Kuaishou-W (01024) climbed over 3% during early trading, reaching HK$70.9 to mark its highest level in nearly two years. The stock settled at a 2.57% gain to HK$69.9 by press time, with turnover hitting HK$1.982 billion.

UBS highlighted growing investor optimism following recent roadshows with Kuaishou's senior management, noting particularly positive feedback on the company's artificial intelligence advancements and core commercial operations (advertising and e-commerce). The bank observed rising interest among overseas investors, potentially driving future capital inflows. Industry surveys suggest Kuaishou's second-quarter performance should align with UBS expectations.

The report further indicated that increased investments in instant retail by rival e-commerce platforms may alleviate competitive pressure on Kuaishou's e-commerce segment. New advertising products with enhanced AI capabilities, slated for launch in the second half, are expected to unlock additional advertiser budgets. UBS identified a valuation upside potential of HK$10-15 per share for Kling.

Considering Kuaishou's progress in China's advertising/e-commerce sectors alongside reasonable valuations and promising AI optionality, UBS believes the market hasn't fully priced in potential re-acceleration of Q2 advertising growth. The bank views upcoming Q2 results as a likely positive catalyst, maintaining its "Buy" rating with a HK$83.4 target price.