Category

Daily Briefs

Daily Brief Industrials: Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200, RPMGlobal Holdings Limited, Kcc Corp, Nordex SE, BAE Systems PLC, Weir Group and more

By | Daily Briefs, Industrials

In today’s briefing:

  • Is NPS Really Going for Board Seat Play Via Cumulative Voting? Field Check on This Narrative
  • RPMGlobal (RUL AU): Caterpillar Mulling a Privatisation Bid
  • Top 10 Korean Stock Picks and Key Catalysts Bi-Weekly (29 August to 12 September 2025)
  • STOXX Europe600 Sep25 Forecast: ZEG, NDX1, FRA to Enter; VRLA, BPSO, EMBRACB to Exit
  • BAE Systems: Positioning Rebounds, Underweight Widens
  • Weir Group Plc (WEGRY) – Friday, May 30, 2025


Is NPS Really Going for Board Seat Play Via Cumulative Voting? Field Check on This Narrative

By Sanghyun Park

  • Short-Term, pinpointing exact tickers off this NPS/cumulative voting narrative is tough—activism risk is real, but predicting moves in governance-sensitive names is still premature.
  • NPS may go aggressive, potentially sparking a market-wide narrative. If limited activism unwinds, Korean stocks could see a broad re-rate, beyond just individual governance names.
  • Tactically, consider enhanced setups in these names under a passive framework, while closely monitoring governance developments and NPS-driven activism for actionable alpha in individual tickers.

RPMGlobal (RUL AU): Caterpillar Mulling a Privatisation Bid

By Arun George

  • The AFR reports that Caterpillar Inc (CAT US) and four other bidders are considering a privatisation bid for RPMGlobal Holdings Limited (RUL AU) at around A$5.00 per share.
  • In response to the article, RPM entered a trading halt the same day regarding “an indicative proposal from a third party regarding a potential acquisition.”  
  • RPM’s shareholder structure facilitates an offer. The rumoured offer is reasonable but is far from a knockout bid, suggesting the potential of a bidding war.  

Top 10 Korean Stock Picks and Key Catalysts Bi-Weekly (29 August to 12 September 2025)

By Douglas Kim

  • In this insight, we provide the top 10 stock picks and key catalysts in the Korean stock market for the two weeks (29 August to 12 September 2025).
  • Shipbuilding remained the best performing sector in the past two weeks. Rechargeable battery was the worst performing sector. 
  • Top 10 picks in this bi-weekly include KCC Corp, KT&G, LG Uplus, Samsung Life Insurance, Paradise, Nongshim, LG Chem, HD Hyundai Mipo, SK Inc, and CJ Corp. 

STOXX Europe600 Sep25 Forecast: ZEG, NDX1, FRA to Enter; VRLA, BPSO, EMBRACB to Exit

By Dimitris Ioannidis


BAE Systems: Positioning Rebounds, Underweight Widens

By Steven Holden

  • BAE ownership jumped from 29.4% to 36.7% of UK funds, reaching its strongest level in two years.
  • Despite gains, BAE remains the sixth-largest underweight versus the FTSE All-Share.
  • BAE dominates UK aerospace and defence peers, but underweights may be harder to defend amid Europe’s rearmament and geopolitical tensions.

Weir Group Plc (WEGRY) – Friday, May 30, 2025

By Value Investors Club (VIC)

Key points (machine generated)

  • WEIR Group plc is a mining equipment OEM with 80% of sales from aftermarket services and a strong market position.
  • The company is undervalued at 12x EV/Adj. EBITA based on 2026 estimates, with potential growth from increased mining capital expenditures.
  • WEIR operates in four equipment categories, generating £2.5 billion in revenue with an 18.8% adjusted operating margin, while investing in growth and innovation.

This article is sourced from an online content aggregator through publicly available sources and is displayed below for general informational purposes only. This article was originally published 3 months ago on Value Investors Club.


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Daily Brief Industrials: Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200, RPMGlobal Holdings Limited, Kcc Corp, Nordex SE, BAE Systems PLC, Weir Group and more

By | Daily Briefs, Industrials

In today’s briefing:

  • Is NPS Really Going for Board Seat Play Via Cumulative Voting? Field Check on This Narrative
  • RPMGlobal (RUL AU): Caterpillar Mulling a Privatisation Bid
  • Top 10 Korean Stock Picks and Key Catalysts Bi-Weekly (29 August to 12 September 2025)
  • STOXX Europe600 Sep25 Forecast: ZEG, NDX1, FRA to Enter; VRLA, BPSO, EMBRACB to Exit
  • BAE Systems: Positioning Rebounds, Underweight Widens
  • Weir Group Plc (WEGRY) – Friday, May 30, 2025


Is NPS Really Going for Board Seat Play Via Cumulative Voting? Field Check on This Narrative

By Sanghyun Park

  • Short-Term, pinpointing exact tickers off this NPS/cumulative voting narrative is tough—activism risk is real, but predicting moves in governance-sensitive names is still premature.
  • NPS may go aggressive, potentially sparking a market-wide narrative. If limited activism unwinds, Korean stocks could see a broad re-rate, beyond just individual governance names.
  • Tactically, consider enhanced setups in these names under a passive framework, while closely monitoring governance developments and NPS-driven activism for actionable alpha in individual tickers.

