Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

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

Best World International / Equity Bottom-Up

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/best-world-international-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4600:1" rel="noopener">Best World International (BEST SP)</a> is a Singapore based manufacturer, distributor and a retailor of skincare, personal care and nutritional supplement brands such as Avance, Optrimax, Foodphilo, Margaret Dabbs, DR’s Secret, Miraglo, PentaLab and Bare Feet.
SGX suspended trading of Best World shares in May 2019, following a news article and a short seller report alleging the company of fabricating sales of its China operations. SGX also called for an independent review and it was completed in July last year. The company is currently cooperating with SGX to resolve the issue but the timeline for a possible lifting of the trading suspension remains unclear.
It’s been two years since the initial allegation, yet there are too many unknown variables. At bare minimum, we expect Best World’s robust revenue and OP growth to get hampered over the next few years as the company is forced to do a number of changes to the business model, internal controls and corporate governance measures.

Best World International (BEST SP) is a Singapore based manufacturer, distributor and a retailor of skincare, personal care and nutritional supplement brands such as Avance, Optrimax, Foodphilo, Margaret Dabbs, DR’s Secret, Miraglo, PentaLab and Bare Feet.
SGX suspended trading of Best World shares in May 2019, following a news article and a short seller report alleging the company of fabricating sales of its China operations. SGX also called for an independent review and it was completed in July last year. The company is currently cooperating with SGX to resolve the issue but the timeline for a possible lifting of the trading suspension remains unclear.
It’s been two years since the initial allegation, yet there are too many unknown variables. At bare minimum, we expect Best World’s robust revenue and OP growth to get hampered over the next few years as the company is forced to do a number of changes to the business model, internal controls and corporate governance measures.

Best World International: The End Is Not Yet In Sight

On the back of the optimism over revenue growth from the Chinese cosmetics market, Japanese cosmetics companies with significant exposure to the Chinese cosmetics market (<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shiseido-company-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5718:1" rel="noopener">Shiseido Company (4911 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kose-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18009:1" rel="noopener">Kose Corp (4922 JP)</a>) had a stellar rally and outperformed Topix by 12.2% and 6.3% respectively, since the most recent quarterly earnings.As a result, Kose’s consensus FY+2 EV/OP multiple has reached a new high of 33.4x, compared to the past five-year median of 15.1x.Meanwhile the Kao/Kose price ratio stands at 0.4, which is 12% below the 90-day average ratio and in line with minus two times the standard deviation of the 90-day average ratio, making <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kao-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12933:1" rel="noopener">Kao Corp (4452 JP)</a> a hedge on the long side to a short Kose trade.

On the back of the optimism over revenue growth from the Chinese cosmetics market, Japanese cosmetics companies with significant exposure to the Chinese cosmetics market (Shiseido Company (4911 JP) and Kose Corp (4922 JP)) had a stellar rally and outperformed Topix by 12.2% and 6.3% respectively, since the most recent quarterly earnings.As a result, Kose’s consensus FY+2 EV/OP multiple has reached a new high of 33.4x, compared to the past five-year median of 15.1x.Meanwhile the Kao/Kose price ratio stands at 0.4, which is 12% below the 90-day average ratio and in line with minus two times the standard deviation of the 90-day average ratio, making Kao Corp (4452 JP) a hedge on the long side to a short Kose trade.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shiseido-company-limited" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5718:1" rel="noopener">Shiseido Company (4911 JP)</a> delivered strong 4Q20 results yesterday with revenue and operating profit surpassing consensus estimates by ¥5.1bn and ¥19.5bn respectively.</li>
<li>The company’s revenue declined 6.2% YoY in 4Q20, compared to 17.1%, 34.4% and 16.3% in 1Q20, 2Q20 and 3Q20 respectively.</li>
<li>Shiseido made an operating profit of ¥6.1bn in the seasonally weak 4th quarter compared to the consensus operating loss estimate of ¥13.4bn.</li>
<li>The company’s October and November 2020 performance was above its expectations as the China business performed exceptionally well during the singles day sales period. However, the momentum decelerated from December 2020 onwards due to the resurgence of COVID-19 in Japan and the rest of the world.</li>
<li>Nonetheless, the share price rallied over 16% during the last couple of weeks on news regarding the disposal of the personal care business.</li>
</ul>



Shiseido Company (4911 JP) delivered strong 4Q20 results yesterday with revenue and operating profit surpassing consensus estimates by ¥5.1bn and ¥19.5bn respectively.
The company’s revenue declined 6.2% YoY in 4Q20, compared to 17.1%, 34.4% and 16.3% in 1Q20, 2Q20 and 3Q20 respectively.
Shiseido made an operating profit of ¥6.1bn in the seasonally weak 4th quarter compared to the consensus operating loss estimate of ¥13.4bn.
The company’s October and November 2020 performance was above its expectations as the China business performed exceptionally well during the singles day sales period. However, the momentum decelerated from December 2020 onwards due to the resurgence of COVID-19 in Japan and the rest of the world.
Nonetheless, the share price rallied over 16% during the last couple of weeks on news regarding the disposal of the personal care business.


