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Daily Briefs

Daily Brief Equity Bottom-Up: NETDRAGON (777 HK): Getting Schooled on AI !!! and more

By | Daily Briefs, Equity Bottom-Up

In today’s briefing:

  • NETDRAGON (777 HK): Getting Schooled on AI !!!
  • Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (29 Sep)
  • TOPPAN Holdings – IPO Premium Priced In, Core Execution the Next Test
  • Primer: Netdragon Websoft (777 HK) – Sep 2025
  • Tekscend IPO – Scarce Photomask Pure-Play Positioned in Oligopoly, but Cash Flow Strains Loom
  • Integral Corp (5842 JP) — Tekscend IPO Crystallizes Value; Discount Persists Without Payouts
  • Nelcast Ltd – Plant Visit Insights, Small-Cap Rising Star Gearing Up for Explosive Growth
  • Clarity Pharmaceuticals Ltd (CU6 AU): Strengthening Supply Chain for US Commercialization
  • Beijing Roborock (688169.SS): Structural Margin Recovery to Drive Re-Rating; HK Listing Key Catalyst
  • Genky Drugstores (9267 JP) Aims for 10% Growth


NETDRAGON (777 HK): Getting Schooled on AI !!!

By David Mudd

  • Netdragon Websoft (777 HK) stock has begun to rerate on the back of its deal with with Zhongke Wenge to integrate and launch AI applications outside of China.
  • NetDragon will integrate Wenge’s LLM, YaYi, with its education products.  In August 2025, Cherrypicks and Wenge jointly launched AI applications, including social listening and multimodal content creation tools globally.
  • NetDragon has consistently enhanced shareholder returns through substantial dividends and since its earnings announcement in August has begun buying back shares in the market.

Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (29 Sep)

By Gaudenz Schneider

  • Context: This Insight follows up on previously highlighted relative value opportunities, using a statistical methodology based on mean-reversion to identify opportunities in paired securities.
  • Highlights: Currently ten pair trade opportunities across four markets and four sectors persist.
  • Why read: Statistical analysis offers a unique perspective on relative value. Gain insights into actionable statistical pair trade opportunities and monitor performance of previously highlighted pairs.

TOPPAN Holdings – IPO Premium Priced In, Core Execution the Next Test

By Rahul Jain

  • IPO catalyst already priced in – Tekscend Photomask IPO (¥300 bn base case) crystallizes hidden value, but with TOPPAN at ~¥3,900, the upside to bull case (~¥4,100) is limited.
  • Core execution the swing factor – Information & Communication (~54% sales) and BPO/Digital DX must expand margins (target 10% by FY2030 vs. ~5% today) for further re-rating.
  • Balanced risk–reward – Strong balance sheet and shareholder returns (2.5% equity cancelled FY25) support valuation, but high capex and legacy print drag keep FCF and ROE volatile.

Primer: Netdragon Websoft (777 HK) – Sep 2025

By αSK

  • Netdragon is a prominent player in China’s online gaming and mobile internet sectors, with a growing international presence in the education technology market.
  • The company is strategically pivoting towards the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in both its gaming and education segments, aiming to enhance user experience and operational efficiency.
  • Despite recent revenue declines and market volatility, Netdragon maintains a strong dividend yield and has an active share buyback program, signaling management’s confidence in its long-term strategy.

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


Tekscend IPO – Scarce Photomask Pure-Play Positioned in Oligopoly, but Cash Flow Strains Loom

By Rahul Jain

  • Scarce exposure to EUV photomasks – one of only three global leaders (with Hoya, DNP) in a concentrated oligopoly.
  • IPO at ¥250–400 bn (Oct 16, 2025) implies ~12–16× EV/EBITDA, offering rare pure-play access.
  • Execution risks – capex intensity turns FCF negative; overhang from Integral (~14% post-IPO) may weigh.

Integral Corp (5842 JP) — Tekscend IPO Crystallizes Value; Discount Persists Without Payouts

By Rahul Jain

  • NAV crystallization from Tekscend IPO – ~¥108 bn cash proceeds plus a ~14% residual stake; base NAV ~¥150–160 bn vs. ¥129 bn market cap (15–20% discount).
  • Upside capped without payout shift – modest base case (¥3,900–4,100/share, flat to +7%); bull case (¥4,400, +15–20%) requires high-end IPO pricing and explicit return policy.
  • Persistent structural discount – low dividend (~0.9% yield), no buyback track record, and opaque residual portfolio (e.g., Golf Digest) keep holdco discount entrenched.

