Senior Bank Analyst - Japanese Banks, Windamee Research

J. Brian Waterhouse

J. Brian Waterhouse has been covering the Japanese financial sector as an analyst continuously since 1976, working for CLSA, Japaninvest, Rabobank, HSBC Securities, James Capel, Marine Midland Bank of New York and National & Grindlays Bank.  He has been ranked No.1 overall in Japanese banks research in Japan by Asiamoney for 6 of the past 9 years and was runner-up in 2015.  He was awarded the coveted Starmine prize as top Japanese bank stock picker in 2012 and 2014 and was runner-up in 2013.  He frequently appears on TV, radio and in international print media as a commentator on Japanese banking.

Senior Bank Analyst - Japanese Banks

Gravity Works As WeWork Doesn't; Now Plan B

Windamee Research

Japanese Banks

Equity Bottom-Up

CY2020 has not been a good year for embattled <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aozora-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6483:1" rel="noopener">Aozora Bank Ltd (8304 JP)</a>.  FY3/2020 actual results were well short of guidance, with falling net interest and fee income, rising General Administrative Expenses (GAE) and an 11-fold increase in credit costs all contributing to the disappointing performance.  FY3/2021 management guidance bravely calls for a modest improvement over FY3/2020 actual results, which we think represents a very challenging target in the current operating environment.  To add fuel to the flames, management has slashed the forecast dividend from ¥155/share to ¥122/share, the effect of which has been to send the share price tumbling.  The stock price has fallen 38.7% in the last three months alone, and is by far the worst-performing of the major bank stocks to date.  There are ominous signs scattered throughout the balance-sheet and financial statements that FY3/2021 will be a challenging year for the bank, yet foreign investors still own in aggregate a significant proportion of Aozora Bank’s outstanding shares.
Caveat Emptor!  (May the Buyer Beware!)

CY2020 has not been a good year for embattled Aozora Bank Ltd (8304 JP).  FY3/2020 actual results were well short of guidance, with falling net interest and fee income, rising General Administrative Expenses (GAE) and an 11-fold increase in credit costs all contributing to the disappointing performance.  FY3/2021 management guidance bravely calls for a modest improvement over FY3/2020 actual results, which we think represents a very challenging target in the current operating environment.  To add fuel to the flames, management has slashed the forecast dividend from ¥155/share to ¥122/share, the effect of which has been to send the share price tumbling.  The stock price has fallen 38.7% in the last three months alone, and is by far the worst-performing of the major bank stocks to date.  There are ominous signs scattered throughout the balance-sheet and financial statements that FY3/2021 will be a challenging year for the bank, yet foreign investors still own in aggregate a significant proportion of Aozora Bank’s outstanding shares.
Caveat Emptor!  (May the Buyer Beware!)

Tokyo Kiraboshi Financial Group (7173 JP)

Aozora Bank  (8304 JP):  When Blue Skies Turn to Grey