RPMGlobal (RUL AU): Caterpillar Mulling a Privatisation Bid

By Arun George

  • The AFR reports that Caterpillar Inc (CAT US) and four other bidders are considering a privatisation bid for RPMGlobal Holdings Limited (RUL AU) at around A$5.00 per share.
  • In response to the article, RPM entered a trading halt the same day regarding “an indicative proposal from a third party regarding a potential acquisition.”  
  • RPM’s shareholder structure facilitates an offer. The rumoured offer is reasonable but is far from a knockout bid, suggesting the potential of a bidding war.  

Top 10 Korean Stock Picks and Key Catalysts Bi-Weekly (29 August to 12 September 2025)

By Douglas Kim

  • In this insight, we provide the top 10 stock picks and key catalysts in the Korean stock market for the two weeks (29 August to 12 September 2025).
  • Shipbuilding remained the best performing sector in the past two weeks. Rechargeable battery was the worst performing sector. 
  • Top 10 picks in this bi-weekly include KCC Corp, KT&G, LG Uplus, Samsung Life Insurance, Paradise, Nongshim, LG Chem, HD Hyundai Mipo, SK Inc, and CJ Corp. 

STOXX Europe600 Sep25 Forecast: ZEG, NDX1, FRA to Enter; VRLA, BPSO, EMBRACB to Exit

By Dimitris Ioannidis


BAE Systems: Positioning Rebounds, Underweight Widens

By Steven Holden

  • BAE ownership jumped from 29.4% to 36.7% of UK funds, reaching its strongest level in two years.
  • Despite gains, BAE remains the sixth-largest underweight versus the FTSE All-Share.
  • BAE dominates UK aerospace and defence peers, but underweights may be harder to defend amid Europe’s rearmament and geopolitical tensions.

Weir Group Plc (WEGRY) – Friday, May 30, 2025

By Value Investors Club (VIC)

Key points (machine generated)

  • WEIR Group plc is a mining equipment OEM with 80% of sales from aftermarket services and a strong market position.
  • The company is undervalued at 12x EV/Adj. EBITA based on 2026 estimates, with potential growth from increased mining capital expenditures.
  • WEIR operates in four equipment categories, generating £2.5 billion in revenue with an 18.8% adjusted operating margin, while investing in growth and innovation.

This article is sourced from an online content aggregator through publicly available sources and is displayed below for general informational purposes only. This article was originally published 3 months ago on Value Investors Club.


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Daily Brief Health Care: Cleanspace Holdings Ltd, Olympus Corp, Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group), Sino Biopharmaceutical and more

By | Daily Briefs, Healthcare

In today’s briefing:

  • CleanSpace Holdings RaaS Interview Transcript
  • Cleanspace Holdings Ltd – Spotless numbers
  • Olympus Corp (7733 JP): Concerns Remain; Green Shoots Appear; Better To Wait and Watch
  • Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (2196.HK/600196.CH) 25H1 – The Performance Has Not Truly Improved
  • Sino Biopharmaceutical (1177 HK): Innovative Drugs Drive 1H Performance; Pipeline Lends Visibility


CleanSpace Holdings RaaS Interview Transcript

By Research as a Service (RaaS)

  • Finola Burke from RaaS Research Group interviews CleanSpace Holdings’ CEO Gabrielle O’Carroll and CFO Bree Greeff.

Cleanspace Holdings Ltd – Spotless numbers

By Research as a Service (RaaS)

  • CleanSpace Holdings Ltd (ASX:CSX) is a designer and manufacturer of respiratory protection equipment and consumables for powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs).
  • CSX has released its FY25 results delivering an impressive set of numbers including revenue growth of 26%, a 250bps increase in gross margin to 74.8%, flat costs on the pcp despite some one-offs, a H2 FY25 EBITDA profit and positive operating cash flow.
  • Inventories relative to sales declined 700bps to 11%, helping to boost cash reserves to $10.5m.

Olympus Corp (7733 JP): Concerns Remain; Green Shoots Appear; Better To Wait and Watch

By Tina Banerjee

  • Olympus Corp (7733 JP) witnessed revenue decline of 12% YoY to ¥206.5B (down 7% on Fx neutral) in Q1FY26 due to a high base effect coupled with delayed purchase decisions.
  • The company revised full-year forecasts mainly due to the impact of the U.S. tariffs and FDA import alerts.
  • Olympus entered into an agreement with Revival Healthcare Capital forming a joint venture company named Swan EndoSurgical, dedicated to developing an innovative endoluminal robotic system for less invasive therapeutic treatments.

Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (2196.HK/600196.CH) 25H1 – The Performance Has Not Truly Improved

By Xinyao (Criss) Wang

  • After excluding gains on the disposal of United Family Healthcare, profitability of main business was disappointing.The revenue decline confirms that Fosun Pharma is facing pressure. Short-term performance hasn’t truly improved.
  • Fosun Pharma will continue to sell unprofitable assets to alleviate debt pressure and optimize business structure, which will be the short-term main theme. Fosun Pharma is still in adjustment period
  • Whether high profit growth can be sustainable in long term is uncertain, which depends on if Henlius is able to achieve high growth to offset the negative impact of VBP.

Sino Biopharmaceutical (1177 HK): Innovative Drugs Drive 1H Performance; Pipeline Lends Visibility

By Tina Banerjee

  • Sino Biopharmaceutical (1177 HK) announced 11% YoY revenue growth in 1H25, driven by 27% YoY growth in innovative products. Contribution of innovative drugs to total revenue increased to 44.4%.
  • With the increasing contribution of innovative drugs to total revenue, gross profit margin expanded 40bps to 82.5%. With expanding margin and cost efficiency, net profit has more than doubled.
  • The company expects to have more than 35 marketed innovative products by 2027, with revenue from innovative products accounting for over 60% of total revenue.

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Daily Brief Financials: Agricultural Bank Of China, AUB Group Limited and more

By | Daily Briefs, Financials

In today’s briefing:

  • Curator’s Cut: Arbs Go A-H, Copper Plays & China’s Property Pulse
  • Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (1 Sep)


Curator’s Cut: Arbs Go A-H, Copper Plays & China’s Property Pulse

By Pranav Rao

  • Welcome to Curator’s Cut, a fortnightly roundup of standout themes from the 1,200+ Insights published over the past two weeks on Smartkarma
  • In this cut, we explore A-H share trading dynamics, consider copper market dynamics and plays, and China’s bottoming/stabilizing real estate market
  • Want to dig deeper? Comment or message with the themes you’d like to see highlighted next

Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (1 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 four pair trade opportunities across two markets and three 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.

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Daily Brief Consumer: Yutaka Giken, Alibaba, Dongfeng Motor, SHEIN, Nissan Motor, Reckitt Benckiser Group , Tesla , SJM Holdings and more

By | Consumer, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • [Japan M&A] Yutaka Giken (7229 JP) TOB – Possibly the Most Offensively Low TOB Price I’ve Ever Seen
  • Alibaba (BABA, 9988HK): June Quarter, Actually 2-Digit Growth, To Win Price War
  • Alibaba (BABA US): Why Did the Stock Rally Despite 2Q25 Operating Profit Dip?
  • Merger Arb Mondays (01 Sep) – Dongfeng, ENN, Joy City, Kangji, Mayne, Santos, Shibaura, CareNet
  • (Mostly) Asia M&A, Aug 2025 Wrap: Dongfeng Motor, Kangji, Carenet, Nihon Chouzai, Technopro
  • SHEIN IPO Update: HQ Shifted (Back) To China | End of US De Minimis Exemption, Everywhere
  • ECM Weekly (1 September 2025)- Nissan, Metaplanet, Indigo, Laopu, Akeso, Mixue, Aux, Orion, Chery
  • Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc (RKT.LN) – Friday, May 30, 2025
  • FLASH NOTE: TESLA INC. Common Stock – July 23, 2025
  • SJM Holdings – Earnings Flash – H1 FY 2025 Results – Lucror Analytics


[Japan M&A] Yutaka Giken (7229 JP) TOB – Possibly the Most Offensively Low TOB Price I’ve Ever Seen

By Travis Lundy

  • Honda Motor (7267 JP) and Samvardhana Motherson International Ltd (MOTHERSO IN) have arranged to buy Honda’s 69.7%-owned subsidiary Yutaka Giken (7229 JP) in a Tender Offer. 
  • The transaction structure means Motherson buys Yutaka for less than net cash but even assuming Motherson pay minority TOB price for everything, TOB ex-net cash = 0.05x PBR, <1x EBITDA.
  • But they are paying less. They are paying ¥12.4bn less than net cash, and getting the other ¥58bn of net assets (¥23bn inventory, the rest in hard assets) for free.

Alibaba (BABA, 9988HK): June Quarter, Actually 2-Digit Growth, To Win Price War

By Ming Lu

  • The de facto total revenue increased by 10% YoY excluding two disposed shopping malls.
  • We believe Alibaba will win the price war for food deliveries, because competitors’ earnings were even worse.
  • The stock surged by 13% in NYSE after the result release, but we still believe it has an upside of 48% for next twelve months.