<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kose-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18009:1" rel="noopener">Kose Corp (4922 JP)</a> delivered 3QFY21 results on 29th Friday with revenue and operating profit surpassing consensus estimates by 1.8% and 10.9% respectively. Kose's revenue declined just 5.6% YoY in 3QFY21, compared to 26.5% and 21.2% YoY in 1QFY21 and 2QFY21 respectively.The company’s 3QFY21 operating profit was ¥7.1bn, compared to ¥1.1bn in 1QFY21 and ¥2.9bn in 2QFY21. Travel Retail (TR) and E-Commerce (EC) continued to perform well with 46.3% and 34.3% YoY revenue growth in 3QFY21. (TR – 26.1% YoY in 1HFY21, EC – 52.5% YoY in 1HFY21)However, Kose lowered its FY21 revenue and OP guidance by 2.3% and 24.4% respectively, because of the new measures introduced to curtail the third wave of COVID-19.

Kose Corp (4922 JP) delivered 3QFY21 results on 29th Friday with revenue and operating profit surpassing consensus estimates by 1.8% and 10.9% respectively. Kose's revenue declined just 5.6% YoY in 3QFY21, compared to 26.5% and 21.2% YoY in 1QFY21 and 2QFY21 respectively.The company’s 3QFY21 operating profit was ¥7.1bn, compared to ¥1.1bn in 1QFY21 and ¥2.9bn in 2QFY21. Travel Retail (TR) and E-Commerce (EC) continued to perform well with 46.3% and 34.3% YoY revenue growth in 3QFY21. (TR – 26.1% YoY in 1HFY21, EC – 52.5% YoY in 1HFY21)However, Kose lowered its FY21 revenue and OP guidance by 2.3% and 24.4% respectively, because of the new measures introduced to curtail the third wave of COVID-19.

Kose: China and E-Commerce Propels Kose’s Performance Towards the Pre-Pandemic Level

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fancl-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15862:1" rel="noopener">Fancl Corp (4921 JP)</a> delivered 3QFY21 results today, (28th January 2021) which saw operating profit increase by 6.5% YoY to ¥3.8bn (consensus ¥3.97bn). The company’s revenue was down 2.1% YoY, compared to consensus estimated growth rate of 0.7% YoY. Fancl lowered its FY21 revenue and OP guidance by 4.2% and 11.5% respectively, because of the additional measures introduced to curtail the rapid spread of COVID-19.</li>
<li>These negative factors are likely to impact the entire domestic cosmetics industry. However, Fancl is better placed among other Japanese cosmetic players, perhaps excluding <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kao-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12933:1" rel="noopener">Kao Corp (4452 JP)</a>, to face these challenging times, through Fancl's significantly greater exposure to the online and catalogue retail sales channel and diversification into the nutritional supplements business.</li>
</ul>



Fancl Corp (4921 JP) delivered 3QFY21 results today, (28th January 2021) which saw operating profit increase by 6.5% YoY to ¥3.8bn (consensus ¥3.97bn). The company’s revenue was down 2.1% YoY, compared to consensus estimated growth rate of 0.7% YoY. Fancl lowered its FY21 revenue and OP guidance by 4.2% and 11.5% respectively, because of the additional measures introduced to curtail the rapid spread of COVID-19.
These negative factors are likely to impact the entire domestic cosmetics industry. However, Fancl is better placed among other Japanese cosmetic players, perhaps excluding Kao Corp (4452 JP), to face these challenging times, through Fancl's significantly greater exposure to the online and catalogue retail sales channel and diversification into the nutritional supplements business.


FANCL: Lowers FY21 Guidance Amidst Rising COVID Cases, Still Outperforming Peers

Japan

Kao Corporation is a manufacturer of household and chemical products. The company produces cosmetics, laundry and cleaning products, hygiene products, fatty chemicals, edible oils, and specialty chemicals.

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Kao Corp (4452 JP)

Best World International: The End Is Not Yet In Sight

SGX suspended trading of Best World shares in May 2019, following a news article and a short seller report alleging the company of fabricating...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Kose: At a New EV/OP Peak

On the back of the optimism over revenue growth from the Chinese cosmetics market, Japanese cosmetics companies with significant exposure to the...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Shiseido: Lowballing 2021 Guidance

Previously, we questioned whether Shiseido is playing safe or departing from cost discipline as we felt that that the 4Q20 OP estimate was too low...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

Kose: China and E-Commerce Propels Kose’s Performance Towards the Pre-Pandemic Level

Even though there are indications that Kose could be relaxing cost controls, an implied 4QFY21 OPM of 2.5% seem conservative making an OP beat a...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

FANCL: Lowers FY21 Guidance Amidst Rising COVID Cases, Still Outperforming Peers

Fancl delivered 3QFY21 results today, which saw operating profit increase by 6.5% YoY to ¥3.8bn (consensus ¥3.97bn). The company’s revenue was down...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

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