Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

<p>Shareholder proposals for AGMs in Japan are somewhat rare. Activist proposals rarer still. They only affect roughly 2% of companies with June AGMs and shareholder proposals are rarely passed, but they may reflect the pressure on a company, and when something has enough support, management may end up agreeing to it if not outright supporting it later on.</p><p>Activist fund Strategic Capital has made shareholder proposals to 6 companies (that we know of) in the past month or so, starting with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wakita-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11924:1" rel="noopener">Wakita &amp; Co Ltd (8125 JP)</a> which has a May AGM, as discussed in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-activism-a-look-into-wakita-8125-jp-potential-pre-event" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:50034" rel="noopener">Japan Activism: A Look into Wakita (8125 JP) Potential Pre-Event</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wakita-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11924:1" rel="noopener">Wakita &amp; Co Ltd (8125 JP)</a> at the beginning of the month, and five more names announced on the 28th of April. </p><p>Those five names are <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/asanuma-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19612:1" rel="noopener">Asanuma Corp (1852 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/seikitokyu-kogyo-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7819:1" rel="noopener">Seikitokyu Kogyo (1898 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/arisawa-mfg-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18028:1" rel="noopener">Arisawa Mfg (5208 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bunka-shutter-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5903:1" rel="noopener">Bunka Shutter (5930 JP)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kyokuto-boeki-kaisha-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12884:1" rel="noopener">Kyokuto Boeki Kaisha (8093 JP)</a>.</p><p>This eclectic group is unified by balance sheet excess. In this case, net cash and securities of about 50% of market cap, a lack of borrowing, a lack of destination for the accumulated capital, BUT this case has its Very Interesting Aspects. </p><h2>So... <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/seikitokyu-kogyo-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7819:1" rel="noopener">Seikitokyu Kogyo (1898 JP)</a> </h2><hr><p><em>Activist AGM Proposals so far this year are as follows (🤖 is Japanese language, 👹 is English):</em></p><table class="table table-striped"><tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">Date<br>Anncd</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">Ticker</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Company</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">AGM</td>
<td style="width: 48px;">Proposal</td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Proposer</td>
<td style="width: 128px;">Smartkarma Insights</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">15 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">8918</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Land</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">27 May</td>
<td style="width: 48px;"><a href="http://www.land.jp/pdf/20210415154419_1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a></td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">An individual</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">23 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">8125</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Wakita</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">27 May</td>
<td style="width: 48px;">
<a href="https://contents.xj-storage.jp/xcontents/81250/a6125b97/fbfe/4961/baac/116bc18b2917/140120210423498992.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a> , <a href="https://stracap.jp/english/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/To-Shareholder-of-WAKITA-CO.-LTD..pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">👹</a>
</td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Strategic Capital</td>
<td style="width: 128px;">
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-activism-a-look-into-wakita-8125-jp-potential-pre-event" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insight 1</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/wakita-rejects-stracap-s-shareholder-proposals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insight 2</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">27 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">6815</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Uniden</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;"><a href="http://www.uniden.co.jp/ir/news/dat/2021/information_20210427.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a></td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">LIM Japan Event Master Fd</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">28 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">.1852</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Asanuma</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;">
<a href="https://www.asanuma.co.jp/ir/pdf/etc/20210428k.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a> , <a href="https://stracap.jp/english/proposal/2021_asanuma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">👹</a>
</td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Strategic Capital</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/2021-japan-agm-activism-stracap-proposals-for-asanuma-corp-1852" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insight</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">28 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">8093</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Kyokuto Boeki Kaisha</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;">
<a href="https://contents.xj-storage.jp/xcontents/AS01655/21124bce/241c/4a3a/8482/00305b8413e6/140120210428402431.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a> , <a href="https://stracap.jp/english/proposal/2021_kbk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">👹</a>
</td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Strategic Capital</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">28 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">1898</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Seikitokyu Kogyo</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;">
<a href="https://www.seikitokyu.co.jp/dev/wp-content/themes/twentysixteen/pdf/info/20210428.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a> , <a href="https://stracap.jp/english/proposal/2021_seikitokyu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">👹</a>
</td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Strategic Capital</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">28 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">5208</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Arisawa Mfg</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;"><a href="https://stracap.jp/english/proposal/2021_arisawa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">👹</a></td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Strategic Capital</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">28 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">5930</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Bunka Shutter</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;"><a href="https://stracap.jp/english/proposal/2021_bunkasutter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">👹</a></td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Strategic Capital</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">28 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">2327</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">NS Solutions</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;">
<a href="https://ssl4.eir-parts.net/doc/2327/tdnet/1958513/00.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a> , </td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">AVI Japan Opportunity Trust PLC</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">30 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">4295</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Faith</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;"><a href="https://www.faith.co.jp/ir/pdf/20210430_ir.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a></td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">RMB Capital Japan Oppty Fd</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>

