Telco/Internet specialist

Kirk Boodry

Redex Research

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Softbank and Z Holdings have confirmed the conversion of PayPay preferred equity into common in-line with previous guidance for ownership levels and a revaluation gain</li>
<li>Z Holdings will sell the credit card business to PayPay to align transactional fintech which makes distribution, product development and branding easier</li>
<li>Our outlook has not changed but we are lowering our target price to reflect diminished expectations announced at Q4 results. We remain at Buy but prefer NTT/KDDI in telcos</li>
</ul>


Softbank and Z Holdings have confirmed the conversion of PayPay preferred equity into common in-line with previous guidance for ownership levels and a revaluation gain
Z Holdings will sell the credit card business to PayPay to align transactional fintech which makes distribution, product development and branding easier
Our outlook has not changed but we are lowering our target price to reflect diminished expectations announced at Q4 results. We remain at Buy but prefer NTT/KDDI in telcos


Softbank Corp (Buy) - PayPay Conversion, Re-Valuation Gain Confirmed for Q3

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>MIC data provides further support that regulatory pressure was successful in driving down industry prices with 40mn users on discount plans that are among the cheapest globally</li>
<li>That has led to ¥230-250bn in service revenue erosion for both FY21 and FY22e but evidence of a solid win for regulators reassures that further action isn't needed</li>
<li>Handset pricing is on the rise as 5G proliferates, which is good news for incumbents that can lock users in through instalment payment plans</li>
</ul>


MIC data provides further support that regulatory pressure was successful in driving down industry prices with 40mn users on discount plans that are among the cheapest globally
That has led to ¥230-250bn in service revenue erosion for both FY21 and FY22e but evidence of a solid win for regulators reassures that further action isn't needed
Handset pricing is on the rise as 5G proliferates, which is good news for incumbents that can lock users in through instalment payment plans


Japan Telecoms - Update from Regulators’ Competition Working Group

<ul>
<li>KDDI's entire network was out over the weekend and whilst service has been restored, there are still sporadic complaints </li>
<li>There are near-term risks for higher user churn and lost Q2 revenue, but these are on the margin and downside should be manageable (i.e. no change on company guidance)</li>
<li>Looking past near-term weakness, KDDI remains an attractive defensive play </li>
</ul>


KDDI's entire network was out over the weekend and whilst service has been restored, there are still sporadic complaints 
There are near-term risks for higher user churn and lost Q2 revenue, but these are on the margin and downside should be manageable (i.e. no change on company guidance)
Looking past near-term weakness, KDDI remains an attractive defensive play 


KDDI (Buy) - Network Outage Is a Bad Look but Concerns Should Fade over Time

<ul>
<li>The regulator says that subscribers to discount mobile plans have exceeded 40mn, 15 months after mobile operators first launched them  in response to regulatory pressure</li>
<li>Net additons have stepped down as the rush of early adopters has passed and the data seems supportive of financial guidance for erosion that is modestly higher YoY</li>
<li>A press release touting the success of <em>ongoing</em> efforts to control mobile pricing comes at a good time</li>
</ul>


The regulator says that subscribers to discount mobile plans have exceeded 40mn, 15 months after mobile operators first launched them  in response to regulatory pressure
Net additons have stepped down as the rush of early adopters has passed and the data seems supportive of financial guidance for erosion that is modestly higher YoY
A press release touting the success of ongoing efforts to control mobile pricing comes at a good time


Japan Telecoms - New (Discount) Mobile Pricing Plan Users Exceed 40mn

<ul>
<li>With inflation exceeding 2% for only the third time in 22 years, hopes for employee wage hikes in Prime Minister Kishida's New Capitalism are likely to get more attention</li>
<li>But the telcos appear to be largely ahead of this already where we have visibility with wage increases of 1-2% already built into FY22 financial guidance </li>
<li>NTT's widespread telework offer is an example of how telcos have other tools to apply. We remain Overweight the Japan telecom sector with NTT and KDDI as top picks</li>
</ul>


With inflation exceeding 2% for only the third time in 22 years, hopes for employee wage hikes in Prime Minister Kishida's New Capitalism are likely to get more attention
But the telcos appear to be largely ahead of this already where we have visibility with wage increases of 1-2% already built into FY22 financial guidance 
NTT's widespread telework offer is an example of how telcos have other tools to apply. We remain Overweight the Japan telecom sector with NTT and KDDI as top picks


Japan Telecoms - FY22 Guidance Largely Insulated from Pressure to Raise Wages

Japan

Softbank Corporation provides mobile phone telecommunication and networking services. The Company offers mobile communication opening, short messaging function opening, video function opening, and other services. Softbank also provides mobile phones.

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Softbank Corp (9434 JP)

Softbank Corp (Buy) - PayPay Conversion, Re-Valuation Gain Confirmed for Q3

Softbank / Z Holdings have finalized the PayPay convert for Q3 22. This is largely as expected and our outlook does not change although we have...

Kirk Boodry

Japan Telecoms - Update from Regulators’ Competition Working Group

Further evidence that price reductions have met expectations as regulator working group prepares its final report on the competition. NTT remains...

Kirk Boodry

KDDI (Buy) - Network Outage Is a Bad Look but Concerns Should Fade over Time

KDDI's network outage was large-scale but financial and operational impacts should be limited to Q2 and our overall outlook on the stock as an...

Kirk Boodry

Japan Telecoms - New (Discount) Mobile Pricing Plan Users Exceed 40mn

The regulator says there are users of new discount mobile pricing plans have exceeded 40mn. That tracks with financial guidance and is a positive...

Kirk Boodry

Japan Telecoms - FY22 Guidance Largely Insulated from Pressure to Raise Wages

With inflation rising above 2% for only the third time in 22 years, talk of the need for higher wages is likely to increase but telecom operators...

Kirk Boodry

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