'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

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.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/153/689/original/2020-08-20_08-32-43.png?1597879991" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="153689"></figure><div class="content-caption">All charts sourced from Japan Analytics.</div><p><strong>BRUTAL</strong> - The summer earnings 'season' reflected the broadening impact of COVID-19 on the Japanese and world economies, however, in terms of profit decline, the pace is more moderate than in the previous quarter. Japanese corporates are starting to engage in aggressive cost controls. As a result, an with no signs of virus abating or a vaccine being readily available, earnings will continue to decline in the current quarter. We have yet to reach a low point in this earnings cycle. Many companies delayed making initial forecasts for the current year. As that deficiency is gradually remedied, earnings forecasts are leading trailing results to the downside. The 'gap' for operating profits is ¥5.7 trillion, or 13%. A similar percentage fall applies to net income. Operating income is forecast to be 41% below the peak level of 2019; for net income, the decline is 57%. The aggregate forecast operating margin of 4.8%% is 294 bps lower than the peak, while the forecast net margin is 318 bps lower at 2.67%. If achieved, this outcome will exceed that of the 2008/9 financial crisis when the aggregate was negative. </p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/153/694/original/2020-08-20_09-02-34.png?1597881766" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="153694"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/153/695/original/2020-08-20_09-03-07.png?1597881801" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="153695"></figure><p><strong>TTM RESULTS &amp; FORECASTS</strong> - Using trailing-twelve-month data to smooth out the seasonality in earnings, TTM operating income is 29% lower year-on-year on a 6% decline in sales. Running the same comparison using published forecasts, operating profit expectations are 40% lower than a year ago and revenues 10% lower.</p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/153/727/original/2020-08-20_10-57-21.png?1597888653" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="153727"></figure><p><strong>DAMN THE TORPEDOES</strong> - Our scoring methodology tracks all quarterly results since 2003 and every annual and interim forecast made since 2013. The lines above represent the cap-weighted aggregates of those scores overlayed with the daily series for TOPIX. Other than the three years before the advent of 'Abenomics' and the last six months, the directional correlation is clear.  Mr Market, supported by the BoJ and Federal Reserve, is 'banking' on a sharp and sustained recovery over the next two quarters. </p><div class="content-highlight"><p>In the<strong> DETAIL</strong> section below, we shall review the actual results and initial and revised forecasts by Sector and highlight the best and worst-performing companies by one-quarter revenue and margin changes. We shall also review our Results and Revision Scoring for the market, Sectors and Companies.</p></div>

All charts sourced from Japan Analytics.BRUTAL - The summer earnings 'season' reflected the broadening impact of COVID-19 on the Japanese and world economies, however, in terms of profit decline, the pace is more moderate than in the previous quarter. Japanese corporates are starting to engage in aggressive cost controls. As a result, an with no signs of virus abating or a vaccine being readily available, earnings will continue to decline in the current quarter. We have yet to reach a low point in this earnings cycle. Many companies delayed making initial forecasts for the current year. As that deficiency is gradually remedied, earnings forecasts are leading trailing results to the downside. The 'gap' for operating profits is ¥5.7 trillion, or 13%. A similar percentage fall applies to net income. Operating income is forecast to be 41% below the peak level of 2019; for net income, the decline is 57%. The aggregate forecast operating margin of 4.8%% is 294 bps lower than the peak, while the forecast net margin is 318 bps lower at 2.67%. If achieved, this outcome will exceed that of the 2008/9 financial crisis when the aggregate was negative. TTM RESULTS &amp; FORECASTS - Using trailing-twelve-month data to smooth out the seasonality in earnings, TTM operating income is 29% lower year-on-year on a 6% decline in sales. Running the same comparison using published forecasts, operating profit expectations are 40% lower than a year ago and revenues 10% lower.DAMN THE TORPEDOES - Our scoring methodology tracks all quarterly results since 2003 and every annual and interim forecast made since 2013. The lines above represent the cap-weighted aggregates of those scores overlayed with the daily series for TOPIX. Other than the three years before the advent of 'Abenomics' and the last six months, the directional correlation is clear.  Mr Market, supported by the BoJ and Federal Reserve, is 'banking' on a sharp and sustained recovery over the next two quarters. In the DETAIL section below, we shall review the actual results and initial and revised forecasts by Sector and highlight the best and worst-performing companies by one-quarter revenue and margin changes. We shall also review our Results and Revision Scoring for the market, Sectors and Companies.

