'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

ja research

ja research is an independent research platform focused exclusively on Japanese equities. Leveraging data and graphic analysis provided by Japan Analytics, we provide insights on small and medium-sized companies that have been ignored by the sell-side as well as challenging conventional wisdom on larger companies. We also offer analyst and corporate access, the latter with translation if required. 

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/125/889/original/2020-04-01_12-59-11.png?1585713567" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="125889"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div>DIVIDENDS AT RISK - As noted in our daily Results &amp; Revisions Updates in the last few days, Japanese companies are starting to shore up their cash flow but cutting or eliminating their dividends. Following <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hsbc-holdings-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:516:1" rel="noopener">HSBC (5 HK) </a>and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/standard-chartered-plc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:193:1" rel="noopener">Standard Chartered (STAN LN)</a> moves on April 1st, a wave of similar moves is expected in Japan. Although dividends are thought to be very 'sticky' in this market,  on average,  of the 75% of non-financial companies that pay dividends, 14% reduce their payouts each year. In FY2009 and FY2010, this ratio rose to one-third.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/125/899/original/2020-04-01_13-47-18.png?1585716458" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="125899"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div>30% HAIRCUT - The 'stickiness' of Japanese dividends is clear from the trends in absolute values. The total amount of cash dividends paid by non-financial companies declined by 30% from 2008 to 2010 or by ¥1.8 trillion. Since the 2010 'low', total cash dividends paid by these companies have increased by 168% to ¥11.8 trillion, a 'trailing yield' of 2.4%. A 30% dividend haircut to ¥8.3 trillion would reduce the yield on current market cap to 1.7%, slightly above the 2010 low of 1.63%.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/126/905/original/2020-04-07_13-29-26.png?1586233784" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="126905"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div>WHO'S CUTTING NEXT? - Some serial dividend 'cutters', like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nipro-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18346:1" rel="noopener">Nipro (8086 JP)</a> above, have already announced a cut for the fiscal year just ended. In the DETAIL section below, we shall attempt to highlight those larger (Market Cap &gt; ¥50b) companies with the greatest risk of having to cut their dividends.

Source • Japan AnalyticsDIVIDENDS AT RISK - As noted in our daily Results &amp; Revisions Updates in the last few days, Japanese companies are starting to shore up their cash flow but cutting or eliminating their dividends. Following HSBC (5 HK) and Standard Chartered (STAN LN) moves on April 1st, a wave of similar moves is expected in Japan. Although dividends are thought to be very 'sticky' in this market,  on average,  of the 75% of non-financial companies that pay dividends, 14% reduce their payouts each year. In FY2009 and FY2010, this ratio rose to one-third.Source • Japan Analytics30% HAIRCUT - The 'stickiness' of Japanese dividends is clear from the trends in absolute values. The total amount of cash dividends paid by non-financial companies declined by 30% from 2008 to 2010 or by ¥1.8 trillion. Since the 2010 'low', total cash dividends paid by these companies have increased by 168% to ¥11.8 trillion, a 'trailing yield' of 2.4%. A 30% dividend haircut to ¥8.3 trillion would reduce the yield on current market cap to 1.7%, slightly above the 2010 low of 1.63%.Source • Japan AnalyticsWHO'S CUTTING NEXT? - Some serial dividend 'cutters', like Nipro (8086 JP) above, have already announced a cut for the fiscal year just ended. In the DETAIL section below, we shall attempt to highlight those larger (Market Cap &gt; ¥50b) companies with the greatest risk of having to cut their dividends.

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Dividends At Risk - The Serial 'Cutters'

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.