Alibaba (BABA US): Why Did the Stock Rally Despite 2Q25 Operating Profit Dip?

By Devi Subhakesan

  • Alibaba (BABA US)  jumped 12.9% on Friday following better than expected 2Q2025 results and upbeat management commentary.
  • Investors cheered growth plans centered around Consumption and AI + Cloud, signaling confidence in the company’s long-term strategy.  
  • 2Q2025 operating profits dipped slightly, as higher costs in quick commerce were largely offset by growth in other business segments.


(Mostly) Asia M&A, Aug 2025 Wrap: Dongfeng Motor, Kangji, Carenet, Nihon Chouzai, Technopro

By David Blennerhassett

  • For Aug 2025, 17 new transactions (firm and non-binding) were discussed on Smartkarma (by the Quiddity team) with an overall announced deal size of ~US$18bn.
  • The average premium for the new transactions announced (or first discussed) in August was 48%, with a year-to-date average of 47%.
  • 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%

SHEIN IPO Update: HQ Shifted (Back) To China | End of US De Minimis Exemption, Everywhere

By Daniel Hellberg

  • SHEIN is reportedly moving its corporate HQ to China to pave way for HK IPO
  • US ‘de minimis’ exemption for all countries ended Aug 29 (China/HK was May 2)
  • We believe end of US ‘de minimis’ exemption changed the game for SHEIN

ECM Weekly (1 September 2025)- Nissan, Metaplanet, Indigo, Laopu, Akeso, Mixue, Aux, Orion, Chery

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, a number of company’s appear to be lining up to launch their IPOs in the coming month.
  • On the placements front, there were a number of large deals across the region.

Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc (RKT.LN) – Friday, May 30, 2025

By Value Investors Club (VIC)

Key points (machine generated)

  • The core portfolio includes leading health and hygiene consumer brands projected to generate £10 billion in sales and £2.6 billion in operating income for FY’24.
  • Mead Johnson and Essential Home contribute about 15% of EBIT but are planned for divestment due to low growth potential.
  • The self-care segment is expected to represent 33% of total sales in FY’24, with a growth rate of 7% and varying contributions from different regions.

This article is sourced from an online content aggregator through publicly available sources and is displayed below for general informational purposes only. This article was originally published 3 months ago on Value Investors Club.


FLASH NOTE: TESLA INC. Common Stock – July 23, 2025

By VRS (Valuation & Research Specialists)

  • Tesla, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, leases, and sells electric vehicles, and energy generation and storage systems in the United States, China, and internationally.
  • The company operates in two segments, Automotive and Energy Generation & Storage.
  • The Company’s shares are listed in the Nasdaq Composite Index under the symbol ‘TSLA’ since June 29, 2010 and are included among the companies with the higher market capitalization globally. 

SJM Holdings – Earnings Flash – H1 FY 2025 Results – Lucror Analytics

By Leonard Law, CFA

  • SJM Holding’s H1/25 results were weaker than anticipated, as the company lost GGR market share in Q2 (after a strong Q1).
  • The top line continued to expand, in line with the ramp-up of Grand Lisboa Palace (GLP).
  • That said, EBITDA unexpectedly contracted due to unfavourable win rates (particularly at GLP). FCF was likely negative, owing to the reduced profitability.  Positively, the planned reorganisation of gaming assets will likely raise the properties’ margins and provide the company with operational flexibility to optimise its assets going forward.

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Daily Brief Quantitative Analysis: Global Financial Exchanges: A Sector on the Rise and more

By | Daily Briefs, Quantitative Analysis

In today’s briefing:

  • Global Financial Exchanges: A Sector on the Rise
  • HK Connect Flows Weekly (Aug 29th): Meituan, Alibaba, Tencent, AIA, Pop Mart Intl, Kuaishou, SMIC
  • HK Short Interest Weekly: Xiaomi, ZTE, Anta, Cathay Pacific Airways
  • Thailand Short Interest Weekly (Aug 29th): Intouch, Home Product Center, PTT Oil and Retail, True
  • TWSE Foreign Holding Weekly (Aug 29th): TSMC, Hon Hai Precision, Delta Electronics, Quanta Computer
  • A-H Premium Weekly (Aug 29th): Qingdao Port, Beigene, Cgn Power, China Galaxy Securities
  • TWSE Short Interest Weekly (Aug 29th): Jentech Precision Industrial, Unimicron Technology, Pou Chen
  • Bursa Short Interest Weekly (Aug 29th): Genting, Sime Darby, Gamuda, Public Bank, PPB
  • KRX Foreign Holding Weekly (Aug 29th): SK Hynix, Hanwha Ocean, Samsung Electronics, Samsung H.I.