🇯🇵 JAPAN • IT’S A WRAP - Summer 2020 Results & Revisions Review

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Quantitative Analysis

<p>The question has been asked about dividends in Japan and what they may look like for the remainder of this year and into 2021. </p><p>Japanese companies have grown revenues over the past ten years, and have grown net income quite a bit faster. In addition, payout ratios have risen on a normalized basis since their last-decade lows in 2014. Because net income has dropped in the past year while dividends paid out have risen, payout ratios have spiked sharply. With the very large amount of buybacks executed in the past fiscal year to March 2020, total payout to shareholders has been quite significant. </p><p>But COVID-19 has changed things. When companies announced earnings in April and May, a huge swath of corporate Japan neglected to provide forecasts. The largest number I have ever seen provided forecasts in ranges rather than as numbers. When Q1 earnings came around, many companies made a stab at full-year. Some have provided dividend guidance but net income in the April-June quarter along with forecasts for H1 and FY have given the Street some comfort to be able to forecast earnings and DPS. If one looks at the top 500, top 1000, and full set of companies in TOPIX on a like-for-like basis (where guidance exists), company guidance on both net income and dividends is below where the Street is (on a consensus basis). I expect, for the moment, that the Street still may have some to come down. There is every possibility that covid-19 aftershocks will produce some VERY bad numbers, but I do not expect that many companies to exceed forecasts by a wide margin. Some WFH and tech names may do well, but Japan is not NASDAQ (much to the chagrin of Japan's investors). </p><p>On the whole, there are significant discrepancies in forecasts among sectors - autos, airlines, materials are all bad - but interestingly, there is also huge discrepancy among market cap biases. Even on a like-for-like basis on coverage or guidance, the top 500 names see total dividend forecasts for the FY to March 2021 only 3% lower than what was paid in the year to March 2020. That seems like a relatively small drop. The consensus implied drop in DPS for the next 500 names seems considerably larger, though some of this may be to worse data quality as you go down the market cap scale. </p><p><em>A study of dividends this year and beyond continues below.</em></p>

The question has been asked about dividends in Japan and what they may look like for the remainder of this year and into 2021. Japanese companies have grown revenues over the past ten years, and have grown net income quite a bit faster. In addition, payout ratios have risen on a normalized basis since their last-decade lows in 2014. Because net income has dropped in the past year while dividends paid out have risen, payout ratios have spiked sharply. With the very large amount of buybacks executed in the past fiscal year to March 2020, total payout to shareholders has been quite significant. But COVID-19 has changed things. When companies announced earnings in April and May, a huge swath of corporate Japan neglected to provide forecasts. The largest number I have ever seen provided forecasts in ranges rather than as numbers. When Q1 earnings came around, many companies made a stab at full-year. Some have provided dividend guidance but net income in the April-June quarter along with forecasts for H1 and FY have given the Street some comfort to be able to forecast earnings and DPS. If one looks at the top 500, top 1000, and full set of companies in TOPIX on a like-for-like basis (where guidance exists), company guidance on both net income and dividends is below where the Street is (on a consensus basis). I expect, for the moment, that the Street still may have some to come down. There is every possibility that covid-19 aftershocks will produce some VERY bad numbers, but I do not expect that many companies to exceed forecasts by a wide margin. Some WFH and tech names may do well, but Japan is not NASDAQ (much to the chagrin of Japan's investors). On the whole, there are significant discrepancies in forecasts among sectors - autos, airlines, materials are all bad - but interestingly, there is also huge discrepancy among market cap biases. Even on a like-for-like basis on coverage or guidance, the top 500 names see total dividend forecasts for the FY to March 2021 only 3% lower than what was paid in the year to March 2020. That seems like a relatively small drop. The consensus implied drop in DPS for the next 500 names seems considerably larger, though some of this may be to worse data quality as you go down the market cap scale. A study of dividends this year and beyond continues below.

