Summary of Restaurant Brands International Conference Call Company Overview - **Company**: Restaurant Brands International, Inc. (Ticker: QSR) - **Industry**: Quick-Service Restaurants (QSR) - **Market Cap**: $30 billion - **System Sales**: Over $40 billion with more than 30,000 restaurants globally [20][21] Key Points and Arguments Financial Performance - **4Q Sales & EBITDA**: Approximately inline with expectations despite mixed same-store sales (SSS) and unit performance, with potential upside to company margins and lower general & administrative (G&A) expenses offset by lower international franchise margins due to bad debt [1] - **Tim Hortons Canada SSS**: Reported at 2.5%, slightly below consensus of 2.7%, but positive traffic remains encouraging, particularly in breakfast and afternoon segments [2] - **Burger King (BK) and Popeyes (PLK) SSS**: BK US SSS at 1.5% vs. consensus of 1.2%, while PLK US SSS at 0.1% vs. consensus of -0.7%, benefiting from value offerings [3] Growth and Development - **Global Development**: Company added 600 net new units, with Tim Hortons showing strong growth while international openings, particularly at BK, were soft. Uncertainty remains regarding unit growth in China due to pending franchisee issues [4] - **Unit Growth Estimates**: Adjusted 2025/2026 unit growth estimates to 3.8% and 4.8% respectively, down from previous estimates [5] Earnings Estimates - **EBITDA Estimates**: Lowered 2025/2026 EBITDA estimates due to lower unit growth and SSS, alongside foreign exchange headwinds [5] - **Price Target**: Maintained a price target of $67 based on 15x 2025 EBITDA, reflecting a balanced risk/reward profile [11][21] Market Conditions and Risks - **Domestic Backdrop**: Remains challenging, but multiple drivers and potential tailwinds could offset risks through 2025 [5] - **China Market Risks**: Ongoing challenges in China could impact the company's long-term growth trajectory, with a return to 5% growth potentially delayed beyond 2026 [4][5] Sustainability and Operational Focus - **Sustainability Goals**: Company aims to recycle guest packaging globally by 2025 and reduce Scope 1 & 2 emissions by 50% by 2030, with a target of net zero by 2050 [15] - **Operational Improvements**: Focus on enhancing drive-thru times and overall guest experience, with new initiatives in service speed and product innovation [2][14] Analyst Insights - **Investment Thesis**: While optimistic about long-term competitive positioning and unit growth potential, the path to recovery is slower than expected, leading to a hold recommendation [11][21] - **SSS Drivers**: Key drivers include investments in BK, product innovation, and effective marketing strategies across all brands [15] Additional Important Information - **Earnings Projections**: Adjusted EPS for 2025 projected at $3.74, with a range of scenarios indicating potential upside to $78 or downside to $57 based on SSS performance [13] - **Market Trends**: Broader trends in SSS and unit growth will significantly influence the company's performance and valuation moving forward [21] This summary encapsulates the critical insights from the conference call, highlighting the financial performance, growth strategies, market conditions, and sustainability initiatives of Restaurant Brands International.

V i e w p o i n t | 13 Feb 2025 16:02:30 ET │ 14 pages Intel Corp (INTC.O) Stock Up 24% On Reports of TSMC Tie Up. A Few Reasons Why It Likely Won't Work. Intel Should Give Up Merchant Foundry. CITI'S TAKE Recently several news outlets (WSJ, Feb 12) have reported that a report issued by a competitor sparked speculation that Intel is in talks with TSMC to form some sort of JV where TSMC "helps out" Intel's merchant foundry business with supplying engineers and other technical know-how to enable Intel's found ...