Global Financial Exchanges: A Sector on the Rise

By Steven Holden

  • Financials Exchanges have hit record highs in Global fund ownership, with 58% of global funds invested and 49% ahead of the MSCI ACWI index.
  • CME Group and London Stock Exchange lead momentum, both reaching record ownership after strong inflows through 2023–2024.
  • Despite growth, ownership breadth remains shallow, with only a few stocks widely held, leaving room for further expansion in positioning.

HK Connect Flows Weekly (Aug 29th): Meituan, Alibaba, Tencent, AIA, Pop Mart Intl, Kuaishou, SMIC

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • We analyze the weekly Hong Kong Connect flows with our data engine for holding position as of August 29th.
  • The top stocks by inflows and outflows were tabulated for all market, HSCEI, mid cap and s/mid cap groups.
  • We highlight flows for Meituan, Alibaba, Tencent, AIA, Pop Mart Intl, Kuaishou, SMIC, Xiaomi, CNOOC.

HK Short Interest Weekly: Xiaomi, ZTE, Anta, Cathay Pacific Airways

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • We analyzed the latest HK SFC report for aggregate short position as of Aug 22nd.
  • Top short increases and decreases were tabulated for one week and four week period.
  • We highlight short changes in Xiaomi, TraHK HSI ETF, ZTE, Anta, Cathay Pacific Airways, HSCEI ETF.

Thailand Short Interest Weekly (Aug 29th): Intouch, Home Product Center, PTT Oil and Retail, True

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • We analyzed the changes in short interest of Stock Exchange of Thailand as of Aug 29th. We estimate that they had an aggregated short interest worth USD2.3bn.
  • We tabulate league tables for top short by value and short as multiple of ADT, as well as weekly increases & decreases in short value, short as multiple of ADT.
  • We highlight short interest changes in Intouch, Home Product Center, PTT Oil and Retail, True, BTS, True, Bts, Home Product Center, PTT Oil&Retail.

TWSE Foreign Holding Weekly (Aug 29th): TSMC, Hon Hai Precision, Delta Electronics, Quanta Computer

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • We analyzed the changes in foreign holdings of TWSE Stocks as of Aug 29th. The aggregated holding was USD1,166.6bn.
  • We estimate that foreign flows to be inflows of USD427mln. We tabulate the league tables for top changes by value for 1W/4W/1Y and top stocks held by foreign institutions.
  • We highlight changes of foreign holdings in TSMC, Hon Hai Precision, Delta Electronics, Quanta Computer, Global Unichip, TSMC, Hon Hai Precision, Global Unichip, Delta Electronics, Quanta Computer.

A-H Premium Weekly (Aug 29th): Qingdao Port, Beigene, Cgn Power, China Galaxy Securities

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • We analyse the changes of A-H premium on 157 stocks over the last week. The average A-H premium was 61.0% as of Aug 29th.
  • The average A-H premium changed by 2.7ppt week-on-week, led by health care, financials, information technology and offset by real estate.
  • We highlight weekly changes in A-H premium for Qingdao Port, Beigene, Cgn Power, China Galaxy Securities, Jl Mag Rare-Earth.

TWSE Short Interest Weekly (Aug 29th): Jentech Precision Industrial, Unimicron Technology, Pou Chen

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • We analyzed the changes in short interest of TWSE Stocks as of Aug 29th. The aggregated short interest was USD25.7bn.
  • We tabulate league tables for top short by value and short as multiple of ADT, as well as weekly increases & decreases in short value, short as multiple of ADT.
  • We highlight short interest changes in Jentech Precision Industrial, Unimicron Technology, Pou Chen, Ruentex Development, Taishin Financial, Jentech Precision Industrial, Unimicron Technology, Pou Chen, Ruentex Development, Taishin Financial.

Bursa Short Interest Weekly (Aug 29th): Genting, Sime Darby, Gamuda, Public Bank, PPB

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • We analyzed the changes in short interest of Bursa stocks as of Aug 29th. The aggregated short interest is USD379m.
  • We tabulate league tables for top short by value and short as multiple of ADT, as well as weekly increases & decreases in short value, short as multiple of ADT.
  • We highlight short interest changes in Genting, Sime Darby, Gamuda, Public Bank, PPB.

KRX Foreign Holding Weekly (Aug 29th): SK Hynix, Hanwha Ocean, Samsung Electronics, Samsung H.I.

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • We analyzed the changes in foreign holdings of KRX stocks as of Aug 29th. The aggregated holding was USD643.5bn.
  • We estimate that foreign flows to be outflows of USD356mln. We tabulate the league table for top changes by value for 1W/4W/1Y and top stocks held by foreign institutions.
  • We highlight changes of foreign holdings in SK Hynix, Hanwha Ocean, Samsung Electronics, Samsung H.I., HD HYUNDAI ELECTRIC.

