Doing bespoke work since 2002....., Custom Products Group

Patrick Hansen

Doing bespoke work since 2002.....

Custom Products Group

Custom Products was started 14 years ago at Lehman Brothers by current co-founder Patrick Hansen, CFA. After 3 years at Lehman, Patrick moved the team to Macquarie Securities where Simon Rigney (co-founder) joined. 3 years ago we took Custom Products independent. 

Our core strength can be summed up three words. 1- Customization - we have very little off the shelf products and most work is done on a one on one bespoke basis. 2- Speed - We pride ourselves in our ability to get requests back to the client very quickly. 3- Confidentiality - We do not redistribute. There is no grace period where we wait a week and then mass blast. Any request stops with that client.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Since 2013 when the % of Buy recommendation to total hit a recently low of 43%, that percentage has slowly been inching upward to the current level of 50%. Over the same time, the % of Sell recommendation has fallen to a 10-year low of 6%. That means that 44% of recommendations are Hold, but that is a different story.<h2>TOPIX - % of BUY Recommendations to Total</h2><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/049/241/original/4.png?1523310567" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="49241"></figure>As you can see from the chart above, the % of Buy recommendations bottomed out during the GFC and rebound up to 56% in 2010. Since 2012 the…

Since 2013 when the % of Buy recommendation to total hit a recently low of 43%, that percentage has slowly been inching upward to the current level of 50%. Over the same time, the % of Sell recommendation has fallen to a 10-year low of 6%. That means that 44% of recommendations are Hold, but that is a different story.TOPIX - % of BUY Recommendations to TotalAs you can see from the chart above, the % of Buy recommendations bottomed out during the GFC and rebound up to 56% in 2010. Since 2012 the…

Half of Recommendations on TOPIX Companies Are BUY. Highest Since 2011....

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>For April 2026, 8 new transactions (firm and non-binding) were discussed on Smartkarma (by the Quiddity team) with an overall announced deal size of ~US$7bn.</li>
<li>The average premium for the new transactions announced (or first discussed) in April was ~56%, and a year-to-date average of 45%.</li>
<li>The average premiums for transactions in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019 were 49%, 43%, 39%, 41%, 33%, 31%, and 31%.</li>
</ul>


For April 2026, 8 new transactions (firm and non-binding) were discussed on Smartkarma (by the Quiddity team) with an overall announced deal size of ~US$7bn.
The average premium for the new transactions announced (or first discussed) in April was ~56%, and a year-to-date average of 45%.
The average premiums for transactions in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019 were 49%, 43%, 39%, 41%, 33%, 31%, and 31%.


Asia-Pac M&A, April 2026 Wrap: Atlas Arteria, European Lithium, OOh!Media, Global Ltd, Taiyo Holding

It is not just a Japan issue, a lot of US companies also hoard cash. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/666" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:666:1">Apple Inc (AAPL US)</a> for instance has $67bn sitting on the balance sheet. I do not mind if companies have a lot of cash, that means they must be doing something right. However if a company just sits on the cash and does nothing then it is just a waste. When more than half of the company's assets are in cash and that has been the case for more than 10 years, they do not have a profitable use for it. The cash is just sitting…

It is not just a Japan issue, a lot of US companies also hoard cash. Apple Inc (AAPL US) for instance has $67bn sitting on the balance sheet. I do not mind if companies have a lot of cash, that means they must be doing something right. However if a company just sits on the cash and does nothing then it is just a waste. When more than half of the company's assets are in cash and that has been the case for more than 10 years, they do not have a profitable use for it. The cash is just sitting…

Companies that Are Chronic Cash Hoarders....

Japan TMT Analyst

Pelham Smithers

Market Intel on Asian Tech with a Japan focus

Pelham Smithers Associates

Founded in 2009, Pelham Smithers Associates (PSA) provides market intelligence on Asian technology, focusing in particular on Japan. The industries covered by our team of specialists are: consumer electronics, telecomms, pharmaceuticals, internet, electronic parts and materials, automotive technology, retail and capital goods. 

