Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

Last Week in Event SPACE: Toshiba, Cathay, OFAC's Walk Back, Trad Chi Med, Enplas, Car, Japan Asia

Pan-Asia Index Flows & Special Situations, Quiddity Advisors

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Pan-Asia Index Flows & Special Situations

In the month of January 2021, one of the most anticipated TOPIX Inclusion candidates, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toshiba-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:637:1" rel="noopener">Toshiba Corp (6502 JP)</a> announced its move to TSE1 triggering what could potentially be one of the largest TOPIX Inclusion events in recent memory. The stock could see its TOPIX Inclusion take place at the end of February, along with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sansan-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28112:1" rel="noopener">Sansan Inc (4443 JP)</a> - another larger-than-usual candidate - and two other super-high-impact names <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bull-dog-sauce-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16235:1" rel="noopener">Bull Dog Sauce (2804 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alps-logistics-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3935:1" rel="noopener">Alps Logistics (9055 JP)</a>. There is plenty to look forward to. In this insight, I have provided performance updates for 6 "Live" event stocks (including the names mentioned above) which are expected to have Inclusion Events at the end of February 2021 and 14 "Post" event stocks that completed their Inclusion Events at the end of December 2020 and January 2021 (on 28 January 2021).Furthermore, I have also highlighted some interesting Pre-event situations involving stocks that are likely to become TSE1-promotion candidates in the near future.

In the month of January 2021, one of the most anticipated TOPIX Inclusion candidates, Toshiba Corp (6502 JP) announced its move to TSE1 triggering what could potentially be one of the largest TOPIX Inclusion events in recent memory. The stock could see its TOPIX Inclusion take place at the end of February, along with Sansan Inc (4443 JP) - another larger-than-usual candidate - and two other super-high-impact names Bull Dog Sauce (2804 JP) and Alps Logistics (9055 JP). There is plenty to look forward to. In this insight, I have provided performance updates for 6 "Live" event stocks (including the names mentioned above) which are expected to have Inclusion Events at the end of February 2021 and 14 "Post" event stocks that completed their Inclusion Events at the end of December 2020 and January 2021 (on 28 January 2021).Furthermore, I have also highlighted some interesting Pre-event situations involving stocks that are likely to become TSE1-promotion candidates in the near future. 

