Category

Daily Briefs

Daily Brief United States: Copper, GLOBALFOUNDRIES , Samsara, Crude Oil, Pepsico Inc, BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics I, Natural Gas, Harley Davidson, Build A Bear Workshop, NOV and more

By | Daily Briefs, United States

In today’s briefing:

  • Did China Just Trigger Commodity Markets?
  • GlobalFoundries. Share Price Down 17% Below IPO Price & Down 30% Since July. But Why?
  • Samsara Inc (IOT) – Sunday, Jun 30, 2024
  • US Rig Count Drops for Second Straight Week as Oil Rigs Decline
  • PepsiCo Inc.: What Are The Challenges Responsible For Their Moderated Guidance? – Major Drivers
  • BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI) Flash Note 30092024
  • [US Nat Gas Options Weekly 2024/39] Henry Hub Jumps on Shrinking Storage Surplus and Healthy Demand
  • Harley-Davidson Inc.: Expansion Into Electric Motorcycles & Global Market Penetration! – Major Drivers
  • BBW: Snapping the Store – Europe Review; Building w/Partners; Reiterate Buy, PT
  • NOV Inc.: International & Offshore Markets Expansion & Expansion Into Renewables Catalyzing Growth!


Did China Just Trigger Commodity Markets?

By The Commodity Report

  • Did China Just Trigger Commodity Markets?
  • China’s central bank last week announced a new stimulus package to the economy to curb the growth decline that is still going on.
  • Chinese stocks jumped and also “Chinese-linked commodity prices” like soy, copper and steel gained momentum as Governor Pan Gongsheng announced plans to lower borrowing costs and inject more funds into the economy, as well as to ease households’ mortgage repayment burden.

GlobalFoundries. Share Price Down 17% Below IPO Price & Down 30% Since July. But Why?

By William Keating

  • Tier 2 foundry revenue recovery is taking far longer than most expected. 
  • Globalfoundries 2024 CapEx is less than one tenth of what SMIC is spending. Even Hua Hong is spending more. This makes investors nervous.
  • Globalfoundries CapEx strategy is a pragmatic one and will pay dividends in the years to come

Samsara Inc (IOT) – Sunday, Jun 30, 2024

By Value Investors Club

  • Samsara is focused on monitoring and optimizing operations through its technology
  • Strong revenue growth and market potential attract investors
  • Becoming the “system of record” for operational intelligence could lead to increased customer retention and expansion opportunities

This content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only. This article was originally published 3 months ago on Value Investors Club.


US Rig Count Drops for Second Straight Week as Oil Rigs Decline

By Suhas Reddy

  • US rig count declined by one to 587 for the week ending 27/Sep, marking the sixth drop in seven weeks. Despite this, the rig count increased by six in Q3.
  • The US oil rig count fell by four to 484 after staying flat last week. Gas rigs rose by three to 99, marking its second increase in six weeks.
  • For the week ending 27/Sep, US energy producers added one rig in Texas and cut two in New Mexico and one in Louisiana.  

PepsiCo Inc.: What Are The Challenges Responsible For Their Moderated Guidance? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • PepsiCo’s 2024 second quarter earnings report reflects a complex landscape shaped by strategic adjustments and variable consumer behavior, especially in the context of a challenging US market.
  • The company’s results are indicative of both resilience and areas requiring attention, navigating ongoing economic shifts and consumer sentiment.
  • Baptista Research looks to evaluate the different factors that could influence the company’s price in the near future and attempts to carry out an independent valuation of the company using a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) methodology.

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI) Flash Note 30092024

By ACF Equity Research

  • BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: BCLI) develops NurOwn® stem cell therapy for NDDs – BCLI’s first target is ALS (MND/Lou Gehrig’s).
  • BCLI on Friday confirmed its reverse stock split (R/S) to become effective today 30 Sept 2024 (to maintain Nasdaq listing).
  • Reverse stock splits are often (though not always) an effective mechanism and often lead to an upwards re-rating as psychological market factors come into play.

[US Nat Gas Options Weekly 2024/39] Henry Hub Jumps on Shrinking Storage Surplus and Healthy Demand

By Suhas Reddy

  • US natural gas prices jumped 19.2% for the week ending 27/Sept, marking the largest weekly increase since November 2023, driven by strong demand and concerns over supply cuts.
  • Henry Hub Put/Call volume ratio fell to 1.03 (27/Sep) from 1.69 the previous week as put volumes fell by 45.5% WoW, while call volumes declined by 10.1%.
  • Put OI increased for contracts expiring in October and November, while call OI rose for expiries in December, January, February, and March.

Harley-Davidson Inc.: Expansion Into Electric Motorcycles & Global Market Penetration! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Harley-Davidson recently reported its financial results for the second quarter of 2024, showcasing several advancements and challenges in its performance.
  • The company reported a 12% increase in consolidated revenue, driven by growth in both the Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC) and the Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS) sectors, marking a resilient performance amid prevailing economic headwinds.
  • The earnings per share showed a significant improvement at $1.63, and the overall operating income grew by 9% to $241 million.

