Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets, JapanConsuming

Michael Causton

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets

Real Insight on Japanese Consumer Markets

JapanConsuming

JapanConsuming is a specialist research firm producing intelligence on Japanese retail and consumer markets. Founded in 2000, JapanConsuming has become the leading provider of insights on Japanese retailers and consumer trends to retailers, brands, government agencies and investors. As well as a highly regarded monthly report on the market, JapanConsuming produces in-depth reports on retail sectors, seminars on key trends and telephone consulting to investors on trends and retailers.

JapanConsuming was founded by Michael Causton and Roy Larke. 

Equity Bottom-Up

Two of the country’s largest mass market drugstore operators announced talks about a new tie-up last month. If it happens, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/2259" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2259:1">Matsumotokiyoshi Holdings Co (3088 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/15447" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15447:1">Cocokara Fine (3098 JP)</a> will jointly run a drugstore operation more than a third larger than any current rival.
In this fast developing sector, such a move will not be taken lying down by rivals and could well stimulate a rush of similar tie-ups over the next year.

Two of the country’s largest mass market drugstore operators announced talks about a new tie-up last month. If it happens, Matsumotokiyoshi Holdings Co (3088 JP) and Cocokara Fine (3098 JP) will jointly run a drugstore operation more than a third larger than any current rival.
In this fast developing sector, such a move will not be taken lying down by rivals and could well stimulate a rush of similar tie-ups over the next year.

Matsukiyo and Cocokara Fine Tie to Shake up Drugstore Sector

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

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. 

Quantitative Analysis

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/085/347/original/2019-04-20_09-59-40.png?1555722056" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="85347"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>UnCh - Japanese equities are unchanged in US dollar terms over both three and six months. The Bank of Japan has intervened on 42 of the 121 trading days since October 22nd or an average of 1.6 times a week as foreigners remain underweight. As corporate results and macro data continue to disappoint, the outlook for the market is muted ahead of the upcoming ten-day holiday which combines the traditional Golden Week holidays with the accession of the new Emperor and the beginning of the Reiwa era (令和時代).  <figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/085/405/original/2019-04-21_07-28-03.png?1555799330" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="85405"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Investing.com</div>CURRENCY RISK? - "UnCh" also applies to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/22826" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22826:1">JPY (USDJPY CURNCY)</a>  Implied volatility for 9-month USDJPY options reached a new 25-year low last week of 6.11. The previous two lows were in 2006 and 2015 and were followed by periods of sustained Yen strength. The equity market currently appears to be discounting precisely the opposite.   <figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/085/350/original/2019-04-20_10-21-58.png?1555723331" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="85350"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>VTR - The ratio of the value of stocks traded to the total market value continues to decline. The average for 2019 is 11% below that for the same period last year and is unchanged at 39bps in each month year-to-date.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/085/381/original/2019-04-20_14-34-11.png?1555738458" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="85381"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>VOLUME SCORE TIMELINE - Volumes have been highest in the Internet, Retail, and Telecoms sectors, while the Materials, Transportation, Utilities and Real Estate Sectors have seen the lowest.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/085/352/original/2019-04-20_10-29-59.png?1555723806" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="85352"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>LOWS &gt; HIGHS - With a deficit of positive news at the individual company level, the number of new 52-week highs has exceeded the number of new 52-week lows on only one-third of the last 31 trading days. <figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/085/363/original/2019-04-20_12-34-06.png?1555731278" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="85363"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>DRIFTING LOWER - TTM and Forecasts Aggregate Operating and Net Income continue to drift lower ahead of the full-year results for March year-end companies which are due in a more-concentrated-than-usual period either side of the long break.   <figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/085/384/original/2019-04-20_17-30-47.png?1555749055" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="85384"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics 
</div>MIND THE GAP - Based on our Scoring methodology for aggregate Results &amp; Revisions, the 'gap' between total market value and earnings momentum is now as wide as at the two previous 'peaks' in January 2018 and September 2018.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/085/435/original/File%202019-04-21%2015%2055%2018.jpeg?1555829876" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="85435"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Bank of America Merrill Lynch</div>GLOBAL WAVE - The market is implying that the earnings cycle is close to a bottom which is in accord with BAML's Global Earnings Revision Ratio having ticked up last month for the first time in 14 months. BAML has yet to call a Trough in their Global Wave and, were they to do so, such a Trough would be the first above '50' since 2006.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/085/378/original/2019-04-20_14-00-43.png?1555736454" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="85378"></figure>FORECASTS LEADING EARNINGS LOWER - Separating our the Results Score and the Forecast &amp; Revision Score, the latter is continuing to lead the former to the downside, although both Scores are in aggregate still positive. Reported earnings and forecasts are still growing year-on-year; however, the momentum is slowing rapidly.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/085/379/original/2019-04-20_14-04-23.png?1555736670" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="85379"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>INTERIM LEADING ANNUAL LOWER -  Between February and September in each year, there is a statistically significant number of Interim Forecasts that they can be compared to the Annual Forecasts with which they are combined to derive the score in the previous chart. Interim Forecasts are often prepared by the divisional heads are not accorded the same 'reverence' as the Annual Forecasts. As a result, the Interim numbers offer a good leading indicator of short-term trends. In recent weeks, the aggregate Interim Forecast/Revision Score has turned sharply lower and is now at the lowest point in almost two years.   In the DETAIL section below, we will review Sector performance, company results, revisions and stock performance over the previous two weeks, as well as adding some brief comments on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/14191" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14191:1">Koshidaka (2157 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/2765" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2765:1">Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP)</a>, Drugstores, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/237" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:237:1">Daiwa House (1925 JP)</a>, Toyota Parts companies, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/2" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2:1">Yamato Holdings (9064 JP)</a>.

