IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

Arun has over 15 years’ experience covering the Technology sector. During this time, he has worked with technology start-ups and as an equity analyst in investment banks and independent research firms. He was formerly a Technology Analyst for Canaccord Genuity, Altium Securities, Espirito Santo Investment Bank, Noble Group and Clear Capital. He has a dual Master’s degree in Financial Engineering and Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. He is also a CFA charterholder.

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Dingdong IPO Initiation: An Arms Race Is Brewing

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Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

Equity Capital Markets

<div><p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/missfresh-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33468:1" rel="noopener">Missfresh (MF US)</a> is an online grocery platform in China. Missfresh notes that it ranked first in China’s on-demand DMW (distributed mini-warehouse) retail industry in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and ranked second in 2020 as measured by GMV (gross merchandise value), according to iResearch. Missfresh is backed by Shunwei China Internet Fund IV (12.4% of outstanding shares, 3.8% of voting power) and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a> (8.1% of outstanding shares, 2.5% of voting power). </p></div><div><p>At the mid-point of the proposed IPO price range of $13.00-16.00 per ADS, Missfresh will have a market cap of $3.4 billion. At the mid-point of the IPO price range, the net proceeds are $279.2 million, below the rumoured $500 million raise target. Missfresh has received $90 million indications of interest from CIC ($40 million), Tencent ($20 million), Davis Selected Partner Advisors ($10 million), Genesis Capital ($10 million) and Vision Plus Capital ($10 million). </p></div><div><p>In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/missfresh-ipo-initiation-no-so-fresh" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:53139" rel="noopener">Missfresh IPO Initiation: No so Fresh</a>, we stated that Missfresh was a beneficiary of the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in an exceptional 1Q20. However, the performance since 1Q20 has been lacklustre as Missfresh is facing the twin challenges of tough competition and a partial reversal of consumer behaviour. While the recent fundraisings to support <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pinduoduo-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27250:1" rel="noopener">Pinduoduo (PDD US)</a> (Duo Duo Maicai) and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/meituan-dianping" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26970:1" rel="noopener">Meituan (3690 HK)</a>’s online grocery delivery platforms underscores the opportunity, it also suggests that Missfresh will find it harder to compete and generate shareholder returns. We concluded that Missfresh is a challenged business and we would pass on the IPO.</p></div><div><div><div class="content-highlight"><p>Our valuation analysis suggests that Missfresh is broadly fairly valued on a growth adjusted EV/Sales compared to its peers. For investors looking to play the first-day IPO pops or gain exposure to a pure-play online grocery delivery platform, we think that peer, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dingdong-maicai" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33461:1" rel="noopener">Dingdong Maicai (DDL US)</a> which also launched its NYSE IPO, offers a better risk-reward profile.  </p></div></div></div><div><p><strong><em>For readers interested in peer</em></strong>, Dingdong, we highlight our notes - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/dingdong-ipo-initiation-an-arms-race-is-brewing" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:53334" rel="noopener">Dingdong IPO Initiation: An Arms Race Is Brewing</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/dingdong-ipo-valuation-insights" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:53568" rel="noopener">Dingdong IPO: Valuation Insights</a>. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wm-tech-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32976:1" rel="noopener">WM Tech Corporation (WMT HK)</a> has also filed for an HKEx IPO to raise potentially $1 billion, according to press reports. We discussed this in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/wm-tech-ipo-initiation-food-for-thought" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:49914" rel="noopener">WM Tech IPO Initiation: Food for Thought</a>. </p></div>

Missfresh (MF US) is an online grocery platform in China. Missfresh notes that it ranked first in China’s on-demand DMW (distributed mini-warehouse) retail industry in 2018 and 2019, respectively, and ranked second in 2020 as measured by GMV (gross merchandise value), according to iResearch. Missfresh is backed by Shunwei China Internet Fund IV (12.4% of outstanding shares, 3.8% of voting power) and Tencent (700 HK) (8.1% of outstanding shares, 2.5% of voting power). At the mid-point of the proposed IPO price range of $13.00-16.00 per ADS, Missfresh will have a market cap of $3.4 billion. At the mid-point of the IPO price range, the net proceeds are $279.2 million, below the rumoured $500 million raise target. Missfresh has received $90 million indications of interest from CIC ($40 million), Tencent ($20 million), Davis Selected Partner Advisors ($10 million), Genesis Capital ($10 million) and Vision Plus Capital ($10 million). In Missfresh IPO Initiation: No so Fresh, we stated that Missfresh was a beneficiary of the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in an exceptional 1Q20. However, the performance since 1Q20 has been lacklustre as Missfresh is facing the twin challenges of tough competition and a partial reversal of consumer behaviour. While the recent fundraisings to support Pinduoduo (PDD US) (Duo Duo Maicai) and Meituan (3690 HK)’s online grocery delivery platforms underscores the opportunity, it also suggests that Missfresh will find it harder to compete and generate shareholder returns. We concluded that Missfresh is a challenged business and we would pass on the IPO.Our valuation analysis suggests that Missfresh is broadly fairly valued on a growth adjusted EV/Sales compared to its peers. For investors looking to play the first-day IPO pops or gain exposure to a pure-play online grocery delivery platform, we think that peer, Dingdong Maicai (DDL US) which also launched its NYSE IPO, offers a better risk-reward profile.  For readers interested in peer, Dingdong, we highlight our notes - Dingdong IPO Initiation: An Arms Race Is Brewing and Dingdong IPO: Valuation Insights. WM Tech Corporation (WMT HK) has also filed for an HKEx IPO to raise potentially $1 billion, according to press reports. We discussed this in WM Tech IPO Initiation: Food for Thought. 

Missfresh

Missfresh IPO: Valuation Insights