BBW: Snapping the Store – Europe Review; Building w/Partners; Reiterate Buy, PT

By Small Cap Consumer Research

  • We are reiterating our Buy rating, $41 price target and projections for Build-A-Bear workshop after visiting partner-operated locations in London, Milan and Paris.
  • With international expansion a key, and a high margin, focus for the company, we believe now is an opportune time to visit international locations.
  • We have remained impressed with Build-A-Bear partners ability to replicate the core of Build-A-Bear’s business model, from a strong assortment of “furry friends,” a personalized buying experience, the joy of having your own “furry friend” made in front of you and creating lasting memories.

NOV Inc.: International & Offshore Markets Expansion & Expansion Into Renewables Catalyzing Growth!

By Baptista Research

  • NOV Inc. has reported a strong performance in the second quarter of 2024, with revenues reaching $2.22 billion, indicating a 6% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
  • Notably, international markets demonstrated double-digit growth, and the offshore sector grew by 6%, contrasting with a slight 1% decline in North American sales.
  • The company achieved a net income of $226 million or $0.57 per fully diluted share, an improvement from the previous year.

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Daily Brief Singapore: Credit Bureau Asia, Singtel, SGX Rubber Future TSR20 and more

By | Daily Briefs, Singapore

In today’s briefing:

  • Give Credit Where Credit Is Due
  • Raffles Medical executive chairman expands interest; First REIT independent director cashes in
  • Vietnam Rubber Exports Bask In Better Returns In First Eight Months


Give Credit Where Credit Is Due

By The Mikro Kap

  • The company is headquartered in Singapore and listed under the ticker $TCU.SI

  • As the name implies, CBA is a credit bureau business that operates across Asia.

  • It currently has operations in Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Myanmar, with plans to expand in China and Vietnam shortly.


Raffles Medical executive chairman expands interest; First REIT independent director cashes in

By Geoff Howie

  • Institutions were net sellers of Singapore stocks over the five trading sessions spanning Sep 20 to 26, with S$54 million of net institutional outflow, reducing total net inflows from the 20 trading sessions spanning Aug 30 (which included MSCI Index rebalancing) through to Sep 26, to S$1.165 billion.
  • Leading the net institutional outflow over the five sessions through to Sep 26 were Singapore Telecommunications, Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Holdings, CapitaLand Investment, Singapore Exchange, Mapletree Logistics Trust, Capitaland Ascendas REIT, City Developments, Jardine Cycle & Carriage, Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust and Mapletree Industrial Trust.
  • Between Sep 24 and 25, Raffles Medical Group executive chairman Loo Choon Yong acquired 2.15 million shares at S$0.89 per share.

Vietnam Rubber Exports Bask In Better Returns In First Eight Months

By Vinod Nedumudy

  • Average export price in August US$1,637/ton, down 1.1% MoM
  • Vietnam exports 617,030 tons of rubber to China in Jan-July
  • Typhoon, rains cast shadow over yearly projections

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Daily Brief Indonesia: Lippo Karawaci and more

By | Daily Briefs, Indonesia

In today’s briefing:

  • Morning Views Asia: Bharti Airtel, Lippo Karawaci, Softbank Group


Morning Views Asia: Bharti Airtel, Lippo Karawaci, Softbank Group

By Leonard Law, CFA

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.


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Daily Brief Japan: Descente Ltd, T Gaia Corp, Ana Holdings, Softbank Group, Tokyo Metro, Sanwa Holdings, TSE Tokyo Price Index TOPIX, Honda Motor Co Ltd (Adr) and more

By | Daily Briefs, Japan

In today’s briefing:

  • Itochu (8001 JP) Lowball TOB for Descente (8114) Is Here – Trades Tight But No Big Holder Appeared
  • T-Gaia (3738 JP) – Potential Premium Takeout Story Turns To An Ugly Takeunder
  • T-Gaia (3738 JP): Reality Check as Bain Launches a Takeunder
  • Quiddity JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebal 2025: End-Sep 2024 Ranks
  • Softbank (9984 JP) – Despite the High NAV Discount, We See Greater Headwinds; Downgrading to Neutral
  • Descente (8114 JP): Itochu’s (8001 JP) Tender Offer Launches
  • Tokyo Metro IPO – Thoughts on Valuation
  • Sanwa Holdings (5929) | Revolving Door of Activist Influence
  • Not Many Companies Have Implemented Full-Scale Improvements in Return on Capital
  • Honda Motor Company: Will The Much Needed Strategic Shift Towards EVs Finally Pay Off? – Major Drivers


Itochu (8001 JP) Lowball TOB for Descente (8114) Is Here – Trades Tight But No Big Holder Appeared

By Travis Lundy

  • Today, Itochu Corp (8001 JP) announced that it had received SAMR approval and would launch its Tender Offer to take private its affiliate, Descente Ltd (8114 JP)
  • As warned last year, Descente is cheap on a forward basis due to very strong growth and profitability of Descente China Holdings but Itochu can downplay that future.
  • And indeed, it appear they did, and unless someone takes them to task, this probably gets done. So far, nobody has.

T-Gaia (3738 JP) – Potential Premium Takeout Story Turns To An Ugly Takeunder

By Travis Lundy

  • Today, just before the close, the Nikkei put out a scoop that Bain would buy T Gaia Corp (3738 JP) for ¥140bn. Sounds big. It was a 30% discount.
  • There is a three Tender Offer process whereby minorities, who could be squeezed out regardless, are offered the opportunity to block the deal by not tendering at ¥2,670.
  • This not-quite “majority of minority” of the super-minority is an interesting governance condition established by the Special Committee. It bears some study.

