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>FY Mar-24 results were ahead of guidance, but management's FY Mar-25 forecast has sales flat and profits down in the second half.</li>
<li>The shares have dropped back 24% from their all-time high, bringing the forward P/E ratio down to 22X.</li>
<li>China and foundry remain strong while North America and memory pick up. Guidance is probably conservative. Buy into the weakness.</li>
</ul>


FY Mar-24 results were ahead of guidance, but management's FY Mar-25 forecast has sales flat and profits down in the second half.
The shares have dropped back 24% from their all-time high, bringing the forward P/E ratio down to 22X.
China and foundry remain strong while North America and memory pick up. Guidance is probably conservative. Buy into the weakness.


Screen Holdings (7735 JP): Guiding for Lower Profits in H2

<ul>
<li>The share price was up 4.4% on Friday - and up 2.3x since the end of October - raising forward valuations to the high side of their usual range.</li>
<li>Management raised FY Mar-24 operating profit guidance slightly after 3Q results that were strong YoY but flat QoQ. 4Q should be better as finished goods inventory is shipped.</li>
<li>Operating efficiency has improved and a new semiconductor up-cycle has begun, but the numbers suggest caution. Take profits and reassess.</li>
</ul>


The share price was up 4.4% on Friday - and up 2.3x since the end of October - raising forward valuations to the high side of their usual range.
Management raised FY Mar-24 operating profit guidance slightly after 3Q results that were strong YoY but flat QoQ. 4Q should be better as finished goods inventory is shipped.
Operating efficiency has improved and a new semiconductor up-cycle has begun, but the numbers suggest caution. Take profits and reassess.


Screen Holdings (7735): Share Price Straight Up, Financials Not so Simple

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Irate U.S. politicians have gunned down their own tech sector, triggering declines of 7% to 20% among leading semiconductor equipment stocks outside China. </li>
<li>We expect a bounce after such large declines - and further gains for Naura and AMEC in China. </li>
<li>Investors now face difficult questions about the future of Chinese demand, the sustainability of the AI boom, and valuations. We are not optimistic.</li>
</ul>


Irate U.S. politicians have gunned down their own tech sector, triggering declines of 7% to 20% among leading semiconductor equipment stocks outside China. 
We expect a bounce after such large declines - and further gains for Naura and AMEC in China. 
Investors now face difficult questions about the future of Chinese demand, the sustainability of the AI boom, and valuations. We are not optimistic.


Semiconductor Equipment Stocks: A Bounce Before the Reckoning

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 were index review announcements for the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hong-kong-hang-seng-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22899:1" rel="noopener">HSI</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-seng-china-enterprises-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22900:1" rel="noopener">HSCEI INDEX</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-seng-tech-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31367:1" rel="noopener">HSTECH</a>, HSCI, HSIII and some global indices last week.</li>
<li>There are a bunch of review cutoffs early in the coming week followed by announcements for the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sse-science-and-technology-innovation-board-50-index" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29279:1" rel="noopener">STAR50 INDEX</a> and STAR100 Index later in the week.</li>
<li>Another week of outflows for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tracker-fund-of-hong-kong-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29257:1" rel="noopener">Tracker Fund of Hong Kong (2800 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hang-seng-china-enterprises-index-etf" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25:1" rel="noopener">Hang Seng H Share ETF (2828 HK)</a> as inflows to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ishares-msci-emerging-markets-223f5da3-7054-4e4f-bc55-b7f0852c2581" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31998:1" rel="noopener">iShares Emerging Markets ex-China (EMXC US)</a> continue.</li>
</ul>


There were index review announcements for the HSI, HSCEI INDEX, HSTECH, HSCI, HSIII and some global indices last week.
There are a bunch of review cutoffs early in the coming week followed by announcements for the STAR50 INDEX and STAR100 Index later in the week.
Another week of outflows for Tracker Fund of Hong Kong (2800 HK) and Hang Seng H Share ETF (2828 HK) as inflows to iShares Emerging Markets ex-China (EMXC US) continue.


Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: HSI, Screen Holdings, GMRI, SEA EM, MVIS, SET50, JP Positioning

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/screen-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5563:1" rel="noopener">SCREEN Holdings (7735 JP)</a> could be added to a global index at the end of the month and there will be a lot of buying in the stock.</li>
<li>There is a fair bit of positioning for the potential passive buying and there will be supply in the stock.</li>
<li>However, the stock trades cheaper than its peers and a correction could provide an opportunity for long-term investors to enter the stock.</li>
</ul>



SCREEN Holdings (7735 JP) could be added to a global index at the end of the month and there will be a lot of buying in the stock.
There is a fair bit of positioning for the potential passive buying and there will be supply in the stock.
However, the stock trades cheaper than its peers and a correction could provide an opportunity for long-term investors to enter the stock.


