmally slow, Falcon Shores cancelled, Clearwater Forest delayed, GMs will see some improvement or mixed improvement in 2026. 

China Healthcare Weekly (Feb.2)- Update on CR Sanjiu’s Acquisition of Tasly, China Biotech’s Outlook

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • If product sales cannot continue to climb rapidly and dilute the costs, the final profit will gradually fade away. Therefore, Chinese biotech companies need new blockbuster products to drive growth.
  • The decline in the number of biotech companies in the future is actually “a supply side reform” that fundamentally reduces market competition, which obviously benefit those first-tier companies.
  • The acquisition of Tasly by China Resources Sanjiu Medical & Pharma is still in progress. The deal may not be completed until 25H1 if the approval time is not enough.

Rubrik Inc.: Initiation Of Coverage – Strategic Expansion & Technology Partnerships To Widen Market Reach & Offerings! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Rubrik reported strong financial performance in its latest quarter, achieving $1 billion in subscription ARR, representing 38% year-over-year growth.
  • Net new subscription ARR stood at $83 million, while subscription revenue increased by 55% year-over-year to $221 million.
  • The company also recorded free cash flow of $15.6 million, marking an improvement from $3.5 million in the prior year period.

Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance: Strong Corporate Value Up Plan

By Douglas Kim

  • On 31 January, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (000810 KS) announced a comprehensive corporate value up plan.
  • The three major areas of focus include K-ICS ratio (220%), ROE targets of 11-13%, and total shareholder returns to 50% by 2028. 
  • The company plans to reduce the treasury shares as a percentage of total outstanding shares from 15.9% to 5% by 2028 (10.9% of total outstanding shares over over four years).

ServiceNow: Go-To-Market Strategy & Platform Innovation To Drive Transformative Business Solutions Globally! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • ServiceNow demonstrated strong financial and operational performance throughout the fourth quarter of 2024.
  • The company reported a subscription revenue growth of 21% year-over-year, with the remaining performance obligation reaching nearly $23 billion.
  • This emphasizes the firm’s ability to capture and sustain customer interest in its services.

Tesla’s Growth Story Facing Challenges Amidst Optimism for AI and Autonomy?

By Baptista Research

  • Tesla’s fourth-quarter earnings highlighted a company at the crossroads of transformation and challenge.
  • Despite achieving a record market valuation of $1.5 trillion in December, the company’s core automotive business struggled, with an 8% year-over-year revenue decline.
  • Demand softened, particularly for the Cybertruck, forcing Tesla to rely on aggressive promotional strategies to sustain sales.

United Rentals: Will The Capital Expenditure & Fleet Optimization Be Able To Reinforce Its Market Position? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • United Rentals, Inc. reported robust results for the fourth quarter, achieving record revenue, EBITDA, and EPS.
  • The company witnessed a significant revenue growth of 9.8% year-over-year, reaching nearly $4.1 billion.
  • Rental revenue increased by 9.7% to $3.4 billion, with fleet productivity enhancing by 4.3%.

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Daily Brief Event-Driven: Sanyo Special Steel (5481 JP): Nippon Steel (5401 JP)’s Light Tender Offer Begs for Activism and more

By | Daily Briefs, Event-Driven

In today’s briefing:

  • Sanyo Special Steel (5481 JP): Nippon Steel (5401 JP)’s Light Tender Offer Begs for Activism
  • (Mostly) Asia M&A, Jan 2025: Sun Art, Sanyo Special Steel, Jamco, Ascot, Dropsuite, Smart Share
  • Giga Prize (3830 JP): FreeBit (3843 JP)’s Tender Offer Is a Done Deal
  • Last Week in Event SPACE: Fast Retailing, Sigma, Takeda Pharmaceutical, WH Group
  • Quiddity Leaderboard ASX Mar 25: LONGs up ~10% Vs SHORTs in a Month; More to Come
  • (Mostly) Asia-Pac M&A: Sigma Healthcare Dropsuite, Japfa, Dada Nexus, Malaysia Airports, Sanyo Steel


Sanyo Special Steel (5481 JP): Nippon Steel (5401 JP)’s Light Tender Offer Begs for Activism

By Arun George

  • Sanyo Special Steel (5481 JP) has recommended Nippon Steel Corporation (5401 JP)’s tender offer at JPY2,750, a 37.4% premium to the last close.
  • The offer is light, implying a P/B of 0.67x, below the midpoint of the IFA DCF range, below the Board’s requested price, and unattractive compared to peer multiples. 
  • The lack of an irrevocable and unattractive offer suggests that satisfying the minimum acceptance condition is likely challenging. This situation requires activism to force a bump.   