Shareholder proposals for AGMs in Japan are somewhat rare. Activist proposals rarer still. They only affect roughly 2% of companies with June AGMs and shareholder proposals are rarely passed, but they may reflect the pressure on a company, and when something has enough support, management may end up agreeing to it if not outright supporting it later on.Activist fund Strategic Capital has made shareholder proposals to 6 companies (that we know of) in the past month or so, starting with Wakita &amp; Co Ltd (8125 JP) which has a May AGM, as discussed in Japan Activism: A Look into Wakita (8125 JP) Potential Pre-Event and Wakita &amp; Co Ltd (8125 JP) at the beginning of the month, and five more names announced on the 28th of April. Those five names are Asanuma Corp (1852 JP), Seikitokyu Kogyo (1898 JP), Arisawa Mfg (5208 JP), Bunka Shutter (5930 JP), and Kyokuto Boeki Kaisha (8093 JP).This eclectic group is unified by balance sheet excess. In this case, net cash and securities of about 50% of market cap, a lack of borrowing, a lack of destination for the accumulated capital, BUT this case has its Very Interesting Aspects. So... Seikitokyu Kogyo (1898 JP) Activist AGM Proposals so far this year are as follows (🤖 is Japanese language, 👹 is English):

Date Anncd
Ticker
Company
AGM
Proposal
Proposer
Smartkarma Insights


15 Apr
8918
Land
27 May
🤖
An individual



23 Apr
8125
Wakita
27 May

🤖 , 👹

Strategic Capital

insight 1, insight 2



27 Apr
6815
Uniden
June
🤖
LIM Japan Event Master Fd



28 Apr
.1852
Asanuma
June

🤖 , 👹

Strategic Capital
insight


28 Apr
8093
Kyokuto Boeki Kaisha
June

🤖 , 👹

Strategic Capital



28 Apr
1898
Seikitokyu Kogyo
June

🤖 , 👹

Strategic Capital



28 Apr
5208
Arisawa Mfg
June
👹
Strategic Capital



28 Apr
5930
Bunka Shutter
June
👹
Strategic Capital



28 Apr
2327
NS Solutions
June

🤖 , 
AVI Japan Opportunity Trust PLC



30 Apr
4295
Faith
June
🤖
RMB Capital Japan Oppty Fd




2021 Japan AGM Activism - StraCap Proposals for Seikitokyu Kogyo (1898) - A REALLY Cheap Company

<p>Shareholder proposals for AGMs in Japan are somewhat rare. Activist proposals rarer still. They only affect roughly 2% of companies with June AGMs and shareholder proposals are rarely passed, but they may reflect the pressure on a company, and when something has enough support, management may end up agreeing to it if not outright supporting it later on.</p><p>Activist fund Strategic Capital has made shareholder proposals to 6 companies (that we know of) in the past month or so, starting with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wakita-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11924:1" rel="noopener">Wakita &amp; Co Ltd (8125 JP)</a> which has a May AGM, as discussed in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-activism-a-look-into-wakita-8125-jp-potential-pre-event" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:50034" rel="noopener">Japan Activism: A Look into Wakita (8125 JP) Potential Pre-Event</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wakita-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11924:1" rel="noopener">Wakita &amp; Co Ltd (8125 JP)</a> at the beginning of the month, and five more names announced on the 28th of April. </p><p>Those five names are <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/asanuma-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19612:1" rel="noopener">Asanuma Corp (1852 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/seikitokyu-kogyo-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7819:1" rel="noopener">Seikitokyu Kogyo (1898 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/arisawa-mfg-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18028:1" rel="noopener">Arisawa Mfg (5208 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bunka-shutter-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5903:1" rel="noopener">Bunka Shutter (5930 JP)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kyokuto-boeki-kaisha-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12884:1" rel="noopener">Kyokuto Boeki Kaisha (8093 JP)</a>.</p><p>This eclectic group is unified by overly strong balance sheets. In this case, "newly" emphasised net receivables.  </p><h2>First up... <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/asanuma-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19612:1" rel="noopener">Asanuma Corp (1852 JP)</a> </h2><hr><p><em>Activist AGM Proposals so far this year are as follows (🤖 is Japanese language, 👹 is English):</em></p><table class="table table-striped"><tbody>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">Date<br>Anncd</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">Ticker</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Company</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">AGM</td>
<td style="width: 48px;">Proposal</td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Proposer</td>
<td style="width: 128px;">Smartkarma Insights</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">15 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">8918</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Land</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">27 May</td>
<td style="width: 48px;"><a href="http://www.land.jp/pdf/20210415154419_1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a></td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">An individual</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">23 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">8125</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Wakita</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">27 May</td>
<td style="width: 48px;">
