Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

Keisei Electric Railway Co / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Last October, activist Palliser Capital launched a campaign (<a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231017540912/en/Palliser-Capital-Responds-to-Media-Article-Regarding-Investment-in-Keisei-Electric-Railway" target="_blank" rel="noopener">presentation</a>) on well-known "stub trade" <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/keisei-electric-railway-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10876:1" rel="noopener">Keisei Electric Railway Co (9009 JP)</a> with a stake of about 1.6%. </li>
<li>The proposal? Monetise a decent stake in Oriental Land (4661 JP), repurchase shares, and invest for growth. Keisei responded 6-8 weeks ago with a buyback and 1% OLC stake sale.</li>
<li>I thought that was time to bail. That was it. But now, Palliser has re-engaged. Today a press release (<a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240423026545/ja/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Japanese</a>/<a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240423405941/en/Palliser-Capital-Proposes-Advisory-Resolution-to-Give-Shareholders-a-Voice-at-Keisei%E2%80%99s-Forthcoming-AGM" target="_blank" rel="noopener">English</a>) and a <a href="https://mms.businesswire.com/media/20240423405941/en/2107923/1/53951785_PALLISER_CAPITAL_20240424_Letter_to_Keisei_English_2.pdf?download=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Letter to the Board</a>.</li>
</ul>


Last October, activist Palliser Capital launched a campaign (presentation) on well-known "stub trade" Keisei Electric Railway Co (9009 JP) with a stake of about 1.6%. 
The proposal? Monetise a decent stake in Oriental Land (4661 JP), repurchase shares, and invest for growth. Keisei responded 6-8 weeks ago with a buyback and 1% OLC stake sale.
I thought that was time to bail. That was it. But now, Palliser has re-engaged. Today a press release (Japanese/English) and a Letter to the Board.


Activist Palliser Re-Engages on Keisei Electric (9009) But The Oppty Remains Unconvincing

Pan-Asia Index Flows & Special Situations, Quiddity Advisors

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Pan-Asia Index Flows & Special Situations

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>JPX-Nikkei 400 is composed of common stocks listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It is a free-float-adjusted market-value-weighted (capped) index composed of 400 constituents.</li>
<li>A periodic review is conducted by the Index providers, the JPX Group and Nikkei Inc, in August every year. We look at the rankings of the potential ADDs/DELs every month.</li>
<li>Below is a look at potential ADDs/DELs for the JPX-Nikkei 400 index rebal event to come in August 2024 based on trading data as of end-April 2024.</li>
</ul>


JPX-Nikkei 400 is composed of common stocks listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. It is a free-float-adjusted market-value-weighted (capped) index composed of 400 constituents.
A periodic review is conducted by the Index providers, the JPX Group and Nikkei Inc, in August every year. We look at the rankings of the potential ADDs/DELs every month.
Below is a look at potential ADDs/DELs for the JPX-Nikkei 400 index rebal event to come in August 2024 based on trading data as of end-April 2024.


Quiddity JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebal 2024: End-Apr 2024 Estimates

David Blennerhassett

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pasona-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15778:1" rel="noopener">Pasona (2168 JP)</a>will pay out 10-20% of the extraordinary gain from the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/benefit-one-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14502:1" rel="noopener">Benefit One (2412 JP)</a> sale. It will take its sweet time doing so. For no apparent reason.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-lung-properties-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:49:1" rel="noopener">Hang Lung Properties (101 HK)</a>'s first-ever scrip dividend provides the means for the Chan Family to indirectly chip away at minorities. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hollysys-automation-technologies" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26078:1" rel="noopener">Hollysys Automation Technologies (HOLI US)</a> accountant resignation announcement is a nothing burger. An  update on PRC regulatory approvals would be welcome about now though. </li>
</ul>



Pasona (2168 JP)will pay out 10-20% of the extraordinary gain from the Benefit One (2412 JP) sale. It will take its sweet time doing so. For no apparent reason.

Hang Lung Properties (101 HK)'s first-ever scrip dividend provides the means for the Chan Family to indirectly chip away at minorities. 

