Senior Bank Analyst - Japanese Banks, Windamee Research

J. Brian Waterhouse

Senior Bank Analyst - Japanese Banks

Windamee Research

Japanese Banks

Equity Bottom-Up

Mizuho Financial Group / Equity Bottom-Up

The last day of September.  The end of the first half of the financial year.  A particularly busy day for bankers, with a surge in banking transactions as customers close out the half-year.  The FSA breathing down your neck for the multiple systems failures you have already had this year.  The last thing you need on this day is another systems failure.  But that is exactly what happened yesterday afternoon.  That makes eight straight systems failures since February 2021 for Mizuho Bank and the embattled management team of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mizuho-financial-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:219:1" rel="noopener">Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP)</a>, the latest mishap coming only one week after the FSA issued a Business Correction Order to the bank and the holding company in respect of the previous systems failures.  Mizuho’s reputation with the financial authorities will not have been enhanced by this latest revelation.Caveat Emptor! (May the Buyer Beware!) remains our advice to would-be investors in this enormous but problematic banking group.

The last day of September.  The end of the first half of the financial year.  A particularly busy day for bankers, with a surge in banking transactions as customers close out the half-year.  The FSA breathing down your neck for the multiple systems failures you have already had this year.  The last thing you need on this day is another systems failure.  But that is exactly what happened yesterday afternoon.  That makes eight straight systems failures since February 2021 for Mizuho Bank and the embattled management team of Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP), the latest mishap coming only one week after the FSA issued a Business Correction Order to the bank and the holding company in respect of the previous systems failures.  Mizuho’s reputation with the financial authorities will not have been enhanced by this latest revelation.Caveat Emptor! (May the Buyer Beware!) remains our advice to would-be investors in this enormous but problematic banking group.

Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP):  Straight Eight

In Japanese lore, 7 is a lucky number.  But not if you are a member of the embattled management team of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mizuho-financial-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:219:1" rel="noopener">Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP)</a>.  Mizuho Bank has now had seven systems failures so far this year, prompting an unprecedented response from the FSA.  The FSA has not only issued Mizuho Bank with yet another Business Correction Order (BCO) but has also taken the highly unusual step of announcing that it will be closely monitoring the forthcoming detailed inspection of the group’s seemingly troubled ‘MINORI’ core computer system, while stopping short of directing operations itself.While management searches for solutions, and the inevitable finger-pointing continues, the bank’s reputation erodes.  Foreign investors still own in aggregate over 22% of MHFG’s stock (as of 31 March 2021), although this ratio may have changed significantly within the last six months.  While the Topix and Nikkei 225 indices have risen to levels not seen in over three decades, with banks initially outperforming the broader Topix index for the first time since 2015, the banking sector is now losing momentum as credit concerns build.  In short, there are far better investment opportunities to be found elsewhere in the Japanese stock market.Caveat Emptor! (May the Buyer Beware!) remains our advice to would-be investors in this enormous but highly volatile banking group.

In Japanese lore, 7 is a lucky number.  But not if you are a member of the embattled management team of Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP).  Mizuho Bank has now had seven systems failures so far this year, prompting an unprecedented response from the FSA.  The FSA has not only issued Mizuho Bank with yet another Business Correction Order (BCO) but has also taken the highly unusual step of announcing that it will be closely monitoring the forthcoming detailed inspection of the group’s seemingly troubled ‘MINORI’ core computer system, while stopping short of directing operations itself.While management searches for solutions, and the inevitable finger-pointing continues, the bank’s reputation erodes.  Foreign investors still own in aggregate over 22% of MHFG’s stock (as of 31 March 2021), although this ratio may have changed significantly within the last six months.  While the Topix and Nikkei 225 indices have risen to levels not seen in over three decades, with banks initially outperforming the broader Topix index for the first time since 2015, the banking sector is now losing momentum as credit concerns build.  In short, there are far better investment opportunities to be found elsewhere in the Japanese stock market.Caveat Emptor! (May the Buyer Beware!) remains our advice to would-be investors in this enormous but highly volatile banking group.

Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP):  Not So Lucky 7

Silver Point

Thomas J. Monaco

Independent Insight Provider

Silver Point is a boutique research firm that focuses on the broader financial services sector, with a particular focus on troubled institutions globally. 

Asia Ex Japan

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) / Equity Bottom-Up

*USB Pounces Quickly: US Bancorp (USB.US) announced the acquisition of MUFG’s West Coast regional bank (Union Bank) for USD 8.0 bn in a 70/30 cash/stock transaction. Admittedly, this transaction is smaller than we had anticipated – only being Union Bank, the largest portion of MUFG Americas, MUFG’s US bank holding company; and  *Headache Relieved: MUFG recently received a regulatory C&amp;D for "unsafe and unsound practices" with respect to operational risk management and non-compliance with security standards. USB is now the responsible party. MUFG receives USD 5.5 bn in cash and a 2.9% stake in USB, and likely will record a gain of JPY 150 bn. At MUFG Americas, approximately USD 22.6 bn in assets remains at the CIB.

