June 2, 2011 Industry Report Holding Companies (Overweight) Holding companies deserve re-rating Daero Jeong +822-768-4160
[email protected] Overweight: Valuation discounts to dissipate We initiate coverage of the holding company sector with an Overweight rating. Holding companiesÊ shares are undervalued relative to their net asset values because investors prefer to directly invest in blue chip subsidiaries capable of generating more cash. But we believe valuation discounts will dissipate over time as: 1) the government should continue to ease the rules governing the founding and operations of holding companies, and 2) unlisted subsidiaries with robust growth potential should help boost NAV growth. Core subsidiaries perform far better than before The earnings, business stability and growth potential of holding companiesÊ core subsidiaries have improved markedly in recent years. Moreover, holding companies have diversified their revenue sources to include brand royalties and rental incomes, in addition to dividend payments from subsidiaries. As a result, their earnings volatility has decreased and fundamentals have improved. Top picks: LG Corp. and SK Holdings Our top picks are LG Corp. (003550 KS) and SK Holdings (003600 KS), which were selected based on the following criteria: ① Subsidiary portfolio: Growth potential of core subsidiaries, and re-rating of unlisted subsidiaries. ② Stable corporate governance: Synergies among related businesses within the group, and willingness to enter new businesses. ③ Attractive valuation: Undervalued