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.

Technical Analysis

MSCI Emerging Markets Index / Technical Analysis

The laundry list of current market conditions consistent with the profile of a bull market continues to grow, helping support our ongoing belief that global equities are in the early stages of a broad-based advance. We explore and highlight actionable investment themes and opportunities across the EM space and within materials, Energy, Manufacturing, Health care and Apparel/Luxury Goods

The laundry list of current market conditions consistent with the profile of a bull market continues to grow, helping support our ongoing belief that global equities are in the early stages of a broad-based advance. We explore and highlight actionable investment themes and opportunities across the EM space and within materials, Energy, Manufacturing, Health care and Apparel/Luxury Goods

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

ja research

ja research is an independent research platform focused exclusively on Japanese equities. Leveraging data and graphic analysis provided by Japan Analytics, we provide insights on small and medium-sized companies that have been ignored by the sell-side as well as challenging conventional wisdom on larger companies. We also offer analyst and corporate access, the latter with translation if required. 

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/106/452/original/2019-11-17_11-54-09.png?1573959284" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="106452"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>4TH DOWN AND A FEW MORE TO GO - The latest quarterly results are now, with the exception of three large insurance companies are currently in the market and, to loosely paraphrase the under-rated Jesse Winchester's second album title, this is the fourth straight 'down' quarter with the prospect a few more to come. Operating Income has declined by 7.8% and Net Income by 18.8%, taking margins to 6.9% and 4.6%, respectively - declines of 84bps and 122bps. The market has celebrated these new two-year lows by rising to new two-year highs, leaving some to wonder what they are missing, other than yet more central bank liquidity. The trailing-twelve-month (TTM) price-earnings ratio is now 17 times, the highest since 5th February 2018, ten trading days after the long-term market peak.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/106/458/original/2019-11-17_12-49-55.png?1573962614" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="106458"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/106/459/original/2019-11-17_13-10-47.png?1573963867" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="106459"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>THE EARNINGS CYCLE HAS YET TO BOTTOM -  Our Results &amp; Forecast/Revision Score data series cover the last sixteen years of quarterly earnings and eleven years of forecasts and revisions and measure both results and forecasts but also their momentum, providing a better correlation with the market direction than past earnings.   The Forecast/Revision Score leads the Results Score by several months, and the market leads or lags depending on monetary and liquidity conditions. Although both Scores recovered in the last five days of results announcements, the Forecast/Revision Score of 0.45 reached on 8th November is the lowest such score in ten years and is suggesting that earnings have yet to bottom.<div class="content-highlight">WISHFUL THINKING? - The 'gap' between market expectations and actual and forecast earnings momentum is now wider than at any time since late 2014, shortly before the market peak of May 2015. Is this foresight or just wishful thinking? We tend to the latter interpretation.</div>In the DETAIL section below, we shall provide a full breakdown of the results and revisions announcements by Sector, Peer Group and company and offer brief comments on several recommended buys and sells.

Source: Japan Analytics4TH DOWN AND A FEW MORE TO GO - The latest quarterly results are now, with the exception of three large insurance companies are currently in the market and, to loosely paraphrase the under-rated Jesse Winchester's second album title, this is the fourth straight 'down' quarter with the prospect a few more to come. Operating Income has declined by 7.8% and Net Income by 18.8%, taking margins to 6.9% and 4.6%, respectively - declines of 84bps and 122bps. The market has celebrated these new two-year lows by rising to new two-year highs, leaving some to wonder what they are missing, other than yet more central bank liquidity. The trailing-twelve-month (TTM) price-earnings ratio is now 17 times, the highest since 5th February 2018, ten trading days after the long-term market peak.Source: Japan AnalyticsTHE EARNINGS CYCLE HAS YET TO BOTTOM -  Our Results &amp; Forecast/Revision Score data series cover the last sixteen years of quarterly earnings and eleven years of forecasts and revisions and measure both results and forecasts but also their momentum, providing a better correlation with the market direction than past earnings.   The Forecast/Revision Score leads the Results Score by several months, and the market leads or lags depending on monetary and liquidity conditions. Although both Scores recovered in the last five days of results announcements, the Forecast/Revision Score of 0.45 reached on 8th November is the lowest such score in ten years and is suggesting that earnings have yet to bottom.WISHFUL THINKING? - The 'gap' between market expectations and actual and forecast earnings momentum is now wider than at any time since late 2014, shortly before the market peak of May 2015. Is this foresight or just wishful thinking? We tend to the latter interpretation.In the DETAIL section below, we shall provide a full breakdown of the results and revisions announcements by Sector, Peer Group and company and offer brief comments on several recommended buys and sells.

