Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Japanese stocks have maintained their positive start to the year. The Nikkei average rose by +1.1% on the week with chip stocks leading the gains.</li>
<li>Money Forward was up +19% on strong Q4 sales (+42% YoY); Adjusted EBITDA at record high of 1.2 billion yen</li>
<li>Activist Oasis wants a say on Shidax MBO; Earnings season kicks up a gear next week</li>
</ul>


Japanese stocks have maintained their positive start to the year. The Nikkei average rose by +1.1% on the week with chip stocks leading the gains.
Money Forward was up +19% on strong Q4 sales (+42% YoY); Adjusted EBITDA at record high of 1.2 billion yen
Activist Oasis wants a say on Shidax MBO; Earnings season kicks up a gear next week


Japan Weekly | Money Forward, Advantest Top Performers

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten Group (4755 JP)</a> aims to raise US$430m via selling around 14.6% of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35638:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten Bank (5838 JP)</a>. </li>
<li>RB is the largest internet bank in Japan, by number of accounts. As of Sep 23, it had 14.3m deposit accounts with a total deposit base of JPY9.5tn.</li>
<li>In this note, we will talk about the deal dynamics and updates since our last note.</li>
</ul>



Rakuten Group (4755 JP) aims to raise US$430m via selling around 14.6% of Rakuten Bank (5838 JP). 
RB is the largest internet bank in Japan, by number of accounts. As of Sep 23, it had 14.3m deposit accounts with a total deposit base of JPY9.5tn.
In this note, we will talk about the deal dynamics and updates since our last note.


Rakuten Bank Placement - Was Expected at Some Point, Current Timing Seems Opportunistic

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35638:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten Bank (5838 JP)</a> (RB),  the online banking arm of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten Group (4755 JP)</a>, raised around US$630m in its Japan IPO. Its IPO linked lockup will expire soon.</li>
<li>RB is the largest internet bank in Japan, by number of accounts. As of Jun 23, it had 14.0m deposit accounts with a total deposit base of JPY9.4tn.</li>
<li>In this note, we will talk about the lock-up dynamics and updates since our last note.</li>
</ul>



Rakuten Bank (5838 JP) (RB),  the online banking arm of Rakuten Group (4755 JP), raised around US$630m in its Japan IPO. Its IPO linked lockup will expire soon.
RB is the largest internet bank in Japan, by number of accounts. As of Jun 23, it had 14.0m deposit accounts with a total deposit base of JPY9.4tn.
In this note, we will talk about the lock-up dynamics and updates since our last note.


Rakuten Bank IPO Lock-Up - Parent and Company Will Come Out of Lockup

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 Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/freee-kk" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28424:1" rel="noopener">Freee KK (4478 JP)</a> ’s 1QFY06/2024 results beat consensus estimates. Introduction of qualified invoicing system in October has resulted in strong corporate user growth for the company.</li>
<li>Upfront investment in selling and marketing has helped freee onboard a large no. of corporate clients prior to the introduction of the new invoice system.</li>
<li>Freee expects selling and advertising spending to decline going forward which should help the company reach break-even in FY06/2025E.</li>
</ul>



Freee KK (4478 JP) ’s 1QFY06/2024 results beat consensus estimates. Introduction of qualified invoicing system in October has resulted in strong corporate user growth for the company.
Upfront investment in selling and marketing has helped freee onboard a large no. of corporate clients prior to the introduction of the new invoice system.
Freee expects selling and advertising spending to decline going forward which should help the company reach break-even in FY06/2025E.


Freee 1Q: Earnings Beat; Qualified Invoice System to Further Drive Earnings

<ul>
<li>Topix fell 2.3% due to Wall Street losses as Jerome Powell cited high inflation, and global stocks were pressured by surging bond yields.</li>
<li>Major Movers: Small-cap, high growth stocks got killed, especially on any slight earnings miss. Consumer staples, regional banks outperformed</li>
<li>Activist Watch: Investors lifting stakes in Rinnai (-3.4%), Topcon (+1.6%) and Kureha (+1%); Yaizu Suisan's outcome remains uncertain after a failed tender offer</li>
</ul>


Topix fell 2.3% due to Wall Street losses as Jerome Powell cited high inflation, and global stocks were pressured by surging bond yields.
Major Movers: Small-cap, high growth stocks got killed, especially on any slight earnings miss. Consumer staples, regional banks outperformed
Activist Watch: Investors lifting stakes in Rinnai (-3.4%), Topcon (+1.6%) and Kureha (+1%); Yaizu Suisan's outcome remains uncertain after a failed tender offer


Japan Weekly | Stocks Sink; Activists Lift Stakes in Rinnai, Topcon, Kureha

Japan

Money Forward, Inc. develops mobile application software. The Company produces automatic household account book softwares, household account book application softwares, and other products. Money Forward also provides personal financial management, cloud based accounting solutions, and other services.

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Money Forward (3994 JP)

Japan Weekly | Money Forward, Advantest Top Performers

Japanese stocks continue to rise, led by chip stocks, while Money Forward sees strong Q4 sales and Activist Oasis seeks involvement in Shidax MBO....

Mark Chadwick

Rakuten Bank Placement - Was Expected at Some Point, Current Timing Seems Opportunistic

Rakuten Group (4755 JP) aims to raise US$430m via selling around 14.6% of Rakuten Bank (5838 JP). In this note, we talk about the deal dynamics.

Sumeet Singh

Rakuten Bank IPO Lock-Up - Parent and Company Will Come Out of Lockup

Rakuten has just announced that it will selldown some of its stake in Rakuten Bank in order to fund redemption of some of its bonds.

Sumeet Singh

Freee 1Q: Earnings Beat; Qualified Invoice System to Further Drive Earnings

Freee's upfront investment in S&M has enabled to onboard a large no. of corporate clients prior to the introduction of the new invoice system....

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Japan Weekly | Stocks Sink; Activists Lift Stakes in Rinnai, Topcon, Kureha

Wall Street losses and concerns over inflation led to a 2.3% drop in Topix, while small-cap stocks suffered. Activist investors increased their...

Mark Chadwick

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Japan Weekly | Money Forward, Advantest Top Performers

​Japanese stocks continue to rise, led by chip stocks, while Money Forward sees strong Q4 sales and Activist Oasis seeks involvement in Shidax MBO....

Mark Chadwick

Rakuten Bank Placement - Was Expected at Some Point, Current Timing Seems Opportunistic

Rakuten Group (4755 JP) aims to raise US$430m via selling around 14.6% of Rakuten Bank (5838 JP). In this note, we talk about the deal dynamics.

Sumeet Singh

Rakuten Bank IPO Lock-Up - Parent and Company Will Come Out of Lockup

Rakuten has just announced that it will selldown some of its stake in Rakuten Bank in order to fund redemption of some of its bonds.

Sumeet Singh

Freee 1Q: Earnings Beat; Qualified Invoice System to Further Drive Earnings

Freee's upfront investment in S&M has enabled to onboard a large no. of corporate clients prior to the introduction of the new invoice system....

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Japan Weekly | Stocks Sink; Activists Lift Stakes in Rinnai, Topcon, Kureha

​Wall Street losses and concerns over inflation led to a 2.3% drop in Topix, while small-cap stocks suffered. Activist investors increased their...

Mark Chadwick

Japanese stocks continue to rise, led by chip stocks, while Money Forward sees strong Q4 sales and Activist Oasis seeks involvement in Shidax MBO....

Wall Street losses and concerns over inflation led to a 2.3% drop in Topix, while small-cap stocks suffered. Activist investors increased their...