Japanese Turnaround Situations, Short-Ideas, Azabu Research

Michael Allen

Japanese Turnaround Situations, Short-Ideas

Azabu Research

Azabu Research is a publishing and consulting firm focused on distressed equities in the Japanese market. We specialize in turnaround strategies, corporate combinations, divestitures, and restructuring.

Publisher of the Tokyo Turnaround Letter, which conducts the most thorough research possible of publicly available information, including forensic tests for fraudulent overstatement of assets and understatement of liabilities, as well as rigorous market and industry analysis to assess the underlying strengths of the company’s products or services, the appropriateness of the company’s turnaround strategy, and the skill of its current management team. The average length of a report exceeds 25 pages of text and tables, excluding any disclosures or executive summaries.

We have more than 30 years of experience in applying this process to distressed equities in Japan. Additionally, subscribers have free access to detailed, yet easily navigated earnings models for the target company as well as the top five comparable companies, and unlimited access to the analyst for follow-up questions.

Azabu Research also conducts be-spoke research on a project basis, and provides consulting services to companies looking to restructure, divest, make acquisitions, go public, or improve investor sentiment toward their stock.

Independent Research and Consulting Firm

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>2025 will start with more attractive turnaround opportunities than we have seen in a long time. </li>
<li>An uptick in TOBs, MBOs and merger discussions makes it suddenly no longer safe to short low-PBR companies indiscriminately.</li>
<li>Investors are noticing. More than two-dozen large- and medium-cap stocks with deep discounts to the benchmark began to bounce off well-defined support levels in late December.</li>
</ul>


2025 will start with more attractive turnaround opportunities than we have seen in a long time. 
An uptick in TOBs, MBOs and merger discussions makes it suddenly no longer safe to short low-PBR companies indiscriminately.
Investors are noticing. More than two-dozen large- and medium-cap stocks with deep discounts to the benchmark began to bounce off well-defined support levels in late December.


Unloved Japan Round Up Jan. 3: Set Up for A Banner Year?

<ul>
<li>Silicon carbide chips and new electric vehicles are dominating the news in deep value space, highlighting Rohm, Honda, and Aisin.</li>
<li>We also highlight some juicy dividends that we think need to be taken seriously by growth managers.</li>
<li>This round-up is provided for thought provocation only. Comprehensive deep-dive analysis available to clients on request. </li>
</ul>


Silicon carbide chips and new electric vehicles are dominating the news in deep value space, highlighting Rohm, Honda, and Aisin.
We also highlight some juicy dividends that we think need to be taken seriously by growth managers.
This round-up is provided for thought provocation only. Comprehensive deep-dive analysis available to clients on request. 


Unloved Japan Roundup: Rohm, Honda, Aisin, Jtekt

Japanese Equity Specialist, Ortus Advisors

Andrew Jackson

Japanese Equity Specialist

Ortus Advisors

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Tech weakness in Japan to continue, following the profit taking lead out of the US with NVDA numbers on Wednesday.</li>
<li>Defence related may get a lift after yesterdays weakness, with Middle East tensions rising, Japan warding off a Chinese spy plane and ex-Defence Minister announcing candidacy for LDP leader.</li>
<li>Typhoon Shanshan is expected in Kyushu. Resulting weakness on related names is usually short-lived and largely retail investor driven, making reverse positioning into the moves the more attractive tactic.</li>
</ul>


Tech weakness in Japan to continue, following the profit taking lead out of the US with NVDA numbers on Wednesday.
Defence related may get a lift after yesterdays weakness, with Middle East tensions rising, Japan warding off a Chinese spy plane and ex-Defence Minister announcing candidacy for LDP leader.
Typhoon Shanshan is expected in Kyushu. Resulting weakness on related names is usually short-lived and largely retail investor driven, making reverse positioning into the moves the more attractive tactic.


Japan Morning Connection: Further Sector Rotation on the Cards as Risk-Off Mood for Tech Continues

APAC IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Ethan Aw

APAC 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.

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sumitomo-chemical-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20269:1" rel="noopener">Sumitomo Chemical (4005 JP)</a> and Mizuho Trust &amp; Banking are looking to raise around US$180m through the sale of their stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/inabata-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5558:1" rel="noopener">Inabata &amp; Co (8098 JP)</a>.</li>
<li>The deal is a large one to digest, at 90 days of three month ADV and 15% of current mcap. </li>
<li>In this note, we will talk about the deal dynamics and run the deal through our ECM framework.</li>
</ul>



Sumitomo Chemical (4005 JP) and Mizuho Trust &amp; Banking are looking to raise around US$180m through the sale of their stake in Inabata &amp; Co (8098 JP).
The deal is a large one to digest, at 90 days of three month ADV and 15% of current mcap. 
In this note, we will talk about the deal dynamics and run the deal through our ECM framework.