🇯🇵 Japan • Results & Revisions Review - Wishful Thinking

TSE Tokyo Price Index TOPIX / Technical Analysis

Despite EAFE’s YTD outperformance relative to EM, EAFE and EM returns have generally been equal since August, shown by the stalemate in the EAFE vs. EM ratio. The U.S. dollar (DXY) is currently trading near support within the 16-17 month uptrend channel. Technicals suggest the most likely scenario is for the DXY uptrend to continue and for support to hold -- which would likely result in EAFE reasserting as leadership.  In this publication we highlight attractive investment themes and individual ideas across developed markets, with special attention given to Japan, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland.

Despite EAFE’s YTD outperformance relative to EM, EAFE and EM returns have generally been equal since August, shown by the stalemate in the EAFE vs. EM ratio. The U.S. dollar (DXY) is currently trading near support within the 16-17 month uptrend channel. Technicals suggest the most likely scenario is for the DXY uptrend to continue and for support to hold -- which would likely result in EAFE reasserting as leadership.  In this publication we highlight attractive investment themes and individual ideas across developed markets, with special attention given to Japan, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland.

Developed Markets Strategy: Stick with Japan

Global equities are now breaking out to new highs amid positive technical developments -- something we noted was increasingly likely in last week’s Int’l Compass. These breakouts and other technical developments highlighted below argue that this is the beginning of a new leg higher. Now is the time to be playing offense. In today’s report we highlight our favorite setups within Industrials, spanning the Vermilion international Manufacturing, Services, and Transportation Sectors.

Global equities are now breaking out to new highs amid positive technical developments -- something we noted was increasingly likely in last week’s Int’l Compass. These breakouts and other technical developments highlighted below argue that this is the beginning of a new leg higher. Now is the time to be playing offense. In today’s report we highlight our favorite setups within Industrials, spanning the Vermilion international Manufacturing, Services, and Transportation Sectors.

Global Equity Strategy: Global Equities Beginning a New Leg Higher

Quantitative Analysis

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/102/797/original/2019-10-22_07-21-37.png?1571696560" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="102797"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>There has been much discussion on Smartkarma in the last week on the 'overexuberance' in Japan's semiconductor production equipment ("SPE") and factory automation (FA) companies' share prices following a 'spike' in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/harmonic-drive-systems-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10238:1" rel="noopener">Harmonic Drive Systems (6324 JP)</a>(HDS) as discussed <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/harmonic-drive-systems-inc/discussion?discussion=56418" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here, </a>and Capital Group’s block sale in SK Hynix. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/companies/lightstream-research" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="companies:909" rel="noopener">LightStream Research</a> explored the topic in detail in yesterday's <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/readthrough-to-japanese-fa-sector-from-capital-s-sk-hynix-block-sale" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:33298" rel="noopener">Readthrough to Japanese FA Sector from Capital's SK Hynix Block Sale</a>. As <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/raghav-kapoor" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:2" rel="noopener">Raghav Kapoor</a> noted in the discussion on that note: - "The trends between the pricing of the BI Japan Factory Automation Index (BIAPJAVP Index) and the SOX are strikingly similar."   This Insight will briefly examine these correlations using the Japan Analytic's scoring framework as well as updating our valuation work on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fanuc-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:752:1" rel="noopener">Fanuc (6954 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yaskawa-electric-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2458:1" rel="noopener">Yaskawa Electric (6506 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/daifuku-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10408:1" rel="noopener">Daifuku (6383 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/harmonic-drive-systems-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10238:1" rel="noopener">Harmonic Drive Systems (6324 JP), </a>as well as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tokyo-electron-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:280:1" rel="noopener">Tokyo Electron (8035 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/advantest-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18107:1" rel="noopener">Advantest (6857 JP)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/disco-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15817:1" rel="noopener">Disco (6146 JP)</a>.     Please refer to our earlier Insight <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/6954-fanuc-timing-the-cycle" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:29401" rel="noopener">Fanuc • Timing the Cycle</a> for details on our scoring methodology.We conclude that, although we are likely to confirm the cycle bottom in the next few weeks as interim results are announced, the potential for recovery is more than adequately reflected in these group's extreme valuations and relative-to-market stock prices. As we noted in the discussion on HDS, "the market is re-running the playbook of 2009-2010 where earnings momentum recovered sharply [..] we think the better scenario is the more gradual recovery of  2012-2015 which saw the stock trade sideways until the recovery was well-advanced."