(Mostly) Asia M&A, Jan 2025: Sun Art, Sanyo Special Steel, Jamco, Ascot, Dropsuite, Smart Share

By David Blennerhassett

  • For the month of January 2025, 14 new transactions (firm and non-binding) were discussed on Smartkarma with an overall announced deal size of ~US$6bn.
  • The average premium for the new transactions announced (or first discussed) in January was ~57%, excluding Sun Art Retail (6808 HK)‘s massive takeunder.
  • The average premiums for transactions in 2024 (129 transactions), (2023 (117), 2022 (106), 2021 (165), 2020 (158), and 2019 (145 ) were 43%, 39%, 41%, 33%, 31%, and 31% .

Giga Prize (3830 JP): FreeBit (3843 JP)’s Tender Offer Is a Done Deal

By Arun George

  • Giga Prize (3830 JP) has recommended Freebit Co Ltd (3843 JP)’s tender offer at JPY2,500, a 48.5% premium to the last close.
  • While the offer is below the midpoint of the target IFA’s DCF valuation range, it represents an all-time high and aligns with the Board’s requested price. 
  • The required minority acceptance rate is modest, and tendering by the third-largest shareholder is enough to close the deal. 

Last Week in Event SPACE: Fast Retailing, Sigma, Takeda Pharmaceutical, WH Group

By David Blennerhassett

  • It was confirmed on Friday afternoon Fast Retailing (9983 JP) was a single cap move, NOT a double-capping in a single Review. That limits the sell down.
  • Chemist Warehouse’s reverse buyout of pharmacy wholesaler Sigma Healthcare (SIG AU) is now all-but complete.
  • Takeda Pharmaceutical (4502 JP) announced decent results, decently upgraded guidance in both IFRS/GAAP terms and in Core/Adjusted terms (less impressive uplift in Adjusted/Analysed terms). They also announced a ¥100bn buyback.

Quiddity Leaderboard ASX Mar 25: LONGs up ~10% Vs SHORTs in a Month; More to Come

By Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

  • In this insight, we take a look at the potential index changes for ASX 300, 200, 100, 50, and 20 in the run-up to the March 2025 index rebal event.
  • We expect two changes for ASX 50, one change for ASX 100, and seven changes for ASX 200. Separately we see 8 ADDs and 6 DELs for ASX 300.
  • The Sigma Healthcare – Chemist Warehouse merger will be completed soon and there will be major inflows for Sigma Healthcare due to float percentage/share count upgrades.

(Mostly) Asia-Pac M&A: Sigma Healthcare Dropsuite, Japfa, Dada Nexus, Malaysia Airports, Sanyo Steel

By David Blennerhassett


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Daily Brief Macro: Is Trade War or Trade Deal More Likely for US-China Trade Relation and more

By | Daily Briefs, Macro

In today’s briefing:

  • Is Trade War or Trade Deal More Likely for US-China Trade Relation
  • Overview #14 – The Emperor Has No Clothes Moment


Is Trade War or Trade Deal More Likely for US-China Trade Relation

By Alex Ng

  • We see the review of the phase 1 U.S./China trade deal being adverse and President Trump’s carrot and stick approach leading to a 10% rise in tariffs on China imports. 
  • We eventually see a phase 2 U.S./China trade deal Q4. The main alternative scenario is that China could show goodwill to resolve illegal Fentanyl movements from China to the U.S.   
  • Coupled with the Tik Tok sale, This can lead to spring hopes that a phase 2 U.S./China trade deal can be reached and a more full-scale trade will be avoided.  