<a href="https://contents.xj-storage.jp/xcontents/81250/a6125b97/fbfe/4961/baac/116bc18b2917/140120210423498992.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a> , <a href="https://stracap.jp/english/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/To-Shareholder-of-WAKITA-CO.-LTD..pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">👹</a>
</td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Strategic Capital</td>
<td style="width: 128px;">
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-activism-a-look-into-wakita-8125-jp-potential-pre-event" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insight 1</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/wakita-rejects-stracap-s-shareholder-proposals" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insight 2</a>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">27 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">6815</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Uniden</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;"><a href="http://www.uniden.co.jp/ir/news/dat/2021/information_20210427.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a></td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">LIM Japan Event Master Fd</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">28 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">.1852</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Asanuma</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;">
<a href="https://www.asanuma.co.jp/ir/pdf/etc/20210428k.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a> , <a href="https://stracap.jp/english/proposal/2021_asanuma" target="_blank" rel="noopener">👹</a>
</td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Strategic Capital</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">28 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">8093</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Kyokuto Boeki Kaisha</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;">
<a href="https://contents.xj-storage.jp/xcontents/AS01655/21124bce/241c/4a3a/8482/00305b8413e6/140120210428402431.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a> , <a href="https://stracap.jp/english/proposal/2021_kbk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">👹</a>
</td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Strategic Capital</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">28 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">1898</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Seikitokyu Kogyo</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;">
<a href="https://www.seikitokyu.co.jp/dev/wp-content/themes/twentysixteen/pdf/info/20210428.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a> , <a href="https://stracap.jp/english/proposal/2021_seikitokyu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">👹</a>
</td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Strategic Capital</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">28 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">5208</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Arisawa Mfg</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;"><a href="https://stracap.jp/english/proposal/2021_arisawa" target="_blank" rel="noopener">👹</a></td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Strategic Capital</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">28 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">5930</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Bunka Shutter</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;"><a href="https://stracap.jp/english/proposal/2021_bunkasutter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">👹</a></td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">Strategic Capital</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">28 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">2327</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">NS Solutions</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;">
<a href="https://ssl4.eir-parts.net/doc/2327/tdnet/1958513/00.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a> , </td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">AVI Japan Opportunity Trust PLC</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="width: 36px;">30 Apr</td>
<td style="text-align: center; width: 33.6px;">4295</td>
<td style="width: 122.4px;">Faith</td>
<td style="width: 41.6px;">June</td>
<td style="width: 48px;"><a href="https://www.faith.co.jp/ir/pdf/20210430_ir.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">🤖</a></td>
<td style="width: 187.2px;">RMB Capital Japan Oppty Fd</td>
<td style="width: 128px;"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table><p><br><br></p>

Shareholder proposals for AGMs in Japan are somewhat rare. Activist proposals rarer still. They only affect roughly 2% of companies with June AGMs and shareholder proposals are rarely passed, but they may reflect the pressure on a company, and when something has enough support, management may end up agreeing to it if not outright supporting it later on.Activist fund Strategic Capital has made shareholder proposals to 6 companies (that we know of) in the past month or so, starting with Wakita &amp; Co Ltd (8125 JP) which has a May AGM, as discussed in Japan Activism: A Look into Wakita (8125 JP) Potential Pre-Event and Wakita &amp; Co Ltd (8125 JP) at the beginning of the month, and five more names announced on the 28th of April. Those five names are Asanuma Corp (1852 JP), Seikitokyu Kogyo (1898 JP), Arisawa Mfg (5208 JP), Bunka Shutter (5930 JP), and Kyokuto Boeki Kaisha (8093 JP).This eclectic group is unified by overly strong balance sheets. In this case, "newly" emphasised net receivables.  First up... Asanuma Corp (1852 JP) Activist AGM Proposals so far this year are as follows (🤖 is Japanese language, 👹 is English):

