Independent Insight Provider, Japanese equities, LightStream Research

Scott Foster

Independent Insight Provider, Japanese equities

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

<ul>
<li>The gradual upward trend in monthly sales, which has continued through November, has further to go in our estimation. </li>
<li>At 22x EPS guidance for FY Mar-24, the shares are at the low end of their 5-year P/E range.</li>
<li>Guidance remains unchanged. 3Q results are due to be announced at the end of January</li>
</ul>


The gradual upward trend in monthly sales, which has continued through November, has further to go in our estimation. 
At 22x EPS guidance for FY Mar-24, the shares are at the low end of their 5-year P/E range.
Guidance remains unchanged. 3Q results are due to be announced at the end of January


Misumi Group (9962 JP): Heads up for 3Q Results in Late January

<ul>
<li>Total sales remained weak in September, dropping 3.5% YoY. In 1H of FY Mar-24, sales were down 4.3%. Month-to-month, though, they have been trending sideways.</li>
<li>Die Components have been holding up best, followed by Factory Automation. The VONA e-commerce business has been more volatile, but still shows a lack of traction.</li>
<li>Operating profit dropped 31% in 1H, but management is guiding for a 23% increase in 2H. This looks optimistic, but most of the bad news should be in the price.</li>
</ul>


Total sales remained weak in September, dropping 3.5% YoY. In 1H of FY Mar-24, sales were down 4.3%. Month-to-month, though, they have been trending sideways.
Die Components have been holding up best, followed by Factory Automation. The VONA e-commerce business has been more volatile, but still shows a lack of traction.
Operating profit dropped 31% in 1H, but management is guiding for a 23% increase in 2H. This looks optimistic, but most of the bad news should be in the price.


Misumi Group (9962 JP): Weak Sales in September, but Most Bad News Discounted

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>There are 15 stocks in Japan that will be sold by passive trackers at the close on 31 May.</li>
<li>Short interest has been increasing in these stocks over the last few months and there will be covering on implementation date.</li>
<li>Cumulative excess volume on all stocks has risen in the last couple of months though the pace of the increase has varied.</li>
</ul>


There are 15 stocks in Japan that will be sold by passive trackers at the close on 31 May.
Short interest has been increasing in these stocks over the last few months and there will be covering on implementation date.
Cumulative excess volume on all stocks has risen in the last couple of months though the pace of the increase has varied.


Japan - Another Big Round of Passive Selling

<ul>
<li>At the October rebalance, there are 970 stocks that will have a lower FFW while 114 stocks will have a higher FFW. 493 stocks will undergo a Phased Weight Reduction.</li>
<li>Estimated one-way turnover is 2.54% resulting in a one-way trade of ¥1.815tn. 500 stocks have over 4 days ADV to trade, 100 stocks have over 9 days ADV to trade.</li>
<li>Setting the threshold at +/-US$50m to trade, the stocks with inflows have outperformed the stocks with outflows by 6.5% over the last four months.</li>
</ul>


At the October rebalance, there are 970 stocks that will have a lower FFW while 114 stocks will have a higher FFW. 493 stocks will undergo a Phased Weight Reduction.
Estimated one-way turnover is 2.54% resulting in a one-way trade of ¥1.815tn. 500 stocks have over 4 days ADV to trade, 100 stocks have over 9 days ADV to trade.
Setting the threshold at +/-US$50m to trade, the stocks with inflows have outperformed the stocks with outflows by 6.5% over the last four months.


TOPIX October Rebalance: BIG One With ¥1.8tn a Side to Trade

<ul>
<li>There are a bunch of stocks that have underperformed the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX)</a> and their peers and could be deleted from global passive portfolios in May.</li>
<li>The deletion from passive portfolios will lead to a liquidity event at the end of May where passive trackers will need to sell multiple days of ADV.</li>
<li>Shorts have been built up on all the stocks over the last few months and the extent of the positioning varies across stocks.</li>
</ul>


There are a bunch of stocks that have underperformed the Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) and their peers and could be deleted from global passive portfolios in May.
The deletion from passive portfolios will lead to a liquidity event at the end of May where passive trackers will need to sell multiple days of ADV.
Shorts have been built up on all the stocks over the last few months and the extent of the positioning varies across stocks.


Japan - Increase in Shorts & Potential Passive Selling in May

Japan

MISUMI Group Inc. distributes precision machinery parts by mail order. The products include a variety of components such as press die, plastic mold, automated machinery, pc & network, and wiring.  The Company also sells supplies for factories, hospitals, and restaurants and semi-conductors by mail order.

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Misumi Group (9962 JP)