Summary of CATL's HK IPO Plans and Market Outlook Company Overview - **Company**: Contemporary Amperex Technology Co Ltd (CATL) - **Industry**: Energy Storage and Battery Manufacturing Key Findings from the Prospectus - **IPO Plans**: CATL has filed for a secondary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) on February 11, 2025, aiming to raise between US$5 billion and US$7.7 billion, potentially making it the largest IPO in Hong Kong for the year [2][10] - **Use of Proceeds**: The funds will primarily finance the construction of a 100GWh battery plant in Hungary, with total investments for the project estimated at EUR4.9 billion [3][12] - **Financial Position**: CATL has a strong cash position with RMB260 billion on its balance sheet, indicating that the IPO is not primarily for cash needs but for strategic growth [3] Market Demand and Growth Projections - **Battery Demand Growth**: CATL projects global battery demand to reach 1,885GWh in 2025 (+41% YoY) and 5,547GWh by 2030 (+27% CAGR), significantly higher than previous estimates [4][14] - **Electric Vehicle (EV) Projections**: CATL expects global EV sales to hit 50 million units by 2030, translating to a penetration rate of 56% [22] - **Emerging Applications**: Demand for lithium-ion batteries in new applications (shipping, aviation, etc.) is expected to reach 13TWh by 2050, which is double previous estimates [5][50] Financial Metrics and Valuation - **Earnings Projections**: Reported EPS for FY23 is 10.03 CNY, with projections of 12.17 CNY for FY24 and 15.93 CNY for FY25 [9] - **Valuation Metrics**: The reported P/E ratio is expected to decrease from 25.5x in FY23 to 16.0x in FY25, indicating improving profitability [9] Strategic Directions - **Growth Strategies**: CATL's strategic focus includes: - Electrochemical Energy Storage and Renewable Energy Generation - EV Battery and New Energy Vehicle (NEV) production - Electrification and Intelligentization initiatives [11] Regional Insights - **China and US Market Growth**: ESS battery shipments in China are projected to grow to 660GWh by 2030, while the US is expected to reach 400GWh [41] - **Data Center Energy Storage**: Anticipated growth from 10GWh in 2024 to 300GWh in 2030, driven by increasing electricity demands from data centers [41][45] Conclusion - **Investment Rating**: CATL is rated as "Outperform" with a price target of 340.00 CNY, reflecting a potential upside of 33% from the current price of 255.30 CNY [8][6] - **Market Position**: CATL is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for batteries across various sectors, supported by its strategic investments and optimistic market outlook.

Summary of Key Points from the Conference Call on China Property Industry Overview - The report focuses on the **China Property** market, specifically residential and retail sectors in **Beijing** [1][3]. Core Insights - **Divergent Sales Performance**: Sales performance varies significantly across districts. Core districts near metro stations and tech hubs show solid sell-through rates (>80%), while non-core districts like Daxing and Pinghu are underperforming [3][4]. - **Conservative Pricing by Developers**: Developers are cautious with pricing, often setting prices slightly below indicative prices. Home prices in Beijing have dropped approximately **20%** since their peak, with mass-market products experiencing a decline of **20-30%** [3][4]. - **Home Purchase Restrictions (HPR)**: There are expectations for further easing of HPR in non-core areas, although core districts are likely to maintain current restrictions [4][5]. - **Upcoming Affordable Housing Supply**: The anticipated increase in affordable housing supply (70-80K units annually) may negatively impact first-home demand, which has already been weak [3][4]. Retail Sector Insights - **Shopping Mall Performance**: A shopping mall in Chaoyang District reported tenant sales growth exceeding **10%** year-over-year in 2025, with categories like gold & jewelry and cosmetics outperforming [1][4]. - **Consumer Trends**: Despite a general consumption downgrade, mass-market positioned malls have not seen significant negative impacts. The mall aims for a **15%** growth in tenant sales for the full year of 2025 [4]. Policy and Market Dynamics - **Policy Easing Measures**: Recent measures, such as lowering down payment ratios, have been effective in boosting first-home demand, but the impact of tax rate cuts has been minimal [4][5]. - **Land Market Relaxation**: Recent land sales have removed previous constraints, allowing for more flexibility in residential project development [4][5]. - **Urban Village Renovation (UVR)**: There has been no significant acceleration in UVR or inventory purchases in Beijing, despite government calls for action [4][5]. Developer Recommendations - The report expresses a positive outlook on **CR Land** and **COLI** as preferred developers in the current market environment [1][5]. Additional Insights - **Market Sentiment**: Despite policy easing, market sentiment in low-tier cities remains stagnant, indicating a lack of meaningful recovery [3][4]. - **Sales Volume Focus**: Government priorities appear to be more focused on sales volume rather than home prices, aiming to stabilize the market [4][5]. This summary encapsulates the key findings and insights from the conference call regarding the current state and outlook of the China property market, particularly in Beijing.

