Analyst

Steve Zhou, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>According to public news, China is considering asking local governments to purchase significant amount of unsold homes in the country. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nippon-paint-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7387:1" rel="noopener">Nippon Paint Holdings (4612 JP)</a> is a good proxy for exposure to China property with downside protection.</li>
<li>China made up 40% of Nippon Paint's operating profit (1Q24 numbers).  Nippon Paint is the absolute leader in decorative paint in China, with 25% market share in 2023 (TUC).</li>
</ul>


According to public news, China is considering asking local governments to purchase significant amount of unsold homes in the country. 

Nippon Paint Holdings (4612 JP) is a good proxy for exposure to China property with downside protection.
China made up 40% of Nippon Paint's operating profit (1Q24 numbers).  Nippon Paint is the absolute leader in decorative paint in China, with 25% market share in 2023 (TUC).


Nippon Paint (4612 JP):  Strong 1Q24; Overlooked Proxy For China Property

Research from Water Tower Research, Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research

Research from Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research is a leading equity research firm that provides research on micro, small and mid cap companies.

Water Tower Research was founded by Wall Street veterans after witnessing a fundamental shift in the investment research industry with the result being a declining knowledge base among investors, a lack of awareness and a shrinking pool of fundamental research being conducted on companies across the small-cap and micro-cap spectrum. The same issues are now increasingly occurring in the mid-cap space. This sea change within the investment community is impacting not only the companies themselves but also current shareholders and potential investors. With significantly less active sell-side sponsorship by Wall Street, a substantial information gap has developed between companies and various constituents in the financial community. The net result is fewer channels for insight and information to flow between companies and investors.

Equity Research Firm

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>We joined WTR’s Head of Business Development Tim Regan on this week’s Water Tower Hour Podcast to recap what happened in the chemicals and materials technology industries in 2023 and to provide an outlook for 2024.</li><li>Those interested can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website.</li><li>WTR-CMI in 2023. With the majority of stocks in our index finishing 2023 in positive territory, the WTR-CMI Index managed to keep pace with the Russell 2000, appreciating 15%.</li></ul>

We joined WTR’s Head of Business Development Tim Regan on this week’s Water Tower Hour Podcast to recap what happened in the chemicals and materials technology industries in 2023 and to provide an outlook for 2024.Those interested can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or on our website.WTR-CMI in 2023. With the majority of stocks in our index finishing 2023 in positive territory, the WTR-CMI Index managed to keep pace with the Russell 2000, appreciating 15%.

Water Tower Hour Recap -  2023 Review and 2024 Outlook

<ul><li>Changes to WTR-CMI. Following the completion of Livent’s merger of equals with Allkem, the new company, with the new name Arcadium Lithium plc, is now trading under the symbols ALTM-NYSE and LTM-ASX, and has replaced LTHM in our index.</li><li>WTR-CMI last week. The S&amp;P 500 appreciated 1.2% last week, while the broader Russell 2000 managed to stay relatively flat, losing 0.3% of its value.</li><li>Our WTR-CMI Index declined 1.2%, dragged down by double-digit losses in lithium stocks and the continuing decline in the value of synthetic graphite maker EAF. </li></ul>

Changes to WTR-CMI. Following the completion of Livent’s merger of equals with Allkem, the new company, with the new name Arcadium Lithium plc, is now trading under the symbols ALTM-NYSE and LTM-ASX, and has replaced LTHM in our index.WTR-CMI last week. The S&amp;P 500 appreciated 1.2% last week, while the broader Russell 2000 managed to stay relatively flat, losing 0.3% of its value.Our WTR-CMI Index declined 1.2%, dragged down by double-digit losses in lithium stocks and the continuing decline in the value of synthetic graphite maker EAF. 

Mat-Chem Notes - For the Week Ended January 19, 2024

<ul><li>WTR-CMI in 2023. With the majority of stocks in our index finishing the year in positive territory, the WTR-CMI Index managed to keep pace with the Russell 2000, appreciating 15%.</li><li>However, both indexes fell well short of the 24% growth of the S&amp;P 500 in 2023, with the WTR- CMI Index dragged down by four companies that lost more than 50% in value during the year.</li><li>Weak demand and destocking. Looking back at 2023, several themes are emerging as we head into 2024, such as declining commodity prices and weakening end-market demand, with Y/Y volume comps affected by destocking across several end-markets since mid-year, as supply chain constraints, which characterized 2022, are resolved and companies go back to just-in-time inventory management.</li></ul>

