19 December 2025 | 9:09AM HKT Equity Research China PCB: Kingboard (1888.HK): Mgmt. call takeaway: CCL supplier with vertical integration, mix upgrade towards high-end products We talked to Kingboard Laminates (1888.HK, Not Covered) management recently. Kingboard is the local CCL supplier that produces CCL and upstream raw materials. Management views Kingboard's vertically integrated solution as the company's key strength, which empowers its higher manufacturing efficiency and CCL products with competitive ...

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Raymond James reaffirms a "Strong Buy" rating for Electrovaya Inc. (NASDAQ:ELVA), raising the price target from $6 to $9.50.The company reports a 43% increase in top-line growth for fiscal year 2025, marking its first annual profitability.Electrovaya's backlog, valued between $100 million and $125 million, is expected to fuel further growth.Electrovaya Inc. (NASDAQ:ELVA) specializes in developing and manufacturing lithium-ion batteries for various sectors, including industrial robotics and defense. The comp ...

A limited liability partnership (LLP) is a flexible legal and tax entity that allows partners to benefit from economies of scale while also reducing their liability. https://t.co/FOVcevdnVj ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company has targeted an 8%-12% earnings growth framework since 2004, achieving a compounded earnings growth of approximately 14.5% from 2004 to 2019 [2][4] - The company experienced a significant volume increase during the COVID-19 pandemic, but volumes are now normalizing, with expectations of flat to slightly declining volumes in the near term [3][5] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The core funeral business has a cremation mix of about 57%-58%, with expectations that this will stabilize around 75%-80% in the long term [10][11] - The SCI Direct segment generates about $200 million of the company's $4.2 billion revenue, with a significant portion coming from pre-need production [16][19] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company anticipates a gradual increase in demand due to the aging baby boomer demographic, expecting a shift from flat volumes to a growth rate of 0.5% to 2% over the next decade [7][8] - The company has seen a decline in volumes from 6% to 2.5% over the past few years, with expectations of stability in the near term [5][8] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company is focusing on capital deployment and managing its footprint, with a strong emphasis on urban areas for growth [2][4] - The company is actively pursuing acquisitions, targeting a spend of $75 million to $125 million, with a goal to increase market share from 17%-18% to around 25%-30% [34][36] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the future, expecting to return to a more normalized earnings growth framework of 8%-12% [4][21] - The company is adapting to changing consumer preferences, particularly the shift towards cremation, and is enhancing its offerings to meet these demands [10][12] Other Important Information - The company has shifted from trust-funded pre-need products to insurance-funded products, which has improved economic terms and revenue generation [48][49] - The company has invested approximately $160 million in capital to enhance cemetery offerings, creating tiered inventory options [14] Q&A Session Summary Question: What impact do you expect from the decision to stop delivering pre-need merchandise at the time of sale? - The company anticipates a near-term headwind from this shift but expects growth in matured pre-need production over the next decade as the backlog fills out [19][21] Question: How do you see the consolidation opportunity in the market? - The company sees a strong pipeline of acquisition opportunities and aims to be a preferred acquirer, targeting a mid-teen IRR on acquisitions [34][36] Question: What are the drivers for the 8%-12% EPS growth goal? - The growth is expected to come from a combination of base business growth, share buybacks, and acquisition spending [43][44]

Core Viewpoint - The merger between SM Energy and Civitas Resources, valued at $12.8 billion, aims to create a leading independent oil and gas company with enhanced scale and significant free cash flow, benefiting stockholders [2][3]. Company Overview - The new entity will operate under the SM Energy name, with Civitas shareholders receiving 1.45 shares of SM Energy common stock at closing, resulting in SM Energy stockholders owning approximately 48% and Civitas shareholders 52% of the combined company [3]. - SM Energy will maintain a majority on the new board of directors, with six members compared to five from Civitas, and Herb Vogel will continue as CEO [3]. Strategic Benefits - The merger is expected to create a strong asset position across premium oil-oriented basins in the U.S., with 823,000 leased acres, primarily in the Midland Basin and Colorado's DJ Basin [4]. - The companies anticipate realizing $200 million in annual synergies related to operational costs, with potential upside reaching $300 million [4]. Market Context - The merger reflects a broader trend of consolidation among U.S. shale producers, driven by a lack of significant private assets and high valuations in asset M&A markets [7][8]. - Analysts suggest that corporate M&A is becoming more attractive due to limited private asset availability, with expectations that the number of U.S. shale producers will eventually decrease to around 10 to 15 major companies [8].