Inabata & Co Placement - Should Come as a Surprise

Senior Technology Analyst, Japanese Equities, LightStream Research

Scott Foster

Senior Technology Analyst, Japanese Equities

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.

Harmonic Drive Systems / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Demand for speed reduction gears is rebounding from the COVID downturn, but sales and profits are likely to be restrained by an increasingly difficult operating environment.</li>
<li>HDS faces growing competition from Nidec in Japan and Leaderdrive in China, both of which want to lead the market. For HDS, a return to peak margins is unlikely.</li>
<li>The shares have dropped 31% since last September, but at 81x EPS guidance are still quite expensive. Consider alternative factory automation investments. </li>
</ul>


Demand for speed reduction gears is rebounding from the COVID downturn, but sales and profits are likely to be restrained by an increasingly difficult operating environment.
HDS faces growing competition from Nidec in Japan and Leaderdrive in China, both of which want to lead the market. For HDS, a return to peak margins is unlikely.
The shares have dropped 31% since last September, but at 81x EPS guidance are still quite expensive. Consider alternative factory automation investments. 


Harmonic Drive Systems (6324 JP): Consider the Competition

Japan

SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD. manufactures and markets heavy electric machinery.  The Company's operations include heavy machinery, shipbuilding, mass-production machinery, environmental equipment, and construction machinery divisions.  Sumitomo Heavy Industries also produces equipment for semiconductor and laser technologies.

Price Gauge
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Sumitomo Heavy Industries (6302 JP)

Unloved Japan Round Up Jan. 3: Set Up for A Banner Year?

An uptick in TOBs, MBOs, and mergers creating the best environment for deep value turnarounds in a long time. Dozens of discounted stocks started...

Michael Allen

Unloved Japan Roundup: Rohm, Honda, Aisin, Jtekt

New product launches could be the start of a deluge of Silicon carbide-based chips that improve performance and reduce costs of high-powered...

Michael Allen

Japan Morning Connection: Further Sector Rotation on the Cards as Risk-Off Mood for Tech Continues

Tech weakness in Japan likely to persist. Defense stocks may see a boost amid rising tensions. Reverse position into Typhoon-related weakness.

Andrew Jackson

Inabata & Co Placement - Should Come as a Surprise

Sumitomo Chemical (4005 JP) and Mizuho Trust & Banking are looking to raise around US$180m through the sale of their stake in Inabata & Co (8098 JP).

Ethan Aw

Harmonic Drive Systems (6324 JP): Consider the Competition

Sales are rebounding, but the stock is expensive and profits are likely to be capped by growing competition from Nidec and Leaderdrive. Consider...

Scott Foster

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Unloved Japan Round Up Jan. 3: Set Up for A Banner Year?

An uptick in TOBs, MBOs, and mergers​ creating the best environment for deep value turnarounds in a long time. Dozens of discounted stocks started...

Michael Allen

Unloved Japan Roundup: Rohm, Honda, Aisin, Jtekt

New product launches could be the start of a deluge of Silicon carbide-based chips that improve performance and reduce costs of high-powered...

Michael Allen

Japan Morning Connection: Further Sector Rotation on the Cards as Risk-Off Mood for Tech Continues

​Tech weakness in Japan likely to persist. Defense stocks may see a boost amid rising tensions. Reverse position into Typhoon-related weakness.

Andrew Jackson

Inabata & Co Placement - Should Come as a Surprise

Sumitomo Chemical (4005 JP) and Mizuho Trust & Banking are looking to raise around US$180m through the sale of their stake in Inabata & Co (8098 JP).

Ethan Aw

Harmonic Drive Systems (6324 JP): Consider the Competition

Sales are rebounding, but the stock is expensive and profits are likely to be capped by growing competition from Nidec and Leaderdrive. Consider...

Scott Foster

An uptick in TOBs, MBOs, and mergers creating the best environment for deep value turnarounds in a long time. Dozens of discounted stocks started...

Tech weakness in Japan likely to persist. Defense stocks may see a boost amid rising tensions. Reverse position into Typhoon-related weakness.