Source: Japan AnalyticsThere has been much discussion on Smartkarma in the last week on the 'overexuberance' in Japan's semiconductor production equipment ("SPE") and factory automation (FA) companies' share prices following a 'spike' in Harmonic Drive Systems (6324 JP)(HDS) as discussed here, and Capital Group’s block sale in SK Hynix. LightStream Research explored the topic in detail in yesterday's Readthrough to Japanese FA Sector from Capital's SK Hynix Block Sale. As Raghav Kapoor noted in the discussion on that note: - "The trends between the pricing of the BI Japan Factory Automation Index (BIAPJAVP Index) and the SOX are strikingly similar."   This Insight will briefly examine these correlations using the Japan Analytic's scoring framework as well as updating our valuation work on Fanuc (6954 JP), Yaskawa Electric (6506 JP), Daifuku (6383 JP), Harmonic Drive Systems (6324 JP), as well as Tokyo Electron (8035 JP), Advantest (6857 JP), and Disco (6146 JP).     Please refer to our earlier Insight Fanuc • Timing the Cycle for details on our scoring methodology.We conclude that, although we are likely to confirm the cycle bottom in the next few weeks as interim results are announced, the potential for recovery is more than adequately reflected in these group's extreme valuations and relative-to-market stock prices. As we noted in the discussion on HDS, "the market is re-running the playbook of 2009-2010 where earnings momentum recovered sharply [..] we think the better scenario is the more gradual recovery of  2012-2015 which saw the stock trade sideways until the recovery was well-advanced."

🇯🇵 Japan • FA & SPE - Calling Bottoms and Tops

Japan

Harmonic Drive Systems Inc. manufactures speed reducers used in industrial robots, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, and other precision instruments. The Company offers cup type, hollow-shaft type, and rotary type speed reducers. Harmonic Drive Systems also produces gear heads and harmonic drive actuators.

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Harmonic Drive Systems (6324 JP)

EM Breakout -- Add Exposure

The laundry list of current market conditions consistent with the profile of a bull market continues to grow, helping support our ongoing belief...

Vermilion Research

🇯🇵 Japan • Results & Revisions Review - Wishful Thinking

4TH DOWN AND A FEW MORE TO GO - The latest quarterly results are now, with the exception of three large insurance companies are currently in the...

Campbell Gunn

Developed Markets Strategy: Stick with Japan

Despite EAFE’s YTD outperformance relative to EM, EAFE and EM returns have generally been equal since August, shown by the stalemate in the EAFE...

Vermilion Research

Global Equity Strategy: Global Equities Beginning a New Leg Higher

Global equities are now breaking out to new highs amid positive technical developments -- something we noted was increasingly likely in last week’s...

Vermilion Research

🇯🇵 Japan • FA & SPE - Calling Bottoms and Tops

There has been much discussion on Smartkarma in the last week on the 'overexuberance' in Japan's semiconductor production equipment ("SPE") and...

Campbell Gunn

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