Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

A chartered management accountant with more than 10 years of rich experience in investment research and financial analysis. Worked as an equity analyst for one of the world's largest asset managers with USD2.5trn in AUM covering numerous sectors including chemicals, retail, tech, autos, telco, real-estate and banks, globally. Experienced in fundamental equity research, industry research, commodity studies, forensic accounting, and due diligence reviews.

Equity Analyst

China Online Marketplaces: Expecting Slow yet Steady Growth

Tencent: Internet VAS Business Still Playing Catch Up

TME: Online Music Drives Earnings; No Recovery in Sight for Social Entertainment Yet

Meituan: Scaling Back Ride-Hailing Business to Maintain Margins

Meituan: New Reporting Structure Conceals Loss-Making Businesses and Hard to Assess Core Businesses

Meituan to Hire 10k Employees to Compete with Douyin’s Food Delivery Business

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/meituan-dianping" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26970:1" rel="noopener">Meituan (3690 HK)</a> reported 4Q2022 results. Revenue increased 21.4% YoY to RMB60.1bn (vs consensus RMB57.7bn) while reported operating losses dropped to RMB732m (vs consensus RMB1.4bn) from RMB5.0bn in 4Q2021.</li>
<li>Covid outbreak in China in 4Q2022 led to strong growth in food delivery service revenues, however, losses have widened compared to 3Q2022 due to increased rider costs and others.</li>
<li>We expect Meituan’s top line growth to slow down and margins to remain under pressure with Douyin’s entry into food delivery and the company's expansion into Hong Kong.</li>
</ul>



Meituan (3690 HK) reported 4Q2022 results. Revenue increased 21.4% YoY to RMB60.1bn (vs consensus RMB57.7bn) while reported operating losses dropped to RMB732m (vs consensus RMB1.4bn) from RMB5.0bn in 4Q2021.
Covid outbreak in China in 4Q2022 led to strong growth in food delivery service revenues, however, losses have widened compared to 3Q2022 due to increased rider costs and others.
We expect Meituan’s top line growth to slow down and margins to remain under pressure with Douyin’s entry into food delivery and the company's expansion into Hong Kong.


Meituan: Pandemic Driven Top Line Growth Is Only Temporary