Insight Provider, CrossASEAN Research

Nicolas Van Broekhoven

Insight Provider

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

Entree Resources Ltd. operates as a mining company. The Company develops and discovers gold and copper resources. Entree Resources is currently conducting exploration on its mineral concessions in Mongolia.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/entree-resources-ltd-3aeeb68c-80d0-4ada-822e-898883fbb28e" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26727:1" rel="noopener">Entree Resources (ETG CN)</a> has been roaring over the past three weeks on the back of ...no official news!</li>
<li>As we highlighted in our prior insights we expected an arbitration ruling by late 3Q24, but there has been no news published by Entree or <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rio-tinto-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13:1" rel="noopener">Rio Tinto Ltd (RIO AU)</a> </li>
<li>Volume spike and price action remind us of Turquoise Hill buyout in 2022.</li>
</ul>



Entree Resources (ETG CN) has been roaring over the past three weeks on the back of ...no official news!
As we highlighted in our prior insights we expected an arbitration ruling by late 3Q24, but there has been no news published by Entree or Rio Tinto Ltd (RIO AU) 
Volume spike and price action remind us of Turquoise Hill buyout in 2022.


Entree Resources: +84% YTD on Arbitration Leak? Or Rio Tinto M&A Speculation?

Arras Minerals Corp. is an exploration stage company. The Company manages portfolio of copper and gold assets in northeastern Kazakhstan.

<ul>
<li>Over the past week we visited parts of Kazakhstan, the 9th largest country in the world.</li>
<li>Long a favorite of the oil and uranium industry the country is now attracting more metals and mining exploration activity.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/arras-minerals-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40384:1" rel="noopener">Arras Minerals (ARK V EQUITY) has assembled the 4th largest exploration package and is looking for elephant sized gold/copper deposits. Success at any of its projects could catapult shares higher.</a></li>
</ul>


Over the past week we visited parts of Kazakhstan, the 9th largest country in the world.
Long a favorite of the oil and uranium industry the country is now attracting more metals and mining exploration activity.
Arras Minerals (ARK V EQUITY) has assembled the 4th largest exploration package and is looking for elephant sized gold/copper deposits. Success at any of its projects could catapult shares higher.


Arras Minerals: Looking for Elephant Sized Gold/Copper Deposits in Kazakhstan

PC Partner Group Ltd. is principally engaged in the design, development and manufacture of video graphics cards. The Group manufactures various electronics components and products for customers under its electronics manufacturing services division and also manufactures other personal computers related products.

<ul>
<li>PC Partner showed a significant improvement in its 1H24 results YoY.</li>
<li>The company will be relocating HQ to Singapore and move its primary listing from HK to Singapore. If this move is successful, it will improve AI chips allocation from Nvidia.</li>
<li>Why Singapore? PC Partner is preparing itself for a future where China/USA political relationship does not improve.</li>
</ul>


PC Partner showed a significant improvement in its 1H24 results YoY.
The company will be relocating HQ to Singapore and move its primary listing from HK to Singapore. If this move is successful, it will improve AI chips allocation from Nvidia.
Why Singapore? PC Partner is preparing itself for a future where China/USA political relationship does not improve.


PC Partner: Relocating HQ and Listing to Singapore, 81% of Market Cap Is Cash

<ul>
<li>The acquisition of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/filo-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:42545:1" rel="noopener">Filo (FIL CN)</a> by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lundin-mining-corp-92352503-3781-4fcb-a4db-62e6f6343783" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25356:1" rel="noopener">Lundin Mining (LUN CN)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bhp-group-ltd-832e22a7-7a1d-49cf-b992-c6347084cbf8" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21840:1" rel="noopener">BHP Group Ltd (BHP LN) could be the start of a much larger M&amp;A wave.</a>
</li>
<li>Many juniors trade at 0.1x to 0.2x NAV while transactions typically happen at 0.8x-1x NAV. Filo was acquired at 0.81x NAV so right within this range.</li>
<li>We continue to like a basket of junior copper mines to get exposure to M&amp;A copper dynamics</li>
</ul>


The acquisition of Filo (FIL CN) by Lundin Mining (LUN CN) and BHP Group Ltd (BHP LN) could be the start of a much larger M&amp;A wave.

Many juniors trade at 0.1x to 0.2x NAV while transactions typically happen at 0.8x-1x NAV. Filo was acquired at 0.81x NAV so right within this range.
We continue to like a basket of junior copper mines to get exposure to M&amp;A copper dynamics


Rio Tinto: Open to Major Copper M&A; Entree Resources Logical Target

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/entree-resources-ltd-3aeeb68c-80d0-4ada-822e-898883fbb28e" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26727:1" rel="noopener">Entree Resources (ETG CN)</a> has been in an arbitration proceeding against <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rio-tinto-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22114:1" rel="noopener">Rio Tinto PLC (RIO LN)</a> since April 2024.</li>
<li>After initial hearings earlier in 1H24 we expect final arguments next week. The arbitration committee verdict should come by late 3Q24.</li>
<li>At stake is the relationship and ownership arrangement between ETG and RIO's in Oyu Tolgoi, one of the world's largest copper mines. Just concluded Mongolian elections clear the last hurdle.</li>
</ul>



Entree Resources (ETG CN) has been in an arbitration proceeding against Rio Tinto PLC (RIO LN) since April 2024.
After initial hearings earlier in 1H24 we expect final arguments next week. The arbitration committee verdict should come by late 3Q24.
At stake is the relationship and ownership arrangement between ETG and RIO's in Oyu Tolgoi, one of the world's largest copper mines. Just concluded Mongolian elections clear the last hurdle.


Mongolia Elections Behind Us and Rio Versus Entree Arbitration Ruling Expected by Late 3Q24

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.