Global Materials | Industrials | Commodities

Rahul Jain

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Company: Founded in 2000 through the merger of Hoxan, Daido Sanso, and Kyodo Oxygen, Air Water is a diversified conglomerate spanning industrial gases, healthcare, food logistics, and energy.</li>
<li>Future Plans: Driving growth through semiconductor gases, UPS systems for AI/data centers, and hydrogen infrastructure, while scaling healthcare and logistics.</li>
<li>Valuation: Trades at ~7x EV/EBITDA and 11x forward P/E, a deep discount to global peers (Linde, Air Liquide at 14–17x EV/EBITDA).</li>
</ul>


Company: Founded in 2000 through the merger of Hoxan, Daido Sanso, and Kyodo Oxygen, Air Water is a diversified conglomerate spanning industrial gases, healthcare, food logistics, and energy.
Future Plans: Driving growth through semiconductor gases, UPS systems for AI/data centers, and hydrogen infrastructure, while scaling healthcare and logistics.
Valuation: Trades at ~7x EV/EBITDA and 11x forward P/E, a deep discount to global peers (Linde, Air Liquide at 14–17x EV/EBITDA).


Air Water Inc. (TSE: 4088) – Diversified Japanese Industrial Gas & Healthcare Player

Executive Director, Metrical Inc

Aki Matsumoto

Executive Director

Independent Leading Corporate Governance Research

Metrical Inc

METRICAL INC. is an independent leading Corporate Governance research firm in Japan where Corporate Governance is increasingly recognized as an important element on corporate management in these days. Thus, CG research and solutions would become an essential component of global capital markets and play important to contribute to transparency of the markets and maximize shareholders’ value in Japan. 

METRICAL INC. provides Corporate Governance research and analysis including rating services, and  also offers investment research and IR services with solutions and customized profound research on CG and IR issues.

<ul>
<li>Wouldn't the shareholders of Mitsubishi Chemical want to either TOB for the growth of the subsidiary or invest the cash from the sale of shares in a value-generating business?</li>
<li>It's difficult to exclude the influence of the parent company in business decisions that impact significantly on the parent's earnings and shareholding. Is continued parent-subsidiary listing desirable for subsidiary's shareholders?</li>
<li>The management of Nippon Sanso wants to continue the parent-subsidiary listing, but their small shareholding may make it difficult to manage the company from the same perspective as the shareholders.</li>
</ul>


Wouldn't the shareholders of Mitsubishi Chemical want to either TOB for the growth of the subsidiary or invest the cash from the sale of shares in a value-generating business?
It's difficult to exclude the influence of the parent company in business decisions that impact significantly on the parent's earnings and shareholding. Is continued parent-subsidiary listing desirable for subsidiary's shareholders?
The management of Nippon Sanso wants to continue the parent-subsidiary listing, but their small shareholding may make it difficult to manage the company from the same perspective as the shareholders.


Ownership of Company Stock Is a Key in Managing the Company with the Same Goals as Shareholders

Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

<ul>
<li>Investors have completely ignored “The New MCG”. If management can hit EBITDA targets, we see over 50% upside for the stock</li>
<li>Rapid cost cuts of Y135 billion will be a catalyst for the share price</li>
<li>Transformation to leaner, more focused group with strategic growth in EVs, hydrogen, semicon and health</li>
</ul>


Investors have completely ignored “The New MCG”. If management can hit EBITDA targets, we see over 50% upside for the stock
Rapid cost cuts of Y135 billion will be a catalyst for the share price
Transformation to leaner, more focused group with strategic growth in EVs, hydrogen, semicon and health


Mitsubishi Chemical (4188) | Unlocking Value – 50% Upside

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Silchester has written letters to four Japanese regional banks where they hold large stakes asking for higher dividends and payout ratios. It has proposed a special div AGM agenda item.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bank-of-iwate-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6171:1" rel="noopener">Bank Of Iwate (8345 JP)</a> is nearly 40% held by cross-holders and government-affiliated entities, and Real World Float is less than 50%. Winning at the AGM is tough.</li>
<li>The collection of banks is mixed. But this one is cheap. Cheap as chips. Or cheaper.</li>
</ul>


Silchester has written letters to four Japanese regional banks where they hold large stakes asking for higher dividends and payout ratios. It has proposed a special div AGM agenda item.

Bank Of Iwate (8345 JP) is nearly 40% held by cross-holders and government-affiliated entities, and Real World Float is less than 50%. Winning at the AGM is tough.
The collection of banks is mixed. But this one is cheap. Cheap as chips. Or cheaper.


