Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Yesterday, post-close, Bloomberg reported a headline "<strong>*SILCHESTER REPORTS NIKON STAKE; MAY SEEK CAPITAL POLICY CHANGES</strong>"</li>
<li>That was exciting. It was in all caps. It was activist-ish-y. Today the stock rose 10.3% and we got another article saying it was up because of Silchester's filing.</li>
<li>Beware the Bloomberg headline. Nuance is sometimes lost. They aren't always designed to help investors invest. Often, the main purpose is clickbait.</li>
</ul>


Yesterday, post-close, Bloomberg reported a headline "*SILCHESTER REPORTS NIKON STAKE; MAY SEEK CAPITAL POLICY CHANGES"
That was exciting. It was in all caps. It was activist-ish-y. Today the stock rose 10.3% and we got another article saying it was up because of Silchester's filing.
Beware the Bloomberg headline. Nuance is sometimes lost. They aren't always designed to help investors invest. Often, the main purpose is clickbait.


Nikon (7731) - Beware The Bloomberg Headline But There's Value Here

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>On 19 April, Taiyo Co-CEO Brian Heywood told <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/bidding-war-prompts-taiyo-consider-030026276.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg</a> and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/us-fund-taiyo-says-it-may-buy-into-brother-bid-niche-japanese-printer-2024-04-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reuters</a> they were considering three options to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/brother-industries-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6114:1" rel="noopener">Brother Industries (6448 JP)</a>’s tender for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/roland-dg-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10653:1" rel="noopener">Roland DG Corp (6789 JP)</a>. </li>
<li>Taiyo’s options are bumping its offer, walking away or tendering into the Brother’s offer if it bumps and alleviates dis-synergies concerns.</li>
<li>All three options are likely a ruse. Taiyo’s primary play is to frustrate and pressure Brother to withdraw its bid if it cannot get the Board’s recommendation.</li>
</ul>


On 19 April, Taiyo Co-CEO Brian Heywood told Bloomberg and Reuters they were considering three options to Brother Industries (6448 JP)’s tender for Roland DG Corp (6789 JP). 
Taiyo’s options are bumping its offer, walking away or tendering into the Brother’s offer if it bumps and alleviates dis-synergies concerns.
All three options are likely a ruse. Taiyo’s primary play is to frustrate and pressure Brother to withdraw its bid if it cannot get the Board’s recommendation.


Roland DG (6789 JP): Taiyo Mulling Three Options or Is It?

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

<ul>
<li>The Japanese Financial Services Agency has asked the general insurers to reduce/eliminate their cross-shareholdings.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sompo-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:632:1" rel="noopener">Sompo Holdings (8630 JP)</a> had a stake over US$100m in at least 16 listed Japanese stocks, amounting to a total of around US$6bn.</li>
<li>In this note, we take a look at its stakes in various companies to see which ones could possibly be candidates for further selldowns.</li>
</ul>


The Japanese Financial Services Agency has asked the general insurers to reduce/eliminate their cross-shareholdings.

Sompo Holdings (8630 JP) had a stake over US$100m in at least 16 listed Japanese stocks, amounting to a total of around US$6bn.
In this note, we take a look at its stakes in various companies to see which ones could possibly be candidates for further selldowns.


Sompo Holdings Cross-Shareholding - At Least US$8bn of Cross-Shareholding to Sell

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

US Treasury (10 Yr Generic) / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>We continue to see more and more global indexes and Sectors breaking out to new highs. This is classic bull market behavior. The latest breakouts: Israel, Germany, and Sweden</li>
<li>Our bullish outlook (since early November 2023) on global equities (MSCI ACWI) remains intact; continue to ride this trend higher, and treat pullbacks as buying opportunities.</li>
<li>We continue to get more evidence suggesting the US Dollar (DXY) is rolling over, and quite likely that global sovereign 10-year yields are rolling over as well. Risk-on.</li>
</ul>


We continue to see more and more global indexes and Sectors breaking out to new highs. This is classic bull market behavior. The latest breakouts: Israel, Germany, and Sweden
Our bullish outlook (since early November 2023) on global equities (MSCI ACWI) remains intact; continue to ride this trend higher, and treat pullbacks as buying opportunities.
We continue to get more evidence suggesting the US Dollar (DXY) is rolling over, and quite likely that global sovereign 10-year yields are rolling over as well. Risk-on.


Bullish Outlook Intact; DXY Rolling Over; More Global Breakouts. Buys in Discretionary, Tech

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/canon-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1:1" rel="noopener">Canon Inc (7751 JP)</a> announced 2023 full-year results on 30 January. Results were mixed. Revenues did OK. Net Profit underperformed expectations. 2024 Net Profit Guidance is 1% higher than consensus.</li>
<li>Canon has a 15yr history of one kind of buyback. ¥50bn every time. 19 times in a row. Short (10 weeks max), sharp, executions (executed in 3-5 weeks). Every time. </li>
<li>This time offers a new buyback. ¥100bn. Over the space of a year. That's only 3% of ADV but the shareholder structure is different than you think it is.</li>
</ul>



Canon Inc (7751 JP) announced 2023 full-year results on 30 January. Results were mixed. Revenues did OK. Net Profit underperformed expectations. 2024 Net Profit Guidance is 1% higher than consensus.
Canon has a 15yr history of one kind of buyback. ¥50bn every time. 19 times in a row. Short (10 weeks max), sharp, executions (executed in 3-5 weeks). Every time. 
This time offers a new buyback. ¥100bn. Over the space of a year. That's only 3% of ADV but the shareholder structure is different than you think it is.