Nelcast Ltd – Plant Visit Insights, Small-Cap Rising Star Gearing Up for Explosive Growth

By Sreemant Dudhoria,CFA

  • We visited two manufacturing plants of Nelcast Ltd (NELC IN) located in the southern part of India. In this insight we present the key takeaways from visit.
  • Specifically the Pedapariya plant which was facing low capacity utilization is seeing signs of steep ramp up.  Insights on this are provided in the note.
  • With no significant capex coming up, the ramp of capacity could make Nelcast Ltd (NELC IN)a dark horse in terms of investor returns. We highlight our projections in this note.

Clarity Pharmaceuticals Ltd (CU6 AU): Strengthening Supply Chain for US Commercialization

By Tina Banerjee

  • Clarity Pharmaceuticals Ltd (CU6 AU) entered into a commercial manufacturing agreement with SpectronRx for 64Cu-SAR-bisPSMA. SpectronRx is capable of producing up to 400K patient-ready doses of 64Cu-SAR-bisPSMA annually.
  • Clarity’s Targeted Copper Theranostic products and clinical development programs will remain unaffected by the U.S. imposed 100% tariff on imports of branded pharmaceutical products.
  • In July, Clarity completed A$203M institutional placement, resulting in a pro-forma cash balance of approximately A$288M. This will help fund ongoing clinical trial programs, including the pivotal Phase 3 trials.

Beijing Roborock (688169.SS): Structural Margin Recovery to Drive Re-Rating; HK Listing Key Catalyst

By Raj S, CA, CFA

  • Roborock’s margins are expected to bottom-out after a tough four quarters of strategically prioritizing market share at the cost of margins. 3Q-4Q25 will mark the start of new margin cycle.
  • Margins stabilizing at the new normal of 12-14% NPM will mean earnings will track revenue growth going forward. Meanwhile, revenues can surprise on the upside with >25% CAGR in medium-term.
  • HK-Listing into 2H25/ 1H26 is a strong catalyst which can bring in fresh money, and improve disclosure standards – a key concern. We expect 70% upside in our bull case.

Genky Drugstores (9267 JP) Aims for 10% Growth

By Michael Causton

  • Genky Drugstores is one of three hybrid food & drug chains, all of which target the discount end of the market. 
  • Unlike rivals, Genky’s blends in-house control of both store and product development, and logistics.
  • This level of control and discipline is making Genky a growing threat to competitors in central Japan.

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Daily Brief India: Punjab National Bank, Trualt Bioenergy Ltd, ReNew Energy Global , Nelcast Ltd and more

By | Daily Briefs, India

In today’s briefing:

  • Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (29 Sep)
  • IPO Review: India’s Youngest and Largest Player for Ethanol, Worth a Bet?
  • ReNew Energy Global (RNW US): Decision Time On NBIO
  • Nelcast Ltd – Plant Visit Insights, Small-Cap Rising Star Gearing Up for Explosive Growth


Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (29 Sep)

By Gaudenz Schneider

  • Context: This Insight follows up on previously highlighted relative value opportunities, using a statistical methodology based on mean-reversion to identify opportunities in paired securities.
  • Highlights: Currently ten pair trade opportunities across four markets and four sectors persist.
  • Why read: Statistical analysis offers a unique perspective on relative value. Gain insights into actionable statistical pair trade opportunities and monitor performance of previously highlighted pairs.

IPO Review: India’s Youngest and Largest Player for Ethanol, Worth a Bet?

By Himanshu Dugar

  • TBL boasts of the largest ethanol distillery capacity (3.6% market share). With capex for input fungibility done, the company has set its sights on becoming the largest producer soon.
  • The expansion in Compressed Bio-gas compounds the growth levers, but will require material working capital investments. Sustainable aviation fuel opportunity also seems compelling in light of the recent government push.
  • IPO seems priced to perfection with deal multiples of 12x FY26 EBITDA, visibly at the higher end of 6-14x multiple for peers. Faster deleveraging may add to market cap upside.

ReNew Energy Global (RNW US): Decision Time On NBIO

By David Blennerhassett

  • Back on the 10th December 2024, ReNew Energy Global (RNW US), an Indian renewable energy play, announced a non-binding Offer of US$7.07/share, by way of a Scheme.
  • The bidding consortium, comprising (mainly) pre-IPO investors CPP, ADIA, Abu Dhabi Future Energy, and founder Sumant Sinha, collectively holding 64%. Non-binding terms were bumped to US$8/share on the 3rd July.
  • ReNew’s Special Committee will provide “public comment regarding these matters at such time as there is a material development in the process, and by no later than 30 September 2025“.