T-Gaia (3738 JP): Reality Check as Bain Launches a Takeunder

By Arun George

  • T Gaia Corp (3738 JP) disclosed a Bain tender offer at JPY2,670, a 35.9% premium to the undisturbed price but a 27.2% discount to the last close.
  • Bain has set the minimum number of shares to be purchased at a 12.67% ownership ratio to appease the Board, which has a neutral recommendation. 
  • Bain hopes the offer’s harsh reality check will burst the share price bubble, nudging minorities to accept. An auction process suggests that the chance of a competing offer is low.   

Quiddity JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebal 2025: End-Sep 2024 Ranks

By Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

  • JPX-Nikkei 400 is composed of common stocks listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It is a free-float-adjusted market-value-weighted (capped) index composed of 400 constituents.
  • A periodic review is conducted by the Index providers, the JPX Group and Nikkei Inc, in August every year. We look at the potential forward inclusions and removals every month.
  • Below is a look at potential Inclusions and Removals for the JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebalance to come in August 2025 based on trading data as of end-September 2024.

Softbank (9984 JP) – Despite the High NAV Discount, We See Greater Headwinds; Downgrading to Neutral

By Victor Galliano

  • The SoftBank NAV discount is historically high, which makes it appear optically attractive; despite this, we turn neutral on SoftBank group from our previous positive recommendation, due to its headwinds
  • JPY strength is a key challenge, especially since the new Japanese prime minister supports the BoJ normalising monetary policy; this means BoJ tightening whilst many other central banks are easing
  • Arm Holdings’ super premium valuation versus its peers is another potential headwind for SoftBank group shares and NAV, combined with the high correlation between Arm Holdings and SoftBank group shares

Descente (8114 JP): Itochu’s (8001 JP) Tender Offer Launches

By Arun George

  • Descente Ltd (8114 JP) has announced that Itochu Corp (8001 JP)’s tender offer precondition has been satisfied. The offer terms are unchanged at JPY4,350 per share. 
  • The offer is arguably light due to the peer re-rating and historical trading ranges. It is also below the midpoint of the special committee’s IFA DCF valuation range. 
  • Nevertheless, the offer will likely succeed. There is no vocal opposition, the volume traded through terms is low, and the offer implies a premium multiple compared to peers. 

Tokyo Metro IPO – Thoughts on Valuation

By Sumeet Singh

  • Tokyo Metro (9023 JP)‘s shareholders aim to raise up to US$2.3bn in its Japan IPO.
  • Tokyo Metro (TKM) is one of the two metro network operators in the Tokyo region. It operates nine subway lines with a total of 180 stations.
  • We have looked at the company’s past performance in our previous notes. In this note, we will talk about valuations.

Sanwa Holdings (5929) | Revolving Door of Activist Influence

By Mark Chadwick

  • ValueAct Capital took a significant 5.9% stake in Sanwa. Dalton Investments has also been a shareholder, but had most recently sold down to under 5% in June
  • Sanwa Holdings (5929 JP)  presents an attractive investment opportunity rooted in its strong global market position, undervalued stock price, and growth potential
  • We see 30% upside, based off historical revenue growth, 11% EBIT margins, and an exit multiple of 12.5x (global peers).

Not Many Companies Have Implemented Full-Scale Improvements in Return on Capital

By Aki Matsumoto

  • Certainly, the “TSE’s request” has begun to change companies’ mindsets, but what we focus on now is whether they have put the plan into action and whether it’s producing results.
  • The importance of investor engagement is also indicated in the Japan Investor Relations Association’s survey summary. Companies that receive overseas investor engagement are furthering their efforts to improve profitability.
  • Even among companies with high IR awareness, few have taken serious steps to reform their business portfolios, as under 60% have begun to reform business portfolios.

Honda Motor Company: Will The Much Needed Strategic Shift Towards EVs Finally Pay Off? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Honda Motor Co., Ltd. recently reported its financial results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, marking a period of significant transformation and adaptation in the face of ongoing global economic fluctuations, particularly in the key markets like the U.S., China, and new energy vehicle (NEV) sectors.
  • This summary provides a balanced view, underscoring both opportunities and challenges the company faces as it navigates complex market dynamics.
  • Baptista Research looks to evaluate the different factors that could influence the company’s price in the near future and attempts to carry out an independent valuation of the company using a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) methodology.

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Daily Brief India: Swiggy, CE Info Systems (MapmyIndia), Biocon Ltd, Lippo Karawaci and more

By | Daily Briefs, India

In today’s briefing:

  • Swiggy Pre-IPO Tearsheet
  • C.E. Info Systems (Mapmyindia)- Forensic Analysis
  • Biocon Biologics – New Issue Assessment – Lucror Analytics
  • Morning Views Asia: Bharti Airtel, Lippo Karawaci, Softbank Group


Swiggy Pre-IPO Tearsheet

By Akshat Shah

  • Swiggy (1255298D IN) Swiggy is looking to raise about US$1.25bn in its upcoming India IPO. The deal will be run by Kotak, Citi, Jefferies, Avendus, JPM, BofA and ICICI.
  • Swiggy Limited (Swiggy) is a business to commerce (B2C) marketplace company offering users a platform for ordering grocery and household items (Instamart) and food delivery, through its on-demand delivery network.
  • The platform can also be used to make restaurant reservations (Dineout), event bookings (SteppinOut), product pick-up/drop-off services (Genie) and other hyperlocal commerce activities (Swiggy Minis).

