Senior Credit Analyst, Lucror Analytics

Trung Nguyen

Senior Credit Analyst

High Yield Experts

Lucror Analytics

Lucror Analytics is a leading credit and ESG research specialist and a provider of technology solutions for differentiated fixed income strategies. Our roots are in bottom-up fundamental credit analysis with a specialization in high yield corporate credits from Europe, Asia and Latin America. We are one of few research specialists integrating ESG considerations with fundamental credit research through a dedicated ESG platform. Our ESG assessment covers five key criteria: Disclosure, E,S, & G Pillars, Controversies, ESG Impact on Credit and ESG Momentum.

Recognizing the importance and value-add of Factor Investing in fixed income, Lucror developed the Smart Quant Navigator (SQN), an intuitive platform that helps clients devise and implement factor-based strategies ranging from pure quant to active fundamental, with integrated ESG.

Our company has been at the forefront of developments in the fixed income markets, identifying opportunities and consistently delivering new products and value-adding solutions to clients. Lucror has close relationships with the largest and most reputable asset managers, family offices, hedge funds, investment and wealth managers globally.

Credit

PT Indika Energy Tbk is an energy company. The Company provides energy services, energy resources and infrastructure, primarily in the areas of coal production, engineering, procurement and construction services and power generation services.

Indika Energy has launched a tender offer for its USD 8.25% 2025 notes, with USD 534 mn outstanding. For each USD 1,000 in principal, the tender consideration is USD 962.5 and early tender consideration is USD 50, leading to a total consideration of USD 1,012.5. Indika is concurrently launching a USD 144A/RegS offering. Holders of the 8.25% '25s may request to receive priority allocation on the new notes. We view initial price talk of 8.875% as attractive, given the company's robust credit profile and improving debt maturity profile.

  Indika Energy has launched a tender offer for its USD 8.25% 2025 notes, with USD 534 mn outstanding. For each USD 1,000 in principal, the tender consideration is USD 962.5 and early tender consideration is USD 50, leading to a total consideration of USD 1,012.5. Indika is concurrently launching a USD 144A/RegS offering. Holders of the 8.25% '25s may request to receive priority allocation on the new notes.   We view initial price talk of 8.875% as attractive, given the company's robust credit profile and improving debt maturity profile. 

Indika Energy - Event Flash - Launches Tender Offer And 5NC2 Notes Offering - Lucror Analytics

Indika Energy’s FY 2023 numbers were soft as projected, owing to lower coal prices and the impact of the new licence for 91%-owned PT Kideco Jaya Agung. While Indika's financial risk profile deteriorated significantly, the credit metrics remained robust within the rating category. Liquidity stayed sound. The company should have a more difficult year in FY 2024, with decreased selling prices, revenue and earnings expected. That said, we still believe Indika can generate positive FCF, given its low-cost position. The company is set to redeem the c. USD 294 mn outstanding USD 5.875% 11/24 notes on May 3rd at par. While the redemption will be leverage neutral, we view the move as credit positive. Indika will only have the USD 2025 bonds remaining after the 2024 notes redemption, and these can be almost fully funded by the holdco's cash position.

  Indika Energy’s FY 2023 numbers were soft as projected, owing to lower coal prices and the impact of the new licence for 91%-owned PT Kideco Jaya Agung. While Indika's financial risk profile deteriorated significantly, the credit metrics remained robust within the rating category. Liquidity stayed sound.   The company should have a more difficult year in FY 2024, with decreased selling prices, revenue and earnings expected. That said, we still believe Indika can generate positive FCF, given its low-cost position.   The company is set to redeem the c. USD 294 mn outstanding USD 5.875% 11/24 notes on May 3rd at par. While the redemption will be leverage neutral, we view the move as credit positive. Indika will only have the USD 2025 bonds remaining after the 2024 notes redemption, and these can be almost fully funded by the holdco's cash position. 

Indika Energy - Earnings Flash - FY 2023 Results - Lucror Analytics

Anton Oilfield Services Group provides onshore oilfield services and products. The Company provides oilfield services and products in the areas of well, drilling, production, and field services.

Anton Oilfield's FY 2023 results were strong, with revenue growth accelerating to levels not registered since H1/19. The strong FCF boosted the cash balance. The company's financial risk profile improved significantly, with Net Debt/EBITDA below 1x and healthy interest coverage ratios. Liquidity is adequate. We expect the business' positive momentum to continue in FY 2024. H1 is projected to be significantly better y-o-y, while H2 is anticipated to improve only marginally due to the high base effect.

  Anton Oilfield's FY 2023 results were strong, with revenue growth accelerating to levels not registered since H1/19. The strong FCF boosted the cash balance. The company's financial risk profile improved significantly, with Net Debt/EBITDA below 1x and healthy interest coverage ratios. Liquidity is adequate.   We expect the business' positive momentum to continue in FY 2024. H1 is projected to be significantly better y-o-y, while H2 is anticipated to improve only marginally due to the high base effect. 