13 Feb 2025 17:15:14 ET │ 24 pages A c t i o n | China Semiconductors Chinese semiconductor foundry - Further GM improvement is key CITI'S TAKE Both SMIC and Hua Hong reported their 4Q24 results. Due to recouping domestic demand, there is 32%/18% YoY revenue growth respectively. Thanks to continuous technology migration, SMIC's GM recovery in 4Q24 is more substantial reaching 22.6% (vs 20.5%/16.4% in 3Q24/4Q23) while Hua Hong's 11.4% GM is lackluster compared to 3Q24's 12.2%. During the earnings call, SMIC ...

J P M O R G A N Asia Pacific Equity Research 13 February 2025 Futu Holdings Conference takeaways and 4Q preview Futu's share price rallied by 45% in past month (vs NASDAQ +2% y/y) and is trading at 16.5x 25e PE, above mean FY1 PE (since 4Q21) of 14.1x. Given the strong performance, there could be some profit taking near term; nonetheless, we stay positive on the name for the following reasons. First, we expect robust revenue and profit growth in 4Q24, driven by strong paying client expansion and an increase ...

J P M O R G A N North America Equity Research 12 February 2025 Cisco F2Q25 (Jan-end) Review: Cyclical Recovery Momentum Confirmed in Results/ Outlook; Impact of Key Investor Concerns Lower Than Feared; Reiterate OW Cisco's F2Q25 (Jan-end) results ticked many of the boxes, including: 1) Reinforcing the improvement in the demand cycle with revenue and order trends from all customer verticals improving on an underlying basis; 2) Revenue upsides for Core Networking driving greater confidence in upsides for FY25 ...

13 February 2025 | 9:55PM HKT China Metals & Mining Lithium - limited net supply improvement, maintain Sell on Tianqi-H/A and Ganfeng-A The fundamentals of the lithium market have improved on both demand and supply side, as supply responded to the poor pricing, while demand from China EV and ESS accelerated. Nevertheless, the path of supply response on net bases (with a focus on Chinese producer projects in this report) is disappointing in our view - despite the deep cut in both output and capacity of ongoi ...

Summary of Global Oil Fundamentals - February 2025 Industry Overview - The report focuses on the global oil industry, specifically analyzing supply and demand dynamics for 2025, as presented in the IEA's February Oil Market Report and OPEC's Monthly Oil Market Report. Key Points Demand Growth - The IEA raised its demand growth estimates for 2025 by 50 thousand barrels per day (kb/d) to 1.1 million barrels per day (Mb/d) [3] - The EIA also revised its global oil demand growth estimates slightly up by 40 kb/d to 1.4 Mb/d, driven by stronger OECD demand in the first quarter of 2025 [3] - OPEC maintained its 2025 growth estimate at 1.5 Mb/d [3] - China is projected to be the largest source of growth, contributing +0.2 Mb/d, followed by India, also at +0.2 Mb/d [3] Supply Dynamics - Non-OPEC+ supply growth estimates were marginally reduced by 40 kb/d to 1.4 Mb/d for 2025 [4] - The US supply growth forecast for 2025 was slightly increased by 40 kb/d to 0.6 Mb/d, offset by declines in other regions, notably Norway [4] OPEC+ Production - OPEC+ output decreased by 130 kb/d month-over-month in January, totaling 34.38 Mb/d, which is 0.5 Mb/d above the targeted level of 33.86 Mb/d [5] - The decline was primarily due to Nigeria, which saw a reduction of 160 kb/d [5] - Iraqi compliance improved, with output down 40 kb/d to 4.2 Mb/d, while Russian output increased by 0.1 Mb/d to 9.2 Mb/d [5] - The IEA cut Russian crude supply projections for 2025 by 150 kb/d to an average of 9.25 Mb/d due to sanctions [5] Inventory Levels - Global observed oil inventories fell by 17 million barrels (Mb) in December, with preliminary data for January indicating another draw of -49 Mb, primarily led by China [2] Market Outlook - The overall implied balance for 2025 is still in surplus but is tightening by 0.2 Mb/d to 0.5 Mb/d [2] - The forecast assumes that OPEC+ cuts remain in place, with combined crude output expected to rise by 0.1 Mb/d year-over-year [2] Additional Insights - The IEA acknowledged uncertainties surrounding tariffs and sanctions but did not fully incorporate these factors into the outlook, as it is too early to assess their impact [2] - The report emphasizes the unpredictability of oil prices due to various political, geological, and economic factors, highlighting the inherent volatility in the oil market [7] This summary encapsulates the critical insights from the telephone conference regarding the global oil market's supply and demand dynamics for 2025, providing a comprehensive overview of the current and projected state of the industry.