JAPAN ACTIVISM: Silchester Goes After Bk of Iwate - Cheaper Than Chips

Equity L/S Analyst | Forensic Accounting | India, Yellowstone Equity

Ankit Agrawal, CFA

Equity L/S Analyst | Forensic Accounting | India

Quantitative Analysis

<div>
<p>In this Smartkarma Original, we bring to you a quantitative approach for identifying Asian companies that are likely to raise/cut buyback. Applying this approach to a universe of 920+ companies listed across Asia helped us identify 40+ and 50+ companies that have a high likelihood of raising and cutting buybacks, respectively, over the next five years.</p>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div class="content-highlight">
<p><strong>What's Original?</strong></p>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>We have two separate models, one for forecasting Buyback Raise and the other for Buyback Cut.</li>
<li>Our back test results are very encouraging with &gt;85% hit rate for our Buyback Raise model and &gt;94% hit rate for our Buyback Cut model.</li>
<li>For our Buyback Raise model, we differentiate from other quantitative buyback models by incorporating competing uses of cash like inorganic acquisitions through “Goodwill as % of Total Assets” parameter. Based on our analysis, we have also determined that, contrary to usual perception, any dividend payout is not a competing use of cash vs buyback but a healthy sign of capital return discipline and have incorporated it accordingly in our model. We also use long-term ROE vs growth trends to filter companies where the cash levels maybe low but the capability to do buyback with time can grow significantly. At the same time, we ensure to weed off very high growth companies that may have high re-investment needs through our carefully selected threshold for the "Long-term Revenue CAGR" parameter. </li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<h3>Insight Flow</h3>
</div>
<div>
<ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li>Live Dashboard</li>
<li> Methodology
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Buyback Raise Model</li>
<li>Buyback Cut Model</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Universe</li>
<li>Back Test Results
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Buyback Raise Model</li>
<li>Buyback Cut Model</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Model Results
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Summary Statistics</li>
<li>Companies with High Probability of Buyback Raise</li>
<li>Companies with High Probability of Buyback Cut</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Buyback Timing</li>
<li>Model Risks &amp; Limitations</li>
<li>Conclusion</li>
</ul>
</div>


In this Smartkarma Original, we bring to you a quantitative approach for identifying Asian companies that are likely to raise/cut buyback. Applying this approach to a universe of 920+ companies listed across Asia helped us identify 40+ and 50+ companies that have a high likelihood of raising and cutting buybacks, respectively, over the next five years.




What's Original?

We have two separate models, one for forecasting Buyback Raise and the other for Buyback Cut.
Our back test results are very encouraging with &gt;85% hit rate for our Buyback Raise model and &gt;94% hit rate for our Buyback Cut model.
For our Buyback Raise model, we differentiate from other quantitative buyback models by incorporating competing uses of cash like inorganic acquisitions through “Goodwill as % of Total Assets” parameter. Based on our analysis, we have also determined that, contrary to usual perception, any dividend payout is not a competing use of cash vs buyback but a healthy sign of capital return discipline and have incorporated it accordingly in our model. We also use long-term ROE vs growth trends to filter companies where the cash levels maybe low but the capability to do buyback with time can grow significantly. At the same time, we ensure to weed off very high growth companies that may have high re-investment needs through our carefully selected threshold for the "Long-term Revenue CAGR" parameter. 





Insight Flow



Live Dashboard
 Methodology

Buyback Raise Model
Buyback Cut Model


Universe
Back Test Results

Buyback Raise Model
Buyback Cut Model


Model Results

Summary Statistics
Companies with High Probability of Buyback Raise
Companies with High Probability of Buyback Cut


Buyback Timing
Model Risks &amp; Limitations
Conclusion



Asia Buyback Forecasting | Which Companies Are Likely to Raise/Cut Buybacks?

Japan

Nippon Sanso Holdings produces various kinds of industrial gases including oxygen, argon, and nitrogen.  The Company also manufactures frozen foods and thermos.

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Nippon Sanso Holdings (4091 JP)

Air Water Inc. (TSE: 4088) – Diversified Japanese Industrial Gas & Healthcare Player

Air Water, a diversified conglomerate, plans to drive growth in semiconductor gases, UPS systems, and hydrogen infrastructure etc. and trading at...

Rahul Jain

Ownership of Company Stock Is a Key in Managing the Company with the Same Goals as Shareholders

I would like to discuss the issues on the December 11 Nikkei article, "Nippon Sanso Holdings, Filial Son's Heartbeat: The Market Recommends...

Metrical Inc

Mitsubishi Chemical (4188) | Unlocking Value – 50% Upside

Investors have completely ignored “The New MCG”. If management can hit EBITDA targets, we see over 50% upside for the stock

Mark Chadwick

JAPAN ACTIVISM: Silchester Goes After Bk of Iwate - Cheaper Than Chips

Bank of Iwate is the smallest (so far) of Silchester Int'l Investors' regional bank AGM proposal letters. It owns 11%. This one is tough too, but...

Travis Lundy

Asia Buyback Forecasting | Which Companies Are Likely to Raise/Cut Buybacks?

A predictive quantitative model for Asian companies to help determine which companies are likely to raise/cut buybacks in future.

Ankit Agrawal, CFA

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Air Water Inc. (TSE: 4088) – Diversified Japanese Industrial Gas & Healthcare Player

​Air Water, a diversified conglomerate, plans to drive growth in semiconductor gases, UPS systems, and hydrogen infrastructure etc. and trading at...

Rahul Jain

Ownership of Company Stock Is a Key in Managing the Company with the Same Goals as Shareholders

I would like to discuss the issues on the December 11 Nikkei article, "Nippon Sanso Holdings, Filial Son's Heartbeat: The Market Recommends...

Metrical Inc

Mitsubishi Chemical (4188) | Unlocking Value – 50% Upside

Investors have completely ignored “The New MCG”. If management can hit EBITDA targets, we see over 50% upside for the stock

Mark Chadwick

JAPAN ACTIVISM: Silchester Goes After Bk of Iwate - Cheaper Than Chips

Bank of Iwate is the smallest (so far) of Silchester Int'l Investors' regional bank AGM proposal letters. It owns 11%. This one is tough too, but...

Travis Lundy

Asia Buyback Forecasting | Which Companies Are Likely to Raise/Cut Buybacks?

A predictive quantitative model for Asian companies to help determine which companies are likely to raise/cut buybacks in future.

Ankit Agrawal, CFA

Air Water, a diversified conglomerate, plans to drive growth in semiconductor gases, UPS systems, and hydrogen infrastructure etc. and trading at...