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. 

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>The shakeout in clothing and fashion retailing continues, with most of the good fortune spread amongst a smaller group of either very large or very small retail chains and brands. </li>
<li>In specialty, lower cost national chains largely located in the suburbs continued to increase share but premium fashion retailers also had a great year boosting profits.</li>
<li>More dramatic was the startling growth of a few department stores which helped the format increase share of the apparel market for only the 4th time in 20 years.</li>
</ul>


The shakeout in clothing and fashion retailing continues, with most of the good fortune spread amongst a smaller group of either very large or very small retail chains and brands. 
In specialty, lower cost national chains largely located in the suburbs continued to increase share but premium fashion retailers also had a great year boosting profits.
More dramatic was the startling growth of a few department stores which helped the format increase share of the apparel market for only the 4th time in 20 years.


Japan Fashion Retailing: Stores Still Popular and Profit Soars for Some

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Seven &amp; I released 1H24 earnings today as well as details on planned restructuring of its business. Results included some one-off items hitting operating profit as well as lower footfall.</li>
<li>The bigger news was the plan to hive off the non-CVS retail operations into a new company, York Holdings, leaving a newly named 7-Eleven Corporation running CVS globally.</li>
<li>Unusually, Seven also mentioned the possibility of new strategic partners investing in York, including even the "original founding families", suggesting one way of holding on to control.</li>
</ul>


Seven &amp; I released 1H24 earnings today as well as details on planned restructuring of its business. Results included some one-off items hitting operating profit as well as lower footfall.
The bigger news was the plan to hive off the non-CVS retail operations into a new company, York Holdings, leaving a newly named 7-Eleven Corporation running CVS globally.
Unusually, Seven also mentioned the possibility of new strategic partners investing in York, including even the "original founding families", suggesting one way of holding on to control.


7-Eleven Corporation: A Clear Strategy for Long-Term Value, Founding Family Return to Super-Stores

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

<ul>
<li>In response to media reports, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/seven-i-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1041:1" rel="noopener">Seven &amp; I Holdings (3382 JP)</a> confirmed receiving a revised non-binding proposal from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alimentation-couche-tard-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25103:1" rel="noopener">Alimentation Couche-Tard (ATD CN)</a>. </li>
<li>The rumoured revised offer is US$18.19, a 22.4% premium to the initial US$14.86 offer. The revised terms are attractive vs precedent transactions and analyst price targets.</li>
<li>The Board would cite regulatory concerns and the revised offer's implied discount compared to peer multiples. At tomorrow's results, the Board must present a credible alternative value generation path.</li>
</ul>


In response to media reports, Seven &amp; I Holdings (3382 JP) confirmed receiving a revised non-binding proposal from Alimentation Couche-Tard (ATD CN). 
The rumoured revised offer is US$18.19, a 22.4% premium to the initial US$14.86 offer. The revised terms are attractive vs precedent transactions and analyst price targets.
The Board would cite regulatory concerns and the revised offer's implied discount compared to peer multiples. At tomorrow's results, the Board must present a credible alternative value generation path.


Seven & I Holdings (3382 JP): Pressure Mounts with a Couche-Tard Revised Offer

Tracking developments across tech supply chains, Tech Supply Chain Tracker

Tech Supply Chain Tracker

Tracking developments across tech supply chains

Equity Bottom-Up

Hon Hai Precision Industry / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>E Ink and Hanshow collaborate to introduce full-color e-paper technology for retail industry, offering a new innovative solution.</li><li>Taiwan's energy shift faces grid challenges as the world moves towards net-zero goals, highlighting the need for sustainable energy solutions.</li><li>Foxconn introduces new electric vehicle models and aims to capitalize on industry challenges, showing a shift towards the growing EV market.</li></ul>

E Ink and Hanshow collaborate to introduce full-color e-paper technology for retail industry, offering a new innovative solution.Taiwan's energy shift faces grid challenges as the world moves towards net-zero goals, highlighting the need for sustainable energy solutions.Foxconn introduces new electric vehicle models and aims to capitalize on industry challenges, showing a shift towards the growing EV market.

Tech Supply Chain Tracker (04-Oct-2024): E Ink, Hanshow bring color e-paper to retail.

