'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

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.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<div>
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/139/997/original/2020-06-15_11-08-56.png?1592186965" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="139997"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>
STRESS TESTS - This Insight is the second in our Japan Stress Test series in which we endeavour to assess where business risk is concentrated among larger Japanese companies. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-stress-tests-part-1-altman-z-scores" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:40180" rel="noopener">Part 1</a> looked at the time-worn Altman-Z Score for both manufacturing and non-manufacturing companies. In Part 2 will we turn our attention to the cash flow statement starting with the 'lifeblood' of all businesses - Operating Cash Flow.
ACCRUAL ACCOUNTING - Despite the sacrosanctity in some quarters of discounted cash flow analysis, for valuation purposes, our preference is to use accrual accounting. As Professor Stephen Penman states, "Accrual accounting brings the future forward in time and anticipates future cash flows."  Nevertheless, cash flow accounting, and the level of accounting accruals, can provide early insights into periodic stress. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nissan-motor-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:72:1" rel="noopener">Nissan Motor (7201 JP)'s</a> Accruals (Operating Income less Operating Cash Flow) as a percentage of period-end market capitalisation correlate with the company's Relative Price Score over the last thirty years. Further Insights in this series will continue to 'mine'  the Cash Flow statement by exploring Financing Cash Flows and the Working Capital Cycle.
REFORMULATED CASH FLOWSTATEMENTS - Our Operating Cash Flow calculation is derived from each company's Balance Sheet and Income Statement for periods of up to twenty-eight years. Cash Flow items relating to operating activities are divided into Operating Cash Flow and Investing Cash Flow, which includes Fixed Asset and Inventory Cash Flows.  Cash flows relating to financing activities are divided into Financing Cash Flow and Shareholder Cash Flow. The reformulated Balance Sheets, Income and Cash Flow Statements follow a clean-surplus relationship. All three Statements are fully articulated to include items of Other Comprehensive Income which are added to or subtracted from Shareholders' Equity. 
</div>UNIVERSE - The universe for this Insight comprises the 614 Japanese companies with a market capitalisation excluding Treasury Stock over ¥100 million and for which we have at least two years of cash flow data.  Five non-financial companies, which have significant financial subsidiaries (<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten (4755 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/z-holdings-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19603:1" rel="noopener">Z Holdings (4689 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/japan-post-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:359:1" rel="noopener">Japan Post (6178 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/softbank-group-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:315:1" rel="noopener">Softbank Group (9984 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sony-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:563:1" rel="noopener">Sony (6758 JP)</a>), have been excluded from this analysis.


Source: Japan Analytics
STRESS TESTS - This Insight is the second in our Japan Stress Test series in which we endeavour to assess where business risk is concentrated among larger Japanese companies. Part 1 looked at the time-worn Altman-Z Score for both manufacturing and non-manufacturing companies. In Part 2 will we turn our attention to the cash flow statement starting with the 'lifeblood' of all businesses - Operating Cash Flow.
ACCRUAL ACCOUNTING - Despite the sacrosanctity in some quarters of discounted cash flow analysis, for valuation purposes, our preference is to use accrual accounting. As Professor Stephen Penman states, "Accrual accounting brings the future forward in time and anticipates future cash flows."  Nevertheless, cash flow accounting, and the level of accounting accruals, can provide early insights into periodic stress. Nissan Motor (7201 JP)'s Accruals (Operating Income less Operating Cash Flow) as a percentage of period-end market capitalisation correlate with the company's Relative Price Score over the last thirty years. Further Insights in this series will continue to 'mine'  the Cash Flow statement by exploring Financing Cash Flows and the Working Capital Cycle.
REFORMULATED CASH FLOWSTATEMENTS - Our Operating Cash Flow calculation is derived from each company's Balance Sheet and Income Statement for periods of up to twenty-eight years. Cash Flow items relating to operating activities are divided into Operating Cash Flow and Investing Cash Flow, which includes Fixed Asset and Inventory Cash Flows.  Cash flows relating to financing activities are divided into Financing Cash Flow and Shareholder Cash Flow. The reformulated Balance Sheets, Income and Cash Flow Statements follow a clean-surplus relationship. All three Statements are fully articulated to include items of Other Comprehensive Income which are added to or subtracted from Shareholders' Equity. 
UNIVERSE - The universe for this Insight comprises the 614 Japanese companies with a market capitalisation excluding Treasury Stock over ¥100 million and for which we have at least two years of cash flow data.  Five non-financial companies, which have significant financial subsidiaries (Rakuten (4755 JP), Z Holdings (4689 JP), Japan Post (6178 JP), Softbank Group (9984 JP) and Sony (6758 JP)), have been excluded from this analysis. 

