Hunting for Undervalued Compounders in Asia with Dan Rupp, Founder and CIO of Parkway Capital
Nov 20, 2024
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Dan Rupp, Founder and CIO of Parkway Capital, brings his Asia-focused investment expertise to the conversation. He dives into the potential of smaller-cap companies and why he's optimistic about the Chinese market. Rupp discusses the unique portfolio composition of Compounders and Defensive stocks, while also making a case for Haier, a Chinese white goods manufacturer. He shares insights on strategic fund management, highlighting the importance of capacity limits, and reveals his approach to navigating undervalued assets in Asia.
Dan Rupp highlights the importance of investing in smaller, less liquid opportunities in Asia that are often overlooked by larger firms.
Parkway Capital's disciplined strategy emphasizes a diversified portfolio of compounders, defensive firms, and deep value stocks to ensure long-term value growth.
Rupp remains constructive on the Chinese market, advocating for a contrarian perspective that identifies quality companies with sustainable growth potential.
Deep dives
Dan Rupp's Investment Philosophy and Background
Dan Rupp, founder and CIO of Parkway Capital, emphasizes the importance of understanding and accessing smaller, less liquid investment opportunities in Asia. After years at Overlook, where he honed his skills in investment management, he recognized the limitations posed by their large fund structure. Specifically, Rupp noted that many promising companies, particularly B shares in China, were overlooked due to their illiquidity and smaller market caps. His philosophy revolves around identifying compounders and deep value stocks across various Asian markets, leveraging his experience to navigate through diverse investment landscapes.
The Parkway Capital Investment Strategy
Parkway Capital adopts a disciplined investment strategy focusing on compounders, defensive companies, and deep value equities across Asia, excluding India. Rupp defines compounders as firms expected to grow earnings at a rate exceeding 12% per year, supported by robust cash flows or dividends. Furthermore, defensive stocks are identified for their lower growth and higher yields, which provide stability during market downturns. The strategy includes maintaining a portfolio of around 25–30 high-quality stocks, striving for a target portfolio growth of 10% from earnings growth and a 3% dividend yield.
Navigating the Complex Asian Market
Rupp points out that Asia presents a vast pool of investment opportunities, but investors often overlook the nuances between various share classes, particularly A and B shares in China. He highlighted that many Asian stocks trade at lower valuations compared to their US counterparts, offering potentially lucrative investment prospects. A specific example includes companies like Hire, a Chinese appliance manufacturer, which Rupp believes presents a strong investment case given its growth trajectory and market positioning. Investable stocks in Asia are assessed on liquidity, market capitalization, and sector representation, facilitating Parkway's focus on undervalued stocks with solid fundamentals.
Market Conditions and Future Perspectives
Rupp remains optimistic about the Chinese market, arguing that a contrarian viewpoint is essential amid the prevailing narrative that perceives China as uninvestable. He asserts that many high-quality companies in China are generating sustainable growth at attractive valuations, providing a viable investment thesis for Western investors. Underlining the potential for earnings recovery across the region, he expresses belief in the importance of having a diversified portfolio that includes exposure to both developed and emerging markets. Rupp's focus on capital growth, driven by strategic stock selections, positions Parkway Capital to capitalize on emerging trends in Asia despite external uncertainties.
Emphasis on Fundamentals and Long-term Value
One of the essential tenets of Rupp's investment approach is the importance of focusing on fundamental analysis and long-term value, as opposed to chasing short-term performance. By cultivating a deep understanding of the businesses he invests in, Rupp emphasizes that stock selection should hinge on quality earnings growth and sound capital management rather than market sentiment. He views opportunities in Asian markets as rooted in historical performance rather than speculative trends, thereby fostering confidence for sustained investment results. This focus enables Parkway Capital to target stocks that deliver consistent returns and withstand market volatility.
My guest on the show today is Dan Rupp, the Founder and CIO of Parkway Capital. After spending many years at a very well-known, Asia-focused investment firm called Overlook, Dan founded Parkway Capital to take advantage of some of the less liquid and smaller-cap opportunities he was consistently unearthing. Dan is the first Asia-only investor we have had on the podcast, and I was excited to speak with him about:
The types of opportunities he thought he could invest in with a smaller capital base;
How he is building his team and his asset base;
The Parkway portfolio, which consists of Compounders, Defensive companies and Deep Value stocks
Why he is so constructive on the Chinese market right now
The investment case for Chinese white goods manufacturer, Haier
Dan mentioned a handful of securities on this podcast. I don’t own any of them.
Listen to all Compounders Podcast episodes on either Apple or Spotify
All opinions expressed by your hosts and the podcast guests are solely their own opinions and do not reflect the opinion of SNN or its affiliates. This podcast is for informational purposes only, it is not investment advice, and should not be relied upon for any investment decisions. We are not recommending the purchase or sale of any securities. The hosts and guests may be beneficial owners of the securities discussed. You should not assume that the securities discussed are or will be profitable.
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