Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Equity Analyst

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

<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/freee-kk" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28424:1" rel="noopener">freee (4478 JP)</a>  reported its 2QFY06/21 results today which saw 51.3% YoY growth in revenues while operating losses for the quarter dropped to 18% of revenues from 38% in 2QFY06/20. The reported revenue beat consensus estimates by 3%. The consensus called for operating losses of JPY414m whereas the company reported operating losses of JPY425m for the second quarter of FY06/2021.</p>

freee (4478 JP)  reported its 2QFY06/21 results today which saw 51.3% YoY growth in revenues while operating losses for the quarter dropped to 18% of revenues from 38% in 2QFY06/20. The reported revenue beat consensus estimates by 3%. The consensus called for operating losses of JPY414m whereas the company reported operating losses of JPY425m for the second quarter of FY06/2021.

Freee: Our 2021 Conviction Pick Grew 50% in 2QFY06/21 and That Should Continue

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Quantitative Analysis

<div><p>The Asia Short Interest weekly looks at moves in market wide short interest and highlights movements in stock specific short interest across Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan using the last available data published by the relevant authorities.</p></div><div><p>Hong Kong saw shorts rise on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cathay-pacific-airways-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:243:1" rel="noopener">Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/postal-savings-bank-of-china" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22848:1" rel="noopener">Postal Savings Bank of China (1658 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-international-capital-corporation-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1071:1" rel="noopener">China International Capital Corporation (3908 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent Holdings (700 HK)</a> and <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> while there was short covering on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/byd-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20962:1" rel="noopener">BYD (1211 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/meituan-dianping" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26970:1" rel="noopener">Meituan (3690 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cnooc-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:175:1" rel="noopener">CNOOC Ltd (883 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group (9988 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wuxi-apptec-co-ltd-bf4a1265-beef-48b6-b82d-29308426030f" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27795:1" rel="noopener">WuXi AppTec Co. Ltd. (2359 HK)</a>. Shorts increased on Financials, while decreasing on Consumer Discretionary, Health Care, Information Technology, Consumer Staples and Energy.</p></div><div><p>In Japan, stocks that saw the most shorts were <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/net-one-systems-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1279:1" rel="noopener">Net One Systems (7518 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/freee-kk" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28424:1" rel="noopener">freee (4478 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/canon-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1:1" rel="noopener">Canon Inc (7751 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/monotaro-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15441:1" rel="noopener">MonotaRO Co Ltd (3064 JP)</a> while shorts decreased on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bandai-namco-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13435:1" rel="noopener">Bandai Namco Holdings (7832 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/anritsu-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3700:1" rel="noopener">Anritsu Corp (6754 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/square-enix-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15003:1" rel="noopener">Square Enix Holdings (9684 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yamato-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2:1" rel="noopener">Yamato Holdings (9064 JP)</a>. Sectorally, shorts decreased in almost all sectors led by Consumer Discretionary, Financials and Information Technology.</p></div><div><p>In Korea, there was large short covering in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/celltrion-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:991:1" rel="noopener">Celltrion Inc (068270 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hlb-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16969:1" rel="noopener">HLB Inc (028300 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/celltrion-healthcare" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:23641:1" rel="noopener">Celltrion Healthcare (091990 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/netmarble-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22839:1" rel="noopener">Netmarble Corporation (251270 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pearl-abyss-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24391:1" rel="noopener">Pearl Abyss (263750 KS)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kmw-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2834:1" rel="noopener">KMW Co Ltd (032500 KS)</a> as the most shorted stocks were covered. </p></div><div><p>Stocks in Taiwan that saw the highest increase in shorts were <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/taiwan-semiconductor-manufacturing-company" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11230:1" rel="noopener">TSMC (2330 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fitipower-integrated-tech" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8712:1" rel="noopener">Fitipower Integrated Tech (4961 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/chunghwa-telecom-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9181:1" rel="noopener">Chunghwa Telecom (2412 TT)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/novatek-microelectronics-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10904:1" rel="noopener">Novatek Microelectronics Corp (3034 TT)</a> while shorts were covered on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/au-optronics-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6704:1" rel="noopener">Au Optronics (2409 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pegatron-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12852:1" rel="noopener">Pegatron Corp (4938 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/realtek-semiconductor-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7326:1" rel="noopener">Realtek Semiconductor (2379 TT)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/innolux-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4509:1" rel="noopener">Innolux Corp (3481 TT)</a>. </p></div>