Nelcast Ltd – Plant Visit Insights, Small-Cap Rising Star Gearing Up for Explosive Growth

By Sreemant Dudhoria,CFA

  • We visited two manufacturing plants of Nelcast Ltd (NELC IN) located in the southern part of India. In this insight we present the key takeaways from visit.
  • Specifically the Pedapariya plant which was facing low capacity utilization is seeing signs of steep ramp up.  Insights on this are provided in the note.
  • With no significant capex coming up, the ramp of capacity could make Nelcast Ltd (NELC IN)a dark horse in terms of investor returns. We highlight our projections in this note.

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Daily Brief Energy/Materials: Zijin Gold, Trualt Bioenergy Ltd and more

By | Daily Briefs, Energy & Materials Sector

In today’s briefing:

  • ECM Weekly (29 September 2025)- Zijin, Chery, CAREIT, Orion, Butong, Victory Giant, Northern Star
  • IPO Review: India’s Youngest and Largest Player for Ethanol, Worth a Bet?


ECM Weekly (29 September 2025)- Zijin, Chery, CAREIT, Orion, Butong, Victory Giant, Northern Star

By Sumeet Singh

  • Aequitas Research’s weekly update on the IPOs, placements, lockup expiry and other ECM linked events that were covered by the team over the past week.
  • On the IPO front, this week saw a few good listings across the region while the spotlight will be on Zijin Gold (2259 HK) in the coming week.
  • On the placements front, it was a relatively quiter week, as compared to some of the more recent weekly flows.

IPO Review: India’s Youngest and Largest Player for Ethanol, Worth a Bet?

By Himanshu Dugar

  • TBL boasts of the largest ethanol distillery capacity (3.6% market share). With capex for input fungibility done, the company has set its sights on becoming the largest producer soon.
  • The expansion in Compressed Bio-gas compounds the growth levers, but will require material working capital investments. Sustainable aviation fuel opportunity also seems compelling in light of the recent government push.
  • IPO seems priced to perfection with deal multiples of 12x FY26 EBITDA, visibly at the higher end of 6-14x multiple for peers. Faster deleveraging may add to market cap upside.

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Daily Brief Japan: Sony Financial Group, Soft99 Corp, Toppan Printing, Integral , Tekscend Photomask, Nikkei 225, TSE Tokyo Price Index TOPIX, Genky DrugStores Co Ltd and more

By | Daily Briefs, Japan

In today’s briefing:

  • Curator’s Cut: BABA Hedges, Substantive Spin-Offs & Japanese Activist Situations
  • Merger Arb Mondays (29 Sep) – Soft99, Ashimori, Mandom, Paramount, OneConnect, Dongfeng, Spindex
  • TOPPAN Holdings – IPO Premium Priced In, Core Execution the Next Test
  • Integral Corp (5842 JP) — Tekscend IPO Crystallizes Value; Discount Persists Without Payouts
  • Tekscend IPO – Scarce Photomask Pure-Play Positioned in Oligopoly, but Cash Flow Strains Loom
  • Asia/Pacific Stocks Outlook For the Week Sep 29-Oct 3
  • Behind % Rising Female Board Members, How Many Companies Make Progress Reforming Their Boards?
  • Genky Drugstores (9267 JP) Aims for 10% Growth


Curator’s Cut: BABA Hedges, Substantive Spin-Offs & Japanese Activist Situations

By Pranav Rao

  • Welcome to Curator’s Cut, a fortnightly roundup of standout themes from the 1,000+ Insights published over the past two weeks on Smartkarma
  • In this cut, we review strategies to hedge Alibaba (9988 HK) exposure, examine signficant Asian spin-offs, and explore engaging activist situations in Japan 
  • Want to dig deeper? Comment or message with the themes you’d like to see highlighted next


TOPPAN Holdings – IPO Premium Priced In, Core Execution the Next Test

By Rahul Jain

  • IPO catalyst already priced in – Tekscend Photomask IPO (¥300 bn base case) crystallizes hidden value, but with TOPPAN at ~¥3,900, the upside to bull case (~¥4,100) is limited.
  • Core execution the swing factor – Information & Communication (~54% sales) and BPO/Digital DX must expand margins (target 10% by FY2030 vs. ~5% today) for further re-rating.
  • Balanced risk–reward – Strong balance sheet and shareholder returns (2.5% equity cancelled FY25) support valuation, but high capex and legacy print drag keep FCF and ROE volatile.