Date Anncd
Ticker
Company
AGM
Proposal
Proposer
Smartkarma Insights


15 Apr
8918
Land
27 May
🤖
An individual



23 Apr
8125
Wakita
27 May

🤖 , 👹

Strategic Capital

insight 1, insight 2



27 Apr
6815
Uniden
June
🤖
LIM Japan Event Master Fd



28 Apr
.1852
Asanuma
June

🤖 , 👹

Strategic Capital



28 Apr
8093
Kyokuto Boeki Kaisha
June

🤖 , 👹

Strategic Capital



28 Apr
1898
Seikitokyu Kogyo
June

🤖 , 👹

Strategic Capital



28 Apr
5208
Arisawa Mfg
June
👹
Strategic Capital



28 Apr
5930
Bunka Shutter
June
👹
Strategic Capital



28 Apr
2327
NS Solutions
June

🤖 , 
AVI Japan Opportunity Trust PLC



30 Apr
4295
Faith
June
🤖
RMB Capital Japan Oppty Fd


  

2021 Japan AGM Activism - StraCap Proposals for Asanuma Corp (1852)

<p>Last year, 55 Japanese listed companies received shareholder proposals in the June AGM season. Of course, some of the shareholder proposals made are spurious and made for a laugh, but last year <a href="https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO60929010Z20C20A6EA1000/?s=5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">23 companies received proposals from activist investors</a>, up from 16 in June 2019.  Data collated by <a href="https://www.whitecase.com/publications/alert/japans-2020-proxy-season-results-announced" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White &amp; Case</a> in summer 2020 showed that of the 22 companies which received activist proposals (their number is different than IR Japan's), 30 proposals to those 22 companies received more than 20% of votes, and just under half (14) received 30%. </p><p>Various commentators noted that for the 2020 AGM season, the impact of COVID-19 and the fact that many meetings became virtual meetings, along with the fact that the lockdowns were of unknown effect but revenue and profit impact in the year ahead was deemed to be severe, many activist shareholders which would have proposed large buybacks as a use of excess cash may have decided to temper their request. Where they did not, often the response from management was that because of the significant potential impact of covid-19 mitigation/safety/response measures, large buybacks using up significant cash (just when Japanese corporates had pulled all available cash out of credit lines) was perhaps not wise. </p><p>Importantly, no measure among the activists shareholder measures last year gained 50% of the vote on that agenda item let alone two-thirds needed to achieve a change in the Articles of Incorporation. Such wins remain rare. However, as White &amp; Case points out, an item which <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mizuho-financial-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:219:1" rel="noopener">Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP)</a> management had objected to in 2015, 2016, 2017 and was rejected (shareholder input on income allocation) but with significant support of 41%, 48%, and 43% respectively in those years was <em>re-suggested</em> last year by management itself where the measure received 98% approval.</p><p>Sometimes these messages get through. But importantly, they are a message because shareholders send them (see <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-needs-more-cowbell" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:41191" rel="noopener">Japan Needs More Cowbell</a> for more thoughts on the matter). The measure proposed by the activist to Mizuho was actually an individual activist named Mitsutaka YAMAGUCHI and he held 30,000 shares, giving him the right to make the proposal.*</p><div class="content-remarks"><p>*The minimum criteria are that a shareholder hold 300 voting rights or 1.0% of shares outstanding for at least six months to be able to put a proposal to shareholders at an AGM. And based on a change in the Companies Act which should have gone into effect on March 1, the content for such shareholder proposals is restricted now to one of ten areas. </p></div><p>The deadline for such shareholder proposals is usually 8 weeks prior to the AGM which means in <em>most</em> cases for June-end AGMs, they had to be submitted by the end of April. I expect we will see a flurry of company reports of new shareholder proposals in the days ahead.</p><p><em>This insight serves as an anchor for selected insights to follow which discuss shareholder proposals on specific companies, how to get information, and follow-up where notable, from shareholder proxy services, etc. </em></p>

