In today’s briefing:
- Coherent Sells $400 Million Unit To Advent—What Are They Hiding?
- Top 10 Korean Stock Picks and Key Catalysts Bi-Weekly (15 to 29 August 2025)
- China Healthcare Weekly (Aug.17) – GLP-1s Inflection Point, Novartis to Acquire Avidity Biosciences
- Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC ADR Premium Sees Small Breakdown; ASE Discount Long Opportunity
- Diamondback Energy: Initiation of Coverage- Unlocking Hidden Value Through Advanced Zone Development!
- Birla Opus: Grasim’s Game-Changing Play in India’s Decorative Paints Market
- EchoStar Corporation: Initiation Of Coverage- Betting Big on LEO Satellites – Will Direct-to-Device Services Capture the Market First?
- IDEXX Laboratories Hits 10
- Hillenbrand Stock Pops On Sale Rumors—Is A Bidding War Next?
- Fluor Corporation Navigates Trade Turbulence – Can It Keep Its Global Project Pipeline Strong?
Coherent Sells $400 Million Unit To Advent—What Are They Hiding?
- Coherent Corp has announced a strategic divestiture, selling its Aerospace and Defense (A&D) business unit to private equity firm Advent International for $400 million.
- The transaction, disclosed on August 13, 2025, marks a critical pivot in Coherent’s broader portfolio optimization initiative.
- As part of this deal, Coherent will relinquish approximately 550 employees and 10 global operational sites tied to the A&D division.
Top 10 Korean Stock Picks and Key Catalysts Bi-Weekly (15 to 29 August 2025)
- In this insight, we provide the top 10 stock picks and key catalysts in the Korean stock market for the two weeks (15 to 29 August 2025).
- Shipbuilding and rechargeable battery were two of the best performing sectors in the past two weeks.
- Top 10 picks in this bi-weekly include Samsung Electronics, LG Uplus, Hyundai Elevator, KT&G, KEPCO E&C, Dentium, NCsoft, JYP Entertainment, LG Chem, and Ecopro BM.
China Healthcare Weekly (Aug.17) – GLP-1s Inflection Point, Novartis to Acquire Avidity Biosciences
- Based on 25Q2 sales data of Semaglutide and Tirzepatide, the penetration rate of both T2D and weight loss indications is approaching ceiling. The inflection point of GLP-1 market has arrived.
- When the gap of clinical progress in EU/US markets is too large, these drugs may not even be on the same tier, and thus do not constitute substantive competition.
- Novartis has approached Avidity Biosciences with an acquisition offer. We think price range of $9-11B is justified by 3-5x peak sales multiples and strategic urgency.
Taiwan Dual-Listings Monitor: TSMC ADR Premium Sees Small Breakdown; ASE Discount Long Opportunity
- TSMC: +21.5% Premium; Historically High Short Interest in the Local Begins to Drop?
- ASE: -0.4% Discount; Opportunity to Go Long the ADR Premium
- UMC: +0.2% Premium; Wait for More Extreme Levels Before Going Long or Short the Spread
Diamondback Energy: Initiation of Coverage- Unlocking Hidden Value Through Advanced Zone Development!
- Diamondback Energy reported its second-quarter 2025 results, showcasing its consistent focus on enhancing shareholder value through operational efficiencies and strategic asset management.
- The company continues to leverage its expertise in acquiring and optimizing assets, particularly in the Permian Basin, where it has historically demonstrated proficiency in cost reduction and improved execution.
- One of the highlights of the quarter included successful integration of previous acquisitions, notably Endeavor, which was executed smoothly without operational disruptions.
Birla Opus: Grasim’s Game-Changing Play in India’s Decorative Paints Market
- Grasim’s Birla Opus has rapidly gained market share in India’s decorative paints sector, crossing the 10% organized market threshold in Q1FY26.
- Capacity is set to ~24% of organised industry, reinforcing a scale-led market share push even as incumbents intensify discounting in economy paints.
- With distribution densification, a service layer (PaintCraft), and premium skew, Birla Opus is building operating leverage; monitor execution through festive season and monsoon volatility.
EchoStar Corporation: Initiation Of Coverage- Betting Big on LEO Satellites – Will Direct-to-Device Services Capture the Market First?
- EchoStar Corporation’s second quarter 2025 financial performance reflects a combination of strategic initiatives and significant challenges, particularly in its interaction with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the communications market.
- The company’s overarching ambition is to maintain leadership in global communications through spectrum rights and technological advances, yet it is navigating regulatory complexities that impact these plans.
- The company’s primary setback stems from an FCC review of its spectrum licenses, including obligations related to 5G broadband service and its AWS-4 band rights.
IDEXX Laboratories Hits 10
- IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. reported robust financial results for the second quarter of 2025, underpinned by strong execution, particularly in their Companion Animal Group (CAG) business.
- The company’s revenue increased 11% as reported and 9% organically.
- Growth was driven notably by advancements in their CAG Diagnostic Recurring Revenues, which benefited from significant CAG instrument sales and a strong international performance.
Hillenbrand Stock Pops On Sale Rumors—Is A Bidding War Next?
- Hillenbrand’s fiscal third-quarter results for 2025 present a complex picture of strategic maneuvers amidst persistent economic challenges.
- On one hand, Hillenbrand has advanced its strategic objectives, focusing on simplifying its portfolio and reducing debt, evidenced by the divestiture of the Milacron Injection Molding & Extrusion (MIME) business and the sale of its minority interest in TerraSource.
- These divestitures generated a total of $380 million in net proceeds, which were channelled towards debt reduction, thereby enhancing the company’s balance sheet.
Fluor Corporation Navigates Trade Turbulence – Can It Keep Its Global Project Pipeline Strong?
- Fluor Corporation recently reported its second quarter earnings for 2025, which presented a mixed financial picture and an update on strategic activities.
- A major highlight was the announcement of converting 15 million NuScale Power (NuScale) Class B shares into Class A securities.
- This strategic move aims to enhance shareholder value and leverage their expertise in NuScale EPC, although the decrease in NuScale’s market performance presents challenges.
💡 Before it’s here, it’s on Smartkarma
Sign Up for Free
The Smartkarma Preview Pass is your entry to the Independent Investment Research Network
- ✓ Unlimited Research Summaries
- ✓ Personalised Alerts
- ✓ Custom Watchlists
- ✓ Company Data and News
- ✓ Events & Webinars
