Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets, JapanConsuming

Michael Causton

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets

Real Insight on Japanese Consumer Markets

JapanConsuming

JapanConsuming is a specialist research firm producing intelligence on Japanese retail and consumer markets. Founded in 2000, JapanConsuming has become the leading provider of insights on Japanese retailers and consumer trends to retailers, brands, government agencies and investors. As well as a highly regarded monthly report on the market, JapanConsuming produces in-depth reports on retail sectors, seminars on key trends and telephone consulting to investors on trends and retailers.

JapanConsuming was founded by Michael Causton and Roy Larke. 

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Amazon Netsuper is competing head to head with Rakuten’s online food platform in an online food sector that has <strong>grown 80% in four years</strong>. </li>
<li>Last month Amazon confirmed that Arcs, one of the largest supermarkets in Japan and the biggest in northern Japan, will join Life, Valor and Seijo Ishii in using its system.</li>
<li>Arcs’ online supermarket was already growing strongly but the tie-up with Amazon will take it to the next level, helping to compete with Aeon and Rakuten.</li>
</ul>


Amazon Netsuper is competing head to head with Rakuten’s online food platform in an online food sector that has grown 80% in four years. 
Last month Amazon confirmed that Arcs, one of the largest supermarkets in Japan and the biggest in northern Japan, will join Life, Valor and Seijo Ishii in using its system.
Arcs’ online supermarket was already growing strongly but the tie-up with Amazon will take it to the next level, helping to compete with Aeon and Rakuten.


Arcs' Online Expansion with Amazon a Worry for Rakuten and Aeon

<ul>
<li>Aeon and Seven &amp; I both have large financial services arms, generating a substantial share of consolidated profits.</li>
<li>With cashless payments now the norm, the old business models that relied on fees for cash dispensing are fast becoming outdated.</li>
<li>Both retailers plan major changes to create ecosystems that should deliver a lot more data to improve targeted marketing for e-commerce and retail stores.</li>
</ul>


Aeon and Seven &amp; I both have large financial services arms, generating a substantial share of consolidated profits.
With cashless payments now the norm, the old business models that relied on fees for cash dispensing are fast becoming outdated.
Both retailers plan major changes to create ecosystems that should deliver a lot more data to improve targeted marketing for e-commerce and retail stores.


Aeon and Seven & I to Create Ecosystems Via Financial Services

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

TSE Tokyo Price Index TOPIX / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>The MSCI ACWI index ACWI-US briefly fell below major support at $90.50-$91.50, though we do not consider it a "decisive" breakdown and we now see a false breakdown (bullish).</li>
<li>On MSCI ACWI (local currency), a false breakdown appears to already be in place, which is bullish as long as the index does not break to a new low.</li>
<li>MSCI EM (EEM-US) continues to hold above $36.50-$37 support, while MSCI ACWI ex-US (ACWX-US) and EAFE (EFA-US) remain above supports at $45 and $65-$66, respectively. Pullback is likely over.</li>
</ul>


The MSCI ACWI index ACWI-US briefly fell below major support at $90.50-$91.50, though we do not consider it a "decisive" breakdown and we now see a false breakdown (bullish).
On MSCI ACWI (local currency), a false breakdown appears to already be in place, which is bullish as long as the index does not break to a new low.
MSCI EM (EEM-US) continues to hold above $36.50-$37 support, while MSCI ACWI ex-US (ACWX-US) and EAFE (EFA-US) remain above supports at $45 and $65-$66, respectively. Pullback is likely over.


Japan Bullishly Inflecting; Constructive Outlook Intact; Global Pullback Likely Over

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>Seijo Ishii is Japan’s leading premium supermarket chain with some 200 stores and is being prepped for an IPO by its owner, Lawson. </li>
<li>After strong growth during Covid, sales have now flattened and the company’s large import business has suffered from higher costs due to the weak Yen and global crises.</li>
<li>To maintain its market position, it is reducing imports of packaged goods and increasing volumes of imported, high-end raw materials – and then manufacturing products itself.</li>
</ul>


Seijo Ishii is Japan’s leading premium supermarket chain with some 200 stores and is being prepped for an IPO by its owner, Lawson. 
After strong growth during Covid, sales have now flattened and the company’s large import business has suffered from higher costs due to the weak Yen and global crises.
To maintain its market position, it is reducing imports of packaged goods and increasing volumes of imported, high-end raw materials – and then manufacturing products itself.


