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. 

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Core inflation rates remain stubbornly high and real wages are still falling. </li>
<li>Surveys suggest one more major round of price hikes in October but the government still thinks prices will stabilise below its 2% target by the end of the year.</li>
<li>The increases are lowering consumer confidence – bad news for most retailers, although major discount chains are making hay while the sun, well, doesn’t shine.</li>
</ul>


Core inflation rates remain stubbornly high and real wages are still falling. 
Surveys suggest one more major round of price hikes in October but the government still thinks prices will stabilise below its 2% target by the end of the year.
The increases are lowering consumer confidence – bad news for most retailers, although major discount chains are making hay while the sun, well, doesn’t shine.


Japanese Prices Rise Again; 60% of Consumers Feeling the Pinch and Looking for Better Value

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

Taiwan Stock Exchange Weighted Index / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>Rallies appear to be stalling-out near logical resistances in the largest global equity markets. That includes 5670-5783 on SPX, 2690-2700 on Japan's TOPIX, and 4884 on Europe's EURO STOXX 50.</li>
<li>We continue to believe these indexes will roll over near current or marginally higher levels, fitting with our ongoing belief that MSCI ACWI is going through a 1-to-4-month pullback/consolidation.</li>
<li>Long-Term uptrend violations on global indexes and continued outperformance from defensive Sectors are our top concerns for global equities, though recession indicators and a Fed cutting cycle are also concerns.</li>
</ul>


Rallies appear to be stalling-out near logical resistances in the largest global equity markets. That includes 5670-5783 on SPX, 2690-2700 on Japan's TOPIX, and 4884 on Europe's EURO STOXX 50.
We continue to believe these indexes will roll over near current or marginally higher levels, fitting with our ongoing belief that MSCI ACWI is going through a 1-to-4-month pullback/consolidation.
Long-Term uptrend violations on global indexes and continued outperformance from defensive Sectors are our top concerns for global equities, though recession indicators and a Fed cutting cycle are also concerns.


Expecting Downside Ahead; Stick With Defensives; Downgrading Taiwan to Market Weight; Risk-Off Signs

<ul>
<li>There has been a long-term trend of market concentration in Japan's retail sector for more than a decade.</li>
<li>But consolidation is accelerating due to the pressures to find growth in a depopulating market and the winner takes all phenomenon which rewards the leading chains.</li>
<li>With higher growth and greater access to capital for the best retailers, the net result is dramatically higher levels of M&amp;A in sectors like drugstores and even supermarkets.  </li>
</ul>


There has been a long-term trend of market concentration in Japan's retail sector for more than a decade.
But consolidation is accelerating due to the pressures to find growth in a depopulating market and the winner takes all phenomenon which rewards the leading chains.
With higher growth and greater access to capital for the best retailers, the net result is dramatically higher levels of M&amp;A in sectors like drugstores and even supermarkets.  


Japan Retail: Market Concentration Accelerates Through M&A and Organic Growth

<ul>
<li>Retailing is booming in Japan, backed by consumers getting out and about, buying enthusiastically and enjoying Japan’s shop-focused entertainment centres once again. </li>
<li>Tourists are back in record numbers, with 3 million a month entering Japan since March and well over 30 million expected in 2024 overall.</li>
<li>Inflation remains a concern, but we’re two years into this round of price increases and consumers are becoming resigned to higher prices. FY2024 will be another excellent year.</li>
</ul>


Retailing is booming in Japan, backed by consumers getting out and about, buying enthusiastically and enjoying Japan’s shop-focused entertainment centres once again. 
Tourists are back in record numbers, with 3 million a month entering Japan since March and well over 30 million expected in 2024 overall.
Inflation remains a concern, but we’re two years into this round of price increases and consumers are becoming resigned to higher prices. FY2024 will be another excellent year.


Japan's Retail Sector Grows Faster than 1990

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>Trial, the discount FMCG and retail technology company, completed its IPO last month, achieving an initial market capitalisation higher than most of its rivals in the supermarket sector. </li>
<li>If forecasts for FY2023 are achieved, it will become the 5th largest chain in the country and its proprietary technology should give it an important advantage in the medium term.</li>
<li>But its position at the centre of the fast-growing discount sector will drive the real growth, and the Kyushu-based firm will emerge as challenger to leading retailers.</li>
</ul>


Trial, the discount FMCG and retail technology company, completed its IPO last month, achieving an initial market capitalisation higher than most of its rivals in the supermarket sector. 
If forecasts for FY2023 are achieved, it will become the 5th largest chain in the country and its proprietary technology should give it an important advantage in the medium term.
But its position at the centre of the fast-growing discount sector will drive the real growth, and the Kyushu-based firm will emerge as challenger to leading retailers.


Trial to Become 5th Biggest Supermarket Post-IPO

Japan

KOBE BUSSAN CO., LTD. is a supermarket franchise store operator which mainly deals in foods stuffs.  The Company also has direct-run stores.

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Kobe Bussan (3038 JP)

Japanese Prices Rise Again; 60% of Consumers Feeling the Pinch and Looking for Better Value

Japanese consumer markets have three big trends: higher prices/squeezed incomes, doubling of single households and more people feeling the pinch....

Michael Causton

Expecting Downside Ahead; Stick With Defensives; Downgrading Taiwan to Market Weight; Risk-Off Signs

Expecting Downside Ahead $ACWI $SPX; Stick With Defensive Sectors; Downgrading Taiwan $EWT $TSM to Market Weight; Global Discretionary vs. Staples...

Vermilion Research

Japan Retail: Market Concentration Accelerates Through M&A and Organic Growth

Market concentration in Japan's retail sector has been increasing due to the need for growth in a shrinking market, leading to a surge in M&A...

Michael Causton

Japan's Retail Sector Grows Faster than 1990

Retailing in Japan is thriving as consumers shop enthusiastically, despite concerns about inflation, and tourists return in record numbers. The...

Michael Causton

Trial to Become 5th Biggest Supermarket Post-IPO

Trial, a discount FMCG and retail tech company, completed a successful IPO with potential to become a major player in the supermarket sector,...

Michael Causton

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Japanese Prices Rise Again; 60% of Consumers Feeling the Pinch and Looking for Better Value

Japanese consumer markets have three big trends: higher prices/squeezed incomes, doubling of single households and more people feeling the pinch....

Michael Causton

Expecting Downside Ahead; Stick With Defensives; Downgrading Taiwan to Market Weight; Risk-Off Signs

Expecting Downside Ahead $ACWI $SPX; Stick With Defensive Sectors; Downgrading Taiwan $EWT $TSM to Market Weight; Global Discretionary vs. Staples...

Vermilion Research

Japan Retail: Market Concentration Accelerates Through M&A and Organic Growth

​Market concentration in Japan's retail sector has been increasing due to the need for growth in a shrinking market, leading to a surge in M&A...

Michael Causton

Japan's Retail Sector Grows Faster than 1990

​Retailing in Japan is thriving as consumers shop enthusiastically, despite concerns about inflation, and tourists return in record numbers. The...

Michael Causton

Trial to Become 5th Biggest Supermarket Post-IPO

​Trial, a discount FMCG and retail tech company, completed a successful IPO with potential to become a major player in the supermarket sector,...

Michael Causton

Market concentration in Japan's retail sector has been increasing due to the need for growth in a shrinking market, leading to a surge in M&A...

Retailing in Japan is thriving as consumers shop enthusiastically, despite concerns about inflation, and tourists return in record numbers. The...

Trial, a discount FMCG and retail tech company, completed a successful IPO with potential to become a major player in the supermarket sector,...