The Asia Short Interest weekly looks at moves in market wide short interest and highlights movements in stock specific short interest across Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan using the last available data published by the relevant authorities.Hong Kong saw shorts rise on Cathay Pacific Airways (293 HK), Postal Savings Bank of China (1658 HK), China International Capital Corporation (3908 HK), Tencent Holdings (700 HK) and Citic Securities (H) (6030 HK) while there was short covering on BYD (1211 HK), Meituan (3690 HK), CNOOC Ltd (883 HK), Alibaba Group (9988 HK) and WuXi AppTec Co. Ltd. (2359 HK). Shorts increased on Financials, while decreasing on Consumer Discretionary, Health Care, Information Technology, Consumer Staples and Energy.In Japan, stocks that saw the most shorts were Net One Systems (7518 JP), freee (4478 JP), Canon Inc (7751 JP) and MonotaRO Co Ltd (3064 JP) while shorts decreased on Bandai Namco Holdings (7832 JP), Anritsu Corp (6754 JP), Square Enix Holdings (9684 JP) and Yamato Holdings (9064 JP). Sectorally, shorts decreased in almost all sectors led by Consumer Discretionary, Financials and Information Technology.In Korea, there was large short covering in Celltrion Inc (068270 KS), HLB Inc (028300 KS), Celltrion Healthcare (091990 KS), Netmarble Corporation (251270 KS), Pearl Abyss (263750 KS) and KMW Co Ltd (032500 KS) as the most shorted stocks were covered. Stocks in Taiwan that saw the highest increase in shorts were TSMC (2330 TT), Fitipower Integrated Tech (4961 TT), Chunghwa Telecom (2412 TT) and Novatek Microelectronics Corp (3034 TT) while shorts were covered on Au Optronics (2409 TT), Pegatron Corp (4938 TT), Realtek Semiconductor (2379 TT) and Innolux Corp (3481 TT). 

Asia Short Interest: Cathay, PSBC, BYD, CNOOC, Bandai Namco, Anritsu, Celltrion, HLB, Fitipower

Pan-Asia Index Flows & Special Situations, Quiddity Advisors

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Pan-Asia Index Flows & Special Situations

Quiddity Advisors

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

<p>There are currently ~1,500 stocks listed in the Mothers, JASDAQ, and Second Sections of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. As time passes, some of these stocks will "graduate" to the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE1), triggering inclusion into the TOPIX Index causing passive funds tracking TOPIX to buy them on an inclusion event. This presents various trading opportunities in several phases of this event timeline.  </p><p>Being able to identify such candidates at a "Pre-event" phase (before the TSE reassignment is confirmed) can unlock great value for speculative bets as we recently witnessed in the case of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/topix-inclusion-4931-jp-shinnihonseiyaku" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:45660" rel="noopener">TOPIX Inclusion (4931 JP): Shinnihonseiyaku</a> where the stock gained 90%+ in the ~5 months leading to the TSE1-reassignment announcement. </p><p>However, in July 2020, TSE introduced more stringent new Section Transfer Requirements and TSE1 Listing Criteria adding a new layer of complexity to this prediction process, especially during the period of transition from the old rules to the new rules. </p><p>In this insight, we take a look at how some of the potential TSE1 candidates will fare against these New Section Transfer Requirements and evaluate their attractiveness at the Pre-event phase. </p><hr><div class="content-remarks"><p>This insight is an update to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/topix-inclusion-pre-events-who-is-ready" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:41091" rel="noopener">TOPIX Inclusion Pre-Events: Who Is Ready?</a>. Please refer to that insight for more information on the approach used in the below analysis. Note that some assumptions used in the analysis have changed since then. </p></div>

There are currently ~1,500 stocks listed in the Mothers, JASDAQ, and Second Sections of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. As time passes, some of these stocks will "graduate" to the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE1), triggering inclusion into the TOPIX Index causing passive funds tracking TOPIX to buy them on an inclusion event. This presents various trading opportunities in several phases of this event timeline.  Being able to identify such candidates at a "Pre-event" phase (before the TSE reassignment is confirmed) can unlock great value for speculative bets as we recently witnessed in the case of TOPIX Inclusion (4931 JP): Shinnihonseiyaku where the stock gained 90%+ in the ~5 months leading to the TSE1-reassignment announcement. However, in July 2020, TSE introduced more stringent new Section Transfer Requirements and TSE1 Listing Criteria adding a new layer of complexity to this prediction process, especially during the period of transition from the old rules to the new rules. In this insight, we take a look at how some of the potential TSE1 candidates will fare against these New Section Transfer Requirements and evaluate their attractiveness at the Pre-event phase. This insight is an update to TOPIX Inclusion Pre-Events: Who Is Ready?. Please refer to that insight for more information on the approach used in the below analysis. Note that some assumptions used in the analysis have changed since then. 

