Senior Technology Analyst, Japanese Equities, LightStream Research

Scott Foster

Senior Technology Analyst, Japanese Equities

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Visibility is poor. Following excellent 1Q results, management raised FY Mar-25 sales guidance by 14%, operating profit guidance by 53% and net profit guidance by 57%. </li>
<li>Strong demand for AI processors and memory should support more than 35% growth in IC tester revenues and a doubling of operating profit in the two years to Mar-26.</li>
<li>The shares have dropped to the bottom of their recent trading range, but are still selling at more than 30x our EPS estimate for next fiscal year.</li>
</ul>


Visibility is poor. Following excellent 1Q results, management raised FY Mar-25 sales guidance by 14%, operating profit guidance by 53% and net profit guidance by 57%. 
Strong demand for AI processors and memory should support more than 35% growth in IC tester revenues and a doubling of operating profit in the two years to Mar-26.
The shares have dropped to the bottom of their recent trading range, but are still selling at more than 30x our EPS estimate for next fiscal year.


Advantest (6857 JP): High Valuation, Low Visibility

Derivatives and Quantitative Strategist

Gaudenz Schneider

Equity Derivatives

<ul>
<li>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX)</a> has been trading sideways between 35,000 and 40,000 for the past eleven weeks.</li>
<li>A short straddle allows investors who believe that the Nikkei 225 continues to trade sideways to earn a profit of up to 7% in six weeks.</li>
<li>This Insight presents the strategy rationale, profit and loss profile, back-testing and risk management measures. </li>
</ul>


The Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) has been trading sideways between 35,000 and 40,000 for the past eleven weeks.
A short straddle allows investors who believe that the Nikkei 225 continues to trade sideways to earn a profit of up to 7% in six weeks.
This Insight presents the strategy rationale, profit and loss profile, back-testing and risk management measures. 


EQD | Nikkei 225 Option Opportunity – Earn Premium in Sideways Markets with Straddles

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Index Rebalance

Nomura Research Institute / Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nomura-research-institute-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18129:1" rel="noopener">Nomura Research Institute (4307 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ryohin-keikaku-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2765:1" rel="noopener">Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP)</a> will replace <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nippon-paper-industries-co-l" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:557:1" rel="noopener">Nippon Paper Industries Co L (3863 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dic-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7343:1" rel="noopener">Dic Corp (4631 JP)</a> in the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX)</a>. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fast-retailing-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:751:1" rel="noopener">Fast Retailing (9983 JP)</a>'s CPAF will drop from 3 to 2.7 and there will be further selling in March 2025 as the CPAF drops to 2.4 (or possibly even 2.1!) </li>
<li>Passives will need to buy 7-15x ADV (13-14% of real float) in the adds and sell 2.7-6.5x ADV in the deletes. There is a big reverse funding trade too.</li>
</ul>



Nomura Research Institute (4307 JP) and Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP) will replace Nippon Paper Industries Co L (3863 JP) and Dic Corp (4631 JP) in the Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX). 

Fast Retailing (9983 JP)'s CPAF will drop from 3 to 2.7 and there will be further selling in March 2025 as the CPAF drops to 2.4 (or possibly even 2.1!) 
Passives will need to buy 7-15x ADV (13-14% of real float) in the adds and sell 2.7-6.5x ADV in the deletes. There is a big reverse funding trade too.


Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance: NRI, Ryohin Keikaku IN; Nippon Paper, DIC OUT; Fast Retailing Capped

Japanese Equity Specialist, Ortus Advisors

Andrew Jackson

Japanese Equity Specialist

Ortus Advisors

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>NVDA disappoints market expectations and trades -7% after-market, setting a very weak tone for Japanese SPE and tech related names to start.</li>
<li>The bad news for 4911 Shiseido continues, with the tone out of a small sell-side meeting held yesterday after-market pointed to further earnings downside.</li>
<li>Expect a continued rotation into value and domestic defensives as the market pivots away from AI/tech with plenty of room for profit taking after the recent rebound.</li>
</ul>


NVDA disappoints market expectations and trades -7% after-market, setting a very weak tone for Japanese SPE and tech related names to start.
The bad news for 4911 Shiseido continues, with the tone out of a small sell-side meeting held yesterday after-market pointed to further earnings downside.
Expect a continued rotation into value and domestic defensives as the market pivots away from AI/tech with plenty of room for profit taking after the recent rebound.