Integral Corp (5842 JP) — Tekscend IPO Crystallizes Value; Discount Persists Without Payouts

By Rahul Jain

  • NAV crystallization from Tekscend IPO – ~¥108 bn cash proceeds plus a ~14% residual stake; base NAV ~¥150–160 bn vs. ¥129 bn market cap (15–20% discount).
  • Upside capped without payout shift – modest base case (¥3,900–4,100/share, flat to +7%); bull case (¥4,400, +15–20%) requires high-end IPO pricing and explicit return policy.
  • Persistent structural discount – low dividend (~0.9% yield), no buyback track record, and opaque residual portfolio (e.g., Golf Digest) keep holdco discount entrenched.

Tekscend IPO – Scarce Photomask Pure-Play Positioned in Oligopoly, but Cash Flow Strains Loom

By Rahul Jain

  • Scarce exposure to EUV photomasks – one of only three global leaders (with Hoya, DNP) in a concentrated oligopoly.
  • IPO at ¥250–400 bn (Oct 16, 2025) implies ~12–16× EV/EBITDA, offering rare pure-play access.
  • Execution risks – capex intensity turns FCF negative; overhang from Integral (~14% post-IPO) may weigh.

Asia/Pacific Stocks Outlook For the Week Sep 29-Oct 3

By Nico Rosti


Behind % Rising Female Board Members, How Many Companies Make Progress Reforming Their Boards?

By Aki Matsumoto

  • Amidst very modest improvements in corporate governance over the past few years, the percentage of female board members has steadily increased.
  • Even if the %of female board members rises, there’re concerns that it will be a repeat of governance reforms that have’t achieved to transform management into one that creates value.
  • Whether companies that step forward with diversity-conscious boards of directors can use this as a catalyst for management change, and promote female executive directors within companies, will be closely watched.

Genky Drugstores (9267 JP) Aims for 10% Growth

By Michael Causton

  • Genky Drugstores is one of three hybrid food & drug chains, all of which target the discount end of the market. 
  • Unlike rivals, Genky’s blends in-house control of both store and product development, and logistics.
  • This level of control and discipline is making Genky a growing threat to competitors in central Japan.

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Daily Brief Financials: Sony Financial Group, China Merchants Bank H, Ping An Insurance (H), Punjab National Bank, Integral , Nikkei 225, S&P/ASX 200 and more

By | Daily Briefs, Financials

In today’s briefing:

  • Curator’s Cut: BABA Hedges, Substantive Spin-Offs & Japanese Activist Situations
  • A/H Premium Tracker (To 26 Sep 2025):  AH Premia Rise Across the Board
  • Volatility Cones: Ping An (2318 HK) And Alibaba (9988 HK) Stand Out
  • Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (29 Sep)
  • Integral Corp (5842 JP) — Tekscend IPO Crystallizes Value; Discount Persists Without Payouts
  • Asia/Pacific Stocks Outlook For the Week Sep 29-Oct 3
  • RBA Rate Watch: Navigating ASX 200, Banks, and Resources


Curator’s Cut: BABA Hedges, Substantive Spin-Offs & Japanese Activist Situations

By Pranav Rao

  • Welcome to Curator’s Cut, a fortnightly roundup of standout themes from the 1,000+ Insights published over the past two weeks on Smartkarma
  • In this cut, we review strategies to hedge Alibaba (9988 HK) exposure, examine signficant Asian spin-offs, and explore engaging activist situations in Japan 
  • Want to dig deeper? Comment or message with the themes you’d like to see highlighted next

A/H Premium Tracker (To 26 Sep 2025):  AH Premia Rise Across the Board

By Travis Lundy

  • “Beautiful Skew” showed up slightly as Hs underperformed their As across the board (every sector, every premium tranche), but more on narrow AH Premia. 
  • Last week’s short reco on China Merchants Bank H (3968 HK) saw the H-share underperform its A by 2.54% and it outright fell 3.14%. OK week. 
  • The data tables below update on a daily basis in the Tools section of Smartkarma. The SOUTHBOUND Flow Monitor and AH Pairs Monitor are both there – free – for all SK readers.

