
SEA Limited (NYSE: SE) & COUPANG (NYSE: CPNG) Stock Analyses
The speaker analyzes two Asian companies within his global, diversified portfolio. Both represent the super app concept, similar to Mercado Libre or Grab.
SEA Limited (SE)
- Business segments: Gaming, e-commerce (Shopee), financial services.
- Current performance: After pandemic boom and crash, stock is slowly recovering. Revenues and profits improve; gaming is stable.
- Growth dynamics: Shopee expands strongly in Brazil, competing with Mercado Libre. Credit volume grows massively (now $9 billion), tying up cash.
- Profitability: EBITDA mainly from gaming. Net income just turned positive. Stock-based compensation is high ($625 million) – a risk factor.
- Valuation risk: Analysts expect 25% annual earnings growth. But if growth slows, the P/E ratio could drop to 8 (example: $6 EPS × P/E 8 = $48, a 50% decline from current levels).
- Conclusion: High growth but also high risk from competition (TikTok, others) and credit losses. More of a risky bet than a stable value play.
Coupang (CPNG)
- Criticism: The speaker calls Coupang a “fake company.” It presents itself as a US tech firm but generates nearly all revenue in South Korea – lack of transparency.
- Business model: E-commerce („wannabe Amazon“), recently acquired Farfetch (luxury e-commerce).
- Finances: No profitable growth; operating cash flows remain negative. The balance sheet shows a growing deficit, requiring additional capital.
- Comparison with Amazon: The dream of becoming the „next Amazon“ is unrealistic. Once growth stops, a P/E of 8 and massive stock decline are likely.
Overall Assessment
SEA Limited is risky but interesting; Coupang appears even weaker. Both illustrate the typical pitfalls of e-commerce super apps: high expectations, intense competition, and valuation risks when transitioning from growth to maturity.






