Brief Value Investing: Tochigi Bank (8550JP): Red Flags but No White Flags (Yet) and more

In this briefing:

1. Tochigi Bank (8550JP): Red Flags but No White Flags (Yet)
2. LG Uplus: Risks Now Largely Priced In. Raise to Neutral on CJ Hello Deal Synergies
3. Sing Holdings – Surge in Full-Year Earnings with a Surprise Hike in Dividend. 67% Upside. BUY.
4. US 10yr Triangle Geared for a Power Breakout
5. Value-Enhancing 5G Spectrum Allocations on the Way for KDDI, DoCoMo, Softbank and Rakuten

1. Tochigi Bank (8550JP): Red Flags but No White Flags (Yet)

If one were looking for evidence of the inherent dangers of risk concentration in the banking industry, one need only look to tiny secondary regional bank Tochigi Bank (8550 JP), which reported its earnings for the nine months to end-December 2018 on 31 January 2019.  Having made consolidated net profits of ¥1.57 billion in 1H FY3/2019, the bank plunged into the red in 3Q by ¥1.80 billion as a result of losses on disposing of fixed-rate US$-denominated securities.  Rather surprisingly, foreign investors own just over 21% of outstanding shares.  Tochigi Bank may not be the only small Japanese bank to run into trouble with its foreign securities portfolio in CY2019.  Caveat emptor!  (May the buyer beware)!

2. LG Uplus: Risks Now Largely Priced In. Raise to Neutral on CJ Hello Deal Synergies

LG Uplus (032640 KS) shares have fallen around 20% from the highs of January when the market was excited by 5G. That always seemed overly optimistic given the lack of viable business cases and unknown investment requirements and we were comfortable with our Sell rating from mid October and KRW15,000 target price.  Following weak results, an easing of 5G  enthusiasm and the recently announced CJ Hello (037560 KS) deal the share price has fallen to around the KRW15,000. Alastair Jones now thinks a lot of bad news is in the price and the available synergies from CJ Hello offset a weaker earnings outlook. 

3. Sing Holdings – Surge in Full-Year Earnings with a Surprise Hike in Dividend. 67% Upside. BUY.

Sing Holdings (SING SP) announced its FY18 full-year results this evening.

Results were largely in line with expectations.

Take-up rate at Parc Botannia improved from 62% in 3Q FY19 to 66% in 4Q FY19. With the biggest agency in Singapore marketing the project, sales at Parc Botannia is expected to pick up in 2019.

A key surprise in Sing Holdings’ FY18 results was the 20% hike in its dividend to 1.2 S-cents per share in FY18.

My fair value for SHL is pegged at S$0.66 per share, implying an upside potential of 67%. I maintain my BUY recommendation on Sing Holdings Ltd.

4. US 10yr Triangle Geared for a Power Breakout

Our macro stance touted a bearish yield scenario from 3.26% and again once below 3% with a target of 2.62% and has since been revised lower. Recent yield fade call from 2.80% targets much lower yields and will have a ripple effect globally.

A fresh plunge in yield would favor rate sensitive assets and warn of a harder slow down cycle. The bond market is pounding the table that global growth will slow more dramatically than what is currently priced into market and equities.

The offset is clearly a more dovish CB tone, China stimulus and closing in on sentiment capitulation.

Triangulation breakout will offer a powerful trade. Yields are set for a big move.

5. Value-Enhancing 5G Spectrum Allocations on the Way for KDDI, DoCoMo, Softbank and Rakuten

The Ministry of Industry Affairs and Communications (MIC, the regulator) will allocate 2.2 GHz of new spectrum bandwidth by the end of March equal to 2.8x the existing spectrum base. This is not unexpected but we think this is a good opportunity to re-iterate some of the positive points on 5G spectrum as operators make their final applications this month and we wait for a final decision in six weeks. Importantly, with ten spectrum channels, not everyone will be treated equally although all should benefit. We expect Rakuten Inc (4755 JP)  to pick up one-two bands whilst KDDI Corp (9433 JP) , NTT Docomo Inc (9437 JP) and Softbank Corp (9434 JP)  should all receive at least two.