Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Keyence reported record 2Q Sales and OP, thoroughly beating street expectations. The company recorded high double-digit growth in all regions - even in Europe.  </li>
<li>Pricing power is on display 10-35% price hikes to shore up the dip in GPM to 81.3%, depressed on higher raw material costs.  Sets up for future earnings growth. </li>
<li>The share price has underperformed the TOPIX -26%YTD. Valuations at the bottom of the recent range. We expect a share price recovery and are bullish. </li>
</ul>


Keyence reported record 2Q Sales and OP, thoroughly beating street expectations. The company recorded high double-digit growth in all regions - even in Europe.  
Pricing power is on display 10-35% price hikes to shore up the dip in GPM to 81.3%, depressed on higher raw material costs.  Sets up for future earnings growth. 
The share price has underperformed the TOPIX -26%YTD. Valuations at the bottom of the recent range. We expect a share price recovery and are bullish. 


Keyence(6861 JP) | The Rise of the Phoenix – A Company like No Other

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rigaku-holdings-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:43950:1" rel="noopener">Rigaku Holdings (268A JP)</a> raised around US$750m in its Japan IPO in October 2024. The lockup on its pre-IPO investors is set to expire soon.</li>
<li>Rigaku engages in developing, manufacturing, sales and servicing scientific instruments specializing in X-ray technologies.</li>
<li>In this note, we will talk about the lockup dynamics and possible placement.</li>
</ul>



Rigaku Holdings (268A JP) raised around US$750m in its Japan IPO in October 2024. The lockup on its pre-IPO investors is set to expire soon.
Rigaku engages in developing, manufacturing, sales and servicing scientific instruments specializing in X-ray technologies.
In this note, we will talk about the lockup dynamics and possible placement.


Rigaku IPO Lockup - Large PE Investors Can Still Break Even

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.

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nidec-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7245:1" rel="noopener">Nidec Corp (6594 JP)</a> has launched its offer for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/makino-milling-machine-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5200:1" rel="noopener">Makino Milling Machine Co (6135 JP)</a> at an unchanged JPY11,000. The offer is open from 4 April to 21 May.</li>
<li>The offer was launched despite securing all regulatory approvals and the Board's postponement request. The launch could also be an attempt to thwart a competing proposal.</li>
<li>Despite the launch, Nidec’s offer at current terms has a low chance of success, necessitating revised terms. There remains a medium-to-high probability of a competing proposal.</li>
</ul>



Nidec Corp (6594 JP) has launched its offer for Makino Milling Machine Co (6135 JP) at an unchanged JPY11,000. The offer is open from 4 April to 21 May.
The offer was launched despite securing all regulatory approvals and the Board's postponement request. The launch could also be an attempt to thwart a competing proposal.
Despite the launch, Nidec’s offer at current terms has a low chance of success, necessitating revised terms. There remains a medium-to-high probability of a competing proposal.


Makino Milling Machine (6135 JP): Nidec Launches Its Offer

Asian Hedge Fund Manager, Long Short Equity, Macro

David Mudd

<ul>
<li>The Hong Kong Alpha simulated portfolio returned 0.97% in March outperforming its benchmark by 1.1%.  Since inception the portfolio has outperformed Hong Kong indexes by 8% to 11%.</li>
<li>The portfolio has generated alpha while maintaining a correlation of 0.8 and a beta of 1.05.  The HK Alpha portfolio has a Sharpe ratio of 2.19 YTD.</li>
<li>On 3/31/25 we sold <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shanghai-electric-group-company-limited-d542164d-4d5a-4ce0-b33e-5fe6bc34722c" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8777:1" rel="noopener">Shanghai Electric Group Company (2727 HK)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/citic-securities-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:463:1" rel="noopener">Citic Securities (H) (6030 HK)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sands-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:182:1" rel="noopener">Sands China (1928 HK)</a> , and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sunny-optical-technology-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13363:1" rel="noopener">Sunny Optical Technology Group (2382 HK)</a></li>
</ul>


The Hong Kong Alpha simulated portfolio returned 0.97% in March outperforming its benchmark by 1.1%.  Since inception the portfolio has outperformed Hong Kong indexes by 8% to 11%.
The portfolio has generated alpha while maintaining a correlation of 0.8 and a beta of 1.05.  The HK Alpha portfolio has a Sharpe ratio of 2.19 YTD.
On 3/31/25 we sold Shanghai Electric Group Company (2727 HK) , Citic Securities (H) (6030 HK) , Sands China (1928 HK) , and Sunny Optical Technology Group (2382 HK)


<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dn-solutions" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:44474:1" rel="noopener">DN Solutions (298440 KS)</a>, the third-largest machining centre/turning centre machine tool manufacturer, seeks to raise US$1.1 billion in a KRX IPO.</li>
<li>We previously discussed the IPO in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/dn-solutions-ipo-the-bull-case" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:180468" rel="noopener">DN Solutions IPO: The Bull Case</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/dn-solutions-ipo-the-bear-case" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:180606" rel="noopener">DN Solutions IPO: The Bear Case</a>.</li>
<li>I examine the syndicate's valuation methodology. My analysis suggests that DN Solutions is palatable in the low end of the IPO price range. </li>
</ul>



DN Solutions (298440 KS), the third-largest machining centre/turning centre machine tool manufacturer, seeks to raise US$1.1 billion in a KRX IPO.
We previously discussed the IPO in DN Solutions IPO: The Bull Case and DN Solutions IPO: The Bear Case.
I examine the syndicate's valuation methodology. My analysis suggests that DN Solutions is palatable in the low end of the IPO price range. 


Japan

FANUC CORPORATION manufactures factory automation (FA) systems and equipments, and robots. The Company's products include computerized numerically-controlled (CNC) equipment, servo motors, laser systems, industrial robots, wire-cut electric discharge machines, and CNC drill.  Fanuc participates in a joint venture with General Electric in the FA field.

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Fanuc Corp (6954 JP)

Keyence(6861 JP) | The Rise of the Phoenix – A Company like No Other

2Q record earnings confirms why Keyence will continue to grow for years to come. The price hikes sets the company up for strong earnings growth. ...

Mark Chadwick

Rigaku IPO Lockup - Large PE Investors Can Still Break Even

Rigaku Holdings (268A JP) raised around US$750m in its Japan IPO in October 2024. The lockup on its pre-IPO investors is set to expire soon.

Sumeet Singh

Makino Milling Machine (6135 JP): Nidec Launches Its Offer

Despite the launch, Nidec’s offer at current terms has a low chance of success, necessitating revised terms. There remains a medium-to-high...

Arun George

HONG KONG ALPHA PORTFOLIO (March 2025)

The Hong Kong Alpha portfolio returned 0.97% in March outperforming its benchmark by 1.1%. Since inception the portfolio has outperformed Hong...

David Mudd

DN Solutions IPO: Valuation Insights

I examine the syndicate's valuation methodology. My analysis suggests that DN Solutions is palatable in the low end of the IPO price range.

Arun George

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