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/149/834/original/2020-08-02_06-39-22.png?1596317982" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="149834"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><p><strong>CORRECTION</strong> - The last day of July saw the TOPIX index fall by 2.8% to reach a new two-month low, 8.2% below the closing high of June 8th. A combination of a strong yen, peak COVID-19 cases, the continuing unedifying stream of results &amp; revisions, and month-end portfolio 'adjustments' proved toxic. Our Results Score lost a further 57 basis points, while bullish initial full-year forecasts from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/takeda-pharmaceutical-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11747:1" rel="noopener">Takeda Pharmaceutical (4502 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/denso-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18703:1" rel="noopener">Denso (6902 JP)</a> helped the Forecast/Revision Score recover by 51 basis points. Nevertheless, the market's correlation with earnings and revisions momentum remains distorted by central bank liquidity. As noted in<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-market-update-tired" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:41562" rel="noopener"> Tired</a>, we expect both our Scores to bottom nearer the 2009 lows, in which case the Bank of Japan's cumulative purchases could reach over 10% of market value.</p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/149/839/original/2020-08-02_07-35-10.png?1596321328" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="149839"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><p><strong>DOWNFALL</strong> - After one-third of quarterly earnings announcements, at the current pace forward aggregate operating and net income could reach ¥35 trillion and ¥20 trillion, respectively by the end of the month, taking the market multiple to 30x, absent any further correction in share prices. </p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/149/840/original/2020-08-02_07-52-16.png?1596322358" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="149840"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><p><strong>SECTOR SCORES</strong> - As in past cycles, the <strong>Information Technology</strong>,<strong> Internet</strong>, and<strong> Healthcare</strong> Sectors have proved to be the most resilient. On the downside, the breadth of the lowest-scoring Sectors is abnormal, with <strong>Consumer Services</strong> and <strong>Transport &amp; Logistics</strong> joining <strong>Metals</strong>, <strong>Autos</strong>, <strong>Eletcial Equipment</strong> and<strong> Machinery</strong>. The trailing-twelve-month (TTM) results in the table below confirm the chart above but suggests some caution over <strong>Internet</strong> Sector margins.   </p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/149/842/original/2020-08-02_07-59-45.png?1596322803" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="149842"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><hr><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>•BEST &amp; WORST 31st JULY •</strong></p><p style="text-align: left;"><strong>BEST &amp; WORST</strong> - Combining the day's results, revisions and forecasts, we select the 'best' and the 'worst' announcements according to our scoring. On the podium were <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/takeda-pharmaceutical-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11747:1" rel="noopener">Takeda Pharmaceutical (4502 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/infocom-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8412:1" rel="noopener">Infocom (4348 JP)</a>. In the pits were <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/casio-computer-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18338:1" rel="noopener">Casio Computer (6952 JP)</a> and three railway lines - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/odakyu-electric-railway-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5405:1" rel="noopener">Odakyu (9007 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/west-japan-railway-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12077:1" rel="noopener">West Japan (9021 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/central-japan-railway-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13520:1" rel="noopener">Central Japan (9022 JP)</a> for which we will show the Peer Group's record-low long-term Scores.</p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/149/913/original/2020-08-02_08-30-42.png?1596324654" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="149913"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/149/914/original/2020-08-02_08-31-29.png?1596324699" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="149914"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/149/915/original/2020-08-02_08-33-28.png?1596324818" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="149915"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/149/916/original/2020-08-02_08-40-22.png?1596325251" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="149916"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><div>
<hr>
<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>DAILY STATS</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong>PERCENTAGES</strong> - <strong>66%</strong> of quarterly results,  <strong>71%</strong> of annual forecasts/revisions and <strong>75%</strong> of interim forecasts have negative Scores and <strong>26%</strong> of companies reporting lost money for the quarter.</p>
</div><hr><div><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>429 Quarterly Results</strong></p></div><div><ul>
<li>
<strong>Results Score:</strong> 28% Positive / 6% Neutral / 66% Negative</li>
<li>
<strong>Average Results Score Change:</strong> -3.1 points</li>
<li>
<strong>Average % Change in Revenue:</strong> -9.3% Quarter YoY / -2.0% Rolling TTM YoY </li>
<li>
<strong>Average Operating Profit Margin Change:</strong> -1.0 ppt</li>
<li>
<strong>Percentage Making Quarterly Losses:</strong> 26%</li>
</ul></div><hr><div><p style="text-align: center;"><br><strong>153 Annual • 115 Interim Forecasts/Revisions</strong></p></div><div><ul>
<li>
<strong>Annual Forecast/Revision Score:</strong> 26% Positive / 3% Neutral / 71% Negative</li>
<li>
<strong>Interim Forecast/Revision Score Change</strong>: 24% Positive / 1% Neutral / 75% Negative</li>
<li>
<strong>Average Forecast/Revision Score Change:</strong> -8.4 points</li>
</ul></div>

