Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

Today, a relatively little-known (to foreigners) satellite broadcasting channel company called <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nippon-bs-broadcasting-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8800:1" rel="noopener">Nippon BS Broadcasting (9414 JP)</a> (familiarly known as "BS11") announced its <a href="https://data.swcms.net/file/bs11/ir/irnews/auto_20211005407094/pdfFile.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FY results</a> (FY-end is 31 August), with a 27-page  <a href="https://corp.bs11.jp/ir/library/presentation/main/0/teaserItems1/02/linkList/0/link/hosokusetumeisiryou%20202108.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">presentation</a>, <a href="https://data.swcms.net/file/bs11/ir/irnews/auto_20211005407085/pdfFile.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> a change in COO as the current COO becomes CEO on 17 November upon the AGM.The company also <a href="https://data.swcms.net/file/bs11/ir/irnews/auto_20211006407666/pdfFile.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> (again, Japanese-only) that a shareholder (becoming better-known US-based Japan activism gadfly RMB Japan Opportunities Fund LP) had put forth a shareholder proposal for the upcoming AGM, and the directors have come out against it. There are times when shareholder proposals are crazy. There are some where they may be ill-advised (either in the time spent on the tilt which will go nowhere, or in the idea that the proposal is so egregiously substantive that more study would be needed than could be afforded in the short period to the next vote. This proposal, however, is not one of those. And the answer is... well.... BS.

Today, a relatively little-known (to foreigners) satellite broadcasting channel company called Nippon BS Broadcasting (9414 JP) (familiarly known as "BS11") announced its FY results (FY-end is 31 August), with a 27-page  presentation, announced a change in COO as the current COO becomes CEO on 17 November upon the AGM.The company also announced (again, Japanese-only) that a shareholder (becoming better-known US-based Japan activism gadfly RMB Japan Opportunities Fund LP) had put forth a shareholder proposal for the upcoming AGM, and the directors have come out against it. There are times when shareholder proposals are crazy. There are some where they may be ill-advised (either in the time spent on the tilt which will go nowhere, or in the idea that the proposal is so egregiously substantive that more study would be needed than could be afforded in the short period to the next vote. This proposal, however, is not one of those. And the answer is... well.... BS.

What Is BS Governance? That Is BS Governance!

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)

The following is an in-depth review of Japanese retail in the last 18 months covering all the main formats and categories, providing a quick way to see an overview of all the key trends and winners and losers in Japanese retailing now and going forward.FY2020 was an anomaly and one that businesses everywhere will want to forget and never repeat. There was more than enough pain among Japan’s top retailers last year, but equally some formats did surprisingly well given the circumstances.For most, work-from-home was the single most important factor in determining a chain’s fortunes. City-centre stores and shopping centres offering mostly discretionary shopping have been hit hard, as have convenience stores.But those chains selling essentials, healthcare, electronics and, most importantly, food, all saw their fortunes improve. The pandemic has also revealed the strong, dynamic players and exposed the weaker ones. Oh, and everyone needs to be online.

The following is an in-depth review of Japanese retail in the last 18 months covering all the main formats and categories, providing a quick way to see an overview of all the key trends and winners and losers in Japanese retailing now and going forward.FY2020 was an anomaly and one that businesses everywhere will want to forget and never repeat. There was more than enough pain among Japan’s top retailers last year, but equally some formats did surprisingly well given the circumstances.For most, work-from-home was the single most important factor in determining a chain’s fortunes. City-centre stores and shopping centres offering mostly discretionary shopping have been hit hard, as have convenience stores.But those chains selling essentials, healthcare, electronics and, most importantly, food, all saw their fortunes improve. The pandemic has also revealed the strong, dynamic players and exposed the weaker ones. Oh, and everyone needs to be online.

The Polarising Pandemic in Japanese Retail

Penetration (the share of total retail sales) of e-commerce in Japan increased sharply in the past few years but still varies significantly by category.
The following insight looks at each consumer product category and how penetration has grown in the last few years and provides estimates of trends to 2025.
Even with these relatively cautious rates of growth, penetration rates are set to expand significantly in apparel, household &amp; interior, books &amp; media, and stationery but only retailers with form in successful online marketing will benefit from this with major negative implications for the many retailers that have failed to tackle the threat from online. This includes even major retailers like <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> which lags behind <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aeon-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3:1" rel="noopener">Aeon Co Ltd (8267 JP), </a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten Inc (4755 JP)</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aeon-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3:1" rel="noopener">  and </a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/amazon-com-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:409:1" rel="noopener">Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US)</a> in the race to lead the battle for leadership in online food retailing.

Penetration (the share of total retail sales) of e-commerce in Japan increased sharply in the past few years but still varies significantly by category.
The following insight looks at each consumer product category and how penetration has grown in the last few years and provides estimates of trends to 2025.
Even with these relatively cautious rates of growth, penetration rates are set to expand significantly in apparel, household &amp; interior, books &amp; media, and stationery but only retailers with form in successful online marketing will benefit from this with major negative implications for the many retailers that have failed to tackle the threat from online. This includes even major retailers like Seven &amp; I Holdings (3382 JP) which lags behind Aeon Co Ltd (8267 JP), Rakuten Inc (4755 JP)  and Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US) in the race to lead the battle for leadership in online food retailing.

