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 Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>The Japanese eyewear company <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/intermestic-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:43929:1" rel="noopener">Intermestic (262A JP)</a> has set the terms for its Tokyo IPO and plans to raise US$121m through the IPO.</li>
<li>Our analysis shows that the company’s IPO is valued attractively compared to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jins-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12002:1" rel="noopener">JINS Inc (3046 JP)</a> , who offers eyewear at a similar price range to Intermestic.</li>
<li>Japanese eyewear makers who have aggressively expanded into overseas markets seems to be suffering from falling sales and margins, particularly in China due to economic slowdown.</li>
</ul>


The Japanese eyewear company Intermestic (262A JP) has set the terms for its Tokyo IPO and plans to raise US$121m through the IPO.
Our analysis shows that the company’s IPO is valued attractively compared to JINS Inc (3046 JP) , who offers eyewear at a similar price range to Intermestic.
Japanese eyewear makers who have aggressively expanded into overseas markets seems to be suffering from falling sales and margins, particularly in China due to economic slowdown.


Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>The situation at Paris Miki has been relatively non-salutary the last many years til 2022. The stock has underperformed peers in sales growth and has dropped sales points. </li>
<li>The company has a decent relationship with one of its main suppliers, global eyewear giant <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/luxottica-group-spa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21203:1" rel="noopener">Luxottica Group (LUX IM)</a>, which just added to their stake recently, aggressively. </li>
<li>The company is getting slow-kicked out of TOPIX, but revival appears in the works. It kind of looks like a setup for an MBO.</li>
</ul>


The situation at Paris Miki has been relatively non-salutary the last many years til 2022. The stock has underperformed peers in sales growth and has dropped sales points. 
The company has a decent relationship with one of its main suppliers, global eyewear giant Luxottica Group (LUX IM), which just added to their stake recently, aggressively. 
The company is getting slow-kicked out of TOPIX, but revival appears in the works. It kind of looks like a setup for an MBO.


Paris Miki (7455 JP) - Corrected Vision - Is This A Setup For an MBO?

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. 

<ul>
<li>EssilorLuxottica has always played a long game in Japan but since 2018 the eyewear giant has been investing in local production and a growing store network.</li>
<li>As reported by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/mark-chadwick-b029e12b-877a-4796-9fc2-726aa7084ed5" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:10765" rel="noopener">Mark Chadwick,</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/travis-lundy" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:25" rel="noopener">Travis Lundy</a> and myself, Luxottica has a stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/paris-miki-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15251:1" rel="noopener">Paris Miki Holdings (7455 JP)</a> and the Japanese firm is a key strategic interest for EssilorLuxottica.</li>
<li>That Luxottica is increasing its investments in Japan retail through acquisition is evidenced by its takeover of Washin Optical, a 70-store eyewear chain, last month.</li>
</ul>


EssilorLuxottica has always played a long game in Japan but since 2018 the eyewear giant has been investing in local production and a growing store network.
As reported by Mark Chadwick,Travis Lundy and myself, Luxottica has a stake in Paris Miki Holdings (7455 JP) and the Japanese firm is a key strategic interest for EssilorLuxottica.
That Luxottica is increasing its investments in Japan retail through acquisition is evidenced by its takeover of Washin Optical, a 70-store eyewear chain, last month.


Luxottica Buys Washin Optical, Paris Miki Next?

This insight is meant to be read in conjunction with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/janaghan-jeyakumar-cfa" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:3173" rel="noopener">Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA</a>'s <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/topix-upweights-big-april-basket-2021-pre-event-is-a-win-now-the-event-leg" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:50084" rel="noopener">TOPIX Upweights: Big April Basket 2021 Pre-Event Is a WIN! Now the Event-Leg!</a> (which is the announced result of the proposed 50-name buy basket introduced in the explanation of an annual but obscure aspect of TOPIX Index calculation rebalancing explained in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/topix-index-upweights-the-big-april-basket-2021" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:49660" rel="noopener">TOPIX Index Upweights: The Big April Basket 2021</a>).Suffice it to say, he got 48 out of the 50 names chosen right, and there are a few more trades related to this on the side. That is US$1.1bn to buy. This insight is about all the OTHER names in the TOPIX rebalance for April 2020, including a total of 43 up-weights and 16 down-weights with ~ US$500mm to buy and US$260mm to sell.That means there will be a US$1bn sell on the close of the 28th too. Not huge, but there. The trades to do here are for investors to see if any of these situations warrant use as a liquidity event.

This insight is meant to be read in conjunction with Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA's TOPIX Upweights: Big April Basket 2021 Pre-Event Is a WIN! Now the Event-Leg! (which is the announced result of the proposed 50-name buy basket introduced in the explanation of an annual but obscure aspect of TOPIX Index calculation rebalancing explained in TOPIX Index Upweights: The Big April Basket 2021).Suffice it to say, he got 48 out of the 50 names chosen right, and there are a few more trades related to this on the side. That is US$1.1bn to buy. This insight is about all the OTHER names in the TOPIX rebalance for April 2020, including a total of 43 up-weights and 16 down-weights with ~ US$500mm to buy and US$260mm to sell.That means there will be a US$1bn sell on the close of the 28th too. Not huge, but there. The trades to do here are for investors to see if any of these situations warrant use as a liquidity event. 