Lawson: Seijo Ishii Producing at Home to Beat Inflation and Weak Yen

Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>OVERSEAS. SPX +0.7% with all sectors in the green ahead of expected soft CPI print on Wed; Oil strong with weaker USD; MSFT wins as Activision purchase progresses</li>
<li>JAPAN. NKY Futures +0.4% vs Cash; USDJPY 140.3; Markets start coalesing around BOJ policy shift; TSE kicks out 48 companies from Prime listing; Big Earnings Beat from Lawson(2651)</li>
<li>NUGGET. Building a global semi-supply chain is a central tenet of Japan's industrial policy. We think focusing on short term cyclical semi-weakness risks missing out on the home runs</li>
</ul>


OVERSEAS. SPX +0.7% with all sectors in the green ahead of expected soft CPI print on Wed; Oil strong with weaker USD; MSFT wins as Activision purchase progresses
JAPAN. NKY Futures +0.4% vs Cash; USDJPY 140.3; Markets start coalesing around BOJ policy shift; TSE kicks out 48 companies from Prime listing; Big Earnings Beat from Lawson(2651)
NUGGET. Building a global semi-supply chain is a central tenet of Japan's industrial policy. We think focusing on short term cyclical semi-weakness risks missing out on the home runs


Ohayo Japan|Equities Bid Ahead of CPI Print; NUGGET:China Semi Derisking - The Winner Is…Yes, Japan!

Japan

LAWSON, INC. operates a chain of convenience stores in Japan. The Company sells a variety of products including fast food, beverages, snacks, magazines, newspapers, and sundry goods.

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Lawson Inc (2651 JP)

Arcs' Online Expansion with Amazon a Worry for Rakuten and Aeon

Amazon Netsuper is challenging Rakuten's online food platform in a rapidly growing sector (up 80% in 4 years), with Arcs joining its system to...

Michael Causton

Aeon and Seven & I to Create Ecosystems Via Financial Services

Aeon and Seven & I are adapting to the cashless era by focusing on data-driven ecosystems for targeted marketing, which could turnaround financial...

Michael Causton

Japan Bullishly Inflecting; Constructive Outlook Intact; Global Pullback Likely Over

The MSCI $ACWI briefly fell below our $90.50 support but quickly reclaimed, suggesting a false breakdown and the likely end to this pullback in...

Vermilion Research

Lawson: Seijo Ishii Producing at Home to Beat Inflation and Weak Yen

Japan's leading premium supermarket chain, Seijo Ishii, is preparing for an IPO. To stay competitive, the company is reducing imports while...

Michael Causton

Ohayo Japan|Equities Bid Ahead of CPI Print; NUGGET:China Semi Derisking - The Winner Is…Yes, Japan!

SPX bid ahead of CPI as soft landing narrarive dominates; NKY Futures +0.4% vs Cash; USDJPY 140.3; Markets start coalesing around BOJ policy shift;...

Mark Chadwick

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Arcs' Online Expansion with Amazon a Worry for Rakuten and Aeon

​Amazon Netsuper is challenging Rakuten's online food platform in a rapidly growing sector (up 80% in 4 years), with Arcs joining its system to...

Michael Causton

Aeon and Seven & I to Create Ecosystems Via Financial Services

​Aeon and Seven & I are adapting to the cashless era by focusing on data-driven ecosystems for targeted marketing, which could turnaround financial...

Michael Causton

Japan Bullishly Inflecting; Constructive Outlook Intact; Global Pullback Likely Over

​The MSCI $ACWI briefly fell below our $90.50 support but quickly reclaimed, suggesting a false breakdown and the likely end to this pullback in...

Vermilion Research

Lawson: Seijo Ishii Producing at Home to Beat Inflation and Weak Yen

​Japan's leading premium supermarket chain, Seijo Ishii, is preparing for an IPO. To stay competitive, the company is reducing imports while...

Michael Causton

Ohayo Japan|Equities Bid Ahead of CPI Print; NUGGET:China Semi Derisking - The Winner Is…Yes, Japan!

SPX bid ahead of CPI as soft landing narrarive dominates; NKY Futures +0.4% vs Cash; USDJPY 140.3; Markets start coalesing around BOJ policy shift;...

Mark Chadwick

Amazon Netsuper is challenging Rakuten's online food platform in a rapidly growing sector (up 80% in 4 years), with Arcs joining its system to...

Aeon and Seven & I are adapting to the cashless era by focusing on data-driven ecosystems for targeted marketing, which could turnaround financial...

The MSCI $ACWI briefly fell below our $90.50 support but quickly reclaimed, suggesting a false breakdown and the likely end to this pullback in...

Japan's leading premium supermarket chain, Seijo Ishii, is preparing for an IPO. To stay competitive, the company is reducing imports while...