Volatility Cones: Ping An (2318 HK) And Alibaba (9988 HK) Stand Out

By Gaudenz Schneider

  • Context: Volatility cones provide a straightforward framework to evaluate whether options are trading cheap or rich. This Insight provides volatility analysis for eight prominent Hong Kong stocks
  • Highlights: Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK)stands out with historically low implied volatility across the term structure. Alibaba (9988 HK)is rich in November and December contracts.
  • Why Read: Spot opportunities, assess regime shifts, and manage risk effectively — volatility cones turn complex data into actionable insights for traders and investors.

Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (29 Sep)

By Gaudenz Schneider

  • Context: This Insight follows up on previously highlighted relative value opportunities, using a statistical methodology based on mean-reversion to identify opportunities in paired securities.
  • Highlights: Currently ten pair trade opportunities across four markets and four sectors persist.
  • Why read: Statistical analysis offers a unique perspective on relative value. Gain insights into actionable statistical pair trade opportunities and monitor performance of previously highlighted pairs.

Integral Corp (5842 JP) — Tekscend IPO Crystallizes Value; Discount Persists Without Payouts

By Rahul Jain

  • NAV crystallization from Tekscend IPO – ~¥108 bn cash proceeds plus a ~14% residual stake; base NAV ~¥150–160 bn vs. ¥129 bn market cap (15–20% discount).
  • Upside capped without payout shift – modest base case (¥3,900–4,100/share, flat to +7%); bull case (¥4,400, +15–20%) requires high-end IPO pricing and explicit return policy.
  • Persistent structural discount – low dividend (~0.9% yield), no buyback track record, and opaque residual portfolio (e.g., Golf Digest) keep holdco discount entrenched.

Asia/Pacific Stocks Outlook For the Week Sep 29-Oct 3

By Nico Rosti


RBA Rate Watch: Navigating ASX 200, Banks, and Resources

By Gaudenz Schneider

  • The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) meets on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, with a rate decision due at 14:30h AEST.
  • Highlights: Consensus is firmly for a hold (96% probability), but surprise cuts have historically doubled the market’s typical daily move. Sector impacts—banks vs. resources—closely examined.
  • Why Read: An actionable roadmap to sector sensitivities, highlighting bank and resource ETFs as tactical vehicles if the RBA deviates from expectations.

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Daily Brief Industrials: Spindex Industries, Toppan Printing, Nelcast Ltd, Fluence Corp and more

By | Daily Briefs, Industrials

In today’s briefing:

  • Spindex Industries (SPE SP): PrimeMovers Equity-Sponsored MBO at S$1.43
  • TOPPAN Holdings – IPO Premium Priced In, Core Execution the Next Test
  • Spindex Industries (SPE SP)’s Clean MBO
  • Nelcast Ltd – Plant Visit Insights, Small-Cap Rising Star Gearing Up for Explosive Growth
  • Fluence Corporation RaaS Interview


Spindex Industries (SPE SP): PrimeMovers Equity-Sponsored MBO at S$1.43

By Arun George

  • Spindex Industries (SPE SP) disclosed a privatisation through a scheme of arrangement from the Chairman and PrimeMovers Equity at S$1.43 per share. Including the FY2025 dividend, the total offer is S$1.45.
  • While the offer is attractive compared to historical trading ranges, it is light in comparison to peer and precedent transaction multiples. It is also below book value. 
  • The offer has not been declared final. However, the lack of a disinterested shareholder holding a blocking stake and moderate retail ownership lowers the vote risk.  

TOPPAN Holdings – IPO Premium Priced In, Core Execution the Next Test

By Rahul Jain

  • IPO catalyst already priced in – Tekscend Photomask IPO (¥300 bn base case) crystallizes hidden value, but with TOPPAN at ~¥3,900, the upside to bull case (~¥4,100) is limited.
  • Core execution the swing factor – Information & Communication (~54% sales) and BPO/Digital DX must expand margins (target 10% by FY2030 vs. ~5% today) for further re-rating.
  • Balanced risk–reward – Strong balance sheet and shareholder returns (2.5% equity cancelled FY25) support valuation, but high capex and legacy print drag keep FCF and ROE volatile.