Anton Oilfield - Earnings Flash - FY 2023 Results - Lucror Analytics

Meituan operates as a web based shopping platform for locally found consumer products and retail services. The Company offers deals of the day by selling vouchers on local services and entertainment, dining, delivery, and other services. Meituan provides its services throughout China.

Meituan has released FY 2023 numbers that were excellent in our view, with significantly improved profitability and solid cash generation. The financial risk profile has strengthened further, with a large and growing net cash position coupled with robust leverage and coverage ratios. Liquidity is sound. We expect FY 2024 to be a better year for the company. We revise our Credit Bias on Meituan to “Positive” from "Stable", given the material increase in profitability and strong cash-flow generation following the pandemic. That said, we do not expect ratings upgrades in the near future.

  Meituan has released FY 2023 numbers that were excellent in our view, with significantly improved profitability and solid cash generation. The financial risk profile has strengthened further, with a large and growing net cash position coupled with robust leverage and coverage ratios. Liquidity is sound. We expect FY 2024 to be a better year for the company.   We revise our Credit Bias on Meituan to “Positive” from "Stable", given the material increase in profitability and strong cash-flow generation following the pandemic. That said, we do not expect ratings upgrades in the near future. 

Meituan - Earnings Flash - FY 2023 Results - Lucror Analytics

Sunny Optical Technology Group Co., Limited designs and manufactures optical and optical related products. The Company's products include glass/plastic lenses, prisms, mobile phone camera modules, microscopes, surveying instruments, and other analytical instruments.

Sunny Optical has released its FY 2023 numbers, which were weak but in line with expectations. Revenue declined 4.6% y-o-y to CNY 31.7 bn, due to lower shipments of handset-related products. Gross profit tumbled c. 30% to CNY 4.6 bn, with the margin shrinking to 14.5%. OCF plunged 64% to CNY 2.7 bn, while capex decreased slightly. FCF was therefore positive, albeit significantly lower. That said, the financial risk profile and liquidity remain healthy, supported by a large net cash position. We believe the industry operating environment will stabilise. The company marked seven consecutive months of double-digit shipment volume growth in February 2024, indicating that the recovery in the smartphone market is continuing. We expect shipments to stabilise at this level, which will represent a robust increase from the FY 2023 numbers. We project positive revenue and earnings growth in FY 2024.

  Sunny Optical has released its FY 2023 numbers, which were weak but in line with expectations. Revenue declined 4.6% y-o-y to CNY 31.7 bn, due to lower shipments of handset-related products. Gross profit tumbled c. 30% to CNY 4.6 bn, with the margin shrinking to 14.5%. OCF plunged 64% to CNY 2.7 bn, while capex decreased slightly. FCF was therefore positive, albeit significantly lower. That said, the financial risk profile and liquidity remain healthy, supported by a large net cash position.   We believe the industry operating environment will stabilise. The company marked seven consecutive months of double-digit shipment volume growth in February 2024, indicating that the recovery in the smartphone market is continuing. We expect shipments to stabilise at this level, which will represent a robust increase from the FY 2023 numbers. We project positive revenue and earnings growth in FY 2024. 

Sunny Optical - Earnings Flash - FY 2023 Results - Lucror Analytics

Trung is responsible for covering high yield companies in the South East Asian region. He joined Lucror in 2013 from ST Asset Management, a credit investment arm of Temasek Holdings, where he spent over six years in investment research and portfolio management with a focus on high yield, structured credit and leveraged finance.

Trung holds a Master in Financial Engineering from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore and Certificate in Computational Finance from Carnegie Mellon University. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and a Financial Risk Manager (FRM) charter-holder.

Trung Nguyen
Senior Credit Analyst
• Lucror Analytics

Indika Energy - Event Flash - Launches Tender Offer And 5NC2 Notes Offering - Lucror Analytics

Indika Energy has launched a tender offer for its USD 8.25% 2025 notes, with USD 534 mn outstanding. For each USD 1,000 in principal, the tender...

Lucror Analytics

Indika Energy - Earnings Flash - FY 2023 Results - Lucror Analytics

Indika Energy’s FY 2023 numbers were soft as projected, owing to lower coal prices and the impact of the new licence for 91%-owned PT Kideco Jaya...

Lucror Analytics

Anton Oilfield - Earnings Flash - FY 2023 Results - Lucror Analytics

Anton Oilfield's FY 2023 results were strong, with revenue growth accelerating to levels not registered since H1/19. The strong FCF boosted the...

Lucror Analytics

Meituan - Earnings Flash - FY 2023 Results - Lucror Analytics

Meituan has released FY 2023 numbers that were excellent in our view, with significantly improved profitability and solid cash generation. The...

Lucror Analytics

Sunny Optical - Earnings Flash - FY 2023 Results - Lucror Analytics

Sunny Optical has released its FY 2023 numbers, which were weak but in line with expectations. Revenue declined 4.6% y-o-y to CNY 31.7 bn, due to...

Lucror Analytics