Canon (7751) - OK 2023 Results, Better Guidance, Bigger, Longer, Slower Buyback

Japan

Canon Inc. is a professional and consumer imaging solutions company and patent-holder of digital imaging technologies. The Company's products include networked multifunction devices, digital and analog copiers, computer peripherals, facsimile machines, image filing systems, camcorders, cameras and lenses, semiconductor, and broadcast and medical equipment.

NEC Corporation manufactures and markets computers, telecommunication equipment, electronic devices, semiconductors, and software.  The Company's products include printers, modems, cellular phones, plasma display panels (PDP), network systems, memory, integrated circuits (IC), thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), and printed circuit boards (PCB). NEC operates worldwide.

BROTHER INDUSTRIES, LTD. manufactures and markets communications and office equipment.  The Company's main products include facsimiles, digital copy machines, label printers, and word processors.  Brother Industries also manufactures and sells sewing machines and other tools.  The Company operates its business worldwide.

RICOH COMPANY, LTD. manufactures and markets office automation equipment, electronic devices, and photographic instruments.  The Company's diverse product line includes facsimiles, image scanners, printers, digital cameras, and personal computers, as well as a full range of analog, digital, and color copiers. Ricoh operates with a network of sales offices and tie-ups worldwide.

Seiko Epson Corporation manufactures communications equipment, electronic devices, and precision products.  The Company's products include printers, scanners, Liquid Crystal Projectors, semiconductors, quartz devices, and watches.

Konica Minolta Inc is mainly engaged in manufacturing office equipment and performance materials. It also operates health care businesses. The Company also makes copiers, personal computer peripherals, optical lenses, and measuring instruments.

Noritsu Koki Co., Ltd. manufactures various photo processors.  The Company specializes in high-speed mini-photo processing lab systems.  Noritsu Koki also produces OEM (original equipment manufacturer) supply for Kodak and Konica.

MCJ Co., Ltd. manufactures and markets personal computers and its related products.  The Company provides desktop and laptop computers, computer memories, printers, and hard drives.

TOSHIBA TEC CORPORATION manufactures electronic equipment for distribution system, document processing, and household use.  The Company's products include Point of Sale (POS) systems, bar code scanners, copy machines, printers, and vacuum cleaners.

ELECOM CO., LTD. designs, manufactures, and markets computer peripherals, supplies, and accessories.  The Company offers a diverse range of products including adapters, cables, switches, local area network (LAN) devices, paper, keyboard covers, and chairs.

Western Digital Corporation is a global provider of solutions for the collection, storage, management, protection and use of digital content, including audio and video. The Company's products include hard drives, solid-state drives, and home entertainment and networking products.

Quanta Computer Inc. manufactures and markets notebook computers and related peripheral equipment.

HP Inc. provides imaging and printing systems, computing systems, mobile devices, solutions, and services for business and home. The Company offers products which includes laser and inkjet printers, scanners, copiers and faxes, personal computers, workstations, storage solutions, and other computing and printing systems. HP sells its products worldwide.

Super Micro Computer, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures and sells server solutions based on modular and open-standard x86 architecture. The Company's products include servers, motherboards, chassis, and accessories.

Seagate Technology Holdings Public Limited Company offers computer hardware products. The Company designs, manufactures, and markets hard disk drives for enterprise applications, client compute applications, client non-compute applications, personal data backup systems, portable external storage systems and digital media systems.

Asustek Computer Inc. manufactures and markets computer motherboards, interface cards, notebook computers, and other related products.

Lenovo Group Limited, through its subsidiaries, sells, and manufactures personal computers and handheld devices. The Company also provides Internet services and IT services, and contracting manufacturing business.

Focus Media Information Technology Co., Ltd. engages in media network for advertisements including within cinemas, posters and advertising displays in commercial offices or buildings.

Focus Media Information Technology Co, Ltd. (002027 CH)

Focus Media Information Technology Co, Ltd.

NetApp, Inc. provides storage and data management solutions. The Company's storage solutions include specialized hardware, software, and services that provide storage management for open network environments. NetApp  serves enterprises, government agencies, and universities worldwide.

BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd. manufactures display products. The Company produces display panels, sensor devices, and other products. BOE Technology Group supplies its products in mobile phones, tablets, notebooks, monitors, and other fields.

FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation develops, sells and services Imaging, Information, and Document Solutions.  Its products include color films, digital cameras, photofinishing products and equipment.  The Group also manufactures medical and graphic art use equipment and materials, FPD materials, and optical devices, and provides services on office copy machines, printers, and related equipment.

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FUJIFILM Holdings (4901 JP)

Nikon (7731) - Beware The Bloomberg Headline But There's Value Here

Nikon is a cheap company with dual personalities, which keeps its multiple low. It has cash and securities too. Silchester bought 5% and Bloomberg...

Travis Lundy

Roland DG (6789 JP): Taiyo Mulling Three Options or Is It?

Taiyo’s press interviews are a smokescreen for its primary tactic of frustrating and pressing Brother to withdraw its bid if it cannot get the...

Arun George

Sompo Holdings Cross-Shareholding - At Least US$8bn of Cross-Shareholding to Sell

The Japanese Financial Services Agency has asked the general insurers to reduce/eliminate their cross-shareholdings. Sompo had a stake of over...

Sumeet Singh

Bullish Outlook Intact; DXY Rolling Over; More Global Breakouts. Buys in Discretionary, Tech

Bullish Outlook Intact; $DXY Rolling Over, 10-Yr Treasury Yield $TNX Rolling Over; More Global Indexes Breaking Out (Israel, Germany, Sweden). Buys...

Vermilion Research

Canon (7751) - OK 2023 Results, Better Guidance, Bigger, Longer, Slower Buyback

Canon results were OK but underperformed expectations at the net level. Guidance for 2024 are slightly above consensus. Interesting news is that...

Travis Lundy

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