*USB Pounces Quickly: US Bancorp (USB.US) announced the acquisition of MUFG’s West Coast regional bank (Union Bank) for USD 8.0 bn in a 70/30 cash/stock transaction. Admittedly, this transaction is smaller than we had anticipated – only being Union Bank, the largest portion of MUFG Americas, MUFG’s US bank holding company; and  *Headache Relieved: MUFG recently received a regulatory C&amp;D for "unsafe and unsound practices" with respect to operational risk management and non-compliance with security standards. USB is now the responsible party. MUFG receives USD 5.5 bn in cash and a 2.9% stake in USB, and likely will record a gain of JPY 150 bn. At MUFG Americas, approximately USD 22.6 bn in assets remains at the CIB. 

*For Sale: According to press reports, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (8306.JP) [MUFG] is contemplating a sale of its US banking subsidiary, MUFG Americas – the 22nd largest bank in the US by assets, in a significant strategy shift;  and  *Don’t Expect A Big Premium: Bloomberg suggests that the median sale price for large US banks was approximately 1.4x P/BV last year – implying a deal price of over USD 22 bn. In addition to the price tag limiting the number of potential suitors, any acquirer will have to contend with breaching the national deposit cap. As such, pricing likely would below last year’s US average – particularly considering MUFG America’s fundamental challenges.

*For Sale: According to press reports, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (8306.JP) [MUFG] is contemplating a sale of its US banking subsidiary, MUFG Americas – the 22nd largest bank in the US by assets, in a significant strategy shift;  and  *Don’t Expect A Big Premium: Bloomberg suggests that the median sale price for large US banks was approximately 1.4x P/BV last year – implying a deal price of over USD 22 bn. In addition to the price tag limiting the number of potential suitors, any acquirer will have to contend with breaching the national deposit cap. As such, pricing likely would below last year’s US average – particularly considering MUFG America’s fundamental challenges.

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group – US Exit

On Monday 23 August, Mizuho Bank suffered its 6th systems failure so far this year.  This time, some 130 of its around 5,300 ATMs stopped working for about an hour just after noon.  This comes in the wake of last Friday’s débâcle, when the bank opened its doors for business at 09:00am but none of the computer terminals at its counters nationwide would function properly.  Are these repeated systems failures simply a hardware problem, a software problem, or is the fundamental problem a more human one?
While management searches for solutions, and the inevitable finger-pointing continues, the bank’s reputation erodes.  The damage to the share price of parent company Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP) has so far been comparatively light, but for how much longer?  MHFG has markedly underperformed its two megabank rivals <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mitsubishi-ufj-financial-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:218:1" rel="noopener">Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) (8306 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sumitomo-mitsui-financial-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:217:1" rel="noopener">Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (8316 JP)</a> so far this year in a rising market, with its stock price up just +6.5% YoY against MUFG’s +34.6% and SMFG’s +21.3%, respectively.  Foreign investors still own in aggregate over 22% of MHFG’s stock, but their patience is being sorely tested.  Further revelations of systems mishaps, or punitive actions by the FSA against MHFG, may well lead to a swift exit by some shareholders; a sell-off cannot be ruled out.
Caveat Emptor! (May the Buyer Beware!) remains our advice to would-be investors in this enormous but highly volatile banking group.

On Monday 23 August, Mizuho Bank suffered its 6th systems failure so far this year.  This time, some 130 of its around 5,300 ATMs stopped working for about an hour just after noon.  This comes in the wake of last Friday’s débâcle, when the bank opened its doors for business at 09:00am but none of the computer terminals at its counters nationwide would function properly.  Are these repeated systems failures simply a hardware problem, a software problem, or is the fundamental problem a more human one?
While management searches for solutions, and the inevitable finger-pointing continues, the bank’s reputation erodes.  The damage to the share price of parent company Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP) has so far been comparatively light, but for how much longer?  MHFG has markedly underperformed its two megabank rivals Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (MUFG) (8306 JP) and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group (8316 JP) so far this year in a rising market, with its stock price up just +6.5% YoY against MUFG’s +34.6% and SMFG’s +21.3%, respectively.  Foreign investors still own in aggregate over 22% of MHFG’s stock, but their patience is being sorely tested.  Further revelations of systems mishaps, or punitive actions by the FSA against MHFG, may well lead to a swift exit by some shareholders; a sell-off cannot be ruled out.
Caveat Emptor! (May the Buyer Beware!) remains our advice to would-be investors in this enormous but highly volatile banking group.

Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP):  Systemic Failures - A Human Factor?

Japan

Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. provides comprehensive financial services through its subsidiaries. The Group provides variety of financial services such as general banking, securities brokerage, trust banking, and assets management.

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Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP)