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. 

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Some Japanese department stores enjoyed record sales in FY2022 but the gap in performance accelerated between city centre stores and the rest. </li>
<li>While numerous regional properties continue to struggle, the best exemplars of urban department store retailing are flourishing as they become true luxury emporiums for the wealthy.</li>
<li>Department stores have rarely provided growth in either sales or OP but there is now a chance that the better chains will emerge as quite profitable entities.</li>
</ul>


Some Japanese department stores enjoyed record sales in FY2022 but the gap in performance accelerated between city centre stores and the rest. 
While numerous regional properties continue to struggle, the best exemplars of urban department store retailing are flourishing as they become true luxury emporiums for the wealthy.
Department stores have rarely provided growth in either sales or OP but there is now a chance that the better chains will emerge as quite profitable entities.


The Great Divide: Isetan and Hankyu Break Records as Regional Department Stores Close

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
Australian tax-loss selling is a thing. Retail investors will take gains on things that run up in price, or get taken over, then look for losses.</li>
<li>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-conch-venture-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19943:1" rel="noopener">China Conch Venture Holdings (586 HK)</a> / <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/anhui-conch-cement-co-ltd-094855ab-abec-4b71-956b-5bfc85e22fdd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:389:1" rel="noopener">Anhui Conch Cement (600585 CH)</a> ratio is at an all-time low. The implied stub is re-testing its all-time low.</li>
<li>Historically, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/canon-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1:1" rel="noopener">Canon (7751 JP)</a>'s buybacks are aggressive. It may pay to observe market data to see when they are done. It may also pay to look at peer outperformance cycles. </li>
</ul>



Australian tax-loss selling is a thing. Retail investors will take gains on things that run up in price, or get taken over, then look for losses.
The China Conch Venture Holdings (586 HK) / Anhui Conch Cement (600585 CH) ratio is at an all-time low. The implied stub is re-testing its all-time low.
Historically, Canon (7751 JP)'s buybacks are aggressive. It may pay to observe market data to see when they are done. It may also pay to look at peer outperformance cycles. 


Last Week in Event SPACE:Tax-Loss Selling In Australia, China Conch/Anhui Conch, Canon, Rakuten

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

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.

<ul>
<li>Last week, shareholders of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/seven-i-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1041:1" rel="noopener">Seven &amp; I Holdings (3382 JP)</a> rejected all four of the board nominees proposed by ValueAct.</li>
<li>ValueAct, seeing their higher vote count as a modest success, sent a letter to Seven &amp; I, requesting a resumption of discussions despite the failed attempt to remove senior leadership.</li>
<li>We think the company is unlikely to seriously consider Value Act's proposals any longer, indicating the end of the investor activism campaign.</li>
</ul>


Last week, shareholders of Seven &amp; I Holdings (3382 JP) rejected all four of the board nominees proposed by ValueAct.
ValueAct, seeing their higher vote count as a modest success, sent a letter to Seven &amp; I, requesting a resumption of discussions despite the failed attempt to remove senior leadership.
We think the company is unlikely to seriously consider Value Act's proposals any longer, indicating the end of the investor activism campaign.


Seven & I: ValueAct's Proposals Unlikely to Be Considered, Investor Activism Effectively Over

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

iShares MSCI ACWI ETF / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>There continues to be little traction above $93 on MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), which remains the top-end of our anticipated 2023 trading range. Important downside targets are $86, $84, and $75-77.</li>
<li>Additionally, the EURO STOXX 50 remains below 2-year resistance at 4400-4415.</li>
<li>We remain overweight Europe, Japan, and India, and we prefer to only add exposure on a pullback -- especially in Japan where indexes are bullish yet extended.</li>
</ul>


There continues to be little traction above $93 on MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), which remains the top-end of our anticipated 2023 trading range. Important downside targets are $86, $84, and $75-77.
Additionally, the EURO STOXX 50 remains below 2-year resistance at 4400-4415.
We remain overweight Europe, Japan, and India, and we prefer to only add exposure on a pullback -- especially in Japan where indexes are bullish yet extended.


No Traction Above $93 on ACWI-US or 4400-4415 on EURO STOXX 50. Buys in Defensives/Japan/EM

Equity Bottom-Up

Pan Pacific International Holdings / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Itochu, Familymart, PPI (Don Quijote) and their data analytics partners have come together in the first case of cross-retailer ad platform development.</li>
<li>Itochu provides the central relationship that ties these companies together, and other deals are likely given the significant potential for retail media.</li>
<li>The opportunity for brands to market to these retailers’ customers through highly targeted ads will become ever more compelling, delivering new revenue streams for Donki and Familymart.</li>
</ul>


Itochu, Familymart, PPI (Don Quijote) and their data analytics partners have come together in the first case of cross-retailer ad platform development.
Itochu provides the central relationship that ties these companies together, and other deals are likely given the significant potential for retail media.
The opportunity for brands to market to these retailers’ customers through highly targeted ads will become ever more compelling, delivering new revenue streams for Donki and Familymart.


Itochu and Donki Tie on Retail Media to Create Major New Revenue Stream

Japan

Seven & i Holdings Co., Ltd. is a holding company which was established through the merger of Ito-Yokado Co., Seven Eleven Japan Co., and Denny's Japan. The Company plans, manages, and operates mainly convenience stores, supermarkets, and department stores.

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Seven & I Holdings (3382 JP)

The Great Divide: Isetan and Hankyu Break Records as Regional Department Stores Close

Japan's department stores have rarely provided good returns due to anaemic profit margins. This is changing with Japan's best chains and stores now...

Michael Causton

Last Week in Event SPACE:Tax-Loss Selling In Australia, China Conch/Anhui Conch, Canon, Rakuten

The weekend is here! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed...

David Blennerhassett

Seven & I: ValueAct's Proposals Unlikely to Be Considered, Investor Activism Effectively Over

ValueAct, despite failed leadership removal attempt, requests discussions, but Seven & I is unlikely to consider proposals further, suggesting the...

Oshadhi Kumarasiri

No Traction Above $93 on ACWI-US or 4400-4415 on EURO STOXX 50. Buys in Defensives/Japan/EM

No Traction Above $93 on MSCI $ACWI or 4400-4415 on EURO #STOXX 50. Continues to reinforce our view from early-January that $93 on ACWI caps upside...

Vermilion Research

Itochu and Donki Tie on Retail Media to Create Major New Revenue Stream

Retail media is just emerging but will become a major source of new revenues for retailers in Japan thanks to their high footfall and customer...

Michael Causton

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