Travis Lundy

In February 2017, when the accounting and loss scandal surrounding <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toshiba-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:637:1" rel="noopener">Toshiba Corp (6502 JP)</a> was just taking shape, I published <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/toshiba-possible-demotion-to-tse2-the-mechanics-impact" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:8838" rel="noopener">Toshiba: Possible Demotion to TSE2? The Mechanics &amp; Impact</a> based on the fact that the loss envisaged would take Toshiba's shareholder equity below zero at the photo some 40 days later. That meant demotion to the TSE2, but it wasn't on people's minds yet so was not worth shorting until people got less excited about a bounce (when the real facts about the losses and its implications became clearer. THEN it would be worth a short, because the dip-buyers would have bought the dip, then the passive funds would have to sell, and new dip buyers would have to show up. So in June we got the news, as expected, and covered in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/toshiba-demotion-from-tse1-to-tse2-topix-exclusion-jul31-close" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:11664" rel="noopener">Toshiba Demotion from TSE1 to TSE2; TOPIX Exclusion Jul31 Close</a>, and the stock fell.  Later that year, after the company successfully fought to retain its listing in late summer, it made an equity placement of ¥600bn in late November 2017 with promises of eventual shareholder return after it had sold its Toshiba Memory business. They avoided delisting through this capital raise, but hopes for an early return to TOPIX as had been the case with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sharp-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:391:1" rel="noopener">Sharp Corp (6753 JP)</a> (which only spent a year in purgatory), were dashed when investors figured out (covered in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/toshiba-and-topix-it-s-gonna-be-a-long-wait" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:16853" rel="noopener">TOSHIBA and TOPIX - It's Gonna Be a Long Wait.</a>) that TSE Listing Regulations had clauses which meant companies which had received Opinion Withheld on their accounting statements were ineligible for TSE1 listing until five years afterwards. Noises surfaced later that spring and summer so I wrote <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/toshiba-a-possible-route-to-early-tse1-topix-inclusion" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:21544" rel="noopener">Toshiba:  A Possible Route to Early TSE1/TOPIX Inclusion?</a> discussing possible loopholes which could allow an earlier return than spring 2022. My conclusion then was "It is tougher than it looks, but there are other reasons one should own."Fast forward a couple of years past a revival plan, ¥700bn of buybacks, and buy-ins of subsidiaries, in November 2019 the TSE decided, as it was starting its cash equity market structure review designed to raise standards for blue chips to gain more international goodwill on governance, to lower the standards of TSE1 promotion to those of TSE2. That was changed to allow the TSE to admit Toshiba back to TOPIX early, discussed in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/nikkei-tse-rule-change-to-allow-toshiba-an-early-return-to-topix" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:34839" rel="noopener">[Nikkei] TSE Rule Change to Allow Toshiba An Early Return to TOPIX</a>.Toshiba announced five months later in April 2020 it had applied for a return to TSE1, discussed in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/toshiba-return-to-topix-timing-and-size" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:38189" rel="noopener">Toshiba Return to TOPIX? Timing and Size</a> and after 4+ months had passed I looked at the ongoing issues of inclusion in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/toshiba-topix-inclusion-jack-be-nimble-jack-be-quick" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:42235" rel="noopener">Toshiba TOPIX Inclusion - Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick...</a> (I was not bullish then price-wise, though after the price fell I became positive again).  Regular Smartkarma readers who want to see the whole series on Toshiba going back four years can look <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/travis-lundy/insights?fulltext=Toshiba" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.<h3>The NEW News</h3>The NEW News is that on Friday the TSE announced that Toshiba would be reassigned to the TSE1 on 29 January. According to TOPIX Index Methodology (<a href="https://www.jpx.co.jp/english/markets/indices/topix/tvdivq00000030ne-att/e_cal_3_topix.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">25 Dec 2020 version</a>), this means it will be included in TOPIX as of the last trading day of February, which means the index inclusion event is at the close of 25 February 2021. Toshiba itself made a flowery <a href="http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/ir/en/news/20210122_1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcement</a> full of words about the seriousness of its governance and compliance.Long-suffering activists may rejoice. This creates liquidity for a partial exit.The shares are up roughly 20% since the TOPIX Deletion on 31 July 2017. The shares are up about 10% from the placement in late November 2017 raising capital. This hasn't been the best of trades, but my relatively constant refrain has been to feed the ducks when they are quacking (my most recent insight on Toshiba was <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/toshiba-is-a-range-trade-still" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:43366" rel="noopener">Toshiba Is A Range Trade. Still.</a> four+ months ago and on that day, shares closed at ¥2,959. Today they closed at ¥2,963. But a TOPIX Inclusion of this size is a rare species, and one of this anticipation is practically mythological. So we're going to talk about it.I have a personal favourite mythological creature from Japanese folklore (originally, I believe, derived from Chinese traditions). It's called a Baku (<a href="https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%8D%8F" target="_blank" data-ved="2ahUKEwji-KzBqq_uAhUSGKYKHa2oBuUQFjAAegQIAhAC" rel="noopener"></a>獏) and it looks a bit like a cross between a lion and an elephant, and visitors to temples have undoubtedly seen them before.<section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/184/086/original/baku+asada-ji+Matsusaka+City+Soga+Shohaku.jpg?1611312861" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="184086"></figure><div class="content-caption">Baku, Door Painting by Soga Shohaku, Asada-ji (Matsusaka City)</div></section>This creature is perhaps an apt metaphor for the TOPIX Inclusion as far as activists and event traders are concerned.Those who want to know why should read on...