Source: Japan AnalyticsUnCh - Japanese equities are unchanged in US dollar terms over both three and six months. The Bank of Japan has intervened on 42 of the 121 trading days since October 22nd or an average of 1.6 times a week as foreigners remain underweight. As corporate results and macro data continue to disappoint, the outlook for the market is muted ahead of the upcoming ten-day holiday which combines the traditional Golden Week holidays with the accession of the new Emperor and the beginning of the Reiwa era (令和時代).  Source: Investing.comCURRENCY RISK? - "UnCh" also applies to JPY (USDJPY CURNCY)  Implied volatility for 9-month USDJPY options reached a new 25-year low last week of 6.11. The previous two lows were in 2006 and 2015 and were followed by periods of sustained Yen strength. The equity market currently appears to be discounting precisely the opposite.   Source: Japan AnalyticsVTR - The ratio of the value of stocks traded to the total market value continues to decline. The average for 2019 is 11% below that for the same period last year and is unchanged at 39bps in each month year-to-date.Source: Japan AnalyticsVOLUME SCORE TIMELINE - Volumes have been highest in the Internet, Retail, and Telecoms sectors, while the Materials, Transportation, Utilities and Real Estate Sectors have seen the lowest.Source: Japan AnalyticsLOWS &gt; HIGHS - With a deficit of positive news at the individual company level, the number of new 52-week highs has exceeded the number of new 52-week lows on only one-third of the last 31 trading days. Source: Japan AnalyticsDRIFTING LOWER - TTM and Forecasts Aggregate Operating and Net Income continue to drift lower ahead of the full-year results for March year-end companies which are due in a more-concentrated-than-usual period either side of the long break.   Source: Japan Analytics 
MIND THE GAP - Based on our Scoring methodology for aggregate Results &amp; Revisions, the 'gap' between total market value and earnings momentum is now as wide as at the two previous 'peaks' in January 2018 and September 2018.Source: Bank of America Merrill LynchGLOBAL WAVE - The market is implying that the earnings cycle is close to a bottom which is in accord with BAML's Global Earnings Revision Ratio having ticked up last month for the first time in 14 months. BAML has yet to call a Trough in their Global Wave and, were they to do so, such a Trough would be the first above '50' since 2006.FORECASTS LEADING EARNINGS LOWER - Separating our the Results Score and the Forecast &amp; Revision Score, the latter is continuing to lead the former to the downside, although both Scores are in aggregate still positive. Reported earnings and forecasts are still growing year-on-year; however, the momentum is slowing rapidly.Source: Japan AnalyticsINTERIM LEADING ANNUAL LOWER -  Between February and September in each year, there is a statistically significant number of Interim Forecasts that they can be compared to the Annual Forecasts with which they are combined to derive the score in the previous chart. Interim Forecasts are often prepared by the divisional heads are not accorded the same 'reverence' as the Annual Forecasts. As a result, the Interim numbers offer a good leading indicator of short-term trends. In recent weeks, the aggregate Interim Forecast/Revision Score has turned sharply lower and is now at the lowest point in almost two years.   In the DETAIL section below, we will review Sector performance, company results, revisions and stock performance over the previous two weeks, as well as adding some brief comments on Koshidaka (2157 JP), Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP), Drugstores, Daiwa House (1925 JP), Toyota Parts companies, and Yamato Holdings (9064 JP).