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/125/809/original/2020-04-01_05-33-05.png?1585686825" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="125809"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div>TUESDAY 31st MARCH - Shareholder returns are now being sacrificed to shore up corporate cash flows in Japan. Yesterday saw<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nippon-sheet-glass-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9013:1" rel="noopener">Nippon Sheet Glass (5202 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nextgen-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20914:1" rel="noopener">Nextgen (3842 JP)</a> cancel their payouts, and reductions from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shinsho-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6333:1" rel="noopener">Shinsho (8075 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hakuto-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6207:1" rel="noopener">Hakuto (7433 JP)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nipro-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18346:1" rel="noopener">Nipro (8086 JP)</a>. Nipro has 'form' in this regard, but it is interesting to note that 2020's payout will be less than the ¥16 paid in 2009. We shall be covering the topic of "Dividends at Risk" in a forthcoming Insight. There were no large-cap results or revisions yesterday, but our scoring was five positive to six negative for results and eight positive to eleven negative for revisions.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/125/811/original/2020-04-01_05-56-47.png?1585688222" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="125811"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mitsubishi-ufj-financial-gro" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:218:1" rel="noopener">Mitsubishi UFJ Financial (8306 JP)</a> - MUFG chooses not to make forecasts, so we are reliant on Nikkei 'previews' for 'updates'. A ¥360b (US$3.34b) writedown of MUFG's stake in banks in Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines is to be booked for the fiscal year that ended yesterday. MUFG shares fell 5.4%, and Banks was the worst-performing Sector on the day. <figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/125/814/original/File%202020-04-01%206%2010%2027.jpeg?1585689079" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="125814"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • covid19japan.com</div>LOCKDOWN CORNER - By emphatically denying rumours of an impending 'lockdown' for Tokyo from tomorrow, the Government has limited their options for doing so without loss of credibility with the public. A rumour that Google Japan was suppressing searches about the rumour only helped to fan the flames and anxiety. Panic-buying re-emerged in grocery stores.  COVID-19 cases in Tokyo are now growing at an exponential rate, eclipsing the rest of Japan, with the majority of new cases are not conforming to Japan's pre-ordained epidemiological tracing protocols. Governor Koike held an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Abe last night. While the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is encouraging social distancing, only the national government can invoke stricter measures under the recently-enacted emergency laws. The current uncertainty over the Tokyo lockdown is not market-positive. <figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/125/820/original/2020-04-01_05-07-12.png?1585690885" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="125820"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Deutsche Bank</div>HISTORIC - Deutsche Bank has estimated that COVID-19 will result in a year-on-year economic contraction of 3.9%, lower than that of 2009. Were Tokyo to lockdown for a month, the 2009 decline would probably be exceeded.

Source • Japan AnalyticsTUESDAY 31st MARCH - Shareholder returns are now being sacrificed to shore up corporate cash flows in Japan. Yesterday sawNippon Sheet Glass (5202 JP) and Nextgen (3842 JP) cancel their payouts, and reductions from Shinsho (8075 JP), Hakuto (7433 JP), and Nipro (8086 JP). Nipro has 'form' in this regard, but it is interesting to note that 2020's payout will be less than the ¥16 paid in 2009. We shall be covering the topic of "Dividends at Risk" in a forthcoming Insight. There were no large-cap results or revisions yesterday, but our scoring was five positive to six negative for results and eight positive to eleven negative for revisions.Source • Japan AnalyticsMitsubishi UFJ Financial (8306 JP) - MUFG chooses not to make forecasts, so we are reliant on Nikkei 'previews' for 'updates'. A ¥360b (US$3.34b) writedown of MUFG's stake in banks in Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines is to be booked for the fiscal year that ended yesterday. MUFG shares fell 5.4%, and Banks was the worst-performing Sector on the day. Source • covid19japan.comLOCKDOWN CORNER - By emphatically denying rumours of an impending 'lockdown' for Tokyo from tomorrow, the Government has limited their options for doing so without loss of credibility with the public. A rumour that Google Japan was suppressing searches about the rumour only helped to fan the flames and anxiety. Panic-buying re-emerged in grocery stores.  COVID-19 cases in Tokyo are now growing at an exponential rate, eclipsing the rest of Japan, with the majority of new cases are not conforming to Japan's pre-ordained epidemiological tracing protocols. Governor Koike held an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Abe last night. While the Tokyo Metropolitan Government is encouraging social distancing, only the national government can invoke stricter measures under the recently-enacted emergency laws. The current uncertainty over the Tokyo lockdown is not market-positive. Source • Deutsche BankHISTORIC - Deutsche Bank has estimated that COVID-19 will result in a year-on-year economic contraction of 3.9%, lower than that of 2009. Were Tokyo to lockdown for a month, the 2009 decline would probably be exceeded.

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Revisions & Results Update 31st March > Dividends at Risk

