Founder & CEO Bond Angle, LLC, Bond Angle, LLC

Vicki Bryan

Founder & CEO Bond Angle, LLC

Bond Angle, LLC

Insightful commentary and analysis on bond markets and market movers, including financial, economic, and industry catalysts and management shenanigans. 

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<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/softbank-group-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:315:1" rel="noopener">Softbank Group (9984 JP)</a> was revealed on Friday as the massive NASDAQ whale helping to drive unprecedented option volume in recent weeks with its multi-billion dollar call-buying spree in the biggest tech names, as reported by <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/75587aa6-1f1f-4e9d-b334-3ff866753fa2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Financial Times</a> and <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/softbanks-bet-on-tech-giants-fueled-powerful-market-rally-11599232205" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Wall Street Journal</a> which confirmed speculation Thursday by <a href="https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/speculation-emerges-over-identity-mystery-marketwide-call-buyer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zero Hedge</a>.Softbank's option trades added to $40 billion in call-buying over the past month traced to retail investors. The resulting frenzy netted Softbank <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/53aa19bb-fc9a-46fd-aafd-4bc3669ab161" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$4 billion in option trading gains—on paper—</a>on its own <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/softbanks-bet-on-tech-giants-fueled-powerful-market-rally-11599232205" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$50 billion notional exposure</a>. By comparison, Softbank's newly acquired long positions in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/amazon-com-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:409:1" rel="noopener">Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alphabet-inc-cl-c" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11369:1" rel="noopener">Alphabet Inc Cl C (GOOG US)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/microsoft-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15273:1" rel="noopener">Microsoft Corp (MSFT US)</a>,  and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tesla-motors-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20279:1" rel="noopener">Tesla Motors (TSLA US)</a> are worth just <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/3eec59a3-cb51-487c-aacd-68a0c7e46f2f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$2 billion</a>, almost all that's left of the $10 billion Softbank spent late in the June quarter buying and selling mostly tech stocks at heady prices. Those holdings now are also subject to sharp declines triggered when Softbank's option scheme was revealed. Sure enough, Softbank <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/9e5827e9-893a-453e-b28d-88c1c0adc9d5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost $9 billion in market value</a> on Monday.There's plenty of intense scrutiny underway to understand these trades and what their impact ultimately proves to be. I'm more interested in Softbank's drastic change in strategy and its alternative deployment of cash from $40 billion raised in stock fire sales forced by its wary banks and legacy mega-investors who cut him and Softbank off after decades of seemingly endless billions in available funding when his recklessness netted Softbank and Vision Fund tens of billions of dollars in record losses. This certainly is not what Softbank told investors to expect mere weeks ago.Instead, Softbank's actions signal arrogance, or desperation, or worse—that CEO Masayoshi Son feels unrestrained and back in his Star Wars Zone with $40 billion in fresh cash.<div class="content-highlight">Read on for a Bond Angle deep dive into the belly of Softbank, The Whale, and what Son feels free to do with its $40 billion in cash that was pledged to bolster Softbank's bloodied balance sheet.</div>

Softbank Group (9984 JP) was revealed on Friday as the massive NASDAQ whale helping to drive unprecedented option volume in recent weeks with its multi-billion dollar call-buying spree in the biggest tech names, as reported by Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal which confirmed speculation Thursday by Zero Hedge.Softbank's option trades added to $40 billion in call-buying over the past month traced to retail investors. The resulting frenzy netted Softbank $4 billion in option trading gains—on paper—on its own $50 billion notional exposure. By comparison, Softbank's newly acquired long positions in Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US), Alphabet Inc Cl C (GOOG US), Microsoft Corp (MSFT US),  and Tesla Motors (TSLA US) are worth just $2 billion, almost all that's left of the $10 billion Softbank spent late in the June quarter buying and selling mostly tech stocks at heady prices. Those holdings now are also subject to sharp declines triggered when Softbank's option scheme was revealed. Sure enough, Softbank lost $9 billion in market value on Monday.There's plenty of intense scrutiny underway to understand these trades and what their impact ultimately proves to be. I'm more interested in Softbank's drastic change in strategy and its alternative deployment of cash from $40 billion raised in stock fire sales forced by its wary banks and legacy mega-investors who cut him and Softbank off after decades of seemingly endless billions in available funding when his recklessness netted Softbank and Vision Fund tens of billions of dollars in record losses. This certainly is not what Softbank told investors to expect mere weeks ago.Instead, Softbank's actions signal arrogance, or desperation, or worse—that CEO Masayoshi Son feels unrestrained and back in his Star Wars Zone with $40 billion in fresh cash.Read on for a Bond Angle deep dive into the belly of Softbank, The Whale, and what Son feels free to do with its $40 billion in cash that was pledged to bolster Softbank's bloodied balance sheet.

Softbank's Son "Feeling The Force" With Options Funded With Cash It Had Pledged To Protect

Japan/Asia Long-Short, LightStream Research

Mio Kato

Japan/Asia Long-Short

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.

