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>Core inflation rates remain stubbornly high and real wages are still falling. </li>
<li>Surveys suggest one more major round of price hikes in October but the government still thinks prices will stabilise below its 2% target by the end of the year.</li>
<li>The increases are lowering consumer confidence – bad news for most retailers, although major discount chains are making hay while the sun, well, doesn’t shine.</li>
</ul>


Core inflation rates remain stubbornly high and real wages are still falling. 
Surveys suggest one more major round of price hikes in October but the government still thinks prices will stabilise below its 2% target by the end of the year.
The increases are lowering consumer confidence – bad news for most retailers, although major discount chains are making hay while the sun, well, doesn’t shine.


Japanese Prices Rise Again; 60% of Consumers Feeling the Pinch and Looking for Better Value

<ul>
<li>There has been a long-term trend of market concentration in Japan's retail sector for more than a decade.</li>
<li>But consolidation is accelerating due to the pressures to find growth in a depopulating market and the winner takes all phenomenon which rewards the leading chains.</li>
<li>With higher growth and greater access to capital for the best retailers, the net result is dramatically higher levels of M&amp;A in sectors like drugstores and even supermarkets.  </li>
</ul>


There has been a long-term trend of market concentration in Japan's retail sector for more than a decade.
But consolidation is accelerating due to the pressures to find growth in a depopulating market and the winner takes all phenomenon which rewards the leading chains.
With higher growth and greater access to capital for the best retailers, the net result is dramatically higher levels of M&amp;A in sectors like drugstores and even supermarkets.  


Japan Retail: Market Concentration Accelerates Through M&A and Organic Growth

<ul>
<li>Retailing is booming in Japan, backed by consumers getting out and about, buying enthusiastically and enjoying Japan’s shop-focused entertainment centres once again. </li>
<li>Tourists are back in record numbers, with 3 million a month entering Japan since March and well over 30 million expected in 2024 overall.</li>
<li>Inflation remains a concern, but we’re two years into this round of price increases and consumers are becoming resigned to higher prices. FY2024 will be another excellent year.</li>
</ul>


Retailing is booming in Japan, backed by consumers getting out and about, buying enthusiastically and enjoying Japan’s shop-focused entertainment centres once again. 
Tourists are back in record numbers, with 3 million a month entering Japan since March and well over 30 million expected in 2024 overall.
Inflation remains a concern, but we’re two years into this round of price increases and consumers are becoming resigned to higher prices. FY2024 will be another excellent year.


Japan's Retail Sector Grows Faster than 1990

<ul>
<li>The clothing sections of GMS chains and supermarkets have declined so far in relevance that most assume the format will disappear entirely. </li>
<li>But new efforts by Aeon, as well as collaborations by the likes of Ito-Yokado, could lead to a new lease of life and higher margins.</li>
<li>This may impact on retailers like Shimamura but the more likely result will be new opportunities to takeover supermarket apparel floors as Adastria is doing already.</li>
</ul>


The clothing sections of GMS chains and supermarkets have declined so far in relevance that most assume the format will disappear entirely. 
But new efforts by Aeon, as well as collaborations by the likes of Ito-Yokado, could lead to a new lease of life and higher margins.
This may impact on retailers like Shimamura but the more likely result will be new opportunities to takeover supermarket apparel floors as Adastria is doing already.


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

<ul>
<li>The bullish outlook for global equities (MSCI ACWI) that we initiated in early November 2023 remains intact; continue to ride this trend higher.</li>
<li>Many of the heavily-weighted countries in terms of global market capitalization (U.S., Europe, Japan) are extended; we'd welcome some consolidation, though it may come from higher levels.</li>
<li>Ultimately, market dynamics remain healthy, and we would treat pullbacks as buying opportunities. Downgrading India to market weight. Actionable Themes: Global Materials, Energy, Consumer Discretionary, and Industrials</li>
</ul>


The bullish outlook for global equities (MSCI ACWI) that we initiated in early November 2023 remains intact; continue to ride this trend higher.
Many of the heavily-weighted countries in terms of global market capitalization (U.S., Europe, Japan) are extended; we'd welcome some consolidation, though it may come from higher levels.
Ultimately, market dynamics remain healthy, and we would treat pullbacks as buying opportunities. Downgrading India to market weight. Actionable Themes: Global Materials, Energy, Consumer Discretionary, and Industrials


Bullish Outlook Intact; Downgrading India; Buys in Materials, Energy, Discretionary, Industrials

Japan

SHIMAMURA CO., Ltd. operates chain stores selling mainly clothing for men, women, children, and also bedding and furnishing goods.  The Company has stores in mainly suburb areas throughout Japan.

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52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
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Shimamura (8227 JP)

Japanese Prices Rise Again; 60% of Consumers Feeling the Pinch and Looking for Better Value

Japanese consumer markets have three big trends: higher prices/squeezed incomes, doubling of single households and more people feeling the pinch....

Michael Causton

Japan Retail: Market Concentration Accelerates Through M&A and Organic Growth

Market concentration in Japan's retail sector has been increasing due to the need for growth in a shrinking market, leading to a surge in M&A...

Michael Causton

Japan's Retail Sector Grows Faster than 1990

Retailing in Japan is thriving as consumers shop enthusiastically, despite concerns about inflation, and tourists return in record numbers. The...

Michael Causton

A Supermarket Clothing Revival in Japan?

GMS chains and supermarkets are reviving their clothing sections, potentially creating new opportunities for higher margins at GMS operations.

Michael Causton

Bullish Outlook Intact; Downgrading India; Buys in Materials, Energy, Discretionary, Industrials

Bullish Outlook Intact on MSCI ACWI; Downgrading India to Market; Market Dynamics Healthy; Treat Pullbacks as Buying Opportunities; Buys in global...

Vermilion Research

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Japanese Prices Rise Again; 60% of Consumers Feeling the Pinch and Looking for Better Value

Japanese consumer markets have three big trends: higher prices/squeezed incomes, doubling of single households and more people feeling the pinch....

Michael Causton

Japan Retail: Market Concentration Accelerates Through M&A and Organic Growth

​Market concentration in Japan's retail sector has been increasing due to the need for growth in a shrinking market, leading to a surge in M&A...

Michael Causton

Japan's Retail Sector Grows Faster than 1990

​Retailing in Japan is thriving as consumers shop enthusiastically, despite concerns about inflation, and tourists return in record numbers. The...

Michael Causton

A Supermarket Clothing Revival in Japan?

​GMS chains and supermarkets are reviving their clothing sections, potentially creating new opportunities for higher margins at GMS operations.

Michael Causton

Bullish Outlook Intact; Downgrading India; Buys in Materials, Energy, Discretionary, Industrials

Bullish Outlook Intact on MSCI ACWI; Downgrading India to Market; Market Dynamics Healthy; Treat Pullbacks as Buying Opportunities; Buys in global...

Vermilion Research

Market concentration in Japan's retail sector has been increasing due to the need for growth in a shrinking market, leading to a surge in M&A...

Retailing in Japan is thriving as consumers shop enthusiastically, despite concerns about inflation, and tourists return in record numbers. The...

GMS chains and supermarkets are reviving their clothing sections, potentially creating new opportunities for higher margins at GMS operations.