🇯🇵 JAPAN - Stress Tests Part 2 - Operating Cash Flow & Accruals

Cross-Asset Liquidity Strategist, CrossBorder Capital

Michael J. Howell

Cross-Asset Liquidity Strategist

Implementing Research Using Alt Data & AI

CrossBorder Capital

CrossBorder Capital is a London-based independent investment advisory firm. Founded in 1996, it exploits a gap in the investment arena by focusing on Central bank liquidity. 

It specialises in the monitoring and analysis of global liquidity flows - an important determinant of asset prices, from currencies through to bonds, equities and real estate.

CrossBorder Capital implements its investment strategy and currently manages over US$ 350m.


Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>V-shaped rebound confirmed. Global Liquidity Index (GLI) rises again to 85.1 (‘normal’ range 0-100). In US$ terms Global Liquidity could soar by 30-40% in 2020 to some US$190 trillion</li>
<li>
US Fed Liquidity Index hits 90.3 and Balance Sheet likely to test US$10 trillion in 2020</li>
<li>This will push the equity/ liquidity ratio down to near historic lows at 0.37 times. It shows how skewed portfolios are towards ‘safety’ and by corollary by how much investors’ mood is depressed</li>
<li>
Yield curves have further to steepen. US curve could add 150bp of steepening
</li>
<li>
Capital flows into US dollar show clear signs of rolling over. Gold/ Euro attractive</li>
</ul>


V-shaped rebound confirmed. Global Liquidity Index (GLI) rises again to 85.1 (‘normal’ range 0-100). In US$ terms Global Liquidity could soar by 30-40% in 2020 to some US$190 trillion

US Fed Liquidity Index hits 90.3 and Balance Sheet likely to test US$10 trillion in 2020
This will push the equity/ liquidity ratio down to near historic lows at 0.37 times. It shows how skewed portfolios are towards ‘safety’ and by corollary by how much investors’ mood is depressed

Yield curves have further to steepen. US curve could add 150bp of steepening


Capital flows into US dollar show clear signs of rolling over. Gold/ Euro attractive


Chart based progressive global trading strategies, Chart Partners

Thomas Schroeder

Chart based progressive global trading strategies

Chart Partners

Chart Partners objective is to discover medium-term cycle turns and profit opportunities before they unfold, within structural trends while preserving capital with clear degrees of risk. We have real return ideas. 

Markets are dynamic and trading systems must reflect this. It is crucial to determine underlying correlations and lead-lag relationships within global markets and the impact on linked instruments. Our weekly Chartonics product gives you short-term trading strategies that can be applied within the medium and longer term macro trends that are mapped out in our strategy updates. 

Our methodology fuses global market variables and isolates drivers in trends. We specialize in FX, index trade in NY and Asia with a focus on Asian stocks. 

Technical Analysis

Chart pivots are aligning for a risk inflection this week as gold builds energy for a break higher out of bullish congestion as long as 1,650 support holds. USD support levels are flashing buy signals as we move into a trend turn cycle timeline in Mid-May. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/gold" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22870:1">Gold (GOLD COMDTY)</a> has been a macro bullish theme in our work from May 2019 and more recently from 1,450. Bullish triangles are typically continuation patterns. Gold's congestion from early April is forming a bullish flat as long as we don't close below 1,650.Similar bullish triangle patterns have formed in USD/ZAR and USD/MXN that set the stage for dollar gains in EM and Asia.Asian equities are nudging up against macro resistance levels in Taiwan, Singapore and the HSI with the Nikkei also pushing on that 20,600 rejection barrier.