C.E. Info Systems (Mapmyindia)- Forensic Analysis

By Nitin Mangal

  • CE Info Systems (MapmyIndia) (1052633Z IN) is one of the leading Indian players engaged in advanced digital maps, geospatial software and location-based IoT technologies. It launched its IPO in 2021
  • Since its IPO, MAPPLS has embarked on a growth journey since then. It also boasts high margins & ROCE due to its asset light model.
  • While the balance sheet looks good, one might have to check on the speedy receivables and trend of commission expenses.

Biocon Biologics – New Issue Assessment – Lucror Analytics

By Trung Nguyen

Biocon Biologics launched a roadshow last week to market its USD 5NC2 144A/RegS notes offering. The expected issue rating is BB/BB by S&P/Fitch. The proceeds will be used to refinance an outstanding syndicated loan facility obtained for the acquisition of Viatris’ global biosimilars business for USD 3.335 bn in May 2022.

We see fair value for the proposed 5NC2 bonds at 7%.


Morning Views Asia: Bharti Airtel, Lippo Karawaci, Softbank Group

By Leonard Law, CFA

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.


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Daily Brief China: China Galaxy Securities (H), Crude Oil, Tencent, Midea Group Co Ltd A, ZTO Express Cayman , Hive Box Holdings and more

By | China, Daily Briefs

In today’s briefing:

  • A/H Premium Tracker (To 27 Sep 2024): Hs Outperforming Explosive Chinese Stimulus
  • Global FX and Commodities: Everything Everywhere All at once
  • Tencent/Netease: One Approval for Tencent in September
  • Midea HK Listing: Take Profit
  • Logistics Shift to Quality Amid Evolved Ecommerce Plans
  • Hive Box Holdings Pre-IPO, Part 3: Hive Box Vs InPost Group: Similarities & (BIG) Differences


A/H Premium Tracker (To 27 Sep 2024): Hs Outperforming Explosive Chinese Stimulus

By Travis Lundy

  • Everything changed this past week. China has launched major public stimulus programs which seem open-ended. They are less about money and more about greasing the wheels of risk.
  • It still requires that OTHER PEOPLE take risk. Shorts covered. New speculative longs made. Better financing but still the same recourse. 
  • But everything is going up. And believe it or not, Hs are outperforming As. Broker and Bank Hs seem like the right place to be.

Global FX and Commodities: Everything Everywhere All at once

By At Any Rate

  • Commodity markets are down despite stimulatory measures from China, with oil prices falling due to increased supply from Libya and OPEC plus alliance
  • China’s demand outlook for oil remains steady, with forecasts for oil demand growth unchanged despite stimulus measures
  • Base metals, particularly copper, have seen a price increase due to stronger demand impulses from China, with bullish outlook and potential upside risks for the first half of 2025

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


Tencent/Netease: One Approval for Tencent in September

By Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

  • China announced game approval for the September batch. The number of games approved remained at a higher level than 2023.
  • The pace of China game approval appears to have accelerated to the same level as pre-tightening.
  • Of the companies that we are monitoring, Tencent and Kingsoft got one approval each.

Midea HK Listing: Take Profit

By Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

  • Midea debuted on HKEx on 17th September and shares last closed at HK$74.25 per share, up by about 35% compared to final HK offer price of HK$54.80 apiece.
  • We previously suggested that Midea’s HK offering was attractive as HK shares were priced at a 25% discount to its A-shares, and was at a discount to Haier Smart Homes.
  • The PBOC announced several measures to revive the housing market in the country which contributed to the recent rally in the China home appliance sector.

Logistics Shift to Quality Amid Evolved Ecommerce Plans

By Robert McKay

  • Amid fierce low-price competition in 1H24, low-end couriers  benefited from merchant demand for cheap logistics. However, new platform policies suggest greater emphasis on quality logistics and O2O in 2H24;
  • The shift towards higher-end logistics is manifesting through O2O. Spearheaded by Meituan, O2O is an experiment to copy Coupang’s business model in China. We believe there is a sizable market;
  • We see ZTO as best positioned amid the changing environment, JDL least impacted, with J&T and SFE in the least favorable positions.

Hive Box Holdings Pre-IPO, Part 3: Hive Box Vs InPost Group: Similarities & (BIG) Differences

By Daniel Hellberg

  • In this insight we compare Hive Box to InPost, a smart locker specialist
  • The firms play in different geographies, making apples:apples comps tough
  • In the absence of better comps, comparing Hive Box to InPost still useful

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Most Read: Shin Kong Financial Holding, Korea Zinc, Descente Ltd, T Gaia Corp, Wonik Ips, Tokyo Metro, China Galaxy Securities (H), Ana Holdings and more

By | Daily Briefs, Most Read

In today’s briefing:

