Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Equity Bottom-Up

Traditionally, telecom companies in mature markets are "easy."  Infrastructure is basically built, but there is always maintenance and capex to upgrade throughput. Churn is low. Customers occasionally add on new services. They are generally cash machines. Comparing telcos is often reasonably easy. Mostly it comes down to how aggressively the company prices to customers, how it seeks non-standard revenue off its infrastructure and sales base, or how it returns capital to shareholders. <div class="content-highlight">Every now and then, a telecom company gets complicated. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/softbank-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27445:1" rel="noopener">Softbank Corp (9434 JP)</a> is now one of those companies.</div>The issue is now significant enough that one should avoid using EBIT or EBITDA (or EBITDA less capex) for Softbank Corp as a comparative tool to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nippon-telegraph-telephone-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:623:1" rel="noopener">NTT (Nippon Telegraph &amp; Telephone) (9432 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kddi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:639:1" rel="noopener">KDDI Corp (9433 JP)</a> without more clarity. There is recently a new kicker involved too, which means one should probably consider Softbank Corp differently than the other two for OTHER reasons too.

Traditionally, telecom companies in mature markets are "easy."  Infrastructure is basically built, but there is always maintenance and capex to upgrade throughput. Churn is low. Customers occasionally add on new services. They are generally cash machines. Comparing telcos is often reasonably easy. Mostly it comes down to how aggressively the company prices to customers, how it seeks non-standard revenue off its infrastructure and sales base, or how it returns capital to shareholders. Every now and then, a telecom company gets complicated. Softbank Corp (9434 JP) is now one of those companies.The issue is now significant enough that one should avoid using EBIT or EBITDA (or EBITDA less capex) for Softbank Corp as a comparative tool to NTT (Nippon Telegraph &amp; Telephone) (9432 JP) and KDDI Corp (9433 JP) without more clarity. There is recently a new kicker involved too, which means one should probably consider Softbank Corp differently than the other two for OTHER reasons too. 

Softbank Corp - Accounting for The Accounting Is Complicated

'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)

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<div class="content-caption">Source for all charts: Japan Analytics</div>
NEV IN JAPAN - Japan has a reputation for being the world's leading market for finding listed companies with negative Enterprise Value (NEV). Based on a sample of 842,133 traded months for the 3,826 currently-listed non-financial companies in our universe since 1993, NEV-traded months represent 8%. One thousand and eleven companies have spent at least one month with a negative EV and the average NEV 'period' is just over two years.  The number of NEV companies has varied over the last thirty years, from only one in 1994 (Sanyu Construction 1841 JP) to a peak of 437 in 2009 - 15.4% of the universe. In the last two years, the percentage has doubled to 10% or 366 companies, most of which are small-cap.
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50 BPS -Accordingly, the aggregate (inverted) value of NEV stocks is ¥2.5 trillion or just 50 basis points of the aggregate of the universe. Nevertheless, the current value is at the upper end of the thirty-year range. We have excluded four non-financial companies - Z Holdings, Rakuten, Japan Post, and Sony - as they have financial subsidiaries on their balance sheets.
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NEV 'BUYS' - Brief periods, and occasionally extended, when higher-quality companies dip into NEV are often good long-term buying opportunities as shown above with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/temp-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1428:1" rel="noopener">Persol (2181 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toei-animation-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18641:1" rel="noopener">Toei Animation (4816 JP)</a>  and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hakuhodo-dy-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8736:1" rel="noopener">Hakuhodo DY (2433 JP)</a>. 
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NEV 'TRAPS' - Conversely, NEV can persist for years, 'trapping' both value investors and activists, particularly where management remain 'cloth-eared' such as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tokyo-broadcasting-system" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12981:1" rel="noopener">Tokyo Broadcasting System (9401 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toppan-printing-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11875:1" rel="noopener">Toppan Printing (7911 JP).</a>
<div class="content-highlight">
In the DETAIL section below, we will review the current large-cap NEV companies, as well the most persistent and the largest peak to trough NEV ranges and make some specific stock recommendations.
</div>


Source for all charts: Japan Analytics
NEV IN JAPAN - Japan has a reputation for being the world's leading market for finding listed companies with negative Enterprise Value (NEV). Based on a sample of 842,133 traded months for the 3,826 currently-listed non-financial companies in our universe since 1993, NEV-traded months represent 8%. One thousand and eleven companies have spent at least one month with a negative EV and the average NEV 'period' is just over two years.  The number of NEV companies has varied over the last thirty years, from only one in 1994 (Sanyu Construction 1841 JP) to a peak of 437 in 2009 - 15.4% of the universe. In the last two years, the percentage has doubled to 10% or 366 companies, most of which are small-cap.