Chart pivots are aligning for a risk inflection this week as gold builds energy for a break higher out of bullish congestion as long as 1,650 support holds. USD support levels are flashing buy signals as we move into a trend turn cycle timeline in Mid-May. Gold (GOLD COMDTY) has been a macro bullish theme in our work from May 2019 and more recently from 1,450. Bullish triangles are typically continuation patterns. Gold's congestion from early April is forming a bullish flat as long as we don't close below 1,650.Similar bullish triangle patterns have formed in USD/ZAR and USD/MXN that set the stage for dollar gains in EM and Asia.Asian equities are nudging up against macro resistance levels in Taiwan, Singapore and the HSI with the Nikkei also pushing on that 20,600 rejection barrier.

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Continued encouraging COVID-19 news and accommodative moves by the Fed have allowed the bulls to remain in control while short-term support on the S&amp;P 500 held near 2,450. While the bulls remain in control in the short-term, we continue to believe the broad equity market is not yet out of the woods and remains vulnerable -- particularly as Wall Street sentiment has flipped bullish. In today’s report we highlight attractive stocks from a relative strength perspective across Sectors.

Continued encouraging COVID-19 news and accommodative moves by the Fed have allowed the bulls to remain in control while short-term support on the S&amp;P 500 held near 2,450. While the bulls remain in control in the short-term, we continue to believe the broad equity market is not yet out of the woods and remains vulnerable -- particularly as Wall Street sentiment has flipped bullish. In today’s report we highlight attractive stocks from a relative strength perspective across Sectors.

U.S. Equity Strategy: Bulls Still In Driver’s Seat, But For How Long?

<ul>
<li>QE5 is here (we just had QE4), QE6 is coming and probably others. Cutting interest rates is a bad move which could even destroy short-term liquidity</li>
<li>
US Fed balance sheet is set to test US$6 trillion under the latest QE5</li>
<li>Next round of coronavirus crisis will strain US$ forex swap and funding markets as supply-chain payments fall and lead to QE6</li>
<li>We expect near-term firm US dollar, and later much stronger gold price and steeper yield curves. Pattern of crisis has similarities with 9/11, which had economic effects lasting over 4 months. The coronavirus crisis may be shorter, but it will be both more extensive and more severe.</li>
</ul>


QE5 is here (we just had QE4), QE6 is coming and probably others. Cutting interest rates is a bad move which could even destroy short-term liquidity

US Fed balance sheet is set to test US$6 trillion under the latest QE5
Next round of coronavirus crisis will strain US$ forex swap and funding markets as supply-chain payments fall and lead to QE6
We expect near-term firm US dollar, and later much stronger gold price and steeper yield curves. Pattern of crisis has similarities with 9/11, which had economic effects lasting over 4 months. The coronavirus crisis may be shorter, but it will be both more extensive and more severe.


Why The Latest Liquidity Crisis Means QE5 & QE6

United States

Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from Latin: aurum) and the atomic number 79. In its purest form, it is a bright, slightly reddish yellow, dense, soft, malleable and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal and a group 11 element. It is one of the least reactive chemical elements, and is solid under standard conditions. The metal therefore occurs often in free elemental (native) form, as nuggets or grains, in rocks, in veins and in alluvial deposits. It occurs in a solid solution series with the native element silver (as electrum) and also naturally alloyed with copper and palladium. Less commonly, it occurs in minerals as gold compounds, often with tellurium (gold tellurides).

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Gold (GOLD COMDTY)

🇯🇵 JAPAN - Stress Tests Part 2 - Operating Cash Flow & Accruals

STRESS TESTS - This Insight is the second in our Japan Stress Test series in which we endeavour to assess where business risk is concentrated...

Campbell Gunn

It’s A Big, Beautiful ‘V’

V-shaped rebound confirmed. Global Liquidity Index (GLI) rises again to 85.1 (‘normal’ range 0-100). In US$ terms Global Liquidity could soar by...

Michael J. Howell

Gold and Dollar Risk Inflection

Chart pivots are aligning for a risk inflection this week as gold builds energy for a break higher out of bullish congestion as long as 1,650...

Thomas Schroeder

U.S. Equity Strategy: Bulls Still In Driver’s Seat, But For How Long?

Continued encouraging COVID-19 news and accommodative moves by the Fed have allowed the bulls to remain in control while short-term support on the...

Vermilion Research

Why The Latest Liquidity Crisis Means QE5 & QE6

QE5 is here (we just had QE4), QE6 is coming and probably others. Cutting interest rates is a bad move which could even destroy short-term...

Michael J. Howell

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