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

<ul>
<li>The drugstore space in Japan is super-interesting. The stories, the mergers, the activists. And of course, the defence against activists.</li>
<li>In Feb-2024, Aeon did a deal with an activist to cause a future deal between Tsuruha and Welcia. Aeon also owns a stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kusuri-no-aoki-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27329:1" rel="noopener">Kusuri no Aoki Holdings (3549 JP)</a>. </li>
<li>The Aoki brothers (CEO and VP) exercised warrants in August and re-arranged their holdings. Now the family owns 34.7%. Today, after Q1 earnings, the company announced a 5+% buyback.</li>
</ul>


The drugstore space in Japan is super-interesting. The stories, the mergers, the activists. And of course, the defence against activists.
In Feb-2024, Aeon did a deal with an activist to cause a future deal between Tsuruha and Welcia. Aeon also owns a stake in Kusuri no Aoki Holdings (3549 JP). 
The Aoki brothers (CEO and VP) exercised warrants in August and re-arranged their holdings. Now the family owns 34.7%. Today, after Q1 earnings, the company announced a 5+% buyback.


Kusuri No Aoki (3549) Big Buyback - Accretive, And May Involve Musical Shares

Japan

AEON CO., LTD. operates general merchandise stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores throughout Japan. The Company is also engaged in women's and casual clothing store business, development business of commercial property, and financing service through the subsidiaries.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
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Aeon Co Ltd (8267 JP)

Japan Fashion Retailing: Stores Still Popular and Profit Soars for Some

A major review of Japanese clothing retail markets: the ongoing shakeout benefits large and small chains, but profit growth across the sector is...

Michael Causton

7-Eleven Corporation: A Clear Strategy for Long-Term Value, Founding Family Return to Super-Stores

Seven & I showed some falls in SSS and income in 1H. Plans to restructure business by creating York Holdings for non-CVS retail ops, with the...

Michael Causton

Seven & I Holdings (3382 JP): Pressure Mounts with a Couche-Tard Revised Offer

The revised offer will mount pressure to engage. The Board is running out of excuses and will lean heavily on an alternative value generation path...

Arun George

Tech Supply Chain Tracker (04-Oct-2024): E Ink, Hanshow bring color e-paper to retail.

E Ink and Hanshow collaborate on full-color e-paper for retail, Taiwan grid challenges, Foxconn's new EV models, India's supercomputers, Czech IC...

Tech Supply Chain Tracker

Kusuri No Aoki (3549) Big Buyback - Accretive, And May Involve Musical Shares

Activist-pressured Kusuri no Aoki reports Q1 earnings and a 5+% buyback. The seller could be a cross-holder after the Aoki brothers upped their...

Travis Lundy

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Japan Fashion Retailing: Stores Still Popular and Profit Soars for Some

A major review of Japanese clothing retail markets: ​the ongoing shakeout benefits large and small chains, but profit growth across the sector is...

Michael Causton

7-Eleven Corporation: A Clear Strategy for Long-Term Value, Founding Family Return to Super-Stores

​Seven & I showed some falls in SSS and income in 1H. Plans to restructure business by creating York Holdings for non-CVS retail ops, with the...

Michael Causton

Seven & I Holdings (3382 JP): Pressure Mounts with a Couche-Tard Revised Offer

The revised offer will mount pressure to engage. The Board is running out of excuses and will lean heavily on an alternative value generation path...

Arun George

Tech Supply Chain Tracker (04-Oct-2024): E Ink, Hanshow bring color e-paper to retail.

E Ink and Hanshow collaborate on full-color e-paper for retail, Taiwan grid challenges, Foxconn's new EV models, India's supercomputers, Czech IC...

Tech Supply Chain Tracker

Kusuri No Aoki (3549) Big Buyback - Accretive, And May Involve Musical Shares

Activist-pressured Kusuri no Aoki reports Q1 earnings and a 5+% buyback. The seller could be a cross-holder after the Aoki brothers upped their...

Travis Lundy

A major review of Japanese clothing retail markets: the ongoing shakeout benefits large and small chains, but profit growth across the sector is...

Seven & I showed some falls in SSS and income in 1H. Plans to restructure business by creating York Holdings for non-CVS retail ops, with the...