Hollysys Automation Technologies (HOLI US) accountant resignation announcement is a nothing burger. An  update on PRC regulatory approvals would be welcome about now though. 


Last Week in Event SPACE: Pasona/Benefit One, Hang Lung Properties, Hollysys, Azure Minerals

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dai-ichi-life-insurance" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1109:1" rel="noopener">Dai Ichi (8750 JP)</a> agreed with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pasona-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15778:1" rel="noopener">Pasona (2168 JP)</a> for Pasona to sell its shares back to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/benefit-one-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14502:1" rel="noopener">Benefit One (2412 JP)</a> in a buyback after Dai-Ichi's Tender Offer for Benefit.</li>
<li>This process gives Pasona a tax advantage versus selling into a Tender Offer at the same price.</li>
<li>What does Pasona take home? ~¥2,822/share versus its last price of ¥2,733/share. Then you have stubs ops (conservatively worth up to ~¥1,960/share) and Pasona's stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bewith-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35846:1" rel="noopener">Bewith (9216 JP)</a> (~¥360/share).</li>
</ul>



Dai Ichi (8750 JP) agreed with Pasona (2168 JP) for Pasona to sell its shares back to Benefit One (2412 JP) in a buyback after Dai-Ichi's Tender Offer for Benefit.
This process gives Pasona a tax advantage versus selling into a Tender Offer at the same price.
What does Pasona take home? ~¥2,822/share versus its last price of ¥2,733/share. Then you have stubs ops (conservatively worth up to ~¥1,960/share) and Pasona's stake in Bewith (9216 JP) (~¥360/share).


<ul>
<li>For the month of March 2024, 8 new transactions (firm and non-binding) were discussed on Smartkarma with an overall announced deal size of ~US$4bn.</li>
<li>The average premium for the new transactions announced (or first discussed) in March was ~55%. The average premium YTD is ~39%.</li>
<li>This compares to the average premium for transactions in 2023 (117 transactions), 2022 (106), 2021 (165), 2020 (158), and 2019 (145 ) of 39%, 41%, 33%, 31%, and 31% respectively.</li>
</ul>


For the month of March 2024, 8 new transactions (firm and non-binding) were discussed on Smartkarma with an overall announced deal size of ~US$4bn.
The average premium for the new transactions announced (or first discussed) in March was ~55%. The average premium YTD is ~39%.
This compares to the average premium for transactions in 2023 (117 transactions), 2022 (106), 2021 (165), 2020 (158), and 2019 (145 ) of 39%, 41%, 33%, 31%, and 31% respectively.


(Mostly) Asia M&A, Mar 2024: Chilled & Frozen, TDCX, MMA Offshore, JSR, Roland DG, SciClone

Japan

Benefit One Inc. provides outsourcing services to major corporations in Japan. The Company provides a variety of benefit programs such as leisure, education, child care, nursing care and meal services for employees of the client companies.

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Benefit One Inc (2412 JP)

Activist Palliser Re-Engages on Keisei Electric (9009) But The Oppty Remains Unconvincing

Since I wrote this piece, Keisei vs OLC is down small. Since I wrote the previous one, it is down more. I think there is room to go, but...

Travis Lundy

Quiddity JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebal 2024: End-Apr 2024 Estimates

In total, there are 45 Potential ADDs and 46 Potential DELs (unique names) presented in the current Quiddity Leaderboard.

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Last Week in Event SPACE: Pasona/Benefit One, Hang Lung Properties, Hollysys, Azure Minerals

The weekend is here! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed...

David Blennerhassett

Get Your Pasona (2168 JP) Rump For Free

Pasona (2168 JP) said that 10-20% of the total extraordinary gain from the sale of Benefit One Inc (2412 JP) Is to be paid out as a special...

David Blennerhassett

(Mostly) Asia M&A, Mar 2024: Chilled & Frozen, TDCX, MMA Offshore, JSR, Roland DG, SciClone

For the month of March, 8 new deals were discussed on Smartkarma with an overall deal size of ~US$4bn. The average premium for the new deals...

David Blennerhassett

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