🇯🇵 Japan • Fortnightly Update - "UnCh"

- MARKET COMPOSITE -<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/081/436/original/2019-03-10_11-07-01.png?1552183736" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="81436"></figure><div style="text-align: center;" class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div><div>
SOUTHBOUND - The upside we anticipated two weeks ago turned out to be only ¥6t before the harsh realities of some weak macro data intervened and sent the market 3% lower over the last two trading days suggesting the bear market rally is now over. After peaking at 48%, the market-value-based percentage above the weighted sum of moving averages has now retreated to 33%. </div><hr>- SECTORS - <figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/081/437/original/2019-03-10_11-38-43.png?1552185548" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="81437"></figure><div style="text-align: left;" class="content-caption">
LEGEND: The 'sparklines' show the three-year trend in the weighted percentage above moving average relative to the Market Composite and the 'STDev' column is a measure of the variability of that relative measure. The table also provides averages for the breaks above and breaks below and the positive and negative crossovers.</div>SECTOR BREAKDOWN - The top six sectors remain domestic and defensive and are unchanged from two weeks ago with REITs, the clear leader. Equally predictable is the bottom half-dozen - Banks, Non-Bank Finance, Retail, Autos, and Metals remain from two weeks ago, with Machinery replacing Construction. Banks stay at the bottom, and the sector had its largest volume 'day' as measured by our Volume Score since September 21st, 2018 on Friday although many other sectors were 'active.' <figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/081/440/original/2019-03-10_11-54-26.png?1552186476" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="81440"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div><hr>- COMPANIES -COMPANY MOVING AVERAGE OUTLIERS - As with the Market Composite and Sectors, the Moving Average Outlier indicator uses a weighted sum of each company's share price relative to its 5-day, 20-day, 60-day, 120-day and 240-day moving averages. 'Extreme' values are weighted sums greater than 100% and less than -100%. We would caution that this indicator is best used for timing shorter-term reversals and, in many cases, higher highs and lower lows will be seen. <div class="content-highlight">
In the DETAIL section below, we highlight the current top and bottom twenty-five large capitalisation outliers, as well as those companies that have seen the most significant positive and negative changes in their outlier percentage in the last two weeks and provide short comments on companies of particular note.
Our most extreme positive outlier two weeks ago, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/26181" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26181:1">Pksha Technology (3993 JP)</a> declined by 8% and 'tops' our most negative two-week change list, while the most negative outlier <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/24540" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24540:1">SanBio (4592 JP)</a> rose by 3%. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/8244" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8244:1">Leopalace21 (8848 JP)</a> which was also featured recovered by 9%.
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/2709" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2709:1">AnGes (4563 JP)</a> is currently the most extreme large cap positive outlier having peaked at '492' on 26th February up from a 'trough' of -132 in December. Biotechnology peer <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/24540" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24540:1">SanBio (4592 JP)</a> is, for the third time this year, the most extreme negative outlier, having topped the 13th January and 24th February positive outlier lists and is another 'round-tripper'. 
</div><div class="content-caption">
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/081/441/original/2019-03-10_12-13-00.png?1552187591" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="81441"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/081/442/original/2019-03-10_12-17-48.png?1552187878" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="81442"></figure>Source: Japan Analytics
</div>