Source • Japan AnalyticsCORRECTION - The last day of July saw the TOPIX index fall by 2.8% to reach a new two-month low, 8.2% below the closing high of June 8th. A combination of a strong yen, peak COVID-19 cases, the continuing unedifying stream of results &amp; revisions, and month-end portfolio 'adjustments' proved toxic. Our Results Score lost a further 57 basis points, while bullish initial full-year forecasts from Takeda Pharmaceutical (4502 JP) and Denso (6902 JP) helped the Forecast/Revision Score recover by 51 basis points. Nevertheless, the market's correlation with earnings and revisions momentum remains distorted by central bank liquidity. As noted in Tired, we expect both our Scores to bottom nearer the 2009 lows, in which case the Bank of Japan's cumulative purchases could reach over 10% of market value.Source • Japan AnalyticsDOWNFALL - After one-third of quarterly earnings announcements, at the current pace forward aggregate operating and net income could reach ¥35 trillion and ¥20 trillion, respectively by the end of the month, taking the market multiple to 30x, absent any further correction in share prices. Source • Japan AnalyticsSECTOR SCORES - As in past cycles, the Information Technology, Internet, and Healthcare Sectors have proved to be the most resilient. On the downside, the breadth of the lowest-scoring Sectors is abnormal, with Consumer Services and Transport &amp; Logistics joining Metals, Autos, Eletcial Equipment and Machinery. The trailing-twelve-month (TTM) results in the table below confirm the chart above but suggests some caution over Internet Sector margins.   Source • Japan Analytics•BEST &amp; WORST 31st JULY •BEST &amp; WORST - Combining the day's results, revisions and forecasts, we select the 'best' and the 'worst' announcements according to our scoring. On the podium were Takeda Pharmaceutical (4502 JP) and Infocom (4348 JP). In the pits were Casio Computer (6952 JP) and three railway lines - Odakyu (9007 JP), West Japan (9021 JP) and Central Japan (9022 JP) for which we will show the Peer Group's record-low long-term Scores.Source • Japan Analytics

DAILY STATS
PERCENTAGES - 66% of quarterly results,  71% of annual forecasts/revisions and 75% of interim forecasts have negative Scores and 26% of companies reporting lost money for the quarter.
429 Quarterly Results

Results Score: 28% Positive / 6% Neutral / 66% Negative

Average Results Score Change: -3.1 points

Average % Change in Revenue: -9.3% Quarter YoY / -2.0% Rolling TTM YoY 

Average Operating Profit Margin Change: -1.0 ppt

Percentage Making Quarterly Losses: 26%
 153 Annual • 115 Interim Forecasts/Revisions

Annual Forecast/Revision Score: 26% Positive / 3% Neutral / 71% Negative

Interim Forecast/Revision Score Change: 24% Positive / 1% Neutral / 75% Negative

Average Forecast/Revision Score Change: -8.4 points


🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 31st July - Takeda, Yamato/SG, Seria, FP, Keyence, Dai-Ichi Sankyo