In February 2017, when the accounting and loss scandal surrounding Toshiba Corp (6502 JP) was just taking shape, I published Toshiba: Possible Demotion to TSE2? The Mechanics &amp; Impact based on the fact that the loss envisaged would take Toshiba's shareholder equity below zero at the photo some 40 days later. That meant demotion to the TSE2, but it wasn't on people's minds yet so was not worth shorting until people got less excited about a bounce (when the real facts about the losses and its implications became clearer. THEN it would be worth a short, because the dip-buyers would have bought the dip, then the passive funds would have to sell, and new dip buyers would have to show up. So in June we got the news, as expected, and covered in Toshiba Demotion from TSE1 to TSE2; TOPIX Exclusion Jul31 Close, and the stock fell.  Later that year, after the company successfully fought to retain its listing in late summer, it made an equity placement of ¥600bn in late November 2017 with promises of eventual shareholder return after it had sold its Toshiba Memory business. They avoided delisting through this capital raise, but hopes for an early return to TOPIX as had been the case with Sharp Corp (6753 JP) (which only spent a year in purgatory), were dashed when investors figured out (covered in TOSHIBA and TOPIX - It's Gonna Be a Long Wait.) that TSE Listing Regulations had clauses which meant companies which had received Opinion Withheld on their accounting statements were ineligible for TSE1 listing until five years afterwards. Noises surfaced later that spring and summer so I wrote Toshiba:  A Possible Route to Early TSE1/TOPIX Inclusion? discussing possible loopholes which could allow an earlier return than spring 2022. My conclusion then was "It is tougher than it looks, but there are other reasons one should own."Fast forward a couple of years past a revival plan, ¥700bn of buybacks, and buy-ins of subsidiaries, in November 2019 the TSE decided, as it was starting its cash equity market structure review designed to raise standards for blue chips to gain more international goodwill on governance, to lower the standards of TSE1 promotion to those of TSE2. That was changed to allow the TSE to admit Toshiba back to TOPIX early, discussed in [Nikkei] TSE Rule Change to Allow Toshiba An Early Return to TOPIX.Toshiba announced five months later in April 2020 it had applied for a return to TSE1, discussed in Toshiba Return to TOPIX? Timing and Size and after 4+ months had passed I looked at the ongoing issues of inclusion in Toshiba TOPIX Inclusion - Jack Be Nimble, Jack Be Quick... (I was not bullish then price-wise, though after the price fell I became positive again).  Regular Smartkarma readers who want to see the whole series on Toshiba going back four years can look here.The NEW NewsThe NEW News is that on Friday the TSE announced that Toshiba would be reassigned to the TSE1 on 29 January. According to TOPIX Index Methodology (25 Dec 2020 version), this means it will be included in TOPIX as of the last trading day of February, which means the index inclusion event is at the close of 25 February 2021. Toshiba itself made a flowery announcement full of words about the seriousness of its governance and compliance.Long-suffering activists may rejoice. This creates liquidity for a partial exit.The shares are up roughly 20% since the TOPIX Deletion on 31 July 2017. The shares are up about 10% from the placement in late November 2017 raising capital. This hasn't been the best of trades, but my relatively constant refrain has been to feed the ducks when they are quacking (my most recent insight on Toshiba was Toshiba Is A Range Trade. Still. four+ months ago and on that day, shares closed at ¥2,959. Today they closed at ¥2,963. But a TOPIX Inclusion of this size is a rare species, and one of this anticipation is practically mythological. So we're going to talk about it.I have a personal favourite mythological creature from Japanese folklore (originally, I believe, derived from Chinese traditions). It's called a Baku (獏) and it looks a bit like a cross between a lion and an elephant, and visitors to temples have undoubtedly seen them before.Baku, Door Painting by Soga Shohaku, Asada-ji (Matsusaka City)This creature is perhaps an apt metaphor for the TOPIX Inclusion as far as activists and event traders are concerned.Those who want to know why should read on...

Toshiba Finally Gets Into TOPIX but Beware the Baku  (It's Complicated)

Japan/Asia Long-Short, LightStream Research

Mio Kato

Japan/Asia Long-Short

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.

Equity Bottom-Up

With Toshiba CEO Kurumatani’s honeymoon period clearly at an end, the tussle between activist investors trying to extract a higher share price and Toshiba management trying to placate them long enough to deliver on that is starting to turn hostile. In December both <a href="https://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/ir/en/news/20201218_2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Effissimo</a> and <a href="https://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/ir/en/news/20201225_1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Farallon</a> (through Chinook) called for extraordinary general shareholder meetings to investigate Toshiba’s previous AGM where Kurumatani narrowly avoided replacement and to provide a clearer explanation of M&amp;A plans respectively. We do not think this bodes well for the stock.

With Toshiba CEO Kurumatani’s honeymoon period clearly at an end, the tussle between activist investors trying to extract a higher share price and Toshiba management trying to placate them long enough to deliver on that is starting to turn hostile. In December both Effissimo and Farallon (through Chinook) called for extraordinary general shareholder meetings to investigate Toshiba’s previous AGM where Kurumatani narrowly avoided replacement and to provide a clearer explanation of M&amp;A plans respectively. We do not think this bodes well for the stock.

Senior Technology Analyst, Japanese Equities, LightStream Research

Scott Foster

Senior Technology Analyst, Japanese Equities

ja research

ja research is an independent research platform focused exclusively on Japanese equities. Leveraging data and graphic analysis provided by Japan Analytics, we provide insights on small and medium-sized companies that have been ignored by the sell-side as well as challenging conventional wisdom on larger companies. We also offer analyst and corporate access, the latter with translation if required. 

