Daily Brief Equity Bottom-Up: Rakuten: Rewiring Japan’s Digital Economy – [Business Breakdowns and more

• Rakuten is a Japanese conglomerate with a diverse portfolio of businesses, including e-commerce, finance, travel, and mobile telephony.
• Founded during the late nineties global Internet boom, Rakuten has become a ubiquitous brand in Japan.
• The loyalty point system has become a key feature of Rakuten’s business model, connecting its various services together.

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• Remitly is a digital international money transfer company competing with traditional providers like Western Union and MoneyGram.
• Mario Sabelli sees Remitly as potentially becoming the “booking.com of the digital remittance space.”
• He believes Remitly is well-positioned to dominate the market due to its scale and competitive advantages over legacy competitors.

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• GitLab’s Q2 Fiscal Year 2025 results showcase a blend of growth and strategic enhancements, particularly in its DevSecOps platform enriched with AI capabilities.
• Revenue grew substantially by 31% year-over-year, totaling $183 million, a testament to the adoption of new accounts alongside expansions in existing clientele including notable names like Delaware North and Guild Mortgage.
• Baptista Research looks to evaluate the different factors that could influence the company’s price in the near future and attempts to carry out an independent valuation of the company using a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) methodology.

• In assessing the financial performance and business dynamics of Copart, Inc. for its fourth quarter and fiscal year 2024, certain key elements stand out which prospective investors should consider.
• The company reported a successful year, underscoring robust growth and strategic expansion across various segments of its operations.
• However, also noted were certain industry-wide challenges and specific business costs that affected overall financial outcomes.

• DICK’S Sporting Goods’ second quarter 2024 earnings showcased a compelling financial performance, emphasizing its robust strategies and execution capacities.
• The sporting goods retailer reported an encouraging 7.8% increase in sales compared to the previous year, reaching nearly $3.5 billion.
• This result reflects not only an enhancement of average sales tickets but also an uptick in transaction volumes, signaling strengthened consumer engagement and market share.

• Hong Kong market is range bound with conglomerates showing strength over the last few weeks.  As the CNY/HKD strengthens the A/H premium should narrow.
• SUNeVision Holdings (1686 HK) reported good results on the back of increased demand driven by the AI sector. 
• Yum China Holdings (9987 HK),Yum China Holdings (YUMC US) reported flat sales and an increase in operating profit in a difficult fast food retail environment in China.

• Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co (HPE) demonstrated a strong financial performance in the third quarter of fiscal 2024, reporting substantial year-over-year revenue growth and a marginal increase in non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share.
• As delineated in their earnings call, the company continues to navigate a dynamic market environment, focusing on growth sectors such as AI, hybrid cloud, and networking.
• Revenue reached $7.7 billion, a 10% increase from the previous year, which is attributed to notable growth in AI systems revenue and other portfolio enhancements.

• Casey’s General Stores wrapped up its first quarter of fiscal year 2025 with a positive outlook on its operations, financials, and strategic direction.
• Led by CEO Darren Rebelez and CFO Stephen Bramlage, the company’s performance reflected a strong start to the fiscal year with notable progress in both store operations and financial metrics.
• Baptista Research looks to evaluate the different factors that could influence the company’s price in the near future and attempts to carry out an independent valuation of the company using a Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) methodology.

• Asana’s second quarter fiscal year 2025 earnings presentation highlighted several fundamental aspects of the company’s financial health and strategic direction.
• The overall tone indicated cautious optimism, marked by a cautious stabilization in revenues with indications of accelerating growth in the foreseeable future.
• Financially, Asana reported a revenue increase of 10% year-over-year, surpassing its own projections and signaling subtle strength within certain operational segments.

• What you need to know: • ADF reported mixed Q2 financials that missed our revenue estimate due project delays but largely beat our profitability estimates.
• • Revenue came in at $74.9M vs. our $92.6M (due to $35M in delays) while EBITDA came in at $24.9M (33% margin) vs. our estimate of $17.9M.
• • Management remained bullish on the long-term growth of the sector and ended the quarter in large net cash position.