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Daily Brief ECM: SHEIN IPO Update: HQ Shifted (Back) To China | End of US De Minimis Exemption and more

By | Daily Briefs, ECM

In today’s briefing:

  • SHEIN IPO Update: HQ Shifted (Back) To China | End of US De Minimis Exemption, Everywhere
  • ECM Weekly (1 September 2025)- Nissan, Metaplanet, Indigo, Laopu, Akeso, Mixue, Aux, Orion, Chery


SHEIN IPO Update: HQ Shifted (Back) To China | End of US De Minimis Exemption, Everywhere

By Daniel Hellberg

  • SHEIN is reportedly moving its corporate HQ to China to pave way for HK IPO
  • US ‘de minimis’ exemption for all countries ended Aug 29 (China/HK was May 2)
  • We believe end of US ‘de minimis’ exemption changed the game for SHEIN

ECM Weekly (1 September 2025)- Nissan, Metaplanet, Indigo, Laopu, Akeso, Mixue, Aux, Orion, Chery

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, a number of company’s appear to be lining up to launch their IPOs in the coming month.
  • On the placements front, there were a number of large deals across the region.

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Daily Brief Thematic (Sector/Industry): 5 Keys to Unlocking Japanese Superstocks and more

By | Daily Briefs, Thematic (Sector/Industry)

In today’s briefing:

  • 5 Keys to Unlocking Japanese Superstocks
  • Ohayo Japan | US Stocks Retreat; Trump Tariffs Unlawful
  • Japan Activist Briefs | Governance Battles and Hidden Asset Plays
  • Japan Morning Connection: Tech Battered by Marvell and Dell Misses Ahead of Labor Day Break
  • Japan’s Nuclear Reset: Core Equipment Plays and Utility Options
  • China Strategy: 1H25 Roundup and Implications for 2H25
  • Chinese Developers Expect Greater First Half Losses
  • What’s New(S) In Amsterdam – 29 August (Ahold Delhaize | BAM Group | VLK | PostNL | Sif Holding)


5 Keys to Unlocking Japanese Superstocks

By Michael Allen

  • We looked at the 40 companies in Japan that returned the best 5-year relative returns over the past 20 years. The average relative return was 1,965%.
  • The most consistent common trait of all these stocks was that most had underperformed the market in the previous 2 years. The average underperformance was -61%.
  • Valuation was hugely important, but not the way you’d expect. The stocks often started at a modest discount, but more importantly, they always ended at massive premiums.

Ohayo Japan | US Stocks Retreat; Trump Tariffs Unlawful

By Mark Chadwick

  • US equities retreated Friday as investors locked in profits, with the S&P 500 down 0.6% and the Nasdaq off 1.2%
  • A federal appeals court ruled that most of Donald Trump’s global tariffs were unlawful, finding his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act exceeded presidential authority
  • Major Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed companies are increasingly appointing outside directors as board chairmen, with 109 companies doing so as of August 2025

Japan Activist Briefs | Governance Battles and Hidden Asset Plays

By Mark Chadwick

  • Toho: 3D Investment Partners lifted stake to 21.2%, intensifying pressure on governance reforms amid repeated scandals and delayed committee findings.
  • Inui: Miri Capital built a 7.3% stake; real estate assets near Ginza could be key catalyst beyond cyclical shipping earnings.
  • Nihon Tokushu and Kitagawa: Both trade at low multiples with strong balance sheets; activist stakes suggest potential for event-driven value realisation.

Japan Morning Connection: Tech Battered by Marvell and Dell Misses Ahead of Labor Day Break

By Andrew Jackson

  • Both Marvell and Dell were out after-market Friday so the reaction in Japan to start may be less severe.
  • Sandisk cutting through the static now up for 7th day in a row as sentiment for NAND rises on potential AI growth.
  • Kokusai Electric may also see a positive change in tone if the market takes another look at NAND production equipment.

Japan’s Nuclear Reset: Core Equipment Plays and Utility Options

By Rahul Jain

  • Japan targets nuclear at 20–22% of power by 2030 under its GX Basic Policy, alongside a major renewables push.
  • Electricity demand set to rise 35–50% by 2050, with data centers tripling consumption by 2034.
  • Leaders: MHI (~10% nuclear revenue) and IHI (~5%) stand out as equipment winners; Kansai, Kyushu add steady utility exposure.

China Strategy: 1H25 Roundup and Implications for 2H25

By Osbert Tang, CFA


Chinese Developers Expect Greater First Half Losses

By Caixin Global

  • Several Hong Kong-listed Chinese property giants said they expect deepening losses for the first half of the year, as they delivered fewer houses, saw their margins shrink, and their assets lost value.
  • Country Garden Holdings Co. Ltd. predicts its net loss will come in between 18.5 billion yuan ($2.6 billion) and 21.5 billion yuan, compared with a 15.1 billion yuan deficit last year, according to a Friday exchange filing.
  • The company delivered about 74,000 units of housing in the first half, down from more than 150,000 in the same period last year. It also said asset impairments expanded from the year before.