WTR-CMI in 2023. With the majority of stocks in our index finishing the year in positive territory, the WTR-CMI Index managed to keep pace with the Russell 2000, appreciating 15%.However, both indexes fell well short of the 24% growth of the S&amp;P 500 in 2023, with the WTR- CMI Index dragged down by four companies that lost more than 50% in value during the year.Weak demand and destocking. Looking back at 2023, several themes are emerging as we head into 2024, such as declining commodity prices and weakening end-market demand, with Y/Y volume comps affected by destocking across several end-markets since mid-year, as supply chain constraints, which characterized 2022, are resolved and companies go back to just-in-time inventory management.

Industry Report - Chemicals & Materials Technology

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nippon-paint-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7387:1" rel="noopener">Nippon Paint Holdings (4612 JP)</a> announced a better-than-expected 3Q23 results this week, mainly driven by a resilient China decorative paint business. </li>
<li>The company also raised 2023 operating profit guidance, expecting around 6% higher operating profit (Y168bn from Y158bn previously).</li>
<li>At 21x forward PE, the company is attractively valued given the growth profile and strong market share position in most end-markets.  </li>
</ul>



Nippon Paint Holdings (4612 JP) announced a better-than-expected 3Q23 results this week, mainly driven by a resilient China decorative paint business. 
The company also raised 2023 operating profit guidance, expecting around 6% higher operating profit (Y168bn from Y158bn previously).
At 21x forward PE, the company is attractively valued given the growth profile and strong market share position in most end-markets.  


Nippon Paint (4612 JP):  Results Beat On Resilient China 2C Business

United States

The Sherwin-Williams Company manufactures, distributes, and sells paints, coatings, and related products.  The Company's products are sold to professional, industrial, commercial, and retail customers primarily in North and South America. Sherwin Williams also has additional operations in the Caribbean region, Europe and Asia.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Sherwin Williams Co (SHW US)

Nippon Paint (4612 JP): Strong 1Q24; Overlooked Proxy For China Property

China made up 40% of Nippon Paint's operating profit (1Q24 numbers). Nippon Paint is the absolute leader in decorative paint in China, with 25%...

Steve Zhou, CFA

Water Tower Hour Recap - 2023 Review and 2024 Outlook

WTR-CMI in 2023. With the majority of stocks in our index finishing 2023 in positive territory, the WTR-CMI Index managed to keep pace with the...

Water Tower Research

Mat-Chem Notes - For the Week Ended January 19, 2024

WTR-CMI last week. The S&P 500 appreciated 1.2% last week, while the broader Russell 2000 managed to stay relatively flat, losing 0.3% of its value.

Water Tower Research

Industry Report - Chemicals & Materials Technology

WTR-CMI in 2023. With the majority of stocks in our index finishing the year in positive territory, the WTR-CMI Index managed to keep pace with the...

Water Tower Research

Nippon Paint (4612 JP): Results Beat On Resilient China 2C Business

Nippon Paint Holdings reported strong 3Q23 results, mainly driven by its resilient China decorative paint business. The company also raised its...

Steve Zhou, CFA

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Nippon Paint (4612 JP): Strong 1Q24; Overlooked Proxy For China Property

China made up 40% of Nippon Paint's operating profit (1Q24 numbers). Nippon Paint is the absolute leader in decorative paint in China, with 25%...

Steve Zhou, CFA

Water Tower Hour Recap - 2023 Review and 2024 Outlook

WTR-CMI in 2023. With the majority of stocks in our index finishing 2023 in positive territory, the WTR-CMI Index managed to keep pace with the...

Water Tower Research

Mat-Chem Notes - For the Week Ended January 19, 2024

WTR-CMI last week. The S&P 500 appreciated 1.2% last week, while the broader Russell 2000 managed to stay relatively flat, losing 0.3% of its value.

Water Tower Research

Industry Report - Chemicals & Materials Technology

WTR-CMI in 2023. With the majority of stocks in our index finishing the year in positive territory, the WTR-CMI Index managed to keep pace with the...

Water Tower Research

Nippon Paint (4612 JP): Results Beat On Resilient China 2C Business

​Nippon Paint Holdings reported strong 3Q23 results, mainly driven by its resilient China decorative paint business. The company also raised its...

Steve Zhou, CFA

Nippon Paint Holdings reported strong 3Q23 results, mainly driven by its resilient China decorative paint business. The company also raised its...