Quantitative Analysis

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/122/342/original/2020-03-11_11-02-32.png?1583892183" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="122342"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/122/590/original/2020-03-12_07-42-03.png?1583966536" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="122590"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div>CUMULATIVE CASH FLOWS - In this third and final of our series on Japanese companies that might be compromised as the Covid-19 recession unfolds,  we shall look at Cumulative Cash Flows. Our cash flow model is derived from the disclosed Balance Sheets and Statements of Comprehensive Income and balances to zero for every company for every comparable period. Variations in disclosure between the audited annual yuho and unaudited quarterly kessan tanshin reports, notably when the company is reporting under the weaker IFRS standard can result in unavoidable quarter-to-quarter variations. Consequently, our analysis will focus on year-on-year changes as of the most recent quarterly disclosure irrespective of fiscal year-end.  Our review will cover six principal cash flow metrics:-<ul>
<li>
Operating Cash Flow - Operating Cash Flow comprises all cash flow items relating to transactions with customers and suppliers except inventory cash flows.</li>
<li>
Investing Cash Flow - Investing Cash Flow comprises cash flow to or from Fixed Assets and Inventories. Unlike GAAP Cash Flows Statements, It does not include investments in financial assets.</li>
<li>
Inventory Cash Flow - A sub-set of Investing Cash Flow, inventory Cash Flow is the change in Inventory on the Balance Sheet. </li>
<li>
Free Cash Flow - Free Cash Flow the sum of Operating Cash Flow, Fixed Asset Cash Flow and Inventory Cash Flow.</li>
<li>
Financing Cash Flow - Financing Cash Flow comprises Debt &amp; Lease Liabilities, Investments and the taxation that is allocated to Financing Cash Flow. Debt &amp; Lease Liabilities includes changes in Short and Long-Term Debt and Lease Liabilities and Interest and Bond Issuance Expenses.' Investments' includes Interest &amp; Dividend Income, Purchases and Sales of Securities, Loans, Gains and Losses on Marketable Securities and Equity Earnings.</li>
<li>Change in Cash - Change in Cash is the sum of Free Cash Flow, Financing Cash Flow and Shareholder Cash Flow after including Minorities &amp; Adjustments. </li>
</ul>EXCLUDED - Four companies have been excluded from our review as they have substantial financial subsidiaries - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/z-holdings-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19603:1" rel="noopener">Z Holdings (4689 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten (4755 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sony-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:563:1" rel="noopener">Sony (6758 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/japan-post-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:359:1" rel="noopener">Japan Post (6178 JP)</a> which distort their balance sheets. We have also excluded companies with a current market cap below ¥50b, although some exceptions have been made for abnormally large movements, such as those in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/japan-display-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8280:1" rel="noopener">Japan Display (6740 JP).</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toshiba-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:637:1" rel="noopener">Toshiba (6502 JP)</a>-  As an example of our analysis, Toshiba has seen the largest reduction in Cash as a percentage of market value over the last twelve months of any large-cap Japanese company. Toshiba's cash balance has declined by ¥1.4 trillion since peaking in 2019-Q2 - 114% of the current market cap. 70% of the cash generated between 2018-Q4 and 2019-Q2 has been allocated to share repurchases, dividends and cash reduction. The company's net cash remains at a healthy 51% of market value and 43% of Shareholders' Equity; however, Cumulative Operating Cash Flow will fall below zero in the current quarter. There are few additional reductions in Fixed Assets and Inventories that can be sustained without irreparable damage. The logic of buying back shares in an entity that has negative residual returns is not clear to us. Despite the potential for a TOPIX re-inclusion 'bounce', fundamentally the stock should be avoided.<div class="content-highlight">In the DETAIL Section below, we shall look at the top (or bottom) thirty large-cap companies on each of the metric above scaled by market capitalisation. </div>

Source • Japan AnalyticsCUMULATIVE CASH FLOWS - In this third and final of our series on Japanese companies that might be compromised as the Covid-19 recession unfolds,  we shall look at Cumulative Cash Flows. Our cash flow model is derived from the disclosed Balance Sheets and Statements of Comprehensive Income and balances to zero for every company for every comparable period. Variations in disclosure between the audited annual yuho and unaudited quarterly kessan tanshin reports, notably when the company is reporting under the weaker IFRS standard can result in unavoidable quarter-to-quarter variations. Consequently, our analysis will focus on year-on-year changes as of the most recent quarterly disclosure irrespective of fiscal year-end.  Our review will cover six principal cash flow metrics:-

Operating Cash Flow - Operating Cash Flow comprises all cash flow items relating to transactions with customers and suppliers except inventory cash flows.

Investing Cash Flow - Investing Cash Flow comprises cash flow to or from Fixed Assets and Inventories. Unlike GAAP Cash Flows Statements, It does not include investments in financial assets.

Inventory Cash Flow - A sub-set of Investing Cash Flow, inventory Cash Flow is the change in Inventory on the Balance Sheet. 

Free Cash Flow - Free Cash Flow the sum of Operating Cash Flow, Fixed Asset Cash Flow and Inventory Cash Flow.