Core Insights - Betterment is enhancing its ecosystem for small registered investment advisors by planning to launch direct indexing and a client referral network in the upcoming year [1] - The acquisition of Rowboat, a direct indexing firm, aims to improve portfolio management options, including tax optimization and personalized investing [2] - Direct indexing will allow clients to access index tracking exposure without high dollar minimums or the need for full shares, marking a natural progression for Betterment since its inception in 2008 [3] Company Strategy - Betterment aims to leverage economies of scale from its retail offerings to facilitate direct indexing, which will enable it to manage fractional shares more effectively [4] - The company currently serves approximately 1 million clients with over $60 billion in assets and has around 600 firms on its custodial platform [4] - A referral program for registered investment advisors (RIAs) is set to launch in 2026, further integrating Betterment's retail client base with its advisory services [4] Market Context - Betterment's strategy contrasts with competitors like Charles Schwab, which is raising the minimum client asset range for referrals to $2 million in 2026, indicating a shift towards higher asset thresholds in the industry [5] - The firm is focused on creating a "graduation ecosystem" for clients who may transition to financial advisors, enhancing its value proposition in the wealth management space [5]

Core Insights - Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter jet is experiencing increased popularity, but declining prices may negatively impact profit margins [1][8][12] Financial Performance - Lockheed Martin is valued at nearly $120 billion, with annual revenue of approximately $72 billion and profits of $4.2 billion [1] - The aeronautics division, which produces the F-35, averaged over $27 billion in annual revenue from 2021 to 2023, with operating profit margins of 10.4% [8] - In 2024, revenues increased to $29 billion, but profit margins fell to 8.6% [8] - For the first half of 2025, the aeronautics division is projected to achieve about $29 billion in sales, but operating profits are only $622 million, resulting in a profit margin of 4.2% [10] F-35 Sales and Pricing - Lockheed secured a $24.3 billion contract for 296 F-35s, with an average cost of approximately $82 million per aircraft [3][5] - The average cost of F-35s has decreased by roughly 25% over the past decade, from about $100 million for F-35A variants and $120 million for F-35B and F-35C variants [6][7] - The F-35A will constitute the majority of the new orders, with 105 aircraft in each production lot [4] Market Position - Lockheed Martin remains the most valuable pure-play defense stock globally, despite competition from companies like Palantir [1] - The stock is currently priced at 28.5 times trailing earnings, with a long-term estimated earnings growth rate of only 12%, resulting in a PEG ratio exceeding 2.0 [12][13]

Group 1: Digital Infrastructure and Innovation - Public sector banks (PSBs) should consider using shared technology platforms and jointly develop digital infrastructure to leverage economies of scale and reduce costs [1][3] - Innovation in PSBs is not only about new tools but also about smarter delivery methods [2][3] - The concept of a digital twin can help banks test changes and improve efficiency before implementing them in the real world [4][3] Group 2: Capital Management and Asset Quality - PSBs must hold forward-looking capital buffers that reflect their risk profile and growth ambitions, rather than just meeting regulatory requirements [5] - Asset quality should be managed with a preventive mindset, utilizing early warning systems and predictive analytics to identify potential stress [5] Group 3: Operational Resilience - Operational resilience is crucial for banks, as even short disruptions can erode customer trust and have systemic impacts [6] - Strengthening technology infrastructure, cyber safeguards, vendor oversight, and business continuity planning is essential for uninterrupted services [6] Group 4: Governance and Customer-Centricity - The future of PSBs should be built on five pillars: strong governance, financial resilience, innovation and adaptability, people and culture, and inclusive customer-centricity [7][8] - The banyan tree metaphor represents stability, resilience, and protection, which are essential qualities for PSBs [9][10]

Group 1 - Logan Energy reported a significant second quarter, achieving profitability and reducing operating costs due to economies of scale [2] - The company is positioned in the oil and gas industry, which is characterized as a boom-bust, cyclical market [2] Group 2 - The analysis provided in the article focuses on the balance sheet, competitive position, and development prospects of oil and gas companies [1]