Brief Hong Kong: TRADE IDEA – Toyota Industries (6201 JP): Close the Stub Trade and more

In this briefing:

1. TRADE IDEA – Toyota Industries (6201 JP): Close the Stub Trade
2. Last Week in GER Research: Softbank, TPG Telecom, Cstone Pharma, Ebang and Facebook
3. Maoyan Entertainment (猫眼娱乐) IPO: Lackluster Demand but CNY Blockbusters Could Be a Catalyst
4. SMFG (8316 JP): On Target But Drifting Off Radar

1. TRADE IDEA – Toyota Industries (6201 JP): Close the Stub Trade

In my original insight on December 11, 2018 TRADE IDEA – Toyota Industries (6201 JP) Stub: Riding the Automation Wave , I proposed setting up a stub trade to isolate the market leading materials handling and automotive components business of Toyota Industries (6201 JP) that was trading at an unwarranted 35% discount to NAV . During the 56 calendar days that followed, Toyota Industries (6201 JP) has gained an underwhelming 4% and the trade has made 1.96% on the gross notional. This hasn’t exactly been a trade to tell the grand-kids about, more or less a flat result but in this insight I will outline why I think the trade is over.

In this insight I will discuss:

• Performance of ALL my recommended stub trades
• a post-mortem trade analysis on the Toyota Industries stub
• alternative data support for my actions

2. Last Week in GER Research: Softbank, TPG Telecom, Cstone Pharma, Ebang and Facebook

In this version of the GER weekly research wrap, we dig into the debt tender for Softbank Group (9984 JP) and assess the merger between TPG Telecom Ltd (TPM AU) and VHA. On the IPO front, we initiate on CStone Pharma (CSTONE HK) while we update on Ebang (EBANG HK) . Finally, we dig into the beat at Facebook Inc A (FB US) and assess whether there are further legs for the investment case. We also provide a list of upcoming catalysts for upcoming event-driven ideas. 

More details can be found below. 

Best of luck for the new week – Rickin, Venkat and Arun

3. Maoyan Entertainment (猫眼娱乐) IPO: Lackluster Demand but CNY Blockbusters Could Be a Catalyst

Maoyan Entertainment was priced at HKD 14.8/share and will start trading today. We summarize the latest information with updates on our valuation in this short note, prior to the trading debut. Our recent studies on the movies slotted to launch during the Chinese New Year period suggest that the box office during the CNY period could be a positive catalyst to Maoyan, which lists right before the CNY. 

4. SMFG (8316 JP): On Target But Drifting Off Radar

Consolidated results for the nine months to end-December 2018, announced by SMFG (8306 JP) on 31 January 2019, represented 91% of management’s full-year target of ¥700 billion for consolidated net profits.  Nevertheless, 3Q results (October-December 2018) were well down year-on-year, with rising funding costs and higher credit costs offsetting much of the positives from the earlier deconsolidation of its two retail banking subsidiaries.  Full-year guidance remains unchanged.  SMFG is now poised to exceed its ¥700 billion FY3/2019 consolidated net profit target, although probably not by much.

The megabanks are always a ‘crowded trade’ for foreign investors when it comes to exposure to the Japanese banking sector: the choice usually coming down to either MUFG or SMFG.  Mizuho, which significantly outperformed both MUFG and SMFG throughout CY2018, is nominally the cheapest of the three megabanks on standard valuation methods; however, the difference between all three at present is marginal.  We expect that all three megabank groups will continue to see further downward pressure on domestic margins, while their overseas operations (especially in Asia) remain vulnerable to any further increases in US$ interest rates.  In the absence of any significant catalysts to prompt foreign investors to actively buy the shares, we expect all three megabanks to disappoint in terms of share price performance in CY2019.