TOPIX Inclusions:  New Regulations! Who Is READY? 2.0

<p>Freee offers cloud-based online accounting and HR/Payroll software to small and medium businesses (SMBs) in Japan. The company operates a subscription-based revenue model, and the adoption of cloud-based accounting and HR software among SMBs is still at a nascent stage compared to other Western markets.</p><p>The company’s shares have gained 177% YTD outperforming both Nikkei 225 Index and Topix.</p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/174/972/original/image_65217007521606637862376.png?1606637863" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="174972"></figure><div class="content-caption"><em>Source: Cap IQ</em></div><p>Our “2021 High Conviction” calls for an upside potential of at least 50%. Given the company is a few quarters away from reporting OP, we believe it is likely that the company’s share price will rally more than 50% over the next 12-months.</p>

Freee offers cloud-based online accounting and HR/Payroll software to small and medium businesses (SMBs) in Japan. The company operates a subscription-based revenue model, and the adoption of cloud-based accounting and HR software among SMBs is still at a nascent stage compared to other Western markets.The company’s shares have gained 177% YTD outperforming both Nikkei 225 Index and Topix.Source: Cap IQOur “2021 High Conviction” calls for an upside potential of at least 50%. Given the company is a few quarters away from reporting OP, we believe it is likely that the company’s share price will rally more than 50% over the next 12-months.

2021 High Conviction - Rapid User Growth Will Set You Freee From Losses

Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

<div>
<ul>
<li>
<strong><span xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/money-forward-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25919:1" rel="noopener">Money Forward (3994 JP)</a>  Business is the key growth driver</span></strong><span xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">. New Prime Minister Suga’s push for greater digitalization underpins long-term market growth. A tight </span><span xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">labour</span><span xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"> market and the need to accommodate more flexible work styles are additional tailwinds for Software as a Service (SaaS) providers, a shift that is far behind other developed markets. </span><span data-ccp-props='{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}'> </span>
</li>
<li>
<strong><span xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Improving momentum of mid-sized corporate customer acquisition</span></strong><span xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">. While Money Forward offers services to both individuals and corporations, it is the Business Segment that is the clear earnings and value driver. An expanding suite of SaaS products is about to be rolled out to mid-sized companies, which will drive higher revenue and gross margins. </span><span data-ccp-props='{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}'> </span>
</li>
<li>
<span xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><strong>Earnings forecasts and valuation</strong>. We expect strong top line growth of 43% annually through FY11/22. Recurring revenue from the Business domain will continue to rise as a proportion of consolidated sales. A clearer outlook for growth in this segment combined with rising gross margins is expected to support higher stock market valuations. We have high conviction on Money Forward as we head into the New Year. </span><span data-ccp-props='{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}'> </span>
</li>
</ul>
</div>




Money Forward (3994 JP)  Business is the key growth driver. New Prime Minister Suga’s push for greater digitalization underpins long-term market growth. A tight labour market and the need to accommodate more flexible work styles are additional tailwinds for Software as a Service (SaaS) providers, a shift that is far behind other developed markets.  


Improving momentum of mid-sized corporate customer acquisition. While Money Forward offers services to both individuals and corporations, it is the Business Segment that is the clear earnings and value driver. An expanding suite of SaaS products is about to be rolled out to mid-sized companies, which will drive higher revenue and gross margins.  


Earnings forecasts and valuation. We expect strong top line growth of 43% annually through FY11/22. Recurring revenue from the Business domain will continue to rise as a proportion of consolidated sales. A clearer outlook for growth in this segment combined with rising gross margins is expected to support higher stock market valuations. We have high conviction on Money Forward as we head into the New Year.  




2021 High Conviction – Money Forward's Great Leap

Japan

freee K.K. develops software products. The Company produces cloud based accounting softwares, automatic online accounting systems, and other products. freee provides its services throughout Japan.

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Freee KK (4478 JP)

Freee: Our 2021 Conviction Pick Grew 50% in 2QFY06/21 and That Should Continue

Freee reported its 2QFY06/21 results today which saw 51.3% YoY growth in revenues while operating losses for the quarter dropped to 18% of revenues...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Asia Short Interest: Cathay, PSBC, BYD, CNOOC, Bandai Namco, Anritsu, Celltrion, HLB, Fitipower

The Insight looks at large short interest movements across HK, Japan, Korea and Taiwan stocks and highlights large increases/decreases in shorts to...

Brian Freitas

TOPIX Inclusions: New Regulations! Who Is READY? 2.0

The TSE has new Listing Rules and Criteria for TSE1 listing and promotion. That means new analysis on what pre-event trades. One TOP PICK to trade...

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

2021 High Conviction - Rapid User Growth Will Set You Freee From Losses

Our “2021 High Conviction” calls for an upside potential of at least 50%. Given the company is a few quarters away from reporting OP, we believe it...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

2021 High Conviction – Money Forward's Great Leap

Money Forward is a high conviction BUY for 2021. We are bullish on the TAM for cloud-based accounting SaaS and believe Money Forward will see rapid...

Mark Chadwick

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