Research is provided by the following:
Pelham Smithers: Macro, consumer electronics, telecoms & pharma
Joel Scheiman: Electronics materials / components
Julie Boote: Autos
Will Nestuk: Capital goods, machinery & transportation equipment parts
Thao Nguyen: eCommerce, internet content, marketing & advertising

The suggestion of government orchestration against <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/8979" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8979:1">Ono</a>’s immunotherapy treatment Opdivo (nivolumab) has moved a stage further with a report in the Nikkei that the Japanese Health Ministry is considering setting rules on new drug usage during this fiscal year, starting with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/8979" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8979:1">Ono</a>’s Opdivo and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/6091" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6091">Astellas</a>’s Repatha. Patients may be limited to those who can see certain impact from the treatment, which in turn would mean the drug could only be prescribed at those institutions with the facilities to check…

The suggestion of government orchestration against Ono’s immunotherapy treatment Opdivo (nivolumab) has moved a stage further with a report in the Nikkei that the Japanese Health Ministry is considering setting rules on new drug usage during this fiscal year, starting with Ono’s Opdivo and Astellas’s Repatha. Patients may be limited to those who can see certain impact from the treatment, which in turn would mean the drug could only be prescribed at those institutions with the facilities to check…

Opdivo Singled Out in Government Rule Change

<ul>
<li>I tally 23 - mostly firm, mostly Asia-Pac - arb transactions currently being discussed and analysed on Smartkarma. Those arbs metrics and upcoming events are detailed below.</li>
<li>One new deal was discussed on Smartkarma this week: <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/global-ltd-the" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9672:1" rel="noopener">Global (3271 JP)</a>. Both <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ronzgun-international-holdings" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40082:1" rel="noopener">Rongzun (1780 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/beijingwest-industries-interna" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13118:1" rel="noopener">BeijingWest Industries (2339 HK)</a> are suspended pursuant to the Hong Kong Takever's Code.</li>
<li>Key updates/news also took place on: <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/insignia-financial-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12349:1" rel="noopener">Insignia Financial (IFL AU)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/national-storage-reit" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13762:1" rel="noopener">National Storage REIT (NSR AU)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bright-smart-securities-commodities-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20511:1" rel="noopener">Bright Smart Securities (1428 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mcj-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14132:1" rel="noopener">MCJ (6670 JP)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/takara-bio-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10766:1" rel="noopener">Takara Bio Inc (4974 JP)</a>.</li>
</ul>


I tally 23 - mostly firm, mostly Asia-Pac - arb transactions currently being discussed and analysed on Smartkarma. Those arbs metrics and upcoming events are detailed below.
One new deal was discussed on Smartkarma this week: Global (3271 JP). Both Rongzun (1780 HK) and BeijingWest Industries (2339 HK) are suspended pursuant to the Hong Kong Takever's Code.
Key updates/news also took place on: Insignia Financial (IFL AU), National Storage REIT (NSR AU), Bright Smart Securities (1428 HK), MCJ (6670 JP), and Takara Bio Inc (4974 JP).


Asia-Pac M&A Weekly Wrap: The Global, Insignia Financial, National Storage REIT, MCJ, Takara Bio

Japan

TAKARA BIO INC. is a biopharmaceutical company.  The Company researches and develops reagents for genome engineering and analysis, technology used for gene therapy, and natural health food products using mushrooms and seaweed body and extracts.

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Takara Bio Inc (4974 JP)

Half of Recommendations on TOPIX Companies Are BUY. Highest Since 2011....

Since 2013 when the % of Buy recommendation to total hit a recently low of 43%, that percentage has slowly been inching upward to the current level...

Custom Products Group

Asia-Pac M&A, April 2026 Wrap: Atlas Arteria, European Lithium, OOh!Media, Global Ltd, Taiyo Holding

The average premium for the new transactions announced (or first discussed) in April was ~56%, and a year-to-date average of 45%.

David Blennerhassett

Companies that Are Chronic Cash Hoarders....

It is not just a Japan issue, a lot of US companies also hoard cash. Apple Inc (AAPL US) for instance has $67bn sitting on the balance sheet. I do...

Custom Products Group

Opdivo Singled Out in Government Rule Change

The suggestion of government orchestration against Ono’s immunotherapy treatment Opdivo (nivolumab) has moved a stage further with a report in the...

Pelham Smithers Associates

Asia-Pac M&A Weekly Wrap: The Global, Insignia Financial, National Storage REIT, MCJ, Takara Bio

This insight provides a summary of gross/annualised spreads (on deals discussed on Smartkarma) across Asia-Pacific as at the last trading date, and...

David Blennerhassett

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