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/145/068/original/2020-07-09_13-43-33.png?1594269841" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="145068"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><p><strong>WHAT CURRENCY RISK?</strong> - It seems rather old-fashioned to raise the topic of currency risk in relation to potential stressors on Japanese listed companies. Compared to the thirty-five years to 2015, the last five years have been a period of benign calm in the USD/JPY exchange rate, aided and abetted by the action of central banks to eliminate interest rates and the functioning of the bond markets. Most observers expect this currency stability regime to continue and COVID-19 has so far only seen one short 'blip' to ¥102.36 on 9th March.</p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/145/095/original/2020-07-09_15-04-02.png?1594274675" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="145095"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><p><strong>¥ BELOW 100</strong> -  If we isolate only the 1,484 days in the last forty years when Yen has traded above ¥100, the average TOPIX index is 975. The three Yen 'peaks' we have highlighted above in 1995, 2011, and 2016 proved excellent entry points. The subsequent trough-to-peak performance was 43%, 139%, and 60%, respectively. The COVID-19-induced trough-to-peak is, so far, just 31%.</p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/145/101/original/2020-07-09_15-13-11.png?1594275216" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="145101"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><p><strong>KEY DRIVER </strong>- Nevertheless, for an increasingly-global Japan, the USDJPY exchange rate remains a key driver of earnings. With a lag of six months, the peaks and troughs of the USDJPY exchange rate have coincided with turning points in the earnings cycle as measured by our Results &amp; Revision Score. The six-month lag suggests that ignoring the impact of COVID-19, the exchange rate is mildly supportive of earnings momentum for the balance of 2020.</p><hr><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>• CORRELATION ANALYSIS •</strong></p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/145/499/original/2020-07-12_12-55-49.png?1594526165" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="145499"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/145/500/original/2020-07-12_13-13-53.png?1594527254" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="145500"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><div class="content-caption"></div><p><strong>CORRELATIONS</strong> - Our analysis of the currency risk of specific companies will be in two parts. The first and simplest is to examine the long-term positive and negative correlations of each listed larger-capitalisation company against the US dollar and Euro for the split-adjusted share price. This analysis will yield some surprising results, including the positive US Dollar correlation of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nippon-express-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18582:1" rel="noopener">Nippon Express (9062 JP)</a>, while <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikon-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7117:1" rel="noopener">Nikon (7731 JP)</a> is negatively correlated. </p><hr><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>• THE FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION ADJUSTMENT •</strong></p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/145/502/original/2020-07-12_13-22-12.png?1594527750" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="145502"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><p style="text-align: left;"><strong>FCTA </strong>- The second part is perhaps more abstruse, however but is a more accurate estimation of the actual currency risk embedded in the business model.  The Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment (FCTA) is part of Other Comprehensive Income and has been disclosed in Japanese GAAP-based balance sheets and income statements since 2001 and 2011, respectively to measure the extent of each company's global business and the embedded currency risk. The correlation of the aggregate FCTA for all non-financial companies is, as would be expected, reasonably tight. As these amounts are directly deducted from Net Assets for companies adopting JGAAP and from Shareholders' Equity for those companies reporting under SEC or IFRS standards, the impact on valuations cannot be ignored. For example, the decline in the US dollar from ¥123 to ¥101 in 2016 resulted in a six-quarter ¥53 trillion negative FCTA adjustment, 65% of the gap between Net Income and CITC over that period.</p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/145/273/original/2020-07-10_16-08-25.png?1594364929" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="145273"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><p><strong>CITC &amp; NET INCOME</strong> - Comprehensive Income adds a series of adjustments to Net Income to reflect as-yet-unrealised changes from currency translations, securities valuation differences, pensions, and deferred hedges. These adjustments are subsequently 'recycled' as and when realisations occur. In aggregate over the last seven years, Comprehensive Income has exceeded Net Income by a cumulative ¥56 trillion or 7%. However, as Comprehensive Income is inherently a more volatile data series, it is eschewed or overlooked by most analysts despite the direct impact on Shareholders' Equity. Nevertheless, Comprehensive Income illustrates that, as a result of increased globalisation and investments in marketable securities, the underlying earnings of Japanese corporates have become riskier than is implied by Net Income. In 2017, the FCTA resulted in an aggregate loss for Comprehensive Income to Common (CITC) and a corresponding decline in Shareholders' Equity for non-financial Japanese companies.  In the last two reported quarters, the 'gap' between Net Income and CITC has begun to widen again as both Valuation Differences and the FCTA have turned negative.</p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/145/447/original/2020-07-12_10-58-45.png?1594519146" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="145447"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><p><strong>FCTA BY SECTOR</strong> - Two-thirds of the total absolute FCTA over the last seven years comes from seven Sectors - <strong>Autos</strong>, <strong>Wholesale</strong>, <strong>Electrical Equipment</strong>,<strong> Technology Hardware</strong>, <strong>Machinery</strong>, <strong>Other Consumer Products</strong> and <strong>Telecommunications </strong>(Softbank Group). The least-exposed Sectors are<strong> Services</strong>, <strong>IT</strong> &amp;<strong> Internet</strong>,<strong> Multi-Industry</strong> and<strong> Restaurants</strong>.</p><hr><p>In the<strong> DETAIL</strong> section below, we shall look at the Accumulated Balance Sheet Foreign Currency Adjustments where <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/eisai-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:21001:1" rel="noopener">Eisai Co Ltd (4523 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dic-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7343:1" rel="noopener">Dic Corp (4631 JP)</a> have the most significant amounts of positive and negative Accumulated FCTA's relative to Equity, respectively.</p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/145/448/original/2020-07-12_11-12-20.png?1594519955" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="145448"></figure><div class="content-caption">
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/145/617/original/2020-07-13_15-35-04.png?1594622118" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="145617"></figure><p>Source • Japan Analytics</p>
</div><div class="content-highlight"><p><strong>This Part 6 concludes our Stress Test series. However, forthcoming Insights will look at the Valuation Differences component of Other Comprehensive Income and those companies with the most substantial CITC/Net Income 'gaps'.</strong></p></div>