  • Shin Kong (2888 TT) Deal – Activism, Proxy Advice, Proxy Fight, Voting Risk, and Discounts
  • Tokyo Metro (9023 JP) IPO:  TPX Inclusion in November; Global Indices: One in October, One in Feb
  • Latest Forecast for Korea Zinc’s Tendering Rate
  • Itochu (8001 JP) Lowball TOB for Descente (8114) Is Here – Trades Tight But No Big Holder Appeared
  • T-Gaia (3738 JP) – Potential Premium Takeout Story Turns To An Ugly Takeunder
  • T-Gaia (3738 JP): Reality Check as Bain Launches a Takeunder
  • FnGuide Semiconductor Top10 Index Rebalance Preview: Wonik IPS to Replace ISC
  • Tokyo Metro IPO – Peer Comparison – Pre-COVID to 1Q25
  • A/H Premium Tracker (To 27 Sep 2024): Hs Outperforming Explosive Chinese Stimulus
  • Quiddity JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebal 2025: End-Sep 2024 Ranks


Shin Kong (2888 TT) Deal – Activism, Proxy Advice, Proxy Fight, Voting Risk, and Discounts

By Travis Lundy


Tokyo Metro (9023 JP) IPO:  TPX Inclusion in November; Global Indices: One in October, One in Feb

By Brian Freitas

  • Tokyo Metro (9023 JP)‘s listing has been approved by the JPX and the stock is expected to start trading on the Prime Market from 23 October.
  • At the reported indicative IPO price of JPY 1100/share, Tokyo Metro (9023 JP) will be valued at JPY 639.1bn (US$4.49bn).
  • The stock should be added to one global index on 29 October, to the TOPIX INDEX on 28 November, while another global index inclusion will need to wait till February.

Latest Forecast for Korea Zinc’s Tendering Rate

By Sanghyun Park

  • Overseas institutions might tender around 4%, locals about 6%, giving a realistic max of 10%. MBK may struggle to even reach that minimum of 7%.
  • Mirae Asset and Samsung Life, holding the largest portion of the targetable stakes, hinted they’ll participate in the tender but won’t tender all their shares.
  • Allocation risk for the tender is minimal, but cancellation risk remains. MBK may barely exceed the 7% minimum, making predictions tough and reducing chances of a post-tender stock price drop.

Itochu (8001 JP) Lowball TOB for Descente (8114) Is Here – Trades Tight But No Big Holder Appeared

By Travis Lundy

  • Today, Itochu Corp (8001 JP) announced that it had received SAMR approval and would launch its Tender Offer to take private its affiliate, Descente Ltd (8114 JP)
  • As warned last year, Descente is cheap on a forward basis due to very strong growth and profitability of Descente China Holdings but Itochu can downplay that future.
  • And indeed, it appear they did, and unless someone takes them to task, this probably gets done. So far, nobody has.

T-Gaia (3738 JP) – Potential Premium Takeout Story Turns To An Ugly Takeunder

By Travis Lundy

  • Today, just before the close, the Nikkei put out a scoop that Bain would buy T Gaia Corp (3738 JP) for ¥140bn. Sounds big. It was a 30% discount.
  • There is a three Tender Offer process whereby minorities, who could be squeezed out regardless, are offered the opportunity to block the deal by not tendering at ¥2,670.
  • This not-quite “majority of minority” of the super-minority is an interesting governance condition established by the Special Committee. It bears some study.

T-Gaia (3738 JP): Reality Check as Bain Launches a Takeunder

By Arun George

  • T Gaia Corp (3738 JP) disclosed a Bain tender offer at JPY2,670, a 35.9% premium to the undisturbed price but a 27.2% discount to the last close.
  • Bain has set the minimum number of shares to be purchased at a 12.67% ownership ratio to appease the Board, which has a neutral recommendation. 
  • Bain hopes the offer’s harsh reality check will burst the share price bubble, nudging minorities to accept. An auction process suggests that the chance of a competing offer is low.   

FnGuide Semiconductor Top10 Index Rebalance Preview: Wonik IPS to Replace ISC

By Brian Freitas


Tokyo Metro IPO – Peer Comparison – Pre-COVID to 1Q25

By Sumeet Singh

  • Tokyo Metro (9023 JP)‘s  shareholders aim to raise up to US$2.3bn in its Japan IPO.
  • Tokyo Metro (TKM) is one of the two metro network operators in the Tokyo region. It operates nine subway lines with a total of 180 stations.
  • We have looked at the company’s past performance in our previous note. In this note, we will undertake a peer comparison.

A/H Premium Tracker (To 27 Sep 2024): Hs Outperforming Explosive Chinese Stimulus

By Travis Lundy

  • Everything changed this past week. China has launched major public stimulus programs which seem open-ended. They are less about money and more about greasing the wheels of risk.
  • It still requires that OTHER PEOPLE take risk. Shorts covered. New speculative longs made. Better financing but still the same recourse. 
  • But everything is going up. And believe it or not, Hs are outperforming As. Broker and Bank Hs seem like the right place to be.

Quiddity JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebal 2025: End-Sep 2024 Ranks

By Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

  • JPX-Nikkei 400 is composed of common stocks listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It is a free-float-adjusted market-value-weighted (capped) index composed of 400 constituents.
  • A periodic review is conducted by the Index providers, the JPX Group and Nikkei Inc, in August every year. We look at the potential forward inclusions and removals every month.
  • Below is a look at potential Inclusions and Removals for the JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebalance to come in August 2025 based on trading data as of end-September 2024.