Summary of the China Internet Sector Conference Call Industry Overview - The conference call focused on the **China Internet Sector**, particularly in the context of the recent AI-driven market rally and its implications for various companies within the sector [2][10]. Key Points and Arguments 1. **Market Performance and Valuation**: - The KWEB index increased by **7%** since January 28, 2025, driven by the launch of DeepSeek's free chatbot app, indicating a positive market sentiment towards AI in China [2][10]. - The sector is currently trading at an average **P/E ratio of 14x** with an expected **15% EPS growth** from 2024 to 2026, suggesting that valuations remain attractive relative to growth potential [2][10]. 2. **Government Stimulus and AI Productivity**: - There is potential for macroeconomic stimulus from the government, which is not yet reflected in current valuations. The anticipated benefits from AI productivity improvements could further enhance earnings [2][10]. 3. **Earnings Growth and Structural Opportunities**: - Internet companies in China are expected to benefit from structural growth opportunities due to advancements in technology and efficiency improvements, moving beyond purely cyclical growth [2][10]. 4. **Foreign Investment Trends**: - Foreign investors are currently underweight in the China Internet sector, primarily focusing on major AI beneficiaries like Alibaba (BABA) without fully considering the fundamentals of other companies [2][10]. 5. **Positive Q4 Earnings Expectations**: - The upcoming Q4 earnings season is expected to be generally positive, with major internet companies tracking slightly ahead of expectations [2][10]. Company-Specific Insights 1. **DeepSeek's Impact**: - DeepSeek's launch has demonstrated China's capability to innovate in tech despite hardware limitations. It has led to operational enhancements across various companies, such as: - Tencent's ad tech upgrade, which is projected to increase ad revenue by **18%** in 2024 despite a challenging macro environment [3][10]. - Alibaba's marketing tools that lower barriers for merchants and Kuaishou's AI initiatives contributing to daily ad revenue of approximately **RMB 30 million** [3][10]. 2. **Capex Re-evaluation**: - Companies may revisit their capital expenditure plans due to more efficient training methods, potentially altering the mix between training and inference chips [3][10]. 3. **Stock Recommendations**: - **JD.com** is highlighted as a company with low valuation (8x 2025E P/E) and several catalysts ahead, including strong Q4 results and revenue acceleration into 2025 [4][10]. - **Tencent** is noted as an underappreciated AI beneficiary, with strong game revenue and AI monetization potential [4][10]. - **NetEase** is recognized for its strong game performance and potential for earnings upgrades [4][10]. Performance Recap - A recap of stock performance from January 28 to February 13, 2025, shows: - Tencent Holdings: **10%** increase - Alibaba Group: **23%** increase - JD.com: **-4%** decrease [7][10]. Risks and Challenges - Key risks identified for the sector include: - Evolving competitive landscape and intensifying competition - Fast-moving technology trends and changing user preferences - Uncertain monetization and rising costs of traffic acquisition [12][14][15][16]. Conclusion - The China Internet sector is poised for growth driven by AI advancements and potential government support, with specific companies like JD.com, Tencent, and NetEase positioned favorably for future performance. However, investors should remain cautious of the competitive landscape and regulatory changes that could impact profitability and growth trajectories [2][10][12].