Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Small cap Japanese manufacturer and purveyor of apparel <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/daidoh-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18256:1" rel="noopener">Daidoh Ltd (3205 JP)</a> has consistently been a target for value investors. In late 2022, Strategic Capital went over 5%.</li>
<li>They have bought more, and as of end-March, they declared 24.85% of TSO (28% of voting rights), but they have 33%. They made proposals for the AGM. They won one. </li>
<li>Now Murakami-san has bought in, going over 5%. This gets interesting. Together they have 39.4% as of last week, and probably more now. That should get them 50+% next AGM/EGM.</li>
</ul>


Small cap Japanese manufacturer and purveyor of apparel Daidoh Ltd (3205 JP) has consistently been a target for value investors. In late 2022, Strategic Capital went over 5%.
They have bought more, and as of end-March, they declared 24.85% of TSO (28% of voting rights), but they have 33%. They made proposals for the AGM. They won one. 
Now Murakami-san has bought in, going over 5%. This gets interesting. Together they have 39.4% as of last week, and probably more now. That should get them 50+% next AGM/EGM.


JAPAN ACTIVISM: Strategic Capital Target Daido (3205) Now A Murakami Target Too

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. 

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>In this in-depth review, it is clear that while Japanese clothing markets had a solid year in FY2024-25, once again the top 100 retailers outperformed by a large margin.</li>
<li>This meant they surpassed 71% share of the market but, within the specialty market alone, the top 10 retailers own 34%. This is now a clear oligopoly.</li>
<li>There are no signs of the situation changing either but rather the capacity of the leaders to invest should further expand share at the top.</li>
</ul>


In this in-depth review, it is clear that while Japanese clothing markets had a solid year in FY2024-25, once again the top 100 retailers outperformed by a large margin.
This meant they surpassed 71% share of the market but, within the specialty market alone, the top 10 retailers own 34%. This is now a clear oligopoly.
There are no signs of the situation changing either but rather the capacity of the leaders to invest should further expand share at the top.


The Great Divide: Fashion Retail’s Oligopoly

<ul>
<li>There have been a lot of deals in the last 5 years, including M&amp;A between Japanese companies, distribution deals/licenses, foreign companies buying into Japan and Japanese buying foreign brands. </li>
<li>Consolidation is a key motivation but so are category expansion, rationalisation and buying in expertise. All these reasons and more suggest more deals to come in the next few years.</li>
<li>Here we provide a comprehensive list of deals between 2019-2025 as well as a map showing who owns who and, as important, who influences who without any paperwork at all.</li>
</ul>


There have been a lot of deals in the last 5 years, including M&amp;A between Japanese companies, distribution deals/licenses, foreign companies buying into Japan and Japanese buying foreign brands. 
Consolidation is a key motivation but so are category expansion, rationalisation and buying in expertise. All these reasons and more suggest more deals to come in the next few years.
Here we provide a comprehensive list of deals between 2019-2025 as well as a map showing who owns who and, as important, who influences who without any paperwork at all.


[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

<ul>
<li>The Japanese fashion e-commerce market is undergoing rapid transformation: while online sales continue to grow, the channel’s share of total fashion sales has fluctuated due to strong in-store performance.</li>
<li>Even the best exemplars of effective integration of online and offline and personalised marketing have seen e-commerce share fall as physical store sales have risen faster for many. </li>
<li>Omnichannel models continue to evolve, with great examples of deeper integration of stores and digital through staff activities like blogging and Live Commerce.</li>
</ul>


The Japanese fashion e-commerce market is undergoing rapid transformation: while online sales continue to grow, the channel’s share of total fashion sales has fluctuated due to strong in-store performance.
Even the best exemplars of effective integration of online and offline and personalised marketing have seen e-commerce share fall as physical store sales have risen faster for many. 
Omnichannel models continue to evolve, with great examples of deeper integration of stores and digital through staff activities like blogging and Live Commerce.


Fashion E-Commerce in Japan: Stores Are Key Too

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>TSI Holdings long managed to get away with half-hearted reforms because it was so rich.</li>
<li>Operating losses in 1H2024 and falls in sales at key brands have spurred the company to finally take real action, the last of the big apparel firms to do so.</li>
<li>The good news is that the business is so bulging with inefficiencies that it won't take much to boost income.</li>
</ul>


TSI Holdings long managed to get away with half-hearted reforms because it was so rich.
Operating losses in 1H2024 and falls in sales at key brands have spurred the company to finally take real action, the last of the big apparel firms to do so.
The good news is that the business is so bulging with inefficiencies that it won't take much to boost income.


TSI to Cull Brands and 20% of Staff and Deliver Real Profits – Finally

Japan

ONWARD HOLDINGS CO., LTD. manufactures men's ready-made suits, women's, and children's wear.  The Company has its own brands, Onward and KUMIKYOKU. Onward also manufactures sports goods, books, stationery, cosmetics, art decoration.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
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Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Onward Holdings (8016 JP)

JAPAN ACTIVISM: Strategic Capital Target Daido (3205) Now A Murakami Target Too

Daidoh was targeted by activist Strategic Capital for 18mos. They bought to 32% and this past AGM "won" small. Murakami-san has joined the fight...

Travis Lundy

The Great Divide: Fashion Retail’s Oligopoly

Japanese clothing market dominated by top 100 retailers in FY2024-25, with top 10 owning 34% in specialty market, solidifying oligopoly. Leaders...

Michael Causton

[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

Michael Causton

Fashion E-Commerce in Japan: Stores Are Key Too

Japanese fashion e-commerce market sees growth, but in-store sales outpace online, challenging even top omnichannel strategies. Staff engagement...

Michael Causton

TSI to Cull Brands and 20% of Staff and Deliver Real Profits – Finally

TSI Holdings finally taking real action after operating losses and sales declines, with potential for easy income boost due to multiple...

Michael Causton

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

JAPAN ACTIVISM: Strategic Capital Target Daido (3205) Now A Murakami Target Too

Daidoh was targeted by activist Strategic Capital for 18mos. They bought to 32% and this past AGM "won" small. Murakami-san has joined the fight...

Travis Lundy

The Great Divide: Fashion Retail’s Oligopoly

​Japanese clothing market dominated by top 100 retailers in FY2024-25, with top 10 owning 34% in specialty market, solidifying oligopoly. Leaders...

Michael Causton

[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

​Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

Michael Causton

Fashion E-Commerce in Japan: Stores Are Key Too

​Japanese fashion e-commerce market sees growth, but in-store sales outpace online, challenging even top omnichannel strategies. Staff engagement...

Michael Causton

TSI to Cull Brands and 20% of Staff and Deliver Real Profits – Finally

​TSI Holdings finally taking real action after operating losses and sales declines, with potential for easy income boost due to multiple...

Michael Causton

Japanese clothing market dominated by top 100 retailers in FY2024-25, with top 10 owning 34% in specialty market, solidifying oligopoly. Leaders...

Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

Japanese fashion e-commerce market sees growth, but in-store sales outpace online, challenging even top omnichannel strategies. Staff engagement...

TSI Holdings finally taking real action after operating losses and sales declines, with potential for easy income boost due to multiple...