- MARKET COMPOSITE -Source: Japan Analytics
SOUTHBOUND - The upside we anticipated two weeks ago turned out to be only ¥6t before the harsh realities of some weak macro data intervened and sent the market 3% lower over the last two trading days suggesting the bear market rally is now over. After peaking at 48%, the market-value-based percentage above the weighted sum of moving averages has now retreated to 33%. - SECTORS - 
LEGEND: The 'sparklines' show the three-year trend in the weighted percentage above moving average relative to the Market Composite and the 'STDev' column is a measure of the variability of that relative measure. The table also provides averages for the breaks above and breaks below and the positive and negative crossovers.SECTOR BREAKDOWN - The top six sectors remain domestic and defensive and are unchanged from two weeks ago with REITs, the clear leader. Equally predictable is the bottom half-dozen - Banks, Non-Bank Finance, Retail, Autos, and Metals remain from two weeks ago, with Machinery replacing Construction. Banks stay at the bottom, and the sector had its largest volume 'day' as measured by our Volume Score since September 21st, 2018 on Friday although many other sectors were 'active.' Source: Japan Analytics- COMPANIES -COMPANY MOVING AVERAGE OUTLIERS - As with the Market Composite and Sectors, the Moving Average Outlier indicator uses a weighted sum of each company's share price relative to its 5-day, 20-day, 60-day, 120-day and 240-day moving averages. 'Extreme' values are weighted sums greater than 100% and less than -100%. We would caution that this indicator is best used for timing shorter-term reversals and, in many cases, higher highs and lower lows will be seen. 
In the DETAIL section below, we highlight the current top and bottom twenty-five large capitalisation outliers, as well as those companies that have seen the most significant positive and negative changes in their outlier percentage in the last two weeks and provide short comments on companies of particular note.
Our most extreme positive outlier two weeks ago, Pksha Technology (3993 JP) declined by 8% and 'tops' our most negative two-week change list, while the most negative outlier SanBio (4592 JP) rose by 3%. Leopalace21 (8848 JP) which was also featured recovered by 9%.
AnGes (4563 JP) is currently the most extreme large cap positive outlier having peaked at '492' on 26th February up from a 'trough' of -132 in December. Biotechnology peer SanBio (4592 JP) is, for the third time this year, the most extreme negative outlier, having topped the 13th January and 24th February positive outlier lists and is another 'round-tripper'. 

Source: Japan Analytics


🇯🇵 Japan: Moving Average Outliers - AnGes, SanBio, Adastria, AIN, Sumco & Benefit One

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

The drugstore sector has been the fastest growing retail sector after e-commerce in the last decade, boosted by the popularity of Japanese toiletry and cosmetics brands among tourists and the push for market share by leading players.Drugstores already account for 40% of cosmetics sales and their share of other key categories is growing, even in food, with some chains already selling enough food to qualify as top 20 supermarkets (in 2017, 26.2% of drugstore sales came from food).Future profit growth will be determined by prescription services, food and M&amp;A, with all of the leading firms racing to build capacity.

The drugstore sector has been the fastest growing retail sector after e-commerce in the last decade, boosted by the popularity of Japanese toiletry and cosmetics brands among tourists and the push for market share by leading players.Drugstores already account for 40% of cosmetics sales and their share of other key categories is growing, even in food, with some chains already selling enough food to qualify as top 20 supermarkets (in 2017, 26.2% of drugstore sales came from food).Future profit growth will be determined by prescription services, food and M&amp;A, with all of the leading firms racing to build capacity.