Spindex Industries (SPE SP)’s Clean MBO

By David Blennerhassett

  • Late Friday (26th September), precision parts manufacturer Spindex Industries (SPE SP) announced an Offer, by way of a Scheme, from the Tan Family, Spindex’s controlling shareholder (74.95%).
  • The Tan’s are offering S$1.43/share, an okay 27.7% premium to undisturbed, and a decade-high price.  The Offer is backed by PE outfit PrimeMovers Equity.
  • Clean deal. No competing Offer will emerge. I estimate payment mid-Jan 2026.

Nelcast Ltd – Plant Visit Insights, Small-Cap Rising Star Gearing Up for Explosive Growth

By Sreemant Dudhoria,CFA

  • We visited two manufacturing plants of Nelcast Ltd (NELC IN) located in the southern part of India. In this insight we present the key takeaways from visit.
  • Specifically the Pedapariya plant which was facing low capacity utilization is seeing signs of steep ramp up.  Insights on this are provided in the note.
  • With no significant capex coming up, the ramp of capacity could make Nelcast Ltd (NELC IN)a dark horse in terms of investor returns. We highlight our projections in this note.

Fluence Corporation RaaS Interview

By Research as a Service (RaaS)

  • RaaS Senior Analyst Graeme Carson interviews Fluence Corporation CEO-elect Ben Fash on the company’s business, strategy and outlook.

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Daily Brief Macro: The Climate Change Threat to Productivity and more

By | Daily Briefs, Macro

In today’s briefing:

  • The Climate Change Threat to Productivity


The Climate Change Threat to Productivity

By Cam Hui

  • The key question for investors is the likely trajectory of U.S. total factor productivity in the next decade.
  • Our review shows that while AI adoption and deployment is a tailwind, stagnant population growth and the effects of climate change are headwinds.
  • We conclude that, at best, factor productivity will be no better than trend. At worst, it will flatten and show little or no growth.

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Most Read: Sony Financial Group, Zijin Gold, CRH , Dongbu Insurance, KT&G Corporation, Soft99 Corp, Great Wall Motor and more

By | Daily Briefs, Most Read

In today’s briefing:

  • Sony Financial (8729 JP) Spinoff from Sony Group (6758 JP): Potential Index Flows
  • [Japan Event] Sony Financial Spin-Off Trades Monday – Fina(Ncia)L Thoughts
  • Trading Strategy of Zijin Gold on the First Day of IPO
  • Sony Financial Spin-Off: Valuation Discount Meets Capital Discipline
  • Curator’s Cut: BABA Hedges, Substantive Spin-Offs & Japanese Activist Situations
  • [Quiddity Index] SP500/600 Dec25 Rebal: One Name (Always Bridesmaid Never the Bride) Stands Out
  • Spotted a Quietly Emerging Passive Flow Trade: Long DB Ins, Short Samsung Life in December
  • Top 10 Korean Stock Picks and Key Catalysts Bi-Weekly (26 September to 10 October 2025)
  • Merger Arb Mondays (29 Sep) – Soft99, Ashimori, Mandom, Paramount, OneConnect, Dongfeng, Spindex
  • HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 26 Sep 2025); BIG Single Stock Trading Again, Big Net, But Hs Fall


Sony Financial (8729 JP) Spinoff from Sony Group (6758 JP): Potential Index Flows

By Brian Freitas


[Japan Event] Sony Financial Spin-Off Trades Monday – Fina(Ncia)L Thoughts

By Travis Lundy

  • Today is the last day of trading for Sony Corp (6758 JP) with Sony Financial Group (8729 JP) spin-off rights. SFGI starts trading separately on Monday 29 Sep.
  • The reference price is ¥150/share. It will likely stay in all major indices except Nikkei 225, and it likely needs low ¥160s to stay in M _ _ _. 
  • The estimated Div Yield is higher on SFGI than peers by a fair ways, and looks to grow, and there is a big buyback to come. I like it.

Trading Strategy of Zijin Gold on the First Day of IPO

By Douglas Kim

  • Zijin Gold IPO will start trading on 30 September. Zijin Gold is aiming to raise US$3.2 billion (HK$24.98 billion) from its IPO, offering 349 million shares at HK$71.59 each.
  • Our base case valuation of Zijin Gold is HK$124.7 per share (74.2% higher than the IPO price). We expect a sharply higher pop on the first day of trading.
  • If its share price appreciates more than 30-50% or more, we think it is prudent to take some profits off the table (at least 25%-30% of total investment). 