Overview #14 – The Emperor Has No Clothes Moment

By Rikki Malik

  • A review of recent events/data impacting our investment themes or outlook
  • The narrative change around US tech spending on AI has potentially positive implications for Chinese technology shares
  • India sets the stage for interest rate cuts and the budget cuts taxes for the middle classes to boost consumption 

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

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Daily Brief Australia: Sigma Healthcare and more

By | Australia, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • Quiddity Leaderboard ASX Mar 25: LONGs up ~10% Vs SHORTs in a Month; More to Come
  • (Mostly) Asia-Pac M&A: Sigma Healthcare Dropsuite, Japfa, Dada Nexus, Malaysia Airports, Sanyo Steel


Quiddity Leaderboard ASX Mar 25: LONGs up ~10% Vs SHORTs in a Month; More to Come

By Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

  • In this insight, we take a look at the potential index changes for ASX 300, 200, 100, 50, and 20 in the run-up to the March 2025 index rebal event.
  • We expect two changes for ASX 50, one change for ASX 100, and seven changes for ASX 200. Separately we see 8 ADDs and 6 DELs for ASX 300.
  • The Sigma Healthcare – Chemist Warehouse merger will be completed soon and there will be major inflows for Sigma Healthcare due to float percentage/share count upgrades.

(Mostly) Asia-Pac M&A: Sigma Healthcare Dropsuite, Japfa, Dada Nexus, Malaysia Airports, Sanyo Steel

By David Blennerhassett


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  • ✓ Events & Webinars



Daily Brief South Korea: Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance and more

By | Daily Briefs, South Korea

In today’s briefing:

  • Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance: Strong Corporate Value Up Plan


Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance: Strong Corporate Value Up Plan

By Douglas Kim

  • On 31 January, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance (000810 KS) announced a comprehensive corporate value up plan.
  • The three major areas of focus include K-ICS ratio (220%), ROE targets of 11-13%, and total shareholder returns to 50% by 2028. 
  • The company plans to reduce the treasury shares as a percentage of total outstanding shares from 15.9% to 5% by 2028 (10.9% of total outstanding shares over over four years).

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

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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: General Electric , Delta Air Lines, Intel Corp, Rubrik , Norfolk Southern, Otis Worldwide , Servicenow Inc, Tesla , United Rentals, Corning Inc and more

By | Daily Briefs, United States

In today’s briefing:

  • General Dynamics: Aerospace Segment Growth & Margin Expansion Driving Our ‘Buy’ Rating! – Major Drivers
  • Delta Air Lines’ Strong 2024: Record Profits
  • Intel Q424. It’s A Journey, Not A Destination
  • Rubrik Inc.: Initiation Of Coverage – Strategic Expansion & Technology Partnerships To Widen Market Reach & Offerings! – Major Drivers
  • Norfolk Southern: Can Its Strong Pricing Strategy Help Capitalize on Emerging Market Opportunities? – Major Drivers
  • Otis Worldwide Corporation: Service Portfolio Growth
  • ServiceNow: Go-To-Market Strategy & Platform Innovation To Drive Transformative Business Solutions Globally! – Major Drivers
  • Tesla’s Growth Story Facing Challenges Amidst Optimism for AI and Autonomy?
  • United Rentals: Will The Capital Expenditure & Fleet Optimization Be Able To Reinforce Its Market Position? – Major Drivers
  • Corning Incorporated: Broadening Participation in Solar & Advanced Automotive Solutions For Upping Their Game! – Major Drivers


General Dynamics: Aerospace Segment Growth & Margin Expansion Driving Our ‘Buy’ Rating! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • General Dynamics (GD) has reported its financial performance for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, showcasing a mixed bag of results across its diverse operations.
  • On the positive side, the company demonstrated strong revenue growth, with 14.3% increase for the quarter compared to the previous year, leading to full-year revenue growth of 12.9%.
  • However, challenges in the Aerospace segment tempered overall performance expectations.

Delta Air Lines’ Strong 2024: Record Profits

By Baptista Research

  • Delta Air Lines reported a strong performance for the December quarter and full year 2024, highlighted by a record pretax profit of $1.6 billion in the fourth quarter and earnings per share of $1.85, topping their own guidance.
  • This positive result was achieved against a backdrop of industry leading operational performance, with Delta achieving the highest system completion factor and on time performance among its peers.
  • For the full year 2024, Delta’s operational achievements included 78 “Brand Perfect” days and recognition with Cirium’s Platinum Award for operational excellence for the fourth consecutive year.

Intel Q424. It’s A Journey, Not A Destination

By William Keating

  • Q424 revenues of $14.3 billion which was $500 million above the guided midpoint, down 7% YoY but up 7.5% QoQ.
  • Forecasted Q125 revenues of $12.2 billion at the midpoint, down $500 million YoY and down 15% QoQ
  • Transition to EUV abysmally slow, Falcon Shores cancelled, Clearwater Forest delayed, GMs will see some improvement or mixed improvement in 2026. 

