Reliance among 10 Asia Pacific stock recommendations by BofA Securities

The financial services company sees potential return on investments in the range 6-72 per cent.

New Delhi: BofA Securities has given ‘Buy’ call for E Ink, Hundsun, Japan Airlines, Mazda Motor, PICC Group, Reliance Industries, Samsung F&M, SBI Cards, and United Breweries for July-September 2023 quarter.

The financial services company sees potential return on investments in the range 6-72 per cent.

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It, however, gave an ‘Underperform’ rating for IDP Education, with a potential 16 per cent downside in its stock price.

BofA Securities said they presented a list of 10 quarterly stock recommendations among Asia Pacific companies, based on the view that these stocks could have the most significant market and business-related catalysts in the quarter ahead.

“Given the breadth and scope of our overall coverage of stocks and sectors in Asia Pac, we recognize this recommended list cannot include nor is it designed to include all major catalysts. Our objective is to identify what we believe will be the highest impact ideas in each quarter when we publish the list,” the financial services company said.

For Reliance, the financial services company has a ‘Buy’ rating as Jio has emerged as the top telecom player in a growing market in India.
“Reliance’s telecom subsidiary -Jio – has garnered a large number of paying subscribers. Service quality perceptions continue to improve. Data demand appears to be sticky, and relatively less price sensitive,” it said.

“Reliance is also completing a major petrochemicals expansion, which should significantly increase its free cash flow potential. Continued improvements at Jio and FCF (free cash flow) generation should drive upside.” Explaining the rationale behind the recommendation, it said it maintained ‘Buy’ on Reliance Industries after finding find risk-reward favorable as it heads into its Annual General Meeting (likely in August).
With Jio making investments in 5G, BofA Securities sees further room for the company to gain market share — mainly at the expense of Vodafone Idea.

“Furthermore, any better-than-expected revenues in fiber broadband or digital initiatives could surprise positively.” The Indian conglomerate foraying into “high-margin” niches like chocolates, cosmetics, and beverages by making acquisitions is also a positive, BofA Securities said.
Further, it said Reliance’s oil-to-chemical business is well positioned to generate USD 9-9.5 billion EBITDA for the next three years, thus providing cash-flow stability.

“We also consider RIL to be one of the very few Indian companies who have potential to be big in clean energy space mainly in solar, battery, electrolyzer and fuel cells as they are setting gigafactories,” it added.