Screen Holdings (7735 JP): Positioning & Potential Passive Buying

Japan

SUMCO Corporation manufactures silicon wafers for the semiconductor industry. The Company produces silicon wafers used to produce solar batteries as well as ultra-high purity quartz used to produce vessels for silicon manufacturing process. SUMCO markets its products worldwide.

ROHM COMPANY LIMITED manufactures custom linear integrated circuits and semiconductor devices for use primarily in consumer electronics.  The Company has plants and sales offices worldwide.  Rohm's subsidiaries include Wako Electric and Apollo Electronics.

SHINKO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES CO., LTD. designs, manufactures, and markets advanced electronic materials, such as semiconductor packages, including leadframes, and PLP(Plastics Laminated Packages).  The Company markets its products worldwide through a network of sales offices in such places as the Philippines, Germany, and Hong Kong.

RORZE CORPORATION manufactures printed circuit board conveyers and wafer handlers for semiconductor manufacturing.  The Company also produces sorters and vacuum chamber robots, as well as controllers and stepping motor drivers used in various automation systems.  Rorze provides parts replacement and repair services for its products.

TOKYO SEIMITSU CO., LTD. manufactures and sells semiconductor manufacturing equipment and measuring instruments.  The Company produces wafer probing machines, wafer dicing machines, electron beam lithography systems, wafer inspection systems, and chemical mechanical planarizers (CMP) systems.

ULVAC, Inc. manufactures vacuum devices for industries such as semiconductor, electronics, chemical, pharmaceutical and food.  The Company's products include pumps, valves, gas analyzers, leak detectors, and surface profile measurement.

MICRONICS JAPAN CO., LTD. designs, manufactures, and markets probe cards, which are used to inspect semiconductors and integrated circuits (ICs).  The Company also makes wafer probers, probe card testers, IC handlers, and inspection devices used for liquid crystal display (LCD) manufacturing.

TOWA CORPORATION produces semiconductor manufacturing equipment including mold packaging, IC inspection units, precision molds and dies, and plastic molds. The Company also provides technical consultation.

Sanken Electric Co., Ltd. manufactures and sells discrete semiconductors such as diodes and transistors, and analog integrated circuits.  The Company also manufactures various kinds of adapters and surge/transient protectors.

Mitsui High-tec, Inc. produces integrated circuit leadframes, assembly parts, and related equipment.  The Company also manufactures and sells precision machine tools, such as metal molds for presses and machine tools. Mitsui High-tec also operates a real estate business.

MA-COM Technology Solutions Holdings Inc. provides high performance analog semiconductor solutions. The Company supplies semiconductors, active and passive components, and sub-assemblies for use in radio frequency, microwave, and millimeter wave applications. MA-COM Technology Solutions serves customers throughout the United States.

eMemory Technology, Inc. develops and provides logic non-volatile memory (LogicNVM) technology. The company licenses its intellectual property to semiconductor foundries, integrated devices manufacturers (IDMs), and fabless design houses around the world.

Nanya Technology Corp. manufactures and markets dynamic random access memories (DRAMs).  The Company sells its products in Taiwan and exports worldwide.

Sanan Optoelectronics Co., Ltd. operates in the business of researching, producing and selling of LED epitaxial wafers and wafers.

MKS Instruments, Inc. develops, manufactures, and supplies instruments and components used to control and analyze gases in semiconductor manufacturing and similar industrial manufacturing processes. The Company's products are used to manufacture flat panel displays, magnetic and optical storage devices and media, solar cells, fiber optic cables, and diamond thin films.

Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor Co., Ltd. manufactures discrete semiconductor devices. The Company's main products are High Voltage Diode, Silicon Rectifier Diode, Silicon Bridge Rectifier, MWO High Voltage Silicon Diode and special High Voltage Silicon Diode .

Tianjin Zhonghuan Semiconductor (002129 CH)

Hua Hong Semiconductor Limited manufactures semiconductors on 200mm wafers for specialty applications. The Company's products are used in the consumer electronic, communication, computing and industrial, and automotive industries.

Rambus Inc. designs, develops, licenses, and markets high-speed chip-to-chip interface technology to enhance the performance and cost-effectiveness of consumer electronics, computer systems, and other electronic systems.  The Company licenses semiconductor companies to manufacture and sell memory and logic ICs incorporating Rambus interface technology.

TongFu Microelectronics Co., Ltd. manufactures integrated chips. The Company provides assembling and testing service for memory, microprocessor, micro-controller, hybrid circuit, analog circuit, and other related services throughout China.

Realtek Semiconductor Corp. designs, tests, and distributes integrated circuits which are used in consumer electronics, computer systems and peripherals, and communication network hardware.  The Company also provides technical counseling and systems software services.

SCREEN Holdings Co Ltd.  manufactures and sell semiconductors, FPD devices, commercial printing and printed circuit boards(PCB). The company also provides additional services for its products.

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SCREEN Holdings (7735 JP)