Rubrik Inc.: Initiation Of Coverage – Strategic Expansion & Technology Partnerships To Widen Market Reach & Offerings! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Rubrik reported strong financial performance in its latest quarter, achieving $1 billion in subscription ARR, representing 38% year-over-year growth.
  • Net new subscription ARR stood at $83 million, while subscription revenue increased by 55% year-over-year to $221 million.
  • The company also recorded free cash flow of $15.6 million, marking an improvement from $3.5 million in the prior year period.

Norfolk Southern: Can Its Strong Pricing Strategy Help Capitalize on Emerging Market Opportunities? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Norfolk Southern Corporation recently reported its fourth-quarter results, delivering a solid performance to close the year 2024.
  • The company’s operational efficiency was evident with a reported 3% increase in volume and a 2% rise in revenue excluding fuel.
  • Notably, the adjusted operating ratio improved to 65.8%, exceeding previous guidance, while full-year improvements led to a 64.1% operating ratio in the second half.

Otis Worldwide Corporation: Service Portfolio Growth

By Baptista Research

  • Otis Worldwide Corporation concluded its fourth quarter of 2024 with a mixture of strong performances in certain segments and challenges in others.
  • The company’s overall results demonstrated a commitment to its service driven business model while navigating macroeconomic headwinds, especially in the New Equipment segment.
  • On the positive side, Otis reported robust organic sales growth of 1.9% for the quarter, primarily driven by a significant 7.8% increase in the Service segment.

ServiceNow: Go-To-Market Strategy & Platform Innovation To Drive Transformative Business Solutions Globally! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • ServiceNow demonstrated strong financial and operational performance throughout the fourth quarter of 2024.
  • The company reported a subscription revenue growth of 21% year-over-year, with the remaining performance obligation reaching nearly $23 billion.
  • This emphasizes the firm’s ability to capture and sustain customer interest in its services.

Tesla’s Growth Story Facing Challenges Amidst Optimism for AI and Autonomy?

By Baptista Research

  • Tesla’s fourth-quarter earnings highlighted a company at the crossroads of transformation and challenge.
  • Despite achieving a record market valuation of $1.5 trillion in December, the company’s core automotive business struggled, with an 8% year-over-year revenue decline.
  • Demand softened, particularly for the Cybertruck, forcing Tesla to rely on aggressive promotional strategies to sustain sales.

United Rentals: Will The Capital Expenditure & Fleet Optimization Be Able To Reinforce Its Market Position? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • United Rentals, Inc. reported robust results for the fourth quarter, achieving record revenue, EBITDA, and EPS.
  • The company witnessed a significant revenue growth of 9.8% year-over-year, reaching nearly $4.1 billion.
  • Rental revenue increased by 9.7% to $3.4 billion, with fleet productivity enhancing by 4.3%.

Corning Incorporated: Broadening Participation in Solar & Advanced Automotive Solutions For Upping Their Game! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Corning Incorporated has reported strong fourth quarter and full-year 2024 results, successfully capping off the first year of its Springboard growth plan.
  • The company’s sales for the fourth quarter surged by 18% year-over year to $3.9 billion, marking a record high.
  • Correspondingly, the company saw a 46% increase in EPS, reaching $0.57, and expanded its operating margin by 220 basis points to 18.5%.

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Daily Brief China: China Resources Sanjiu Medical & Pharma and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • China Healthcare Weekly (Feb.2)- Update on CR Sanjiu’s Acquisition of Tasly, China Biotech’s Outlook


China Healthcare Weekly (Feb.2)- Update on CR Sanjiu’s Acquisition of Tasly, China Biotech’s Outlook

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • If product sales cannot continue to climb rapidly and dilute the costs, the final profit will gradually fade away. Therefore, Chinese biotech companies need new blockbuster products to drive growth.
  • The decline in the number of biotech companies in the future is actually “a supply side reform” that fundamentally reduces market competition, which obviously benefit those first-tier companies.
  • The acquisition of Tasly by China Resources Sanjiu Medical & Pharma is still in progress. The deal may not be completed until 25H1 if the approval time is not enough.