50 BPS -Accordingly, the aggregate (inverted) value of NEV stocks is ¥2.5 trillion or just 50 basis points of the aggregate of the universe. Nevertheless, the current value is at the upper end of the thirty-year range. We have excluded four non-financial companies - Z Holdings, Rakuten, Japan Post, and Sony - as they have financial subsidiaries on their balance sheets.



NEV 'BUYS' - Brief periods, and occasionally extended, when higher-quality companies dip into NEV are often good long-term buying opportunities as shown above with Persol (2181 JP), Toei Animation (4816 JP)  and Hakuhodo DY (2433 JP). 


NEV 'TRAPS' - Conversely, NEV can persist for years, 'trapping' both value investors and activists, particularly where management remain 'cloth-eared' such as Tokyo Broadcasting System (9401 JP) and Toppan Printing (7911 JP).

In the DETAIL section below, we will review the current large-cap NEV companies, as well the most persistent and the largest peak to trough NEV ranges and make some specific stock recommendations.


🇯🇵 JAPAN • Looking for Value in Negative Enterprise Value

ja research

ja research is an independent research platform focused exclusively on Japanese equities. Leveraging data and graphic analysis provided by Japan Analytics, we provide insights on small and medium-sized companies that have been ignored by the sell-side as well as challenging conventional wisdom on larger companies. We also offer analyst and corporate access, the latter with translation if required. 

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/115/540/original/2020-01-30_04-53-40.png?1580327644" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="115540"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div>29TH JANUARY ROUNDUP - Thre were 74 results and 30 forecasts or revisions announcements yesterday. Of the 32 larger-cap companies reporting results, seven saw year-on-year declines in their quarterly OP of greater than 25%, while three - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nec-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:17084:1" rel="noopener">NEC (6701 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cyberagent-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8197:1" rel="noopener">CyberAgent(4751 JP)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/valuecommerce-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7970:1" rel="noopener">ValueCommerce (2491 JP)</a> grew profits by more than 25%, with the last of the three showing the strongest revenue growth. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/omron-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15904:1" rel="noopener">Omron (6645 JP)</a> saw sales fall by 23%. Our market composite cap-weighted Results Score declined by 8bps to 0.99FORECASTS - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/canon-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1:1" rel="noopener">Canon (7751 JP)</a> released the most optimistic forecasts and account for the 24bps uptick in our Forecast/Revision Score; however, in terms of OP the FY2020 forecast is the same as the FY2016 actual result which was the second-worst outcome in the last decade after FY2019. The weakest outlook came from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/screen-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5563:1" rel="noopener">Screen (7735 JP)</a> (-28% v TTM OP), which, when combined with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/advantest-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18107:1" rel="noopener">Advantest (6857 JP)</a>'s third-quarter results, should go some way to puncturing the current fad for owning SPE companies.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/115/543/original/2020-01-30_05-28-22.png?1580329720" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="115543"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div>POST-RELEASE RPS CHANGES - Of the larger-cap companies announcing the day before yesterday or pre-close yesterday, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/obic-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1273:1" rel="noopener">OBIC (4684 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/obic-business-consultants" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:17383:1" rel="noopener">Obic Business Consultants (4733 JP)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sakai-moving-service-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10020:1" rel="noopener">Sakai Moving Service (9039 JP)</a> saw Relative Price Score declines. In contrast, the two Canon group companies, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/m3-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13316:1" rel="noopener">M3 (2413 JP)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sekisui-jushi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7654:1" rel="noopener">Sekisui Jushi (4212 JP)</a> rose.  In the DETAIL below, we review our Sector Timelines and the announcements from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fanuc-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:752:1" rel="noopener">Fanuc (6954 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/canon-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1:1" rel="noopener">Canon (7751 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nec-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:17084:1" rel="noopener">NEC (6701 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cyberagent-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8197:1" rel="noopener">CyberAgent (4751 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/omron-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15904:1" rel="noopener">Omron (6645 JP)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/advantest-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18107:1" rel="noopener">Advantest(6857 JP)</a>.

