Company Update - Ubisoft revised its guidance for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, with net bookings expected to be EUR1 9bn and Q3FY2024-2025 bookings projected at EUR300mn [4] Industry Expertise - Astrada Advisors specializes in technology, media, internet, and consumer sectors across North America and Asia, leveraging extensive local and global experience to identify high-potential investments [2] - The company integrates rigorous fundamental analysis with data-driven insights to provide a nuanced understanding of key trends, growth drivers, and competitive landscapes [2] Research Approach - Astrada Advisors focuses on delivering actionable recommendations to enhance portfolio performance and uncover alpha opportunities, supported by a strong track record in investment research [2] - The research aims to empower investors with timely insights and a comprehensive view of industry dynamics, particularly in volatile markets and emerging trends [2]

Core Viewpoint - Tencent shares are considered a Buy due to attractive buyback activity, resulting in a 32% return since March 2024, outperforming the S&P 500's 13% gain [1] Summary by Relevant Sections - **Company Performance** - Tencent shares have returned approximately 32% since the publication of the article in March 2024 [1] - This performance significantly exceeds the S&P 500's return of 13% during the same period [1] - **Investment Activity** - The article highlights the importance of buyback activity as a factor contributing to the positive performance of Tencent shares [1]

Company Overview - Tencent Holdings Limited is a growing Chinese tech enterprise with considerable scale and favorable business trends, particularly in Fintech [1] - The company operates in social media and Fintech sectors, showing very positive gross margin trends [1] Investment Focus - The analyst focuses on high-risk, high-reward situations, primarily in the technology markets [1] - The analyst's portfolio is concentrated on companies with asymmetric long-term upside, including Bitcoin, Tesla, Google, Amazon, and Nvidia [1] Analyst's Position - The analyst holds a beneficial long position in Tencent Holdings Limited (TCEHY) through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives [2]

Investment Rating - Tencent Holdings (00700 HK) maintains an "Outperform" rating [1] Core Views - Tencent being added to the US Department of Defense's Chinese Military Companies (CMC) list does not impact its core business [1][3] - The CMC list is relatively mild compared to other sanctions lists and primarily affects US Department of Defense procurement matters [3][7] - Tencent's overseas revenue, mainly from gaming, accounts for 29% of its gaming revenue and 9% of total revenue in 2024 [3][7] - Tencent has increased its share buybacks, repurchasing HKD 1 5 billion on January 7 and 18 2025, signaling confidence in its business [4][15] Business Analysis Overseas Gaming - Tencent's overseas gaming revenue heavily relies on acquired subsidiaries such as Supercell (Finland), Riot Games (US), and Miniclip (Europe) [3][7] - Key acquisitions include Riot Games (100% ownership, acquired in 2008 2011 2015), Supercell (84 3% ownership, acquired in 2016), and Miniclip (largest shareholder since 2015) [8] Growth Potential - Tencent has significant growth potential in areas such as WeChat ecosystem monetization and AI integration [4][16] - E-commerce: Tencent has shown potential in e-commerce and local life services, with the "Gift Sending" feature gaining popularity in 2024 [16] - AI: Increased capital expenditure on AI, with products like "Yuanbao" and "ima" launched, and AI integration into WeChat enhancing advertising business growth [16] Financial Projections - Adjusted net profit for 2024 2026 is projected to be RMB 2198 billion, RMB 2482 billion, and RMB 2729 billion, respectively [16] - PE valuations for 2024 2026 are 16x, 14x, and 13x, indicating historically low valuations [16] Historical Context - Similar cases like Xiaomi and SMIC show that companies removed from the CMC list often experience stock price recovery [13] - Xiaomi was removed from the CCMC list within 4 months of filing a lawsuit, leading to a 9 04% stock price increase over four days [13]

Summary of Key Points Core Viewpoint - On January 8, 63 Hong Kong-listed companies conducted share buybacks, totaling 56.42 million shares and an aggregate amount of HKD 2.049 billion [1]. Group 1: Buyback Details - Tencent Holdings repurchased 4.05 million shares for HKD 1.503 billion, with a highest price of HKD 379.20 and a lowest price of HKD 366.00, bringing its year-to-date buyback total to HKD 5.108 billion [1]. - Xiaomi Group-W repurchased 4.30 million shares for HKD 142 million, with a highest price of HKD 33.65 and a lowest price of HKD 32.60, matching its year-to-date buyback total of HKD 142 million [1]. - Anta Sports repurchased 1.32 million shares for HKD 99.835 million, with a highest price of HKD 77.15 and a lowest price of HKD 74.80, accumulating a year-to-date buyback total of HKD 498 million [1]. Group 2: Buyback Rankings - The highest buyback amount on January 8 was from Tencent Holdings at HKD 1.503 billion, followed by Xiaomi Group-W at HKD 142 million, and other notable companies included Anta Sports and AIA Group [1]. - In terms of buyback volume, the largest repurchase was by Mei Rui Health International with 9.072 million shares, followed by CSPC Pharmaceutical Group and China National Pharmaceutical Group with 6.70 million shares and 6.00 million shares, respectively [1].