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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 Japan: Sanyo Special Steel, Shinko Electric Industries, Giga Prize, Fast Retailing and more

By | Daily Briefs, Japan

In today’s briefing:

  • Sanyo Special Steel (5481 JP): Nippon Steel (5401 JP)’s Light Tender Offer Begs for Activism
  • (Mostly) Asia M&A, Jan 2025: Sun Art, Sanyo Special Steel, Jamco, Ascot, Dropsuite, Smart Share
  • Giga Prize (3830 JP): FreeBit (3843 JP)’s Tender Offer Is a Done Deal
  • Last Week in Event SPACE: Fast Retailing, Sigma, Takeda Pharmaceutical, WH Group


Sanyo Special Steel (5481 JP): Nippon Steel (5401 JP)’s Light Tender Offer Begs for Activism

By Arun George

  • Sanyo Special Steel (5481 JP) has recommended Nippon Steel Corporation (5401 JP)’s tender offer at JPY2,750, a 37.4% premium to the last close.
  • The offer is light, implying a P/B of 0.67x, below the midpoint of the IFA DCF range, below the Board’s requested price, and unattractive compared to peer multiples. 
  • The lack of an irrevocable and unattractive offer suggests that satisfying the minimum acceptance condition is likely challenging. This situation requires activism to force a bump.   

(Mostly) Asia M&A, Jan 2025: Sun Art, Sanyo Special Steel, Jamco, Ascot, Dropsuite, Smart Share

By David Blennerhassett

  • For the month of January 2025, 14 new transactions (firm and non-binding) were discussed on Smartkarma with an overall announced deal size of ~US$6bn.
  • The average premium for the new transactions announced (or first discussed) in January was ~57%, excluding Sun Art Retail (6808 HK)‘s massive takeunder.
  • The average premiums for transactions in 2024 (129 transactions), (2023 (117), 2022 (106), 2021 (165), 2020 (158), and 2019 (145 ) were 43%, 39%, 41%, 33%, 31%, and 31% .

Giga Prize (3830 JP): FreeBit (3843 JP)’s Tender Offer Is a Done Deal

By Arun George

  • Giga Prize (3830 JP) has recommended Freebit Co Ltd (3843 JP)’s tender offer at JPY2,500, a 48.5% premium to the last close.
  • While the offer is below the midpoint of the target IFA’s DCF valuation range, it represents an all-time high and aligns with the Board’s requested price. 
  • The required minority acceptance rate is modest, and tendering by the third-largest shareholder is enough to close the deal. 

Last Week in Event SPACE: Fast Retailing, Sigma, Takeda Pharmaceutical, WH Group

By David Blennerhassett

  • It was confirmed on Friday afternoon Fast Retailing (9983 JP) was a single cap move, NOT a double-capping in a single Review. That limits the sell down.
  • Chemist Warehouse’s reverse buyout of pharmacy wholesaler Sigma Healthcare (SIG AU) is now all-but complete.
  • Takeda Pharmaceutical (4502 JP) announced decent results, decently upgraded guidance in both IFRS/GAAP terms and in Core/Adjusted terms (less impressive uplift in Adjusted/Analysed terms). They also announced a ¥100bn buyback.

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

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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 Industrials: General Electric , Delta Air Lines, Norfolk Southern, Otis Worldwide , United Rentals and more

By | Daily Briefs, Industrials

In today’s briefing:

  • General Dynamics: Aerospace Segment Growth & Margin Expansion Driving Our ‘Buy’ Rating! – Major Drivers
  • Delta Air Lines’ Strong 2024: Record Profits
  • Norfolk Southern: Can Its Strong Pricing Strategy Help Capitalize on Emerging Market Opportunities? – Major Drivers
  • Otis Worldwide Corporation: Service Portfolio Growth
  • United Rentals: Will The Capital Expenditure & Fleet Optimization Be Able To Reinforce Its Market Position? – Major Drivers


General Dynamics: Aerospace Segment Growth & Margin Expansion Driving Our ‘Buy’ Rating! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • General Dynamics (GD) has reported its financial performance for the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, showcasing a mixed bag of results across its diverse operations.
  • On the positive side, the company demonstrated strong revenue growth, with 14.3% increase for the quarter compared to the previous year, leading to full-year revenue growth of 12.9%.
  • However, challenges in the Aerospace segment tempered overall performance expectations.