Source • Japan Analytics29TH JANUARY ROUNDUP - Thre were 74 results and 30 forecasts or revisions announcements yesterday. Of the 32 larger-cap companies reporting results, seven saw year-on-year declines in their quarterly OP of greater than 25%, while three - NEC (6701 JP), CyberAgent(4751 JP), and ValueCommerce (2491 JP) grew profits by more than 25%, with the last of the three showing the strongest revenue growth. Omron (6645 JP) saw sales fall by 23%. Our market composite cap-weighted Results Score declined by 8bps to 0.99FORECASTS - Canon (7751 JP) released the most optimistic forecasts and account for the 24bps uptick in our Forecast/Revision Score; however, in terms of OP the FY2020 forecast is the same as the FY2016 actual result which was the second-worst outcome in the last decade after FY2019. The weakest outlook came from Screen (7735 JP) (-28% v TTM OP), which, when combined with Advantest (6857 JP)'s third-quarter results, should go some way to puncturing the current fad for owning SPE companies.Source • Japan AnalyticsPOST-RELEASE RPS CHANGES - Of the larger-cap companies announcing the day before yesterday or pre-close yesterday, OBIC (4684 JP), Obic Business Consultants (4733 JP), and Sakai Moving Service (9039 JP) saw Relative Price Score declines. In contrast, the two Canon group companies, M3 (2413 JP), and Sekisui Jushi (4212 JP) rose.  In the DETAIL below, we review our Sector Timelines and the announcements from Fanuc (6954 JP), Canon (7751 JP), NEC (6701 JP), CyberAgent (4751 JP), Omron (6645 JP), and Advantest(6857 JP). 

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions Daily Roundup - 29th January - 6954▲ 7751► 6701▲ 4751▲ 6645▼6857▼

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

As global equity markets pull back amid the U.S./China tariff saga we continue to believe this is an attractive time to add exposure. This view is supported technically with all major global indexes (MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-U.S., EAFE, and EM) pulling back to their respective 200-day moving averages. In this report we highlight important technical levels across global markets and highlight actionable opportunities from a bottoms-up perspective within Europe (attractive pullback opportunity on the STOXX Europe 600 index) and Japan, including stocks within Financials, Communications, Consumer Discretionary, and Manufacturing.

As global equity markets pull back amid the U.S./China tariff saga we continue to believe this is an attractive time to add exposure. This view is supported technically with all major global indexes (MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-U.S., EAFE, and EM) pulling back to their respective 200-day moving averages. In this report we highlight important technical levels across global markets and highlight actionable opportunities from a bottoms-up perspective within Europe (attractive pullback opportunity on the STOXX Europe 600 index) and Japan, including stocks within Financials, Communications, Consumer Discretionary, and Manufacturing.

Opportunities in European & Japanese Equities

<div class="content-caption">
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/083/132/original/2019-03-25_18-58-11.png?1553507902" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="83132"></figure>Source: Japan Analytics
</div>There are currently 241 listed Japanese companies that can be categorised as Internet businesses. Our classification overlaps with the TOPIX-33 Information &amp; Communication sub-Sector but is broader in that it encompasses all companies listed on all sections and exchanges but is also narrower in that we have excluded Telecommunications (including <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/315" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:315:1">S</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/315" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:315:1">oftbank Group (9984 JP)</a>) and Information Technology companies. We have adopted a 'quantamental' approach which covers the long-term and current trends for Japan's Internet Sector as a whole, as well as eight sub-Sectors or Peer Groups and the Sectors' leading companies by market capitalisation.  Our focus is exclusively on the locally-listed universe and is based on disclosed financial and market data. We do not provide any forecasts, other than the companies' own forecasts and we do not attempt to make any business model or strategic judgments. Our focus is purely on financial and market performance. We do not cover unlisted and defunct companies such as Livedoor and, therefore, there is implicit survivor bias in the data. The broad themes that are developed in DETAIL below are grouped into six topics as follows: - • SUMMARY •  • FUNDAMENTAL OVERVIEW •  • SCORING - RESULTS &amp; REVISIONS / RELATIVE PRICE •  • RESULTS TRENDS •  • VALUATION • • RECOMMENDATIONS •<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/083/206/original/2019-03-25_17-46-58.png?1553565764" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="83206"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>OVERVIEW - As will be covered in greater DETAIL below, Japan has failed to evolve a substantial Internet Sector and, in many business models, has been passed by global competitors including in the home market. Although Internet Sector revenues have grown steadily and now account for close to 1% of the total for all listed companies, operating margins have declined by half in the last seven years and are now only four percentage points higher than the market average. Accordingly, as measured by our Results &amp; Revision Score, the Sector is close to a twelve-year low. The market's response is an unchanged Sector weight in the market composite despite the addition of 111 new companies in the last six years, and a Relative Price Score that has moved in a narrow range over that period. The Sector averages disguise the weak business and market performance of a handful of Sector leaders as well as the overvaluation of the Sector's more successful business models, which is partly a result of a lack of alternatives. Despite the world's most significant Internet investor - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/315" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:315:1">Softbank Group (9984 JP)</a>'s Vision Fund - being based in Japan, this fund and other global investors in Internet business have been right to give Japan a 'pass'.