What’s New(S) In Amsterdam – 29 August (Ahold Delhaize | BAM Group | VLK | PostNL | Sif Holding)

By The IDEA!

  • Ahold Delhaize | expands collaboration with Instacart Supermarket News reports that Ahold Delhaize USA is expanding its partnership with Instacart by adopting the FoodStorm order management system across select banners, including Food Lion, Giant and Martin’s.
  • The platform streamlines ordering for made-to-order items such as bakery platters, deli trays, desserts, and floral arrangements, offering customers flexible options to order online, by phone, or in-store.
  • FoodStorm’s self-service tools and purchase history access improve convenience and personalization, while creating efficiencies for store teams.

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Most Read: Sanrio, Yutaka Giken, Cambricon Technologies Lt, Alibaba, Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200, Hyundai Glovis, Gemvax & Kael and more

By | Daily Briefs, Most Read

In today’s briefing:

  • Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance Sep25: Performance of Potential Adds/Deletes & Positioning
  • [Japan M&A] Yutaka Giken (7229 JP) TOB – Possibly the Most Offensively Low TOB Price I’ve Ever Seen
  • STAR50/STAR100 Index Rebalance: Changes & Capping Lead to US$3.3bn Trade
  • Alibaba (BABA, 9988HK): June Quarter, Actually 2-Digit Growth, To Win Price War
  • 5 Keys to Unlocking Japanese Superstocks
  • Alibaba (BABA US): Why Did the Stock Rally Despite 2Q25 Operating Profit Dip?
  • Is NPS Really Going for Board Seat Play Via Cumulative Voting? Field Check on This Narrative
  • Ohayo Japan | US Stocks Retreat; Trump Tariffs Unlawful
  • Hyundai Glovis: Cumulative Voting System Could Improve Corporate Governance of Hyundai Motor Group
  • Gemvax & Kael – Rights Offering of 249 Billion Won


Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance Sep25: Performance of Potential Adds/Deletes & Positioning

By Brian Freitas

  • The changes to the Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) as part of the September rebalance should be announced in just over 2 weeks. We expect 2 changes at the review.
  • BayCurrent Consulting‘s PAF will double, Fast Retailing‘s CPAF will stay the same, and Sony Financial Group will be deleted from the index following its spinoff from Sony Corp (6758 JP)
  • Sanrio (8136 JP)‘s improved liquidity increases the probability of index inclusion, and the stock could be added to the index at the next rebalance if it misses in September.

[Japan M&A] Yutaka Giken (7229 JP) TOB – Possibly the Most Offensively Low TOB Price I’ve Ever Seen

By Travis Lundy

  • Honda Motor (7267 JP) and Samvardhana Motherson International Ltd (MOTHERSO IN) have arranged to buy Honda’s 69.7%-owned subsidiary Yutaka Giken (7229 JP) in a Tender Offer. 
  • The transaction structure means Motherson buys Yutaka for less than net cash but even assuming Motherson pay minority TOB price for everything, TOB ex-net cash = 0.05x PBR, <1x EBITDA.
  • But they are paying less. They are paying ¥12.4bn less than net cash, and getting the other ¥58bn of net assets (¥23bn inventory, the rest in hard assets) for free.

STAR50/STAR100 Index Rebalance: Changes & Capping Lead to US$3.3bn Trade

By Brian Freitas

  • There is 1 constituent change for the STAR50 INDEX and 5 changes for the STAR100 Index at the next rebalance that will be implemented at the close on 12 September.
  • We estimate one-way turnover of 6.1% for the SSE STAR50 (STAR50 INDEX) resulting in a round-trip trade of CNY 23.8bn (US$3.3bn).
  • There will be huge capping outflows for Cambricon Technologies Lt (688256 CH) following the massive rally in the stock over the last couple of months.

Alibaba (BABA, 9988HK): June Quarter, Actually 2-Digit Growth, To Win Price War

By Ming Lu

  • The de facto total revenue increased by 10% YoY excluding two disposed shopping malls.
  • We believe Alibaba will win the price war for food deliveries, because competitors’ earnings were even worse.
  • The stock surged by 13% in NYSE after the result release, but we still believe it has an upside of 48% for next twelve months.

5 Keys to Unlocking Japanese Superstocks

By Michael Allen

  • We looked at the 40 companies in Japan that returned the best 5-year relative returns over the past 20 years. The average relative return was 1,965%.
  • The most consistent common trait of all these stocks was that most had underperformed the market in the previous 2 years. The average underperformance was -61%.
  • Valuation was hugely important, but not the way you’d expect. The stocks often started at a modest discount, but more importantly, they always ended at massive premiums.

Alibaba (BABA US): Why Did the Stock Rally Despite 2Q25 Operating Profit Dip?