Source • Japan AnalyticsWHAT CURRENCY RISK? - It seems rather old-fashioned to raise the topic of currency risk in relation to potential stressors on Japanese listed companies. Compared to the thirty-five years to 2015, the last five years have been a period of benign calm in the USD/JPY exchange rate, aided and abetted by the action of central banks to eliminate interest rates and the functioning of the bond markets. Most observers expect this currency stability regime to continue and COVID-19 has so far only seen one short 'blip' to ¥102.36 on 9th March.Source • Japan Analytics¥ BELOW 100 -  If we isolate only the 1,484 days in the last forty years when Yen has traded above ¥100, the average TOPIX index is 975. The three Yen 'peaks' we have highlighted above in 1995, 2011, and 2016 proved excellent entry points. The subsequent trough-to-peak performance was 43%, 139%, and 60%, respectively. The COVID-19-induced trough-to-peak is, so far, just 31%.Source • Japan AnalyticsKEY DRIVER - Nevertheless, for an increasingly-global Japan, the USDJPY exchange rate remains a key driver of earnings. With a lag of six months, the peaks and troughs of the USDJPY exchange rate have coincided with turning points in the earnings cycle as measured by our Results &amp; Revision Score. The six-month lag suggests that ignoring the impact of COVID-19, the exchange rate is mildly supportive of earnings momentum for the balance of 2020.• CORRELATION ANALYSIS •Source • Japan AnalyticsCORRELATIONS - Our analysis of the currency risk of specific companies will be in two parts. The first and simplest is to examine the long-term positive and negative correlations of each listed larger-capitalisation company against the US dollar and Euro for the split-adjusted share price. This analysis will yield some surprising results, including the positive US Dollar correlation of Nippon Express (9062 JP), while Nikon (7731 JP) is negatively correlated. • THE FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION ADJUSTMENT •Source • Japan AnalyticsFCTA - The second part is perhaps more abstruse, however but is a more accurate estimation of the actual currency risk embedded in the business model.  The Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment (FCTA) is part of Other Comprehensive Income and has been disclosed in Japanese GAAP-based balance sheets and income statements since 2001 and 2011, respectively to measure the extent of each company's global business and the embedded currency risk. The correlation of the aggregate FCTA for all non-financial companies is, as would be expected, reasonably tight. As these amounts are directly deducted from Net Assets for companies adopting JGAAP and from Shareholders' Equity for those companies reporting under SEC or IFRS standards, the impact on valuations cannot be ignored. For example, the decline in the US dollar from ¥123 to ¥101 in 2016 resulted in a six-quarter ¥53 trillion negative FCTA adjustment, 65% of the gap between Net Income and CITC over that period.Source • Japan AnalyticsCITC &amp; NET INCOME - Comprehensive Income adds a series of adjustments to Net Income to reflect as-yet-unrealised changes from currency translations, securities valuation differences, pensions, and deferred hedges. These adjustments are subsequently 'recycled' as and when realisations occur. In aggregate over the last seven years, Comprehensive Income has exceeded Net Income by a cumulative ¥56 trillion or 7%. However, as Comprehensive Income is inherently a more volatile data series, it is eschewed or overlooked by most analysts despite the direct impact on Shareholders' Equity. Nevertheless, Comprehensive Income illustrates that, as a result of increased globalisation and investments in marketable securities, the underlying earnings of Japanese corporates have become riskier than is implied by Net Income. In 2017, the FCTA resulted in an aggregate loss for Comprehensive Income to Common (CITC) and a corresponding decline in Shareholders' Equity for non-financial Japanese companies.  In the last two reported quarters, the 'gap' between Net Income and CITC has begun to widen again as both Valuation Differences and the FCTA have turned negative.Source • Japan AnalyticsFCTA BY SECTOR - Two-thirds of the total absolute FCTA over the last seven years comes from seven Sectors - Autos, Wholesale, Electrical Equipment, Technology Hardware, Machinery, Other Consumer Products and Telecommunications (Softbank Group). The least-exposed Sectors are Services, IT &amp; Internet, Multi-Industry and Restaurants.In the DETAIL section below, we shall look at the Accumulated Balance Sheet Foreign Currency Adjustments where Eisai Co Ltd (4523 JP) and Dic Corp (4631 JP) have the most significant amounts of positive and negative Accumulated FCTA's relative to Equity, respectively.
Source • Japan Analytics
This Part 6 concludes our Stress Test series. However, forthcoming Insights will look at the Valuation Differences component of Other Comprehensive Income and those companies with the most substantial CITC/Net Income 'gaps'.