E-Commerce Penetration Increasing in All Retail Categories

Like most lifestyle segments, the outdoor apparel &amp; equipment market contracted in 2020 but this is a blip in an otherwise sustained multi-year expansion. Long-term growth is being driven by both expanded supply and demand as consumers of all ages embrace the great outdoors for the first time in generations and suppliers rush to equip them.This has benefited retailers such as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/workman-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8467:1" rel="noopener">Workman Co Ltd (7564 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/goldwin-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:410:1" rel="noopener">Goldwin Inc (8111 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/snow-peak-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7218:1" rel="noopener">Snow Peak Inc (7816 JP)</a> but it also means that a number of other retailers have entered the market, creating new competition, including <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bic-camera-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11328:1" rel="noopener">Bic Camera Inc (3048 JP) </a>and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kohnan-shoji-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5662:1" rel="noopener">Kohnan Shoji (7516 JP).</a>

Like most lifestyle segments, the outdoor apparel &amp; equipment market contracted in 2020 but this is a blip in an otherwise sustained multi-year expansion. Long-term growth is being driven by both expanded supply and demand as consumers of all ages embrace the great outdoors for the first time in generations and suppliers rush to equip them.This has benefited retailers such as Workman Co Ltd (7564 JP), Goldwin Inc (8111 JP) and Snow Peak Inc (7816 JP) but it also means that a number of other retailers have entered the market, creating new competition, including Bic Camera Inc (3048 JP) and Kohnan Shoji (7516 JP).

Japan's Outdoor Market Expands 3.2% in 2019 but Contraction in 2020

Last month’s confirmation that Sogo Seibu is closing five more stores ends a terrible six months for department store chains.
Things started to look bad for the sector well before the lockdown as falling tourist numbers from South Korea, the impact of the consumption tax hike, and cautious consumers at home stole the gains made in the previous year.
A survey of 10,000 consumers earlier this year between the ages of 20 and 70 and 65% replied that they rarely visited department stores, if at all. This is up from 53.4% in 2011.
That the sector is in trouble is well-known but the shake out will be both accelerated and intensified by the current crisis, meaning that even fewer stores will survive, leaving just 100 or so true department stores, 50% less than now.
The good news is that the survivors will likely thrive, particularly <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/j-front-retailing-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8947:1" rel="noopener">J Front Retailing (3086 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/takashimaya-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:370:1" rel="noopener">Takashimaya (8233 JP)</a>. While the entire sector is currently a sell, investors looking at the long-term may see value in a few of the leading firms.
The following is an in-depth review of the sector with the following sections:
<ol>
<li>Summary of key trends</li>
<li>Overview of Sales and analysis of strong and weak categories now and in the future</li>
<li>Rankings of chains and stores by category sales</li>
<li>Analysis of regional differences</li>
<li>Ranking of Top 30 firms by Sales and OPM and analysis of strong vs weak chains</li>
<li>Ranking of Top 50 stores and analysis of sales density performance</li>
<li>Review of solutions to decline and which firms will survive and thrive.</li>
</ol>
This insight is labelled bearish because the sector will continue to decline but a small number of firms will have a sustained future and see higher growth in operating margins once the current crisis is over.

Last month’s confirmation that Sogo Seibu is closing five more stores ends a terrible six months for department store chains.
Things started to look bad for the sector well before the lockdown as falling tourist numbers from South Korea, the impact of the consumption tax hike, and cautious consumers at home stole the gains made in the previous year.
A survey of 10,000 consumers earlier this year between the ages of 20 and 70 and 65% replied that they rarely visited department stores, if at all. This is up from 53.4% in 2011.
That the sector is in trouble is well-known but the shake out will be both accelerated and intensified by the current crisis, meaning that even fewer stores will survive, leaving just 100 or so true department stores, 50% less than now.
The good news is that the survivors will likely thrive, particularly J Front Retailing (3086 JP) and Takashimaya (8233 JP). While the entire sector is currently a sell, investors looking at the long-term may see value in a few of the leading firms.
The following is an in-depth review of the sector with the following sections:

Summary of key trends
Overview of Sales and analysis of strong and weak categories now and in the future
Rankings of chains and stores by category sales
Analysis of regional differences
Ranking of Top 30 firms by Sales and OPM and analysis of strong vs weak chains
Ranking of Top 50 stores and analysis of sales density performance
Review of solutions to decline and which firms will survive and thrive.

This insight is labelled bearish because the sector will continue to decline but a small number of firms will have a sustained future and see higher growth in operating margins once the current crisis is over.

Japan's Department Stores in 2020: The Biggest Crisis Since World War II

Japan

BIC CAMERA INC. operates electronic retail stores throughout Japan focusing on the Tokyo metropolitan area.  The Company sells audio and video equipments, electrical home appliances and telecommunication equipments.  Bic Camera also runs an Internet shopping site.

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Bic Camera Inc (3048 JP)

What Is BS Governance? That Is BS Governance!

Nippon BS Corporation, familiarly known in Japan as BS11, received a shareholder proposal to lift its dividend to a higher payout ratio, backed by...

Travis Lundy

The Polarising Pandemic in Japanese Retail

A complete review of the Japanese retail sector in the last 18 months, format by format, category by category, providing key trends and winners &...

Michael Causton

E-Commerce Penetration Increasing in All Retail Categories

A review of online market share in all key consumer categories in Japan, with forecasts for e-commerce market share to 2025 –the sharp growth will...

Michael Causton

Japan's Outdoor Market Expands 3.2% in 2019 but Contraction in 2020

Japan's outdoor market is one of few segments to see solid growth in recent years and while the market will dip in 2020, will grow well in the next...

Michael Causton

Japan's Department Stores in 2020: The Biggest Crisis Since World War II

Japan's department store sector will continue to contract so it is right to be bearish on the sector. However, the clear out will allow some firms...

Michael Causton

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