<div class="content-caption">
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/076/722/original/2019-01-26_16-21-53.png?1548487323" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="76722"></figure>

Source: Japan Analytics
</div>
CONSISTENCY PAYS - In troubled markets, investors often seek out companies with greater earnings stability and a history of consistent stock outperformance. Conversely, companies that offer investors more of a rollercoaster ride (<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/6232" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6232:1">Chiyoda Corp (6366 JP)</a> being an excellent recent example) are less rewarding, especially when adjusted for volatility. In an attempt to sort the 'Steady Eddies' from the Rollercoaster Rides', we have created a Consistency Score - a composite based on our Results Score, Forecast/Revision Score, Relative Price Score and Volume Score - which measures the variability, consistency, correlation, and range of each of these scores for every company.  Cap-weighted aggregate Consistency Scores are then derived for 321 Peer Groups and 29 Sectors - REITs are excluded from this analysis. Over 3 million data points have been reviewed in creating this analysis. As the old slogan goes - "we do the work, so you don't have to'.
'CARP = CONSISTENCY-AT-A-REASONABLE-PRICE' - Our findings will not surprise long-term investors in Japanese equities; the simple asset allocation decision to prefer domestic growth over global value has determined the quartile-ranking of many strategies in recent years. Although many of these Sectors, Peer Groups and stocks are now overvalued, we do not expect the underlying business dynamics to change in the years ahead and many excellent investment opportunities remain, especially down the cap-scale. Periodic and often substantial mean reversions in the more cyclical sectors, such as the one that has occurred in the last two days, will offer attractive trading opportunities for more-nimble portfolio managers. Longer-term orientated investors are better-advised to continue to favour 'consistency-at-a-reasonable-price'.  Some of our 'findings', as explained in more DETAIL below, are as follows: - 
<ul class="">
<li>
SECTORS - The better investors in Japan over the last two decades have eschewed traditional manufacturing in favour of Services, IT/Internet, Retail, Restaurants and 'FB&amp;T'. Only Machinery and Electrical Equipment outperformed the market's 4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the period.</li>
<li>
PEER GROUPS- The most-consistent Peer Groups are found in industries associated with food, drugs, welfare, shelter and amusement. Only five of the top-forty Peer Groups - Online Payment Services, E-Commerce, IT System Services, Telecom Distribution Services and Internet Software &amp; Services belong to the 'new age'. There are no manufacturing Peer Groups in the top-forty. The best performing Peer Group is Securities Services, and the worst-performing is Investment Management &amp; Advice. Although both have similar levels of consistency, the stock exchange has beaten its fund managers by 28% annually since 2005.</li>
<li>
COMPANIES - The simple average fourteen-year compound annual share price appreciation for all listed large-cap companies is +5.1%. For all listed companies the average falls to just +0.5%, highlighting the perils of investing in Japan's small caps. The average share price CAGR for our hindsight-selected top-forty is +18.7%. In contrast, only one of our forty least-consistent companies outperformed the market and the average for the least-consistent forty companies was a negative -3.2%.   Unsurprisingly, there are eight banks and six steel companies on the list, along with two glass companies and two shipping lines.</li>
<li>
CONSISTENCY HALL OF FAME/SHAME AWARDS - We have selected one company from each of the most and least consistent lists as the winner of a 'Consistency Award'. Both are highlighted in the chart above. One of them will be as surprising to many readers as it was to us.  </li>
</ul>




