Brief Japan: KDDI: 3Q18/19 Results Miss Slightly but Stock Is Poised to Benefit From Lower Handset Subsidies and more

In this briefing:

1. KDDI: 3Q18/19 Results Miss Slightly but Stock Is Poised to Benefit From Lower Handset Subsidies
2. 2019 Semiconductors: 5%+ Decline
3. Japan Stock Weekly
4. ZOZO: Earthbound
5. SCSK (9719 JP) Launches Buyout of Subsidiary VeriServe (3724 JP)

1. KDDI: 3Q18/19 Results Miss Slightly but Stock Is Poised to Benefit From Lower Handset Subsidies

KDDI’s (9433 JP) 3Q results were a small miss (2% vs our forecasts), at both the revenue and profit lines, but not enough to change our positive stance. A key part of our view is derived from our negative view on Apple (AAPL US) from August 2018 where we see an “air-pocket” of demand loss coming through. This is particularly important to Japan where the iPhone accounts for around 75% of smartphones. Apple has downgraded guidance and we believe is in a secular downtrend as refresh cycles elongate and that has been accentuated by the pull forward of demadn for the iPhone X. 

This is playing out in Japan, with KDDI reporting handset revenues down 13% YoY, and the key cause of the revenue miss. KDDI increased discounting to offset falling sales in 3Q adding a ¥9.9bn increase in handset costs in the quarter. Without that, EBIT would have beaten expectations. KPIs were generally strong, and service revenue trends improved to -0.1% YoY from -0.8%. Given the nature of the miss, and the fact the company is reiterating guidance we do not expect material changes to forecasts. Our price target is ¥4,100, and our recommendation remains Buy.

2. 2019 Semiconductors: 5%+ Decline

An earlier post outlined the general direction of the Objective Analysis 2019 forecast but didn’t provide any numbers.  In this post I explain the 5%+ decrease in revenues that the market will experience and how and why various elements play into that number.

3. Japan Stock Weekly

NGK Spark Plug (5334) – results in line, the shares are very cheap. The business should should continue to see steady growth – BUY

Foster (6794) – upward for the full year. This is nonetheless a poor year for the company but it is addressing this and earnings will bounce next year. 

M&A Capital (6080) – results much better and expected, and after poor second have next year, mainly due to timing of bookings, growth set to continue. 

Vector (6058) – BUY – this PR agent is oversold but growing fast. 

4. ZOZO: Earthbound

DOWN AND OUT – ZOZO (3092 JP)‘s third-quarter results which were announced yesterday, saw a 28% quarter-on-quarter increase in sales and trailing-twelve-month (TTM) revenues increased by 25%. Elsewhere the wheels are gradually coming off. In ZOZO most important quarter of the year, Operating Income rose by just 8.2% year-on-year and Net Income by 9.5%. As we mentioned in our previous Insight, Buying a Stairway to Heaven, ZOZO required at least ¥46b in revenues and ¥15b in operating income to meet their full-year forecasts. ¥36b and ¥10b failed to reach this high hurdle and, for the first time since listing, ZOZO has been required to revise down the company’s earnings forecasts. Revenues have been revised down by 20%, OPerating Income by 34% and Net Income by 36% compared to the company’s previous forecasts. Compared to the trailing-twelve-month number the revisions are +1% and -11%, respectively.  

DOWNSIDE RISK – If ZOZO has entered an era of low or no-growth, a revaluation fo the business to reflect such a reality could see the company’s shares fall by up to 50%

5. SCSK (9719 JP) Launches Buyout of Subsidiary VeriServe (3724 JP)

Today after the close, Sumitomo Corp (8053 JP) consolidated subsidiary SCSK Corp (9719 JP) announced a Tender Offer to buy out minorities in Veriserve Corp (3724 JP).

SCSK currently holds 2,900,000 shares or 55.59% of voting rights. 

The Tender Offer is at ¥6,700/share which is a 43.6% premium to the last traded price of the day before the announcement (¥4,665), a 44.6% premium to the one-month average, a 28.3% premium to the 3-month average, and a 36.6% premium to the 6-month average.

The price does not seem egregiously unfair, but for investors who own it who think it has another double in it this year they might get upset.

This is one of those situations with which the currently underway METI M&A Fairness enquiry might have a problem.

And if you care about the fairness of the M&A bidding and response process, and ensuring that minority investors get their interests defended by process, have a look at the METI Fair M&A panel and its consultation paper and by all means offer your comments.