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/recruit-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15070:1" rel="noopener">Recruit Holdings (6098 JP)</a>  reported 2QFY03/2024 results today. Revenues decreased YoY due to decline in HR Tech revenues, while operating profit for the quarter increased YoY. OP missed consensus marginally.</li>
<li>As we expected, the new pricing model has negatively impacted HR Tech revenues, and the segment’s earnings are forecast to decline further going into the second half.</li>
<li>There is further downside to earnings and the company's share price has moved up during the last few days, and we are set to nicely gain on the Short side.</li>
</ul>



Recruit Holdings (6098 JP)  reported 2QFY03/2024 results today. Revenues decreased YoY due to decline in HR Tech revenues, while operating profit for the quarter increased YoY. OP missed consensus marginally.
As we expected, the new pricing model has negatively impacted HR Tech revenues, and the segment’s earnings are forecast to decline further going into the second half.
There is further downside to earnings and the company's share price has moved up during the last few days, and we are set to nicely gain on the Short side.


Recruit 2Q: Earnings Further Slows Down; 2H To Be Even More Challenging

Pan-Asia Index Flows & Special Situations, Quiddity Advisors

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Pan-Asia Index Flows & Special Situations

Quiddity Advisors

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Quiddity's "Who is Ready" series of insights aims to objectively identify names listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange that are potential additions to the TOPIX Index in future.</li>
<li>Our main pre-event candidate <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/celsys-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20774:1" rel="noopener">CELSYS (3663 JP)</a> has outperformed TOPIX by ~12.6% since 1 Sep (when it was highlighted) and 6 Nov 2023.</li>
<li>There are three TOPIX Inclusion events confirmed for the end of November and two other interesting pre-event names we are closely monitoring.</li>
</ul>


Quiddity's "Who is Ready" series of insights aims to objectively identify names listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange that are potential additions to the TOPIX Index in future.
Our main pre-event candidate CELSYS (3663 JP) has outperformed TOPIX by ~12.6% since 1 Sep (when it was highlighted) and 6 Nov 2023.
There are three TOPIX Inclusion events confirmed for the end of November and two other interesting pre-event names we are closely monitoring.


TOPIX Inclusions: Who Is Ready (Nov 2023)

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

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cyberagent-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8197:1" rel="noopener">CyberAgent</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lixil-group-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:454:1" rel="noopener">Lixil Group</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hakuhodo-dy-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8736:1" rel="noopener">Hakuhodo Dy Holdings</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kobayashi-pharmaceutical-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14930:1" rel="noopener">Kobayashi Pharmaceutical</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/welcia-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20895:1" rel="noopener">Welcia Holdings</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/temp-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1428:1" rel="noopener">Persol Holdings</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kurita-water-industries-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3870:1" rel="noopener">Kurita Water Industries</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/gmo-payment-gateway-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1492:1" rel="noopener">GMO Payment Gateway</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/keio-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1223:1" rel="noopener">Keio Corp</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ngk-insulators-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12580:1" rel="noopener">NGK Insulators</a> have underperformed the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei225</a> over the recent past.</li>
<li>The underperformance could lead to adjustments in global passive portfolios and liquidity events on some of the stocks.</li>
<li>Short interest has increased on some stocks and there could be more pre-positioning to come over the next few weeks.</li>
</ul>



CyberAgent, Lixil Group, Hakuhodo Dy Holdings, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, Welcia Holdings, Persol Holdings, Kurita Water Industries, GMO Payment Gateway, Keio Corp and NGK Insulators have underperformed the Nikkei225 over the recent past.
The underperformance could lead to adjustments in global passive portfolios and liquidity events on some of the stocks.
Short interest has increased on some stocks and there could be more pre-positioning to come over the next few weeks.


Japan - Increase in Shorts on Some Interesting** Stocks

<ul>
<li>Recruit’s share price is down more than 10% over the last 30-days despite there being a significant improvement in job openings in the US for the month of August.</li>
<li>The web traffic on both Glassdoor and Indeed also have declined in September compared to August where there was a MoM improvement in August 2023.</li>
<li>Though Recruit has guided for a decline in earnings, we think there is further downside to the company’s guidance.</li>
</ul>


Recruit’s share price is down more than 10% over the last 30-days despite there being a significant improvement in job openings in the US for the month of August.
The web traffic on both Glassdoor and Indeed also have declined in September compared to August where there was a MoM improvement in August 2023.
Though Recruit has guided for a decline in earnings, we think there is further downside to the company’s guidance.


Recruit: Share Price Continues to Fall with Labor Markets Further Slow Down

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

Kokusai Electric  / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>KKR is looking to raise around US$750m via selling a stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kokusai-electric-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40152:1" rel="noopener">Kokusai Electric (6525 JP)</a> (KE) in its Japan IPO.</li>
<li>KE main business activities consist of the manufacturing, sales and maintenance service of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.</li>
<li>In this note, we talk about the positive aspects of the deal.</li>
</ul>


KKR is looking to raise around US$750m via selling a stake in Kokusai Electric (6525 JP) (KE) in its Japan IPO.
KE main business activities consist of the manufacturing, sales and maintenance service of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
In this note, we talk about the positive aspects of the deal.


Kokusai Electric Pre-IPO - The Positives - Well Established with High Market Share

Japan

Recruit Holdings Co. Ltd. operates information providing services in human resource, housing, bridal, travel, restaurants, beauty, automobiles, and education and more. The company also operate staffing services and advertising business.

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Recruit Holdings (6098 JP)

Recruit 2Q: Earnings Further Slows Down; 2H To Be Even More Challenging

Recruit's 2Q revenues further declined due to slowdown in HR Tech business. The new pricing model has negatively impacted HR Tech, earnings are...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

TOPIX Inclusions: Who Is Ready (Nov 2023)

Celsys, Visional, and Core Concept Technologies are interesting pre-event names for TOPIX Inclusion Events worth tracking over the next few months.

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Japan - Increase in Shorts on Some Interesting** Stocks

There are a few stocks in Japan that have underperformed the NKY over the last few months and that could lead to a liquidity event due to the...

Brian Freitas

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52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Recruit 2Q: Earnings Further Slows Down; 2H To Be Even More Challenging

​Recruit's 2Q revenues further declined due to slowdown in HR Tech business. The new pricing model has negatively impacted HR Tech, earnings are...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

TOPIX Inclusions: Who Is Ready (Nov 2023)

Celsys, Visional, and Core Concept Technologies are interesting pre-event names for TOPIX Inclusion Events worth tracking over the next few months.

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Japan - Increase in Shorts on Some Interesting** Stocks

There are a few stocks in Japan that have underperformed the NKY over the last few months and that could lead to a liquidity event due to the...

Brian Freitas

Recruit: Share Price Continues to Fall with Labor Markets Further Slow Down

​Recruit's share price is down more than 10% over last 30-days with weakening of labour markets. Though Recruit has already guided for earnings...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Kokusai Electric Pre-IPO - The Positives - Well Established with High Market Share

KKR is looking to raise around US$750m via selling a stake in Kokusai Electric (6525 JP) (KE) in its Japan IPO. In this note we talk about the...

Sumeet Singh

Recruit's 2Q revenues further declined due to slowdown in HR Tech business. The new pricing model has negatively impacted HR Tech, earnings are...

Recruit's share price is down more than 10% over last 30-days with weakening of labour markets. Though Recruit has already guided for earnings...