HQ Sustainable Maritime Industries Inc.

A junior investment analyst at Maple Toronto Fund (the Fund), a “deep-value shop” whose main strategy was to invest in deeply undervalued businesses, was screening hundreds of small-cap stocks and came across HQ Sustainable Maritime Industries Inc. (HQS), an aquaculture and aquatic product processing company that operated in two product segments in China. A quick look at HQS’s financials suggested to the junior investment analyst that he had found the “holy grail” of value investing: a net-net stock. The junior investment analyst knew he had to perform in-depth due diligence to estimate the stock’s intrinsic value and determine whether the stock was truly undervalued. He wondered how to tackle the valuation; in addition to developing a deep understanding of the industry and the company’s business model and numbers, he considered the value-investing-based valuation approach. The junior investment analyst knew that demonstration of thorough analysis and accurate valuation of HQS might convince senior management of the Fund to acquire a substantial stake in HQS. If this investment was profitable, it could boost his career and prospects of advancement within the Fund. The junior investment analyst had one week to put his presentation together.