Toshiba has come up with a future growth strategy that makes sense but that also requires investments in renewable energy and other infrastructure-related businesses amounting to about $10 billion over the next 5 years.This would position Toshiba as a key part of Japan's new green energy plan, saving it from oblivion. Minister of the Environment Shinjiro Koizumi now wants to double the share of renewables in the nation's energy mix to 40% by 2030.Management plans to finance the new investments through bank loans and by selling down its stake in NAND flash memory maker Kioxia. That would make Toshiba a long-term investment in infrastructure, more stable but with an overhead supply of tech investors waiting for an opportunity to exit. Toshiba turned profitable in the three months to September. Management's operating profit guidance for FY Mar-21 looks over-optimistic, but the combination of cost cutting, restructuring and economic recovery should bring margins back to normal next fiscal year. As pointed out by Campbell Gunn in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-results-revisions-12th-august-ppi-toshiba-mcdonald-s-eneos" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:42139" rel="noopener"></a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-results-revisions-11-11-mitsubishi-estate-toshiba-gmos" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:45202" rel="noopener">🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results &amp; Revisions 11/​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​11 - Mitsubishi Estate, Toshiba, GMOs</a> , Toshiba is the most-Oversold trillion yen market cap stock in Japan; however, the large activist weighting in the share register is a disincentive to other investor groups.Mio Kato notes in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/toshiba-on-track-to-hit-imaginary-if-only-covid-hadn-t-happened-guidance" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:45193" rel="noopener">Toshiba – On Track to Hit Imaginary “If Only COVID Hadn’t Happened” Guidance</a> , we look at Toshiba as a truly long-term play that has significant value but will require time to realise that.

Toshiba has come up with a future growth strategy that makes sense but that also requires investments in renewable energy and other infrastructure-related businesses amounting to about $10 billion over the next 5 years.This would position Toshiba as a key part of Japan's new green energy plan, saving it from oblivion. Minister of the Environment Shinjiro Koizumi now wants to double the share of renewables in the nation's energy mix to 40% by 2030.Management plans to finance the new investments through bank loans and by selling down its stake in NAND flash memory maker Kioxia. That would make Toshiba a long-term investment in infrastructure, more stable but with an overhead supply of tech investors waiting for an opportunity to exit. Toshiba turned profitable in the three months to September. Management's operating profit guidance for FY Mar-21 looks over-optimistic, but the combination of cost cutting, restructuring and economic recovery should bring margins back to normal next fiscal year. As pointed out by Campbell Gunn in 🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results &amp; Revisions 11/​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​11 - Mitsubishi Estate, Toshiba, GMOs , Toshiba is the most-Oversold trillion yen market cap stock in Japan; however, the large activist weighting in the share register is a disincentive to other investor groups.Mio Kato notes in Toshiba – On Track to Hit Imaginary “If Only COVID Hadn’t Happened” Guidance , we look at Toshiba as a truly long-term play that has significant value but will require time to realise that.

Toshiba (6502 JP): New Role in Japan's Green Energy Plan. Oversold.

Japan

Toshiba Corporation manufactures and markets electrical and electronic products. The Company's products include digital products such as PCs and televisions, NAND flash memories, and system LSIs (large-scale integrated), as well as social infrastructures such as power generators, medical equipment, and home appliances.

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Toshiba Corp (6502 JP)

Last Week in Event SPACE: Toshiba, Cathay, OFAC's Walk Back, Trad Chi Med, Enplas, Car, Japan Asia

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

TOPIX Inclusion Trade Summary: Jan 2021

TOPIX Inclusion Monthly Summary for December inclusions and how they did in January (badly), how January inclusions did vs TOPIX (on average well)...

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Toshiba Finally Gets Into TOPIX but Beware the Baku (It's Complicated)

Beware the Baku. The Toshiba TOPIX Inclusion is long-awaited/expected but the setup is not as activists had hoped or planned. And there is a Catch...

Travis Lundy

Toshiba – The Drama Never Ends

The tussle between activist investors trying to extract a higher share price and Toshiba management trying to placate them long enough to deliver...

Mio Kato

Toshiba (6502 JP): New Role in Japan's Green Energy Plan. Oversold.

Toshiba is positioning itself as a contributor to meeting Japan's green energy targets. Realizing this potential will take time, but the shares are...

Scott Foster

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