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Stress Tests Part 6: Currency Risk

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Equity Analyst

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Olympus announced yesterday (24<sup>th</sup> June) that it will be selling its Imaging business to Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) and the parties are aiming to sign a binding definitive agreement for the transaction by September 30, after due diligence and further negotiations.</li>
<li>The 84-year old Imaging business is engaged in the production of exchangeable lens cameras, compact digital cameras, digital audio recorders, binoculars and other software and applications.</li>
<li>The Imaging business has been facing severe competition and the digital cameras have been replaced by smartphones with advanced cameras. As a result, the segment’s revenue has been declining while it has been making operating losses over the past three years despite Olympus’ efforts to revive the loss-making segment.</li>
</ul>


Olympus announced yesterday (24th June) that it will be selling its Imaging business to Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) and the parties are aiming to sign a binding definitive agreement for the transaction by September 30, after due diligence and further negotiations.
The 84-year old Imaging business is engaged in the production of exchangeable lens cameras, compact digital cameras, digital audio recorders, binoculars and other software and applications.
The Imaging business has been facing severe competition and the digital cameras have been replaced by smartphones with advanced cameras. As a result, the segment’s revenue has been declining while it has been making operating losses over the past three years despite Olympus’ efforts to revive the loss-making segment.


Olympus Finally Sells Its Loss-Making Camera Business

Japan

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd focuses on the Research & Development, Manufacturing, Sales and Marketing and Import/Export of Pharmaceutical Drugs. The Company focuses on the following core therapeutic areas: Cardiovascular & Metabolic, Oncology, Central Nervous System, Respiratory & Immunology, General Medicine (Gastrointestinal & Genitourinary) and Vaccine.

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Takeda Pharmaceutical (4502 JP)

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🇯🇵 JAPAN • Stress Tests Part 6: Currency Risk

WHAT CURRENCY RISK? - It seems rather old-fashioned to raise the topic of currency risk in relation to potential stressors on Japanese listed...

Campbell Gunn

Olympus Finally Sells Its Loss-Making Camera Business

Olympus announced yesterday (24th June) that it will be selling its Imaging business to Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) and the parties are aiming...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

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