TOPIX April-End Rebalance - The OTHER Trades

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

• LARGE CAP RESULTS - 5th APRIL •<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/198/987/original/image_46394735821617656683433.png?1617656684" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="198987"></figure><div class="content-caption"> Source for all charts &amp; tables: Japan Analytics</div>RESULTS - Of Friday's 23 results, only 10 scored positively; however, 73% of annual revisions were positive. Of the larger caps, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shimamura-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15213:1" rel="noopener">Shimamura (8227 JP)</a> had a third-successive positive quarter, while <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kewpie-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10681:1" rel="noopener">Kewpie (2809 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/adastria-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11895:1" rel="noopener">Adastria (2685 JP)</a> had double-digit year-on-year sales declines, and drugstore <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/create-sd-holdings-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12945:1" rel="noopener">Create SD (3148 JP)</a> saw profits decline.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/198/989/original/image_51513331531617657092402.png?1617657093" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="198989"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/198/990/original/image_56921939741617657150504.png?1617657151" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="198990"></figure>• LARGER CAP FORECASTS/REVISIONS - 5th APRIL • <figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/198/991/original/image_89489650351617657220460.png?1617657221" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="198991"></figure>FORECASTS/REVISIONS - Adastria offset its weak results with a bullish FY22 forecast, as did restaurant chain <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ichibanya-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2914:1" rel="noopener">Ichibanya (7630 JP)</a>. Shimamura's interim forecast was much more bullish than for the full year. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kobe-steel-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:209:1" rel="noopener">Kobe Steel (5406 JP)</a> revised up further into the black, while <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jins-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12002:1" rel="noopener">JINS (3046 JP)</a> revised its interim and full-year sales and operating income slightly lower.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/198/992/original/image_65197346461617657668077.png?1617657668" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="198992"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/198/993/original/image_33740867171617657704461.png?1617657705" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="198993"></figure>

• LARGE CAP RESULTS - 5th APRIL • Source for all charts &amp; tables: Japan AnalyticsRESULTS - Of Friday's 23 results, only 10 scored positively; however, 73% of annual revisions were positive. Of the larger caps, Shimamura (8227 JP) had a third-successive positive quarter, while Kewpie (2809 JP) and Adastria (2685 JP) had double-digit year-on-year sales declines, and drugstore Create SD (3148 JP) saw profits decline.• LARGER CAP FORECASTS/REVISIONS - 5th APRIL • FORECASTS/REVISIONS - Adastria offset its weak results with a bullish FY22 forecast, as did restaurant chain Ichibanya (7630 JP). Shimamura's interim forecast was much more bullish than for the full year. Kobe Steel (5406 JP) revised up further into the black, while JINS (3046 JP) revised its interim and full-year sales and operating income slightly lower.

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 04/​05 - Shimamura & JINS

Japan

JINS HOLDINGS Inc. sells eyeglass products. The Company mainly distributes thin aspheric lenses and other products. JINS Holdings also provides medial products, apparels, and other products.

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JINS Inc (3046 JP)

Intermestic IPO: Forecasts and Valuation

Intermestic's IPO is valued attractively compared to peers. It seems that Japanese eyewear makers who expanded aggressively into overseas markets,...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Paris Miki (7455 JP) - Corrected Vision - Is This A Setup For an MBO?

Paris Miki Holdings has a great profile of a small cap having figured out what it was doing wrong for over a decade. It has cash. Growth plans. A...

Travis Lundy

Luxottica Buys Washin Optical, Paris Miki Next?

EssilorLuxottica is investing in local production and expanding its store network in Japan, buying Washin Optical last month for example. Is Paris...

Michael Causton

TOPIX April-End Rebalance - The OTHER Trades

The April TOPIX Rebalance is about $1.5bn one way, with two thirds of that on Liquidity Factor changes, one-third on normal FFW changes. Toshiba,...

Travis Lundy

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 04/05 - Shimamura & JINS

RESULTS - Of Friday's 23 results, only 10 scored positively; however, 73% of annual revisions were positive. Of the larger caps, Shimamura (8227...

Campbell Gunn

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Intermestic IPO: Forecasts and Valuation

Intermestic's IPO is valued attractively compared to peers. It seems that Japanese eyewear makers who expanded aggressively into overseas markets,...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Paris Miki (7455 JP) - Corrected Vision - Is This A Setup For an MBO?

Paris Miki Holdings has a great profile of a small cap having figured out what it was doing wrong for over a decade. It has cash. Growth plans. A...

Travis Lundy

Luxottica Buys Washin Optical, Paris Miki Next?

​EssilorLuxottica is investing in local production and expanding its store network in Japan, buying Washin Optical last month for example. Is Paris...

Michael Causton

TOPIX April-End Rebalance - The OTHER Trades

The April TOPIX Rebalance is about $1.5bn one way, with two thirds of that on Liquidity Factor changes, one-third on normal FFW changes. Toshiba,...

Travis Lundy

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 04/​05 - Shimamura & JINS

RESULTS - Of Friday's 23 results, only 10 scored positively; however, 73% of annual revisions were positive. Of the larger caps, Shimamura (8227...

Campbell Gunn

EssilorLuxottica is investing in local production and expanding its store network in Japan, buying Washin Optical last month for example. Is Paris...

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 04/05 - Shimamura & JINS