Telco/Internet specialist

Kirk Boodry

Redex Research

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>We had a chat with KDDI after results last week including clarification on issues that came up on the analyst call (3G network shutdown, Q4 impacts on operating profit)</li>
<li>The competitive environment in mobile looks similar to Q2 but wider distribution for sub-brands UQ (retail store presence) and Povo (first full quarter of availability) helped drive user growth</li>
<li>We have updated our forecasts for Q3 results and remain at Buy</li>
</ul>


We had a chat with KDDI after results last week including clarification on issues that came up on the analyst call (3G network shutdown, Q4 impacts on operating profit)
The competitive environment in mobile looks similar to Q2 but wider distribution for sub-brands UQ (retail store presence) and Povo (first full quarter of availability) helped drive user growth
We have updated our forecasts for Q3 results and remain at Buy


KDDI (Buy) - Follow-Up After Q3 21 Results

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. 

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten Inc (4755 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zozo-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18379:1" rel="noopener">ZOZO Inc (3092 JP)</a> are in a battle for share in online fashion with both companies increasingly aping the other to attract both merchants and consumers. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/amazon-com-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:409:1" rel="noopener">Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US)</a> and <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> aren’t standing still either but the competitive pressures between Rakuten and Zozo may put them ahead of their rivals.</li>
<li>This competitive edge now encompasses both physical stores and online platforms for physical retailers, with the aim to bind them ever closer to the platform.</li>
</ul>



Rakuten Inc (4755 JP) and ZOZO Inc (3092 JP) are in a battle for share in online fashion with both companies increasingly aping the other to attract both merchants and consumers. 

Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US) and Z Holdings (4689 JP) aren’t standing still either but the competitive pressures between Rakuten and Zozo may put them ahead of their rivals.
This competitive edge now encompasses both physical stores and online platforms for physical retailers, with the aim to bind them ever closer to the platform.


Platforms Add Merchant Support as Japan's Online Fashion Wars Move Offline

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Convenience stores are bouncing back after a difficult 18 months, aided by efforts to find new ways to meet demand for home deliveries.</li>
<li>While conbini are ideally placed to do this, their less flexible business model means that competitors like food delivery companies are making the first moves.</li>
<li>These firms are already setting up dark stores for local deliveries and could grow into a new form of competition for convenience stores and local supermarkets.</li>
</ul>


Convenience stores are bouncing back after a difficult 18 months, aided by efforts to find new ways to meet demand for home deliveries.
While conbini are ideally placed to do this, their less flexible business model means that competitors like food delivery companies are making the first moves.
These firms are already setting up dark stores for local deliveries and could grow into a new form of competition for convenience stores and local supermarkets.


Home Delivery Next Evolution for Japan's Conbini Sector?

<ul>
<li>Qoo10 has become one of the most popular Japanese malls among young women for all things Korean, particularly cosmetics and fashion.</li>
<li>The online mall now wants to exploit this by creating a new dedicated fashion mall with better promotional opportunities for merchants of all nationalities.</li>
<li>This should bring more competition to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zozo-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18379:1" rel="noopener">ZOZO Inc (3092 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten Inc (4755 JP)</a>.</li>
</ul>


Qoo10 has become one of the most popular Japanese malls among young women for all things Korean, particularly cosmetics and fashion.
The online mall now wants to exploit this by creating a new dedicated fashion mall with better promotional opportunities for merchants of all nationalities.
This should bring more competition to ZOZO Inc (3092 JP) and Rakuten Inc (4755 JP).


Qoo10 Japan to Launch ¥10 Billion Fashion Mall Rival to Zozo

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

LG Energy Solution / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>Aequitas Research puts out a weekly update on the deals that were covered by the team recently along with updates for upcoming IPOs.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lg-energy-solution" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33464:1" rel="noopener">LG Energy Solution (373220 KS)</a> saw very strong demand for its mega US$10bn+ IPO.</li>
<li>While other IPO markets were in torpor, a number of placements continued to flow in.</li>
</ul>


Aequitas Research puts out a weekly update on the deals that were covered by the team recently along with updates for upcoming IPOs.

LG Energy Solution (373220 KS) saw very strong demand for its mega US$10bn+ IPO.
While other IPO markets were in torpor, a number of placements continued to flow in.


ECM Weekly (16th Jan 2022) - LG Energy, Hyundai Engineering, Nippon Paint, Sunac, JL Mag, JREITs

Japan

Rakuten Group, Inc. provides Internet services. The Company offers Internet finance services which including "Rakuten Card" and "Rakuten Bank". Rakuten Group also provides digital content services including electronic book services.

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Rakuten (4755 JP)

KDDI (Buy) - Follow-Up After Q3 21 Results

We are relatively sanguine about the impact of the 3G network shutdown whilst drivers behind the growth in consumer mobile subscriptions are...

Kirk Boodry

Platforms Add Merchant Support as Japan's Online Fashion Wars Move Offline

Zozo has had a good run during the pandemic and we continue to remain bullish about its growth thanks to many recent innovations but the biggest...

Michael Causton

Home Delivery Next Evolution for Japan's Conbini Sector?

Food delivery is evolving fast in Japan but not just for takeaways. Local delivery of essentials by food delivery firms is becoming a new source of...

Michael Causton

Qoo10 Japan to Launch ¥10 Billion Fashion Mall Rival to Zozo

Qoo10 is largely unknown outside Japan but has grown fast and is becoming more of a competitor to Zozo and Rakuten, particularly in the key market...

Michael Causton

ECM Weekly (16th Jan 2022) - LG Energy, Hyundai Engineering, Nippon Paint, Sunac, JL Mag, JREITs

Aequitas Research puts out a weekly update on the deals that were covered by the team recently along with updates for upcoming IPOs.

Sumeet Singh

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