Event-Driven

The <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Japan-after-Abe/Japan-phone-carriers-fear-rate-cuts-under-a-Prime-Minister-Suga" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nikkei has highlighted potential risks to Japan’s telcos</a> if Chief Cabinet Minister Yoshihide Suga becomes Japan’s next prime minister as is now widely expected.  While this trade follows on from pressure applied by Suga over the last couple of years and is unlikely to surprise investors we believe the context is important to note and discuss it briefly below.

The Nikkei has highlighted potential risks to Japan’s telcos if Chief Cabinet Minister Yoshihide Suga becomes Japan’s next prime minister as is now widely expected.  While this trade follows on from pressure applied by Suga over the last couple of years and is unlikely to surprise investors we believe the context is important to note and discuss it briefly below.

Softbank Corp – A Simple Suga PM Telco Trade

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Today after the close, and a few days earlier than expected, the Nikkei's “Index Business Office" which administers the Nikkei 225 Average and the other indices announced the Annual Review of the Nikkei 225 Average has resulted in one deletion, and one replacement. 
The stock getting deleted is <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nippon-kayaku-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6971:1" rel="noopener">Nippon Kayaku (4272 JP)</a> and the stock being added is <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/softbank-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27445:1" rel="noopener">Softbank Corp (9434 JP)</a>. Softbank Corp is getting added with a Deemed Par Value of 50 yen per share as of the close of 30 September. 
There will be a few other technical changes at the end of September to do with a few stock splits and reverse stock splits but they will have no effect on the index. 
I have been surprised by the lack of aggressive shorting on Nippon Kayaku as it was the odds-on favorite to get the boot. The addition of Softbank Corp will surprise a few people but it may indicate an ongoing trend at the Nikkei to favor a certain kind of rebalance. 
More below the fold.

Today after the close, and a few days earlier than expected, the Nikkei's “Index Business Office" which administers the Nikkei 225 Average and the other indices announced the Annual Review of the Nikkei 225 Average has resulted in one deletion, and one replacement. 
The stock getting deleted is Nippon Kayaku (4272 JP) and the stock being added is Softbank Corp (9434 JP). Softbank Corp is getting added with a Deemed Par Value of 50 yen per share as of the close of 30 September. 
There will be a few other technical changes at the end of September to do with a few stock splits and reverse stock splits but they will have no effect on the index. 
I have been surprised by the lack of aggressive shorting on Nippon Kayaku as it was the odds-on favorite to get the boot. The addition of Softbank Corp will surprise a few people but it may indicate an ongoing trend at the Nikkei to favor a certain kind of rebalance. 
More below the fold.

The 2020 Nikkei 225 Rebalance: Nippon Kayaku OUT and Softbank Corp IN

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

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Index Rebalance

Nikkei has just announced the changes to 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> as part of its periodic review. In a 'surprise', <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/softbank-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27445:1" rel="noopener">Softbank Corp (9434 JP)</a> will be added to the index and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nippon-kayaku-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6971:1" rel="noopener">Nippon Kayaku (4272 JP)</a> will be deleted from the index.The changes will be made prior to the open of the market on 1 October, so passive funds will trade at the closing auction on 30 September.At between 25-26m shares to buy (2.2% of its real world float and less than 3 days of ADV to buy), the impact on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/softbank-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27445:1" rel="noopener">Softbank Corp 9434 JP)</a> will be minimal. The overhang of the block offering announced on 28 August should keep a lid on the stock for the time being.The impact on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nippon-kayaku-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6971:1" rel="noopener">Nippon Kayaku (4272 JP)</a> is expected to be much larger. The 25-26m shares to sell is over 13% of the shares outstanding and represents over 40 days of ADV and this could lead to a sharp move lower in the stock.Surprisingly, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/familymart-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:320:1" rel="noopener">FamilyMart Co Ltd (8028 JP)</a> has not been deleted from 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> following <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/itochu-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18448:1" rel="noopener">Itochu Corp (8001 JP)</a>'s offer to take the company private. The FamilyMart deletion could be done in an adhoc review or announced after the implementation of the Share Consolidation and implemented along with the annual review. We see <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zozo-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18379:1" rel="noopener">ZOZO Inc (3092 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kakaku-com-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7408:1" rel="noopener">Kakaku.com Inc (2371 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/square-enix-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15003:1" rel="noopener">Square Enix Holdings (9684 JP)</a> as the most likely replacement candidates.

Nikkei has just announced the changes to the Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) as part of its periodic review. In a 'surprise', Softbank Corp (9434 JP) will be added to the index and Nippon Kayaku (4272 JP) will be deleted from the index.The changes will be made prior to the open of the market on 1 October, so passive funds will trade at the closing auction on 30 September.At between 25-26m shares to buy (2.2% of its real world float and less than 3 days of ADV to buy), the impact on Softbank Corp 9434 JP) will be minimal. The overhang of the block offering announced on 28 August should keep a lid on the stock for the time being.The impact on Nippon Kayaku (4272 JP) is expected to be much larger. The 25-26m shares to sell is over 13% of the shares outstanding and represents over 40 days of ADV and this could lead to a sharp move lower in the stock.Surprisingly, FamilyMart Co Ltd (8028 JP) has not been deleted from the Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) following Itochu Corp (8001 JP)'s offer to take the company private. The FamilyMart deletion could be done in an adhoc review or announced after the implementation of the Share Consolidation and implemented along with the annual review. We see ZOZO Inc (3092 JP), Kakaku.com Inc (2371 JP) and Square Enix Holdings (9684 JP) as the most likely replacement candidates.

Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance: Softbank Corp IN, Nippon Kayaku OUT

NTT (Nippon Telegraph & Telephone) / Event-Driven

Friday saw the announcement of a large offering by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/softbank-group-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:315:1" rel="noopener">Softbank Group (9984 JP)</a> of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/softbank-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27445:1" rel="noopener">Softbank Corp (9434 JP)</a> shares. 
The dynamics of the offering itself - its internal flow dynamics (who buys? why? when? and who else buys later?) - were discussed in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/softbank-corp-9434-bigger-block-offering" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:42689" rel="noopener">Softbank Corp (9434) BIGGER Block Offering</a>. This came a day after it was announced that <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kioxia" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29243:1" rel="noopener">Kioxia (6600 JP)</a> would sell nearly ¥400bn in an IPO to be launched in September 2020, discussed in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/kioxia-ipo-the-flow-dynamics" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:42648" rel="noopener">Kioxia IPO - The Flow Dynamics</a>. 
What is not discussed is the significantly large funding trade which has to come.
There is  ¥1.47trln of Softbank Corp shares to be bought at last trade, and if the stock falls to its March low and trades at a 3% discount from there, there is still near ¥1.35trln of stock to buy. There is another ¥378bn of Kioxia to buy at the indicative IPO price. All together it is probably ¥1.7trln of stock to buy. 
That's enough money that it comes from savings rather than sofa cushions and while it is enticing to think that Japan's savers will pull $15bn from bank deposits earning 0.001% a year, what usually needs to happen is investors pull money from shares where they have a profit, and sell those to buy the next new thing.
So Japan's retail savers will have to cough up nearly ¥1.2trln for those two deals, and foreign institutional investors will have to fork over ¥600bn. 
For foreigners, that is less than 0.5% of all Japanese stock held. For retail holders, it is about 1.3% of what they hold. It is big enough to matter. 
So the question is what will they sell and what are trades we can do around that?

Friday saw the announcement of a large offering by Softbank Group (9984 JP) of Softbank Corp (9434 JP) shares. 
The dynamics of the offering itself - its internal flow dynamics (who buys? why? when? and who else buys later?) - were discussed in Softbank Corp (9434) BIGGER Block Offering. This came a day after it was announced that Kioxia (6600 JP) would sell nearly ¥400bn in an IPO to be launched in September 2020, discussed in Kioxia IPO - The Flow Dynamics. 
What is not discussed is the significantly large funding trade which has to come.
There is  ¥1.47trln of Softbank Corp shares to be bought at last trade, and if the stock falls to its March low and trades at a 3% discount from there, there is still near ¥1.35trln of stock to buy. There is another ¥378bn of Kioxia to buy at the indicative IPO price. All together it is probably ¥1.7trln of stock to buy. 
That's enough money that it comes from savings rather than sofa cushions and while it is enticing to think that Japan's savers will pull $15bn from bank deposits earning 0.001% a year, what usually needs to happen is investors pull money from shares where they have a profit, and sell those to buy the next new thing.
So Japan's retail savers will have to cough up nearly ¥1.2trln for those two deals, and foreign institutional investors will have to fork over ¥600bn. 
For foreigners, that is less than 0.5% of all Japanese stock held. For retail holders, it is about 1.3% of what they hold. It is big enough to matter. 
So the question is what will they sell and what are trades we can do around that?

Softbank & Kioxia "Replacement Trades" Iffy. Buy NTT Vs Docomo Instead

Japan

Softbank Corporation provides mobile phone telecommunication and networking services. The Company offers mobile communication opening, short messaging function opening, video function opening, and other services. Softbank also provides mobile phones.

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Softbank Corp (9434 JP)

Softbank's Son "Feeling The Force" With Options Funded With Cash It Had Pledged To Protect

The market is eager to know what Softbank plans to do with a burgeoning war chest from bigger and bigger stock sales. The better question is why...

Vicki Bryan

Softbank Corp – A Simple Suga PM Telco Trade

The Nikkei has highlighted potential risks to Japan’s telcos if Chief Cabinet Minister Yoshihide Suga becomes Japan’s next prime minister as is now...

Mio Kato

The 2020 Nikkei 225 Rebalance: Nippon Kayaku OUT and Softbank Corp IN

Today after the close, and a few days earlier than expected, the Nikkei's “Index Business Office" which administers the Nikkei 225 Average and the...

Travis Lundy

Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance: Softbank Corp IN, Nippon Kayaku OUT

A very widely tracked index with large impact on the inclusion names.

Brian Freitas

Softbank & Kioxia "Replacement Trades" Iffy. Buy NTT Vs Docomo Instead

Friday saw the announcement of a large offering by Softbank Group (9984 JP) of Softbank Corp (9434 JP) shares. The dynamics of the offering itself...

Travis Lundy

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