Insight Provider, CrossASEAN Research

Nicolas Van Broekhoven

Was on the buyside for 15 years, most recently at a medium-sized boutique asset management firm. I grew up in Europe, went to university in the US and have been living in Singapore for the last 7 years which has given me a broad scope on the world and investing in general.

Consider myself a generalist investor with a preference for small and mid-cap companies and special situations. However, a large cap that has gone temporarily out of favor might also pique my interest. 

My style of investing could be categorized as more of value investor, rather than growth at any cost. Learning from Charlie Munger on the importance of quality of a company has been of tremendous value over the years.I like businesses with real earnings, cash flows, dividends, book value and insider ownership.

Insight Provider

Indonesian Coal = the New Tobacco? Dividend Bonanza Coming: 48-65% Dividend Yields Possible

Adaro Energy (ADRO IJ) - Riding the Coal Wave into Diversification

The Week That Was in ASEAN@Smartkarma - Adaro's Sustainability, ROTI's Diversification, and BUKA.

Discover Singapore: GEO Energy Resources-Betting on Indo Coal Exports to China; Trades at 4x '19 P/E

GEO Energy (GERL SP): Doubling Down on Coal by Acquiring Two Indonesian Mines for 25M USD

Geo Energy (GERL SP): Distressed Bonds and Share Price Versus Optimistic Management; Who Is Right?

Morning Views Asia: Gcl New Energy Holdings, Geo Energy Resources, Sritex

CrossASEAN Research

At CrossASEAN Research we strive to produce unbiased and differentiated on the ground insights on companies across South East Asia. Our Research is produced for the most part after face to face meetings and conversations with company management to dig deep into the long term vision and strategy of the companies we cover. We seek to deliver investable and actionable themes on sectors and markets across SE Asia, often in collaboration with other Insight Providers across the region, pooling the vast experience of the analysts within the Smartkarma Ecosystem. We also offer bespoke work and tailor made trips for our clients. 

Insights across South East Asia

Equity Bottom-Up

It has been almost two years since we last wrote about <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/geo-energy-resources-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8717:1" rel="noopener">Geo Energy Resources (GERL SP)</a>. Our last insight can be found here <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/geo-energy-gerl-sp-distressed-bonds-and-share-price-versus-optimistic-management-who-is-right" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:34887" rel="noopener">Geo Energy (GERL SP): Distressed Bonds and Share Price Versus Optimistic Management; Who Is Right?</a> How things have changed!Back in late 2019, the coal price was hovering between 20-30 USD, Macquarie had bought 5% of the company for 0.29 SGD/share in November 2018 and Geo was generating losses as the coal price was below its cost of production. Entering 4Q21 the coal price is at stratospheric highs (117 USD for October 2021 delivery) and Geo is earning record profits.In a public disclosure, the company announced it made 26.5M USD in EBITDA in July 2021 alone. This was with coal prices around +/-50 USD/ton. Today coal prices are well over 100 USD. We estimate at current prices Geo is making at least 45M-50M USD in EBITDA every month! Compare this to the market cap of 320M USD currently. In 2H EBITDA at current market prices could total +/- 225M USD alone. 1H2021 EBITDA was 78M USD. Recall, Geo has no debt and 60M USD in cash.Mr. Market is slowly waking up to this reality pushing the stock up over 70% YTD (most of the gain came in the last few trading sessions). Many Indonesian-listed peers such as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/adaro-energy-tbk-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6061:1" rel="noopener">Adaro Energy (ADRO IJ)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tambang-batubara-bukit-asam" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1189:1" rel="noopener">Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA IJ)</a>, and coal contractor <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/united-tractors-tbk-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:698:1" rel="noopener">United Tractors (UNTR IJ)</a> have also underperformed vs the underlying commodity.  However, this is not true of US-listed peers such as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/consol-energy-inc-61c2f282-fc00-497d-9066-606d78f6fe82" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26245:1" rel="noopener">Consol Energy (CEIX US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/peabody-energy-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6430:1" rel="noopener">Peabody Energy (BTU US)</a> which are up 345% and 606% respectively YTD.We expect a 4Q21 catch-up trade-in Indonesian-related coal names that could be violent. While prices will surely cool off in 2022 they might not drop all the way below the cost of production once again. Geo has a 30% dividend policy so investors are sure to see massive dividends (est. 18% div yield) come March 2022. Board member Jim Rogers should hopefully make sure the cash is not squandered on doing an expensive M&amp;A deal but is returned to shareholders.

It has been almost two years since we last wrote about Geo Energy Resources (GERL SP). Our last insight can be found here Geo Energy (GERL SP): Distressed Bonds and Share Price Versus Optimistic Management; Who Is Right? How things have changed!Back in late 2019, the coal price was hovering between 20-30 USD, Macquarie had bought 5% of the company for 0.29 SGD/share in November 2018 and Geo was generating losses as the coal price was below its cost of production. Entering 4Q21 the coal price is at stratospheric highs (117 USD for October 2021 delivery) and Geo is earning record profits.In a public disclosure, the company announced it made 26.5M USD in EBITDA in July 2021 alone. This was with coal prices around +/-50 USD/ton. Today coal prices are well over 100 USD. We estimate at current prices Geo is making at least 45M-50M USD in EBITDA every month! Compare this to the market cap of 320M USD currently. In 2H EBITDA at current market prices could total +/- 225M USD alone. 1H2021 EBITDA was 78M USD. Recall, Geo has no debt and 60M USD in cash.Mr. Market is slowly waking up to this reality pushing the stock up over 70% YTD (most of the gain came in the last few trading sessions). Many Indonesian-listed peers such as Adaro Energy (ADRO IJ), Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam (PTBA IJ), and coal contractor United Tractors (UNTR IJ) have also underperformed vs the underlying commodity.  However, this is not true of US-listed peers such as Consol Energy (CEIX US) and Peabody Energy (BTU US) which are up 345% and 606% respectively YTD.We expect a 4Q21 catch-up trade-in Indonesian-related coal names that could be violent. While prices will surely cool off in 2022 they might not drop all the way below the cost of production once again. Geo has a 30% dividend policy so investors are sure to see massive dividends (est. 18% div yield) come March 2022. Board member Jim Rogers should hopefully make sure the cash is not squandered on doing an expensive M&amp;A deal but is returned to shareholders.

Geo Energy: Indonesian Coal Market Beneficiary Trading at Distressed Multiple