Source: Japan Analytics

CONSISTENCY PAYS - In troubled markets, investors often seek out companies with greater earnings stability and a history of consistent stock outperformance. Conversely, companies that offer investors more of a rollercoaster ride (Chiyoda Corp (6366 JP) being an excellent recent example) are less rewarding, especially when adjusted for volatility. In an attempt to sort the 'Steady Eddies' from the Rollercoaster Rides', we have created a Consistency Score - a composite based on our Results Score, Forecast/Revision Score, Relative Price Score and Volume Score - which measures the variability, consistency, correlation, and range of each of these scores for every company.  Cap-weighted aggregate Consistency Scores are then derived for 321 Peer Groups and 29 Sectors - REITs are excluded from this analysis. Over 3 million data points have been reviewed in creating this analysis. As the old slogan goes - "we do the work, so you don't have to'.
'CARP = CONSISTENCY-AT-A-REASONABLE-PRICE' - Our findings will not surprise long-term investors in Japanese equities; the simple asset allocation decision to prefer domestic growth over global value has determined the quartile-ranking of many strategies in recent years. Although many of these Sectors, Peer Groups and stocks are now overvalued, we do not expect the underlying business dynamics to change in the years ahead and many excellent investment opportunities remain, especially down the cap-scale. Periodic and often substantial mean reversions in the more cyclical sectors, such as the one that has occurred in the last two days, will offer attractive trading opportunities for more-nimble portfolio managers. Longer-term orientated investors are better-advised to continue to favour 'consistency-at-a-reasonable-price'.  Some of our 'findings', as explained in more DETAIL below, are as follows: - 


SECTORS - The better investors in Japan over the last two decades have eschewed traditional manufacturing in favour of Services, IT/Internet, Retail, Restaurants and 'FB&amp;T'. Only Machinery and Electrical Equipment outperformed the market's 4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) over the period.

PEER GROUPS- The most-consistent Peer Groups are found in industries associated with food, drugs, welfare, shelter and amusement. Only five of the top-forty Peer Groups - Online Payment Services, E-Commerce, IT System Services, Telecom Distribution Services and Internet Software &amp; Services belong to the 'new age'. There are no manufacturing Peer Groups in the top-forty. The best performing Peer Group is Securities Services, and the worst-performing is Investment Management &amp; Advice. Although both have similar levels of consistency, the stock exchange has beaten its fund managers by 28% annually since 2005.

COMPANIES - The simple average fourteen-year compound annual share price appreciation for all listed large-cap companies is +5.1%. For all listed companies the average falls to just +0.5%, highlighting the perils of investing in Japan's small caps. The average share price CAGR for our hindsight-selected top-forty is +18.7%. In contrast, only one of our forty least-consistent companies outperformed the market and the average for the least-consistent forty companies was a negative -3.2%.   Unsurprisingly, there are eight banks and six steel companies on the list, along with two glass companies and two shipping lines.

CONSISTENCY HALL OF FAME/SHAME AWARDS - We have selected one company from each of the most and least consistent lists as the winner of a 'Consistency Award'. Both are highlighted in the chart above. One of them will be as surprising to many readers as it was to us.  


Japan: Consistency Scores - Steady Eddies V. Rollercoaster Rides

Japan

TSURUHA HOLDINGS INC. is a holding company which manages subsidiaries that operate drug stores in Hokkaido and the Tohoku area.  The Company's product line includes drugs, cosmetics, and household utensils.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
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Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Tsuruha Holdings (3391 JP)

Matsukiyo and Cocokara Fine Tie to Shake up Drugstore Sector

Two of the country’s largest mass market drugstore operators announced talks about a new tie-up last month. If it happens, Matsumotokiyoshi...

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🇯🇵 Japan • Fortnightly Update - "UnCh"

UnCh - Japanese equities are unchanged in US dollar terms over both three and six months. The Bank of Japan has intervened on 42 of the 121 trading...

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🇯🇵 Japan: Moving Average Outliers - AnGes, SanBio, Adastria, AIN, Sumco & Benefit One

- MARKET COMPOSITE - SOUTHBOUND - The upside we anticipated two weeks ago turned out to be only ¥6t before the harsh realities of some weak macro...

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Japan Drugstores Set to Expand Further

The drugstore sector has been the fastest growing retail sector after e-commerce in the last decade, boosted by the popularity of Japanese toiletry...

Michael Causton

Japan: Consistency Scores - Steady Eddies V. Rollercoaster Rides

CONSISTENCY PAYS - In troubled markets, investors often seek out companies with greater earnings stability and a history of consistent stock...

Campbell Gunn

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