Financing Cash Flow - Financing Cash Flow comprises Debt &amp; Lease Liabilities, Investments and the taxation that is allocated to Financing Cash Flow. Debt &amp; Lease Liabilities includes changes in Short and Long-Term Debt and Lease Liabilities and Interest and Bond Issuance Expenses.' Investments' includes Interest &amp; Dividend Income, Purchases and Sales of Securities, Loans, Gains and Losses on Marketable Securities and Equity Earnings.
Change in Cash - Change in Cash is the sum of Free Cash Flow, Financing Cash Flow and Shareholder Cash Flow after including Minorities &amp; Adjustments. 
EXCLUDED - Four companies have been excluded from our review as they have substantial financial subsidiaries - Z Holdings (4689 JP), Rakuten (4755 JP), Sony (6758 JP), Japan Post (6178 JP) which distort their balance sheets. We have also excluded companies with a current market cap below ¥50b, although some exceptions have been made for abnormally large movements, such as those in Japan Display (6740 JP).Toshiba (6502 JP)-  As an example of our analysis, Toshiba has seen the largest reduction in Cash as a percentage of market value over the last twelve months of any large-cap Japanese company. Toshiba's cash balance has declined by ¥1.4 trillion since peaking in 2019-Q2 - 114% of the current market cap. 70% of the cash generated between 2018-Q4 and 2019-Q2 has been allocated to share repurchases, dividends and cash reduction. The company's net cash remains at a healthy 51% of market value and 43% of Shareholders' Equity; however, Cumulative Operating Cash Flow will fall below zero in the current quarter. There are few additional reductions in Fixed Assets and Inventories that can be sustained without irreparable damage. The logic of buying back shares in an entity that has negative residual returns is not clear to us. Despite the potential for a TOPIX re-inclusion 'bounce', fundamentally the stock should be avoided.In the DETAIL Section below, we shall look at the top (or bottom) thirty large-cap companies on each of the metric above scaled by market capitalisation. 

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Who’s Swimming Naked? > Part 3: Cumulative Cash Flow

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

This week's two-part Holdco overview is chock-full of charts, covering the performance of all 566 stubs in my stub monitor, across all countries, and liquidity baskets, in the midst of the recent correction in markets.
This insight covers Japan and Korea.
The results, as always, are interesting, with some baskets clearly outperforming others. If you take the view that more liquid parents vis-à-vis less liquid subs will either underperform or outperform during these unprecedented times, the answer is not always clear cut, from one country to the next. 
As always, there is more below the fold.

This week's two-part Holdco overview is chock-full of charts, covering the performance of all 566 stubs in my stub monitor, across all countries, and liquidity baskets, in the midst of the recent correction in markets.
This insight covers Japan and Korea.
The results, as always, are interesting, with some baskets clearly outperforming others. If you take the view that more liquid parents vis-à-vis less liquid subs will either underperform or outperform during these unprecedented times, the answer is not always clear cut, from one country to the next. 
As always, there is more below the fold.

Holdcos: Charts Amongst The Carnage. Part 1. Japan & Korea

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

Global equities remain in a short-term consolidation phase, however we continue to believe the longer-term trend is up and to the right for the MSCI ACWI following the late-October breakout.  In this report we recap important technical levels across all major indexes and highlight actionable opportunities within Global Health Care stocks, which are hitting on all cylinders, with plenty of opportunities across various industries (services, devices/equipment, pharmaceuticals, biotech, etc.) and geographies (Europe, Japan, China, EM, etc.).

Global equities remain in a short-term consolidation phase, however we continue to believe the longer-term trend is up and to the right for the MSCI ACWI following the late-October breakout.  In this report we recap important technical levels across all major indexes and highlight actionable opportunities within Global Health Care stocks, which are hitting on all cylinders, with plenty of opportunities across various industries (services, devices/equipment, pharmaceuticals, biotech, etc.) and geographies (Europe, Japan, China, EM, etc.).

Global Equity Strategy: Health Care Hitting On All Cylinders - Overweight

Japan

NIPRO CORPORATION manufactures medical products.  The Company's products include artificial dialysis and blood transfusion equipment, hypodermic syringes, and glass products for medical use.

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Nipro Corp (8086 JP)

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Dividends At Risk - The Serial 'Cutters'

DIVIDENDS AT RISK - As noted in our daily Results & Revisions Updates in the last few days, Japanese companies are starting to shore up their...

Campbell Gunn

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Revisions & Results Update 31st March > Dividends at Risk

TUESDAY 31st MARCH - Shareholder returns are now being sacrificed to shore up corporate cash flows in Japan. Yesterday sawNippon Sheet Glass (5202...

Campbell Gunn

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Who’s Swimming Naked? > Part 3: Cumulative Cash Flow

CUMULATIVE CASH FLOWS - In this third and final of our series on Japanese companies that might be compromised as the Covid-19 recession unfolds, ...

Campbell Gunn

Holdcos: Charts Amongst The Carnage. Part 1. Japan & Korea

This week's two-part Holdco overview is chock-full of charts, covering the performance of all 566 stubs in my stub monitor, across all countries,...

David Blennerhassett

Global Equity Strategy: Health Care Hitting On All Cylinders - Overweight

Global equities remain in a short-term consolidation phase, however we continue to believe the longer-term trend is up and to the right for the...

Vermilion Research

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