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Daily Brief Industrials: Ana Holdings, Shinsegae Eng & Construction, Doosan Robotics , Tokyo Metro, Sanwa Holdings, Credit Bureau Asia, ZTO Express Cayman , Plug Power Inc, Roper Technologies, ITT and more

By | Daily Briefs, Industrials

In today’s briefing:

  • Quiddity JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebal 2025: End-Sep 2024 Ranks
  • Shinsegae E&C (034300 KS)’s Delisting Offer
  • End of Mandatory Lock-Up Periods for 39 Companies in Korea in October 2024
  • Tokyo Metro IPO – Thoughts on Valuation
  • Sanwa Holdings (5929) | Revolving Door of Activist Influence
  • Give Credit Where Credit Is Due
  • Logistics Shift to Quality Amid Evolved Ecommerce Plans
  • Plug Power Inc.: Expanded Production Capacity and Green Hydrogen Plant Projects Drive Our Optimism! – Major Drivers
  • Roper Technologies Inc.: Enhanced Product Integration and SaaS Solutions Catalyzing Growth! – Major Drivers
  • ITT Inc.: Will The Acquisition of kSARIA Be A Game Changer? – Major Drivers


Quiddity JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebal 2025: End-Sep 2024 Ranks

By Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

  • JPX-Nikkei 400 is composed of common stocks listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It is a free-float-adjusted market-value-weighted (capped) index composed of 400 constituents.
  • A periodic review is conducted by the Index providers, the JPX Group and Nikkei Inc, in August every year. We look at the potential forward inclusions and removals every month.
  • Below is a look at potential Inclusions and Removals for the JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebalance to come in August 2025 based on trading data as of end-September 2024.

Shinsegae E&C (034300 KS)’s Delisting Offer

By David Blennerhassett

  • Construction services play Shinsegae E&C (034300 KS) has announced a Tender Offer from E Mart  (139480 KS) for 27.33% of shares out, at ₩18,300/share, a 14% premium to undisturbed.
  • E Mart holds 70.46% – and the company holds 2.21% in treasuries – therefore, E Mart  requires ~22% of the remaining ~27% held by minorities to tender and force delisting. 
  • Super clean deal.  E Mart will acquire all shares tendered. The Offer  kicks off today, and closes on the 29th October. There is no minimum tendering % condition.

End of Mandatory Lock-Up Periods for 39 Companies in Korea in October 2024

By Douglas Kim

  • We discuss the end of the mandatory lock-up periods for 39 stocks in Korea in October 2024, among which four are in KOSPI and 35 are in KOSDAQ.
  • These 39 stocks on average could be subject to further selling pressures in October and could underperform relative to the market.
  • The top three market cap stocks including those of which at least 1% of outstanding shares could be sold in October are Korea Zinc, Doosan Robotics, and Kolon TissueGene. 

Tokyo Metro IPO – Thoughts on Valuation

By Sumeet Singh

  • Tokyo Metro (9023 JP)‘s shareholders aim to raise up to US$2.3bn in its Japan IPO.
  • Tokyo Metro (TKM) is one of the two metro network operators in the Tokyo region. It operates nine subway lines with a total of 180 stations.
  • We have looked at the company’s past performance in our previous notes. In this note, we will talk about valuations.

Sanwa Holdings (5929) | Revolving Door of Activist Influence

By Mark Chadwick

  • ValueAct Capital took a significant 5.9% stake in Sanwa. Dalton Investments has also been a shareholder, but had most recently sold down to under 5% in June
  • Sanwa Holdings (5929 JP)  presents an attractive investment opportunity rooted in its strong global market position, undervalued stock price, and growth potential
  • We see 30% upside, based off historical revenue growth, 11% EBIT margins, and an exit multiple of 12.5x (global peers).

Give Credit Where Credit Is Due

By The Mikro Kap

  • The company is headquartered in Singapore and listed under the ticker $TCU.SI

  • As the name implies, CBA is a credit bureau business that operates across Asia.

  • It currently has operations in Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Myanmar, with plans to expand in China and Vietnam shortly.


Logistics Shift to Quality Amid Evolved Ecommerce Plans

By Robert McKay

  • Amid fierce low-price competition in 1H24, low-end couriers  benefited from merchant demand for cheap logistics. However, new platform policies suggest greater emphasis on quality logistics and O2O in 2H24;
  • The shift towards higher-end logistics is manifesting through O2O. Spearheaded by Meituan, O2O is an experiment to copy Coupang’s business model in China. We believe there is a sizable market;
  • We see ZTO as best positioned amid the changing environment, JDL least impacted, with J&T and SFE in the least favorable positions.

Plug Power Inc.: Expanded Production Capacity and Green Hydrogen Plant Projects Drive Our Optimism! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Plug Power’s latest financial earnings for the second quarter of 2024 showcase a complex mix of achievements and ongoing challenges.
  • The company’s progress in the hydrogen economy reflects both substantial strategic advances and areas where market conditions have tempered growth expectations.
  • Positively, Plug Power has achieved significant milestones in scaling up its hydrogen production capabilities.