Last year, 55 Japanese listed companies received shareholder proposals in the June AGM season. Of course, some of the shareholder proposals made are spurious and made for a laugh, but last year 23 companies received proposals from activist investors, up from 16 in June 2019.  Data collated by White &amp; Case in summer 2020 showed that of the 22 companies which received activist proposals (their number is different than IR Japan's), 30 proposals to those 22 companies received more than 20% of votes, and just under half (14) received 30%. Various commentators noted that for the 2020 AGM season, the impact of COVID-19 and the fact that many meetings became virtual meetings, along with the fact that the lockdowns were of unknown effect but revenue and profit impact in the year ahead was deemed to be severe, many activist shareholders which would have proposed large buybacks as a use of excess cash may have decided to temper their request. Where they did not, often the response from management was that because of the significant potential impact of covid-19 mitigation/safety/response measures, large buybacks using up significant cash (just when Japanese corporates had pulled all available cash out of credit lines) was perhaps not wise. Importantly, no measure among the activists shareholder measures last year gained 50% of the vote on that agenda item let alone two-thirds needed to achieve a change in the Articles of Incorporation. Such wins remain rare. However, as White &amp; Case points out, an item which Mizuho Financial Group (8411 JP) management had objected to in 2015, 2016, 2017 and was rejected (shareholder input on income allocation) but with significant support of 41%, 48%, and 43% respectively in those years was re-suggested last year by management itself where the measure received 98% approval.Sometimes these messages get through. But importantly, they are a message because shareholders send them (see Japan Needs More Cowbell for more thoughts on the matter). The measure proposed by the activist to Mizuho was actually an individual activist named Mitsutaka YAMAGUCHI and he held 30,000 shares, giving him the right to make the proposal.**The minimum criteria are that a shareholder hold 300 voting rights or 1.0% of shares outstanding for at least six months to be able to put a proposal to shareholders at an AGM. And based on a change in the Companies Act which should have gone into effect on March 1, the content for such shareholder proposals is restricted now to one of ten areas. The deadline for such shareholder proposals is usually 8 weeks prior to the AGM which means in most cases for June-end AGMs, they had to be submitted by the end of April. I expect we will see a flurry of company reports of new shareholder proposals in the days ahead.This insight serves as an anchor for selected insights to follow which discuss shareholder proposals on specific companies, how to get information, and follow-up where notable, from shareholder proxy services, etc. 

Japan Activism:  Shareholder Proposals for the Q2 AGM Season Start Trickling In

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

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.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<div class="content-caption">
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/128/848/original/2020-04-21_07-03-22.png?1587420235" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="128848"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/128/851/original/2020-04-21_07-07-10.png?1587420481" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="128851"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div>
</div><p><strong>LATE ORDERS</strong> - All three of yesterday's results announcements were from <strong>Restaurants</strong> with February year-ends. These 'tail-enders' all swung into losses for the fourth quarter and did not make forecasts for the current year, which is becoming more the norm. The Sector as a whole still has a positive Results &amp; Revision Score supported by the <strong>Chinese</strong> and<strong> Take Out &amp; Delivery</strong> Peer Groups.</p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/128/853/original/2020-04-21_07-18-49.png?1587421152" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="128853"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><p>In the <strong>DETAIL </strong>below, we shall briefly review Monday's ten revisions announcements.  The positive/neutral/negative balance was 3:1:6. Coating Machinery specialist <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hirano-tecseed-co-kinzoku" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11356:1" rel="noopener">Hirano Tecseed (6245 JP)</a> raised its dividend and now yields 4.2% while sporting a negative Enterprise Value (EV) of ¥-2.2b. </p>


Source • Japan Analytics
LATE ORDERS - All three of yesterday's results announcements were from Restaurants with February year-ends. These 'tail-enders' all swung into losses for the fourth quarter and did not make forecasts for the current year, which is becoming more the norm. The Sector as a whole still has a positive Results &amp; Revision Score supported by the Chinese and Take Out &amp; Delivery Peer Groups.Source • Japan AnalyticsIn the DETAIL below, we shall briefly review Monday's ten revisions announcements.  The positive/neutral/negative balance was 3:1:6. Coating Machinery specialist Hirano Tecseed (6245 JP) raised its dividend and now yields 4.2% while sporting a negative Enterprise Value (EV) of ¥-2.2b. 

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Revisions & Results 20th April - Take Aways and LI(Not)FULL

Japan

Kyokuto Boeki Kaisha, Limited sells various industrial equipment and electric equipment.  The Company's products include bearings, machine tools, amplifiers, power supplies, carbon fibers, optical disks related equipment and materials, aircrafts, food manufacturing equipment, natural resources related products, control systems, resins, and paints.

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Kyokuto Boeki Kaisha (8093 JP)

2021 Japan AGM Activism - StraCap Proposals for Seikitokyu Kogyo (1898) - A REALLY Cheap Company

StraCap has now made the same Shareholder Proposals on Seikitokyu Kogyo for 3 straight years. They make sense, but are likely to be rebuffed. But...

Travis Lundy

2021 Japan AGM Activism - StraCap Proposals for Asanuma Corp (1852)

2020 AGM Activism (A Series) - Strategic Capital AGM proposals for Asanuma will get dinged, like last year. They make some sense, but high div and...

Travis Lundy

Japan Activism: Shareholder Proposals for the Q2 AGM Season Start Trickling In

Japan AGM season starts in earnest in mid-June but the deadline for shareholder proposals is 8 weeks prior. 8 June AGM Companies so far received...

Travis Lundy

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Revisions & Results 20th April - Take Aways and LI(Not)FULL

LATE ORDERS - All three of yesterday's results announcements were from Restaurants with February year-ends. These 'tail-enders' all swung into...

Campbell Gunn

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