Delta Air Lines’ Strong 2024: Record Profits

By Baptista Research

  • Delta Air Lines reported a strong performance for the December quarter and full year 2024, highlighted by a record pretax profit of $1.6 billion in the fourth quarter and earnings per share of $1.85, topping their own guidance.
  • This positive result was achieved against a backdrop of industry leading operational performance, with Delta achieving the highest system completion factor and on time performance among its peers.
  • For the full year 2024, Delta’s operational achievements included 78 “Brand Perfect” days and recognition with Cirium’s Platinum Award for operational excellence for the fourth consecutive year.

Norfolk Southern: Can Its Strong Pricing Strategy Help Capitalize on Emerging Market Opportunities? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Norfolk Southern Corporation recently reported its fourth-quarter results, delivering a solid performance to close the year 2024.
  • The company’s operational efficiency was evident with a reported 3% increase in volume and a 2% rise in revenue excluding fuel.
  • Notably, the adjusted operating ratio improved to 65.8%, exceeding previous guidance, while full-year improvements led to a 64.1% operating ratio in the second half.

Otis Worldwide Corporation: Service Portfolio Growth

By Baptista Research

  • Otis Worldwide Corporation concluded its fourth quarter of 2024 with a mixture of strong performances in certain segments and challenges in others.
  • The company’s overall results demonstrated a commitment to its service driven business model while navigating macroeconomic headwinds, especially in the New Equipment segment.
  • On the positive side, Otis reported robust organic sales growth of 1.9% for the quarter, primarily driven by a significant 7.8% increase in the Service segment.

United Rentals: Will The Capital Expenditure & Fleet Optimization Be Able To Reinforce Its Market Position? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • United Rentals, Inc. reported robust results for the fourth quarter, achieving record revenue, EBITDA, and EPS.
  • The company witnessed a significant revenue growth of 9.8% year-over-year, reaching nearly $4.1 billion.
  • Rental revenue increased by 9.7% to $3.4 billion, with fleet productivity enhancing by 4.3%.

💡 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 TMT/Internet: Shinko Electric Industries, Giga Prize, Logitech International SA, Rubrik , Intel Corp, Servicenow Inc, ASML Holding NV, Western Digital, Corning Inc, International Business Machines and more

By | Daily Briefs, TMT/Internet

In today’s briefing:

  • (Mostly) Asia M&A, Jan 2025: Sun Art, Sanyo Special Steel, Jamco, Ascot, Dropsuite, Smart Share
  • Giga Prize (3830 JP): FreeBit (3843 JP)’s Tender Offer Is a Done Deal
  • Logitech International: Geographical Diversification & Market Penetration To Help Tilt The Competitive Dynamics In Its Favor? – Major Drivers
  • Rubrik Inc.: Initiation Of Coverage – Strategic Expansion & Technology Partnerships To Widen Market Reach & Offerings! – Major Drivers
  • Intel Q424. It’s A Journey, Not A Destination
  • ServiceNow: Go-To-Market Strategy & Platform Innovation To Drive Transformative Business Solutions Globally! – Major Drivers
  • ASML Defies DeepSeek Panic—Massive AI Boom Ignites Orders But Will This Last?
  • Western Digital Corporation: 7 Crucial Factors That Will Define Its Success in 2025 & Beyond! – Major Drivers
  • Corning Incorporated: Broadening Participation in Solar & Advanced Automotive Solutions For Upping Their Game! – Major Drivers
  • IBM Is Expanding Consulting Opportunities With AI To Shape the Future! – Major Drivers


(Mostly) Asia M&A, Jan 2025: Sun Art, Sanyo Special Steel, Jamco, Ascot, Dropsuite, Smart Share

By David Blennerhassett

  • For the month of January 2025, 14 new transactions (firm and non-binding) were discussed on Smartkarma with an overall announced deal size of ~US$6bn.
  • The average premium for the new transactions announced (or first discussed) in January was ~57%, excluding Sun Art Retail (6808 HK)‘s massive takeunder.
  • The average premiums for transactions in 2024 (129 transactions), (2023 (117), 2022 (106), 2021 (165), 2020 (158), and 2019 (145 ) were 43%, 39%, 41%, 33%, 31%, and 31% .