Sony Financial Spin-Off: Valuation Discount Meets Capital Discipline

By Rahul Jain

  • Spin-Off unlocks scale: Sony Financial (~¥23 tn assets) carved out from Sony, with ~¥250 bn market cap and ~¥200 bn free float.
  • Balance-Sheet heavy, rate-sensitive: Core life insurance business (~80–85% of profits) supported by strong solvency (ESR 189%).
  • Catalysts: Forced selling post-listing, earnings delivery, 40–50% payout policy, and likely TOPIX inclusion within 6–12 months.

Curator’s Cut: BABA Hedges, Substantive Spin-Offs & Japanese Activist Situations

By Pranav Rao

  • Welcome to Curator’s Cut, a fortnightly roundup of standout themes from the 1,000+ Insights published over the past two weeks on Smartkarma
  • In this cut, we review strategies to hedge Alibaba (9988 HK) exposure, examine signficant Asian spin-offs, and explore engaging activist situations in Japan 
  • Want to dig deeper? Comment or message with the themes you’d like to see highlighted next

[Quiddity Index] SP500/600 Dec25 Rebal: One Name (Always Bridesmaid Never the Bride) Stands Out

By Travis Lundy

  • The SP 500 Index (you can guess) tracks the 500 largest names listed in the US and it is one of the most highly-tracked indices in the world.
  • In this insight, we take a look at the upcoming constituent changes in the run up to the December 2025 index rebal event.
  • We expect two regular changes in December 2025. There are also multiple live M&A events which are likely to trigger intra-review index changes.

Spotted a Quietly Emerging Passive Flow Trade: Long DB Ins, Short Samsung Life in December

By Sanghyun Park

  • Samsung Life replaced DB Insurance at 5% vs 4.3% weight on June 13, triggering 0.2x DTV inflow/0.5x outflow; Samsung +1.79%, DB -4.97%, long-short net ~7%.
  • For December, DB Insurance likely reclaims Samsung Life’s slot; with higher ETF AUM, expect ~+1.0x DTV inflow for DB, ~-0.6/-0.7x DTV outflow for Samsung.
  • Still under the radar locally; expect big ETF rebal day moves. With June’s precedent, consider starting positions a day or two early before desk trades.

Top 10 Korean Stock Picks and Key Catalysts Bi-Weekly (26 September to 10 October 2025)

By Douglas Kim

  • In this insight, we provide the top 10 stock picks and key catalysts in the Korean stock market for the next two weeks (26 September to 10 October 2025).
  • Top 10 picks in this bi-weekly include S&T Dynamics, Samsung Electronics, KT&G, Samsung Life Insurance, Hana Financial, Hyundai Elevator, SK Inc, Lotte Tour Development, Naver, and Douzone Bizon. 
  • There have been some signs of shipbuilding and shipping services related stocks (such as HMM, SK Oceanplant, and HJ Shipbuilding) experiencing some weakness in the past couple of weeks. 


HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 26 Sep 2025); BIG Single Stock Trading Again, Big Net, But Hs Fall

By Travis Lundy

  • Gross SOUTHBOUND volumes just over US$19bn a day this past 5-day week. Big. Quite decent net buying flows too though the market fell. 
  • The recommended name last week was short Alibaba (9988 HK) was +4.65% on the week despite HK being down across the board.
  • The data tables below update on a daily basis in the Tools section of Smartkarma. The SOUTHBOUND Flow Monitor and AH Pairs Monitor are both there for all SK readers.

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Daily Brief Consumer: Soft99 Corp, Great Wall Motor, Beijing Roborock Technology , Genky DrugStores Co Ltd, TSE Tokyo Price Index TOPIX and more

By | Consumer, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • Merger Arb Mondays (29 Sep) – Soft99, Ashimori, Mandom, Paramount, OneConnect, Dongfeng, Spindex
  • HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 26 Sep 2025); BIG Single Stock Trading Again, Big Net, But Hs Fall
  • Beijing Roborock (688169.SS): Structural Margin Recovery to Drive Re-Rating; HK Listing Key Catalyst
  • Genky Drugstores (9267 JP) Aims for 10% Growth
  • Behind % Rising Female Board Members, How Many Companies Make Progress Reforming Their Boards?



HK Connect SOUTHBOUND Flows (To 26 Sep 2025); BIG Single Stock Trading Again, Big Net, But Hs Fall

By Travis Lundy

  • Gross SOUTHBOUND volumes just over US$19bn a day this past 5-day week. Big. Quite decent net buying flows too though the market fell. 
  • The recommended name last week was short Alibaba (9988 HK) was +4.65% on the week despite HK being down across the board.
  • The data tables below update on a daily basis in the Tools section of Smartkarma. The SOUTHBOUND Flow Monitor and AH Pairs Monitor are both there for all SK readers.