Japan Morning Connection: NVDA Disappoints

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Lasertec (6920) is a shoo-in for Nikkei 225 inclusion in September according to the quantitative analysis. The amount to buy is a small multiple of ADV, making the inclusion "unimpressive."</li>
<li>It is probably worth looking at the details of ownership, of volume, and of relationship to other stocks in the same general sector.</li>
<li>It is also worth thinking about flow channels (stock up or down changes flows) and forward fundamental calculations.</li>
</ul>


Lasertec (6920) is a shoo-in for Nikkei 225 inclusion in September according to the quantitative analysis. The amount to buy is a small multiple of ADV, making the inclusion "unimpressive."
It is probably worth looking at the details of ownership, of volume, and of relationship to other stocks in the same general sector.
It is also worth thinking about flow channels (stock up or down changes flows) and forward fundamental calculations.


Lasertec (6920) - The State of Things May Be Different Than You Think

Japan

ADVANTEST CORPORATION produces semiconductor testing devices and electronic measuring instruments.  The Company's products include large-scale integration (LSI) test systems, memory test systems, dynamic test handlers, network analyzers, electronic meters, optical testing devices, and signal sources.

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Advantest Corp (6857 JP)

Advantest (6857 JP): High Valuation, Low Visibility

Advantest's sales and profits are rebounding, but visibility is low and valuations relatively high. Now at the bottom of its trading range, it is...

Scott Foster

EQD | Nikkei 225 Option Opportunity – Earn Premium in Sideways Markets with Straddles

Investors can earn a premium by using a short straddle strategy on the Nikkei 225, which has been trading sideways for the past eleven weeks.

Gaudenz Schneider

Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance: NRI, Ryohin Keikaku IN; Nippon Paper, DIC OUT; Fast Retailing Capped

Nomura Research Institute and Ryohin Keikaku replace Nippon Paper and DIC in the Nikkei 225. Fast Retailing will be capped (and probably again in...

Brian Freitas

Japan Morning Connection: NVDA Disappoints

NVDA disappoints market, setting weak tone for Japanese tech names. Shiseido faces further earnings downside. Market pivots to value and domestic...

Andrew Jackson

Lasertec (6920) - The State of Things May Be Different Than You Think

All the earnings are out. Lasertec had previewed its June 2023 results in a 24 July guidance upgrade, and beat those. It also released June 2024...

Travis Lundy

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52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

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Dividend (Yield)

Advantest (6857 JP): High Valuation, Low Visibility

Advantest's sales and profits are rebounding, but visibility is low and valuations relatively high. Now at the bottom of its trading range, it is...

Scott Foster

EQD | Nikkei 225 Option Opportunity – Earn Premium in Sideways Markets with Straddles

​Investors can earn a premium by using a short straddle strategy on the Nikkei 225, which has been trading sideways for the past eleven weeks.

Gaudenz Schneider

Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance: NRI, Ryohin Keikaku IN; Nippon Paper, DIC OUT; Fast Retailing Capped

Nomura Research Institute and Ryohin Keikaku replace Nippon Paper and DIC in the Nikkei 225. Fast Retailing will be capped (and probably again in...

Brian Freitas

Japan Morning Connection: NVDA Disappoints

​NVDA disappoints market, setting weak tone for Japanese tech names. Shiseido faces further earnings downside. Market pivots to value and domestic...

Andrew Jackson

Lasertec (6920) - The State of Things May Be Different Than You Think

All the earnings are out. Lasertec had previewed its June 2023 results in a 24 July guidance upgrade, and beat those. It also released June 2024...

Travis Lundy

Investors can earn a premium by using a short straddle strategy on the Nikkei 225, which has been trading sideways for the past eleven weeks.

NVDA disappoints market, setting weak tone for Japanese tech names. Shiseido faces further earnings downside. Market pivots to value and domestic...