Giga Prize (3830 JP): FreeBit (3843 JP)’s Tender Offer Is a Done Deal

By Arun George

  • Giga Prize (3830 JP) has recommended Freebit Co Ltd (3843 JP)’s tender offer at JPY2,500, a 48.5% premium to the last close.
  • While the offer is below the midpoint of the target IFA’s DCF valuation range, it represents an all-time high and aligns with the Board’s requested price. 
  • The required minority acceptance rate is modest, and tendering by the third-largest shareholder is enough to close the deal. 

Logitech International: Geographical Diversification & Market Penetration To Help Tilt The Competitive Dynamics In Its Favor? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Logitech recently reported strong financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2025, showcasing robust demand across various products and geographies, leading to a rise in their annual outlook.
  • The company’s net sales increased by 6% year-over-year, with a notable 8% growth in demand, driven primarily by strategic focuses introduced the previous year.
  • One of the key highlights for Logitech was the gaming segment, which saw double-digit growth of 13%, propelled by the launch of 16 new gaming products before the holiday season.

Rubrik Inc.: Initiation Of Coverage – Strategic Expansion & Technology Partnerships To Widen Market Reach & Offerings! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Rubrik reported strong financial performance in its latest quarter, achieving $1 billion in subscription ARR, representing 38% year-over-year growth.
  • Net new subscription ARR stood at $83 million, while subscription revenue increased by 55% year-over-year to $221 million.
  • The company also recorded free cash flow of $15.6 million, marking an improvement from $3.5 million in the prior year period.

Intel Q424. It’s A Journey, Not A Destination

By William Keating

  • Q424 revenues of $14.3 billion which was $500 million above the guided midpoint, down 7% YoY but up 7.5% QoQ.
  • Forecasted Q125 revenues of $12.2 billion at the midpoint, down $500 million YoY and down 15% QoQ
  • Transition to EUV abysmally slow, Falcon Shores cancelled, Clearwater Forest delayed, GMs will see some improvement or mixed improvement in 2026. 

ServiceNow: Go-To-Market Strategy & Platform Innovation To Drive Transformative Business Solutions Globally! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • ServiceNow demonstrated strong financial and operational performance throughout the fourth quarter of 2024.
  • The company reported a subscription revenue growth of 21% year-over-year, with the remaining performance obligation reaching nearly $23 billion.
  • This emphasizes the firm’s ability to capture and sustain customer interest in its services.

ASML Defies DeepSeek Panic—Massive AI Boom Ignites Orders But Will This Last?

By Baptista Research

  • ASML Holding N.V. continues to cement its position as the linchpin of the semiconductor supply chain, demonstrating resilience in the face of market turbulence.
  • The Dutch chip-equipment manufacturer posted robust fourth-quarter results, with net sales reaching €9.3 billion, surpassing prior guidance.
  • Despite concerns about AI efficiency potentially reducing demand for high-end chips—exemplified by the recent DeepSeek-driven selloff—ASML’s strong order intake and continued industry reliance on its cutting-edge lithography technology highlight its long-term investment appeal.

Western Digital Corporation: 7 Crucial Factors That Will Define Its Success in 2025 & Beyond! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Western Digital Corporation delivered a mixed performance in its second fiscal quarter of 2025, reflecting both strengths and challenges across its two major business units, HDD and Flash.
  • Revenue reached $4.3 billion, supported by strong growth in HDD, but tempered by challenges in the Flash segment, which is facing significant pricing pressures.
  • On the positive side, the HDD business showed impressive results, characterized by record high revenues and strong adoption of high-capacity enterprise drives.

Corning Incorporated: Broadening Participation in Solar & Advanced Automotive Solutions For Upping Their Game! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Corning Incorporated has reported strong fourth quarter and full-year 2024 results, successfully capping off the first year of its Springboard growth plan.
  • The company’s sales for the fourth quarter surged by 18% year-over year to $3.9 billion, marking a record high.
  • Correspondingly, the company saw a 46% increase in EPS, reaching $0.57, and expanded its operating margin by 220 basis points to 18.5%.

IBM Is Expanding Consulting Opportunities With AI To Shape the Future! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) showcased a mixed set of results and strategic narratives during its fourth quarter 2024 earnings call.
  • The company reported an overall revenue growth of 3% for the year and generated $12.7 billion in free cash flow, highlighting both accomplishments and opportunities for improvement.
  • IBM’s software segment posted impressive growth rates, with a 9% spike in 2024.

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