Group 1: Ian's Insider Corner Features - Membership includes access to initiation reports for new stocks, an active chat room, weekly updates, and direct responses to questions [1] - Features of the group include the Weekend Digest, which covers new ideas, updates on current holdings, macro analysis, trade alerts, and direct access to Ian [1] Group 2: Ian Bezek's Background and Expertise - Ian Bezek is a former hedge fund analyst at Kerrisdale Capital [2] - He has spent a decade living in Latin America, conducting on-the-ground research for investors interested in markets such as Mexico, Colombia, and Chile [2] - He specializes in high-quality compounders and growth stocks at reasonable prices in the US and other developed markets [2]

Investment Philosophy - The investment philosophy is rooted in fundamental bottom-up analysis and quantitative modelling [1] - The focus is on identifying perception gaps to capitalize on over-pessimism and excessive exuberance [1] - The objective is to identify asymmetric opportunities for investment [1] Analyst's Background - The analyst has over 7 years of experience in the buy-side [1] - The analyst is associated with Selendis Research, which is closely linked to Seven Insights [1] Disclosure and Compensation - The analyst has no stock, option, or derivative positions in the mentioned companies but may initiate a long position in TCEHY within the next 72 hours [1] - The article expresses the analyst's own opinions and is not compensated by any company mentioned [1]

Investment Rating - Target price of 540 HKD, representing a 42% upside from the last closing price, with a Buy rating [4][6] Core Views - The US sanctions on Tencent are not expected to have a fundamental impact on its business, and the company has actively responded by initiating a review process [1][2] - Tencent's diversified business layout, particularly in gaming, advertising, and fintech, demonstrates strong adaptability and growth potential [3] - The company's free float ratio is approximately 61%, and US institutional holdings account for about 11% of its shares, providing opportunities for domestic investors if US capital divests [2] - Tencent's international business exposure is relatively low, with US-related revenue accounting for only about 5% of total revenue [3] Business Performance and Strategy Diversified Business Layout - Tencent's Q3 2024 revenue reached 167.2 billion RMB, with the following breakdown: Value-Added Services (49%), Advertising (18%), and Fintech & Enterprise Services (32%) [3] - The company's international business primarily involves investments in US-based gaming companies, with minimal long-term impact expected from the sanctions [3] Content Ecosystem and IP Strategy - Tencent's entertainment business has shown steady growth, with significant achievements in IP integration and cultural export through platforms like Tencent Video and Yuewen Group [3] - Tencent Video has over 60 million daily active users and 116 million paying members, with a focus on high-quality content and member structure optimization [16][17] - Short-form video content is a key growth area, with both horizontal and vertical formats being developed to enhance user engagement and commercial potential [19] AI and Global Expansion - Generative AI (AIGC) is a core driver of Tencent's future growth, with applications in content creation, recommendation algorithms, and business service optimization [12] - Tencent's global investments, including stakes in companies like Riot Games and Supercell, have strengthened its international competitiveness, with overseas gaming revenue accounting for 29% of total gaming revenue in Q3 2024 [13] - The company plans to further expand its global presence through partnerships and AI-driven localization strategies [14] Capital Management - Tencent repurchased 112 billion HKD worth of shares in 2024, exceeding its target of 100 billion HKD, and plans to continue optimizing capital efficiency and shareholder returns [11] Financial Projections - Tencent's revenue is projected to grow from 718.6 billion RMB in 2025 to 776.6 billion RMB in 2026, with EBITDA margins expected to remain stable at around 39% [29] - The company's net profit is forecasted to increase from 231.4 billion RMB in 2025 to 255.5 billion RMB in 2026, driven by strong performance across its core business segments [29]

Investment Rating - The report maintains a "Buy" rating for Tencent Holdings, with a current price of 379.60 HKD and a target value of 478.17 HKD per share [5][22]. Core Views - Tencent Video's strategy of enhancing collaboration with WeChat IP and focusing on quality content has led to significant improvements in its competitive position, with four out of the top five new series in 2024 being aired on Tencent Video [10][11]. - The synergy between WeChat IP and Tencent's content ecosystem is strengthening, with a focus on high-quality IP adaptations across various media formats, including series, animations, and games [10][13]. - The report forecasts revenue growth for Tencent, projecting revenues of 657.9 billion RMB and 713 billion RMB for 2024 and 2025, respectively, with adjusted net profits expected to reach 221.8 billion RMB and 244.4 billion RMB, reflecting growth rates of 45.0% and 10.2% [10][17]. Summary by Sections Financial Forecast - Revenue for 2022 was 554.6 billion RMB, with projections of 609 billion RMB for 2023, 657.9 billion RMB for 2024, 713 billion RMB for 2025, and 768.9 billion RMB for 2026, indicating a growth rate of 9.8% in 2023 and 8.0% in 2024 [3][10]. - Adjusted net profit is expected to grow from 115.3 billion RMB in 2023 to 221.8 billion RMB in 2024, representing a 45.0% increase [3][10]. - The report anticipates an EPS of 12.00 RMB for 2022, increasing to 24.04 RMB in 2024, with a P/E ratio projected to decrease from 25.5 in 2022 to 14.5 in 2024 [3][10]. Business Performance - Tencent Video has successfully launched several high-performing series in 2024, with a focus on female-oriented themes and high-quality productions, which have significantly boosted viewership [10][11]. - The report highlights Tencent's comprehensive ecosystem from IP creation to content distribution, which is expected to enhance profitability and market share in the coming years [10][17]. Valuation - The report employs a Sum-of-the-Parts (SOTP) valuation method, estimating the core business value at 4.03 trillion HKD, with a total company value of 4.4 trillion HKD, translating to a target price of 478.17 HKD per share [20][22].

Group 1 - The U.S. Department of Defense has added Tencent Holdings to its blacklist of companies allegedly aiding the Chinese military, as part of the annual update required under the NDAA of FY2021 [1] - The blacklist now includes 134 companies, serving as a warning to American firms against collaboration with these Chinese entities, which can damage their reputations [2] - Following the announcement, Tencent's shares fell by 7.3%, resulting in a loss of approximately HK$275 billion ($35.4 billion) in market value [3] Group 2 - Tencent has labeled the DOD's decision as a "mistake" and stated that it would seek to correct its inclusion on the blacklist, potentially through legal actions [4]