Kakao, IMAX turn to blocks — with very different results

South Korea’s Kakao Corp and Hong Kong-listed IMAX China displayed vastly different aftermarket performances following a pair of successful block trades on Wednesday, reflecting the increasing market sensitivity to the valuations and long-term growth prospects of Asian stocks.

Both companies are well-known among Asian investors, with Kakao being the operator of Korea’s leading instant messaging app KakaoTalk, and IMAX China a high-flying movie and entertainment stock since listing in October 2015.

It did not come as a big surprise when CMC Capital Partners and FountainVest Partners announced their intention to sell their entire combined 5.9% stake in IMAX China late Wednesday. The two private equity...