Roper Technologies Inc.: Enhanced Product Integration and SaaS Solutions Catalyzing Growth! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Roper Technologies recently disclosed their financial performance for the second quarter of 2024, with the presentation focused on solid quarterly achievements and updating fiscal guidance.
  • The company, a diversified technology firm, visually demonstrated its continual growth and groundwork for future investments particularly simplifying operational processes and broadening its market presence through strategic acquisitions.
  • Baptista Research looks to evaluate the different factors that could influence the company’s price in the near future and attempts to carry out an independent valuation of the company using a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) methodology.

ITT Inc.: Will The Acquisition of kSARIA Be A Game Changer? – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • ITT’s 2024 second quarter earnings call reflected a robust period of growth and strategic positioning bolstered by significant commercial wins and streamlined operations.
  • The tone conveyed by CEO Luca Savi and CFO Emmanuel Caprais revealed a company making deliberate strides in expanding its market foothold, particularly within high-margin, high-growth sectors.
  • Baptista Research looks to evaluate the different factors that could influence the company’s price in the near future and attempts to carry out an independent valuation of the company using a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) methodology.

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Daily Brief Energy/Materials: Crude Oil, Korea Zinc, Copper, Harbour Energy, Energy Absolute, Natural Gas, Petroleos Mexicanos, NOV , Iron Ore and more

By | Daily Briefs, Energy & Materials Sector

In today’s briefing:

  • Global FX and Commodities: Everything Everywhere All at once
  • (Mostly) Asia M&A, Sep 2024: GTJA/Haitong Sec, Korea Zinc/YPP, Hotel Property, Virgin Money, Raysum
  • Did China Just Trigger Commodity Markets?
  • US Rig Count Drops for Second Straight Week as Oil Rigs Decline
  • Harbour Energy (HBR) – Sunday, Jun 30, 2024
  • Energy Absolute: Trying to Be a B+ Credit
  • [US Nat Gas Options Weekly 2024/39] Henry Hub Jumps on Shrinking Storage Surplus and Healthy Demand
  • Initiating Coverage on Pemex: Set to Outperform on Reclassification Potential
  • NOV Inc.: International & Offshore Markets Expansion & Expansion Into Renewables Catalyzing Growth!
  • [IO Technicals Weekly 2024/​39] Iron Ore Surges on China Stimulus


Global FX and Commodities: Everything Everywhere All at once

By At Any Rate

  • Commodity markets are down despite stimulatory measures from China, with oil prices falling due to increased supply from Libya and OPEC plus alliance
  • China’s demand outlook for oil remains steady, with forecasts for oil demand growth unchanged despite stimulus measures
  • Base metals, particularly copper, have seen a price increase due to stronger demand impulses from China, with bullish outlook and potential upside risks for the first half of 2025

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


(Mostly) Asia M&A, Sep 2024: GTJA/Haitong Sec, Korea Zinc/YPP, Hotel Property, Virgin Money, Raysum

By David Blennerhassett

  • For the month of September 2024, 15 new transactions (firm and non-binding) were discussed on Smartkarma with an overall announced deal size of ~US$23bn
  • The average premium for the new transactions announced (or first discussed) in September was ~43%. The average premium YTD is ~44%
  • This compares to the average premium for transactions in 2023 (117 transactions), 2022 (106), 2021 (165), 2020 (158), and 2019 (145 ) of 39%, 41%, 33%, 31%, and 31% respectively.

Did China Just Trigger Commodity Markets?

By The Commodity Report

  • Did China Just Trigger Commodity Markets?
  • China’s central bank last week announced a new stimulus package to the economy to curb the growth decline that is still going on.
  • Chinese stocks jumped and also “Chinese-linked commodity prices” like soy, copper and steel gained momentum as Governor Pan Gongsheng announced plans to lower borrowing costs and inject more funds into the economy, as well as to ease households’ mortgage repayment burden.

US Rig Count Drops for Second Straight Week as Oil Rigs Decline

By Suhas Reddy

  • US rig count declined by one to 587 for the week ending 27/Sep, marking the sixth drop in seven weeks. Despite this, the rig count increased by six in Q3.
  • The US oil rig count fell by four to 484 after staying flat last week. Gas rigs rose by three to 99, marking its second increase in six weeks.
  • For the week ending 27/Sep, US energy producers added one rig in Texas and cut two in New Mexico and one in Louisiana.  

Harbour Energy (HBR) – Sunday, Jun 30, 2024

By Value Investors Club

  • Harbour Energy plans to acquire Wintershall Dea’s non-Russian upstream assets, which will triple its 2p resources, increase production, lower operating costs, and boost free cash flow
  • This move will reduce HBR’s reliance on the UK Continental Shelf and diversify its resource base
  • Despite concerns about the future of UK oil and gas producers, HBR’s stock presents a potential upside of over 100% within the next 12-18 months, making it an attractive investment opportunity.

This content is sourced through publicly available sources and has been machine generated. Information displayed is for general informational purposes only. This article was originally published 3 months ago on Value Investors Club.


Energy Absolute: Trying to Be a B+ Credit

By Warut Promboon

  • This flash note is an update for our readers on the indicative probability of default for Energy Absolute Public Company Limited (EA).
  • We plotted EA’s probability of default, using Criat’s iRAP Global Plus PD Toolkit (iRap), against its peers, and we believe the chart indicated a high probability of default still.
  • Given a lack of reliable bond quotes in the THB bond market, we continue to issue our report on EA without a recommendation.

