Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>J-Front Retailing, a Japanese department store operator, will announce full-year results on April 11.</li>
<li>We expect FY2/23 guidance to be more optimistic as Japan normalises post COVID. </li>
<li>Pent up demand for luxury goods to drive recovery of department stores. J-Front is still trading below book value.</li>
</ul>


J-Front Retailing, a Japanese department store operator, will announce full-year results on April 11.
We expect FY2/23 guidance to be more optimistic as Japan normalises post COVID. 
Pent up demand for luxury goods to drive recovery of department stores. J-Front is still trading below book value.


J-Front (3086) | Recent Datapoints Point to High-End Shoppers Loosening the Purse Strings

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. 

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Numerous reports indicate that Seven &amp; I is preparing its Sogo Seibu department store subsidiary for sale. </li>
<li>This follows years of calls from major investors to dispose of underperforming assets at Japan’s second largest retail conglomerate.</li>
<li>Seven &amp; I still has many problems to solve in its domestic business. Ito-Yokado remains the biggest problem but perhaps won't be disposed of while the company's 98-year old founder lives.</li>
</ul>


Numerous reports indicate that Seven &amp; I is preparing its Sogo Seibu department store subsidiary for sale. 
This follows years of calls from major investors to dispose of underperforming assets at Japan’s second largest retail conglomerate.
Seven &amp; I still has many problems to solve in its domestic business. Ito-Yokado remains the biggest problem but perhaps won't be disposed of while the company's 98-year old founder lives.


Seven & I: Selling Sogo Seibu Is Just the Start

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

<ul>
<li>Today the Osaka Supreme Court dismissed OK Corp's Permission Appeal regarding the EGM approving the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kansai-super-market-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15519:1" rel="noopener">Kansai Super</a> merger with H2O subs Izumiya and Hankyu Oasis. That merger is Effective tomorrow.</li>
<li>OK Corp announced it would sell its shares in Kansai Super back to the company - as planned. </li>
<li>A disappointing ruling (especially given the TKS case) which will affect AGMs/EGMs going forward. And it means a soft share price and hard shareholder structure problem for Kansai Super near-term.</li>
</ul>


Today the Osaka Supreme Court dismissed OK Corp's Permission Appeal regarding the EGM approving the Kansai Super merger with H2O subs Izumiya and Hankyu Oasis. That merger is Effective tomorrow.
OK Corp announced it would sell its shares in Kansai Super back to the company - as planned. 
A disappointing ruling (especially given the TKS case) which will affect AGMs/EGMs going forward. And it means a soft share price and hard shareholder structure problem for Kansai Super near-term.


Kansai Super (9919) Merger OKed. OK Tender Going Nowhere. OK Going Home.

<ul>
<li>The Kobe District Court today granted the provisional disposition to block the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kansai-super-market-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15519:1" rel="noopener">Kansai Super Market (9919 JP)</a> merger with two subsidiaries of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/h2o-retailing-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:17562:1" rel="noopener">H2 O Retailing (8242 JP)</a>. </li>
<li>The Court said that the "method of resolution of the EGM" was "illegal or significantly unjust."</li>
<li>The Share Exchange scheduled for December 1st is now suspended, and we await Kansai Super's appeal, but this sets up an interesting December for the stock.</li>
</ul>


The Kobe District Court today granted the provisional disposition to block the Kansai Super Market (9919 JP) merger with two subsidiaries of H2 O Retailing (8242 JP). 
The Court said that the "method of resolution of the EGM" was "illegal or significantly unjust."
The Share Exchange scheduled for December 1st is now suspended, and we await Kansai Super's appeal, but this sets up an interesting December for the stock.


The Kobe District Court Decides To Halt the Kansai Super Merger - Kansai Super Will Appeal

<ul>
<li>OK Store had wanted to buy <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kansai-super-market-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15519:1" rel="noopener">Kansai Super Market (9919 JP)</a> and offered to conduct a TOB at a high premium</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/h2o-retailing-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:17562:1" rel="noopener">H2 O Retailing (8242 JP)</a> arranged a merger between Kansai Super and a couple of its subs which was a backdoor takeover. The EGM was problematic. Really problematic.</li>
<li>OK has filed a preliminary injunction to halt the merger. Now it offers to launch a TOB if stopped. <em>And there is another (invisible) long-term problem if it isn't halted.</em>
</li>
</ul>


OK Store had wanted to buy Kansai Super Market (9919 JP) and offered to conduct a TOB at a high premium

H2 O Retailing (8242 JP) arranged a merger between Kansai Super and a couple of its subs which was a backdoor takeover. The EGM was problematic. Really problematic.
OK has filed a preliminary injunction to halt the merger. Now it offers to launch a TOB if stopped. And there is another (invisible) long-term problem if it isn't halted.



OK Store Reiterates Intention to Launch Kansai Super TOB But There Is Invisible Post-Merger Risk

Japan

H2O RETAILING CORPORATION founded in Osaka in 1929, operates railway terminal department stores.  The Company's main store is located at Hankyu terminal in Umeda (Osaka) and sells clothing, foods, sundry goods, furniture, and household utensils.  H2O Retailing also operates restaurants and coffee shops.

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H2O Retailing (8242 JP)

J-Front (3086) | Recent Datapoints Point to High-End Shoppers Loosening the Purse Strings

J-Front Retailing is a beneficiary of COVID normalisation and eventual resumption of inbound tourism. The restructuring and cost cuts bode well for...

Mark Chadwick

Seven & I: Selling Sogo Seibu Is Just the Start

Seven & I could be one of Japan's most profitable retailers – in part because one if its parts already is. The problem is the rest of the group but...

Michael Causton

Kansai Super (9919) Merger OKed. OK Tender Going Nowhere. OK Going Home.

Kansai Super (9919)'s merger with H2O sub Izumiya and Hankyu Oasis will go through tomorrow, after the Supreme Court decided against OK Corp, who...

Travis Lundy

The Kobe District Court Decides To Halt the Kansai Super Merger - Kansai Super Will Appeal

OK Corp's petition to suspend the Kansai Super merger based on the unfairness of the EGM has been granted, preliminarily. Kansai Super will appeal...

Travis Lundy

OK Store Reiterates Intention to Launch Kansai Super TOB But There Is Invisible Post-Merger Risk

OK Store will conduct a TOB at JPY 2250/shr if the Court decides to cancel the Kansai Super merger. Stock price direction is binary, and if the...

Travis Lundy

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