Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>It has been an interesting year and short interest has varied a lot across countries, sectors and stocks. We look at changes in Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.</li>
<li>Shorts have soared in Korea following the resumption of short selling, while short interest has increased in the other countries too.</li>
<li>Ping An Insurance and BYD had the biggest short covering, while China Merchants Bank saw the largest increase in shorts over the year.</li>
</ul>


It has been an interesting year and short interest has varied a lot across countries, sectors and stocks. We look at changes in Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
Shorts have soared in Korea following the resumption of short selling, while short interest has increased in the other countries too.
Ping An Insurance and BYD had the biggest short covering, while China Merchants Bank saw the largest increase in shorts over the year.


Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Equity Analyst

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kose-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18009:1" rel="noopener">Kose Corp (4922 JP)</a>’s share price is up 5.1% today compared to 3.6%, 4.9%, 4.2%, 2.8% and 2.2% for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shiseido-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5718:1" rel="noopener">Shiseido Company (4911 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pola-orbis-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2287:1" rel="noopener">Pola Orbis Holdings (4927 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fancl-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15862:1" rel="noopener">Fancl Corp (4921 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kao-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12933:1" rel="noopener">Kao Corp (4452 JP)</a> and the Topix Index respectively despite an underwhelming quarter ending September 2021 results release on 29th October 2021 (aftermarket) with revenue declining 1.7% (adjusted for changes in accounting standards) from the same period of the previous year.</li>
<li>Quarterly revenue increased 9.2% (adjusted) on a QoQ basis. The OP increased 86.2% YoY and 54.3% QoQ (adjusted) on cost controls.</li>
<li>In addition, the company has lowered its revenue and OP guidance for the 9 months from April-December 2021 by ¥14.0bn (5.9%) and ¥4.0bn (20%) respectively to ¥224.0bn revenue and ¥16.0bn OP, which implies a full-year revenue of ¥299.3bn and an OP of ¥18.2bn in CY2021 compared to ¥282.8bn revenue and ¥13.5bn OP in CY2020.</li>
</ul>



Kose Corp (4922 JP)’s share price is up 5.1% today compared to 3.6%, 4.9%, 4.2%, 2.8% and 2.2% for Shiseido Company (4911 JP), Pola Orbis Holdings (4927 JP), Fancl Corp (4921 JP), Kao Corp (4452 JP) and the Topix Index respectively despite an underwhelming quarter ending September 2021 results release on 29th October 2021 (aftermarket) with revenue declining 1.7% (adjusted for changes in accounting standards) from the same period of the previous year.
Quarterly revenue increased 9.2% (adjusted) on a QoQ basis. The OP increased 86.2% YoY and 54.3% QoQ (adjusted) on cost controls.
In addition, the company has lowered its revenue and OP guidance for the 9 months from April-December 2021 by ¥14.0bn (5.9%) and ¥4.0bn (20%) respectively to ¥224.0bn revenue and ¥16.0bn OP, which implies a full-year revenue of ¥299.3bn and an OP of ¥18.2bn in CY2021 compared to ¥282.8bn revenue and ¥13.5bn OP in CY2020.


Further Downside Is Possible As Kose Keeps Losing Ground in Japan

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shiseido-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5718:1" rel="noopener">Shiseido Company (4911 JP)</a>’s CEO, Masahiko Uotani has met with several reporters to discuss the company’s view on the cosmetics industry at a time Shiseido’s share price has underperformed the Topix and Nikkei indices by more than 8%.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/236/665/original/image_43531005321634807122546.png?1634807123" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="236665"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Cap IQ</div>Uotani is expecting a sharp recovery in inbound revenue over the course of the next year. Even though Uotani says that he is less concerned about signs of an economic slowdown and concerns of tighter regulation in China, he is planning on hedging the China slowdown risk through acquisitions in the US and Europe.

Shiseido Company (4911 JP)’s CEO, Masahiko Uotani has met with several reporters to discuss the company’s view on the cosmetics industry at a time Shiseido’s share price has underperformed the Topix and Nikkei indices by more than 8%.Source: Cap IQUotani is expecting a sharp recovery in inbound revenue over the course of the next year. Even though Uotani says that he is less concerned about signs of an economic slowdown and concerns of tighter regulation in China, he is planning on hedging the China slowdown risk through acquisitions in the US and Europe.

Shiseido: Inbound Demand Could Rebound During The Next Twelve Months

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shiseido-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5718:1" rel="noopener">Shiseido Company (4911 JP)</a>, Japan’s biggest cosmetics company with annual revenue of around ¥1,000bn, said that they agreed to sell its bareMinerals, BUXOM and Laura Mercier brands along with their related assets to the PE firm Advent International for US$700.0m. The transaction is expected to close on or before 31st December 2021. The sale comes as a part of Shiseido’s “Win 2023 and Beyond” transformation plan which targets a 15% operating margin (an increase of 5 percentage points from the 2019 level) by 2023 and global leadership in skincare by 2030.

Shiseido Company (4911 JP), Japan’s biggest cosmetics company with annual revenue of around ¥1,000bn, said that they agreed to sell its bareMinerals, BUXOM and Laura Mercier brands along with their related assets to the PE firm Advent International for US$700.0m. The transaction is expected to close on or before 31st December 2021. The sale comes as a part of Shiseido’s “Win 2023 and Beyond” transformation plan which targets a 15% operating margin (an increase of 5 percentage points from the 2019 level) by 2023 and global leadership in skincare by 2030.

Shiseido: Offloads BareMinerals, BUXOM and Laura Mercier at a Bargain But Future Looks Bright

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fancl-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15862:1" rel="noopener">Fancl Corp (4921 JP)</a> shares rose 7.3% upon delivering strong 1QFY22 results, which saw operating profit increase by 23.1% YoY to ¥3.0bn (consensus ¥2.3bn). The company’s revenue rose 3.2% YoY to ¥25.2bn (consensus ¥25.4bn). We think the lack of upward revision to guidance is a sign of conservatism by the management due to uncertain business conditions resulting from the spread of the delta variant of the COVID-19 virus. Nevertheless, FANCL cosmetics and nutritional supplements could continue to boost earnings and generate a substantial earnings beat in FY22.

Fancl Corp (4921 JP) shares rose 7.3% upon delivering strong 1QFY22 results, which saw operating profit increase by 23.1% YoY to ¥3.0bn (consensus ¥2.3bn). The company’s revenue rose 3.2% YoY to ¥25.2bn (consensus ¥25.4bn). We think the lack of upward revision to guidance is a sign of conservatism by the management due to uncertain business conditions resulting from the spread of the delta variant of the COVID-19 virus. Nevertheless, FANCL cosmetics and nutritional supplements could continue to boost earnings and generate a substantial earnings beat in FY22.

Japan

Kao Corporation is a manufacturer of household and chemical products. The company produces cosmetics, laundry and cleaning products, hygiene products, fatty chemicals, edible oils, and specialty chemicals.

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Kao Corp (4452 JP)

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