[US Nat Gas Options Weekly 2024/39] Henry Hub Jumps on Shrinking Storage Surplus and Healthy Demand

By Suhas Reddy

  • US natural gas prices jumped 19.2% for the week ending 27/Sept, marking the largest weekly increase since November 2023, driven by strong demand and concerns over supply cuts.
  • Henry Hub Put/Call volume ratio fell to 1.03 (27/Sep) from 1.69 the previous week as put volumes fell by 45.5% WoW, while call volumes declined by 10.1%.
  • Put OI increased for contracts expiring in October and November, while call OI rose for expiries in December, January, February, and March.

Initiating Coverage on Pemex: Set to Outperform on Reclassification Potential

By Leandro Gubler

  • We are initiating coverage on PEMEX with an Outperform recommendation.
  • We think the potential reclassification to a public company will lead to an improved credit profile, resulting in spread compression due to the increased linkage with the sovereign.
  • We prefer the PEMEX (B3/BBB/B+) 5.950% 2031, PEMEX 6.625% 2038, and PEMEX 7.690% 2050 bonds, as they are trading wide to the overall PEMEX curve.

NOV Inc.: International & Offshore Markets Expansion & Expansion Into Renewables Catalyzing Growth!

By Baptista Research

  • NOV Inc. has reported a strong performance in the second quarter of 2024, with revenues reaching $2.22 billion, indicating a 6% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
  • Notably, international markets demonstrated double-digit growth, and the offshore sector grew by 6%, contrasting with a slight 1% decline in North American sales.
  • The company achieved a net income of $226 million or $0.57 per fully diluted share, an improvement from the previous year.

[IO Technicals Weekly 2024/​39] Iron Ore Surges on China Stimulus

By Pranay Yadav

  • SGX Iron Ore futures surged by $10.24/ton to $102.09/ton last week, hitting the highest level since July, driven by China’s stimulus announcement.
  • A bullish technical signal emerged as the 9-day moving average crossed over the 21-day, yet RSI overbought levels (72.35) suggest a potential correction.
  • Trading volume spiked mid-week but thinned near $105/ton, indicating waning volume above $100/ton and setting up volatility for a short-term price drop.

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Daily Brief Financials: China Galaxy Securities (H), COG Financial Services, Intercontinental Exchange, Lippo Karawaci, The International Stock Exchange and more

By | Daily Briefs, Financials

In today’s briefing:

  • A/H Premium Tracker (To 27 Sep 2024): Hs Outperforming Explosive Chinese Stimulus
  • COG Financial Services (ASX:COG)
  • Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE): Expansion into Digital Mortgage Infrastructure & Leveraging Fixed Income Growth! – Major Drivers
  • Morning Views Asia: Bharti Airtel, Lippo Karawaci, Softbank Group
  • The International Stock Exchange (TISE): Strong bounce back continues


A/H Premium Tracker (To 27 Sep 2024): Hs Outperforming Explosive Chinese Stimulus

By Travis Lundy

  • Everything changed this past week. China has launched major public stimulus programs which seem open-ended. They are less about money and more about greasing the wheels of risk.
  • It still requires that OTHER PEOPLE take risk. Shorts covered. New speculative longs made. Better financing but still the same recourse. 
  • But everything is going up. And believe it or not, Hs are outperforming As. Broker and Bank Hs seem like the right place to be.

COG Financial Services (ASX:COG)

By Hurdle Rate

  • Following on from my decision to pass on Euroz another company I looked further into was COG Financial Services.
  • Unitholders may be well familiar with this already as the second bidder for Diverger, and substantial shareholder of Centrepoint Alliance (Given I invested in both this says something about their capital allocation).
  • COG is another financial services business operating predominately in the space of asset finance brokering and lending. 

Intercontinental Exchange Inc. (ICE): Expansion into Digital Mortgage Infrastructure & Leveraging Fixed Income Growth! – Major Drivers

By Baptista Research

  • Intercontinental Exchange’s second quarter 2024 financial results demonstrate a dynamic performance with several growth facets tempered by areas needing attention.
  • The company reported record net revenues totaling $2.3 billion, reflecting a 7% increase on a pro forma basis compared to the previous year.
  • This growth is supported by acquisition synergies, notably from the acquisition of Black Knight, which has been integrated within its operations to bolster revenue streams.Baptista Research looks to evaluate the different factors that could influence the company’s price in the near future and attempts to carry out an independent valuation of the company using a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) methodology.

Morning Views Asia: Bharti Airtel, Lippo Karawaci, Softbank Group

By Leonard Law, CFA

Lucror Analytics Morning Views comprise our fundamental credit analysis, opinions and trade recommendations on high yield issuers in the region, based on key company-specific developments in the past 24 hours. Our Morning Views include a section with a brief market commentary, key market indicators and a macroeconomic and corporate event calendar.


The International Stock Exchange (TISE): Strong bounce back continues

By Hardman & Co

  • The International Stock Exchange (TISE) had an excellent half year to June 2024: revenue was up 22% to £6.4m and fully diluted EPS +27% to 105p.
  • The second interim dividend was raised 67% to 75p, reflecting the new, higher payout, dividend policy.
  • The performance, once again, demonstrates the strength of the business, this time against a background of more active markets.

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