By Devi Subhakesan

  • Alibaba (BABA US)  jumped 12.9% on Friday following better than expected 2Q2025 results and upbeat management commentary.
  • Investors cheered growth plans centered around Consumption and AI + Cloud, signaling confidence in the company’s long-term strategy.  
  • 2Q2025 operating profits dipped slightly, as higher costs in quick commerce were largely offset by growth in other business segments.

Is NPS Really Going for Board Seat Play Via Cumulative Voting? Field Check on This Narrative

By Sanghyun Park

  • Short-Term, pinpointing exact tickers off this NPS/cumulative voting narrative is tough—activism risk is real, but predicting moves in governance-sensitive names is still premature.
  • NPS may go aggressive, potentially sparking a market-wide narrative. If limited activism unwinds, Korean stocks could see a broad re-rate, beyond just individual governance names.
  • Tactically, consider enhanced setups in these names under a passive framework, while closely monitoring governance developments and NPS-driven activism for actionable alpha in individual tickers.

Ohayo Japan | US Stocks Retreat; Trump Tariffs Unlawful

By Mark Chadwick

  • US equities retreated Friday as investors locked in profits, with the S&P 500 down 0.6% and the Nasdaq off 1.2%
  • A federal appeals court ruled that most of Donald Trump’s global tariffs were unlawful, finding his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act exceeded presidential authority
  • Major Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed companies are increasingly appointing outside directors as board chairmen, with 109 companies doing so as of August 2025

Hyundai Glovis: Cumulative Voting System Could Improve Corporate Governance of Hyundai Motor Group

By Douglas Kim

  • A major critical reason Hyundai Glovis has been outperforming this year has been due to the potential passage of the cumulative voting system under second amendment to the Commercial Act.
  • In addition, Hyundai Glovis’ profits have been improving. Hyundai Glovis is also expected to benefit from the continued higher use of robotics in its operations.
  • The value of its Boston Dynamics is also becoming more highlighted. Hyundai Glovis currently has a 10.9% stake in Boston Dynamics. 

Gemvax & Kael – Rights Offering of 249 Billion Won

By Douglas Kim

  • On 29 August, Gemvax & Kael (082270 KS) (Gemvax) announced a rights offering capital raise of 249 billion won.
  • Gemvax will issue 6.7 million new shares in this rights offering, representing 16% of its outstanding shares. 
  • The expected rights offering price is 37,100 won which is 13.4% lower than current price. We are negative on this rights offering. 

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Daily Brief Australia: RPMGlobal Holdings Limited, AUB Group Limited, Airtasker, Cleanspace Holdings Ltd and more

By | Australia, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • RPMGlobal (RUL AU): Caterpillar Mulling a Privatisation Bid
  • Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (1 Sep)
  • Airtasker Ltd – Solid guidance off a strong FY25 base
  • CleanSpace Holdings RaaS Interview Transcript
  • Cleanspace Holdings Ltd – Spotless numbers


RPMGlobal (RUL AU): Caterpillar Mulling a Privatisation Bid

By Arun George

  • The AFR reports that Caterpillar Inc (CAT US) and four other bidders are considering a privatisation bid for RPMGlobal Holdings Limited (RUL AU) at around A$5.00 per share.
  • In response to the article, RPM entered a trading halt the same day regarding “an indicative proposal from a third party regarding a potential acquisition.”  
  • RPM’s shareholder structure facilitates an offer. The rumoured offer is reasonable but is far from a knockout bid, suggesting the potential of a bidding war.  

Relative Value Opportunities in Asia-Pac, Pair Trade Roundup (1 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 four pair trade opportunities across two markets and three 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.

Airtasker Ltd – Solid guidance off a strong FY25 base

By Research as a Service (RaaS)

  • Airtasker Limited (ASX:ART) is an online marketplace for local services, connecting people and businesses who need work done with people who want to work.
  • ART has reported its FY25 result, which was largely flagged in the recent Q4 FY25 cash flow update.
  • Further disclosure reveals a monetisation rate of 21.6% for FY25, up from 20% in FY24 and above our forecast.

CleanSpace Holdings RaaS Interview Transcript

By Research as a Service (RaaS)

  • Finola Burke from RaaS Research Group interviews CleanSpace Holdings’ CEO Gabrielle O’Carroll and CFO Bree Greeff.

Cleanspace Holdings Ltd – Spotless numbers

By Research as a Service (RaaS)

  • CleanSpace Holdings Ltd (ASX:CSX) is a designer and manufacturer of respiratory protection equipment and consumables for powered air purifying respirators (PAPRs).
  • CSX has released its FY25 results delivering an impressive set of numbers including revenue growth of 26%, a 250bps increase in gross margin to 74.8%, flat costs on the pcp despite some one-offs, a H2 FY25 EBITDA profit and positive operating cash flow.
  • Inventories relative to sales declined 700bps to 11%, helping to boost cash reserves to $10.5m.

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