Beijing Roborock (688169.SS): Structural Margin Recovery to Drive Re-Rating; HK Listing Key Catalyst

By Raj S, CA, CFA

  • Roborock’s margins are expected to bottom-out after a tough four quarters of strategically prioritizing market share at the cost of margins. 3Q-4Q25 will mark the start of new margin cycle.
  • Margins stabilizing at the new normal of 12-14% NPM will mean earnings will track revenue growth going forward. Meanwhile, revenues can surprise on the upside with >25% CAGR in medium-term.
  • HK-Listing into 2H25/ 1H26 is a strong catalyst which can bring in fresh money, and improve disclosure standards – a key concern. We expect 70% upside in our bull case.

Genky Drugstores (9267 JP) Aims for 10% Growth

By Michael Causton

  • Genky Drugstores is one of three hybrid food & drug chains, all of which target the discount end of the market. 
  • Unlike rivals, Genky’s blends in-house control of both store and product development, and logistics.
  • This level of control and discipline is making Genky a growing threat to competitors in central Japan.

Behind % Rising Female Board Members, How Many Companies Make Progress Reforming Their Boards?

By Aki Matsumoto

  • Amidst very modest improvements in corporate governance over the past few years, the percentage of female board members has steadily increased.
  • Even if the %of female board members rises, there’re concerns that it will be a repeat of governance reforms that have’t achieved to transform management into one that creates value.
  • Whether companies that step forward with diversity-conscious boards of directors can use this as a catalyst for management change, and promote female executive directors within companies, will be closely watched.

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Daily Brief Health Care: Clarity Pharmaceuticals Ltd, CF PharmTech, Suzhou Ribo Life Science and more

By | Daily Briefs, Healthcare

In today’s briefing:

  • Clarity Pharmaceuticals Ltd (CU6 AU): Strengthening Supply Chain for US Commercialization
  • Pre-IPO CF PharmTech (PHIP Updates) – Some Points Worth the Attention
  • Pre-IPO Suzhou Ribo Life Science – The Strength, the Concerns and the Outlook for the SiRNA Unicorn


Clarity Pharmaceuticals Ltd (CU6 AU): Strengthening Supply Chain for US Commercialization

By Tina Banerjee

  • Clarity Pharmaceuticals Ltd (CU6 AU) entered into a commercial manufacturing agreement with SpectronRx for 64Cu-SAR-bisPSMA. SpectronRx is capable of producing up to 400K patient-ready doses of 64Cu-SAR-bisPSMA annually.
  • Clarity’s Targeted Copper Theranostic products and clinical development programs will remain unaffected by the U.S. imposed 100% tariff on imports of branded pharmaceutical products.
  • In July, Clarity completed A$203M institutional placement, resulting in a pro-forma cash balance of approximately A$288M. This will help fund ongoing clinical trial programs, including the pivotal Phase 3 trials.

Pre-IPO CF PharmTech (PHIP Updates) – Some Points Worth the Attention

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • CF017 is CF PharmTech’s core performance driver. Once CF017 faces policy adjustments or intensified market competition, revenue will be significantly impacted. Its ability to sustain operations will be severely tested.
  • Although CF PharmTech has made a profit, problems such as a slowdown in revenue growth and heavy reliance on single product will lead to a valuation discount by the market.
  • A reasonable valuation range might be between RMB3-5 billion. If valuation exceeds RMB5 billion, it would seem overly optimistic and require strong support from subsequent performance and solid fundamentals.

Pre-IPO Suzhou Ribo Life Science – The Strength, the Concerns and the Outlook for the SiRNA Unicorn

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • The delivery system is a crucial element that drives the development/iteration of innovative oligonucleotide therapeutics. Ribo has mastered both GalNAc and LNP technologies, whose effectiveness/safety have been verified and recognized.
  • The valuation fluctuations not only reflect the market’s prudence towards commercialization prospects of small nucleic acid drugs, but also highlight the balance problem between Ribo’s R&D investment and profit model.
  • Since Sirnaomics’ delivery technologies have not been proven or validated scientifically, Ribo’s valuation should be higher than Sirnaomics.Valuation outlook is based on the druggability and commercialization performance of Ribo’s pipelines. 

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