Source: Japan Analytics
There are currently 241 listed Japanese companies that can be categorised as Internet businesses. Our classification overlaps with the TOPIX-33 Information &amp; Communication sub-Sector but is broader in that it encompasses all companies listed on all sections and exchanges but is also narrower in that we have excluded Telecommunications (including Softbank Group (9984 JP)) and Information Technology companies. We have adopted a 'quantamental' approach which covers the long-term and current trends for Japan's Internet Sector as a whole, as well as eight sub-Sectors or Peer Groups and the Sectors' leading companies by market capitalisation.  Our focus is exclusively on the locally-listed universe and is based on disclosed financial and market data. We do not provide any forecasts, other than the companies' own forecasts and we do not attempt to make any business model or strategic judgments. Our focus is purely on financial and market performance. We do not cover unlisted and defunct companies such as Livedoor and, therefore, there is implicit survivor bias in the data. The broad themes that are developed in DETAIL below are grouped into six topics as follows: - • SUMMARY •  • FUNDAMENTAL OVERVIEW •  • SCORING - RESULTS &amp; REVISIONS / RELATIVE PRICE •  • RESULTS TRENDS •  • VALUATION • • RECOMMENDATIONS •Source: Japan AnalyticsOVERVIEW - As will be covered in greater DETAIL below, Japan has failed to evolve a substantial Internet Sector and, in many business models, has been passed by global competitors including in the home market. Although Internet Sector revenues have grown steadily and now account for close to 1% of the total for all listed companies, operating margins have declined by half in the last seven years and are now only four percentage points higher than the market average. Accordingly, as measured by our Results &amp; Revision Score, the Sector is close to a twelve-year low. The market's response is an unchanged Sector weight in the market composite despite the addition of 111 new companies in the last six years, and a Relative Price Score that has moved in a narrow range over that period. The Sector averages disguise the weak business and market performance of a handful of Sector leaders as well as the overvaluation of the Sector's more successful business models, which is partly a result of a lack of alternatives. Despite the world's most significant Internet investor - Softbank Group (9984 JP)'s Vision Fund - being based in Japan, this fund and other global investors in Internet business have been right to give Japan a 'pass'. 

🇯🇵 Japan • Internet Sector Review - 'Japan Passing'

Japan

ValueCommerce Co., Ltd. offers Internet marketing solutions through affiliate program management services.  The Company also provides SEM (Search Engine Marketing) and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) services.  ValueCommerce also provides consulting services.

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Valuecommerce (2491 JP)

Softbank Corp - Accounting for The Accounting Is Complicated

Softbank Corporation is more expensive than it appears when one uses traditional telco metrics such as EV/EBITDA or EV/OP multiples. It's all in...

Travis Lundy

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Looking for Value in Negative Enterprise Value

NEV IN JAPAN - Japan has a reputation for being the world's leading market for finding listed companies with negative Enterprise Value (NEV)....

Campbell Gunn

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions Daily Roundup - 29th January - 6954▲ 7751► 6701▲ 4751▲ 6645▼6857▼

29TH JANUARY ROUNDUP - Thre were 74 results and 30 forecasts or revisions announcements yesterday. Of the 32 larger-cap companies reporting...

Campbell Gunn

Opportunities in European & Japanese Equities

As global equity markets pull back amid the U.S./China tariff saga we continue to believe this is an attractive time to add exposure. This view is...

Vermilion Research

🇯🇵 Japan • Internet Sector Review - 'Japan Passing'

There are currently 241 listed Japanese companies that can be categorised as Internet businesses. Our classification overlaps with the TOPIX-33...

Campbell Gunn

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