Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

Equity Analyst

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>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/advantest-corp/overview" target="_blank">Advantest Corporation (6857 JP)</a>, based in Japan, manufactures and sells semiconductor testing equipment and electronic measuring systems. The company generates a majority of its revenue outside of Japan, where its products are mostly sold in countries where semiconductor volume production processes are concentrated, including South Korea, Taiwan and China.</li>
<li>The company’s revenues are highly correlated with memory demand and capital expenditure. The current oversupply in the DRAM and NAND memory markets has caused DRAM and NAND prices to decline. This has impacted the capital spending by large memory makers such as Samsung, Micron and SK Hynix.</li>
<li>Advantest has witnessed its revenue and operating profits growing at double digits since the beginning of the current semiconductor cycle. However, with the oversupply, memory price declines and capex halts, we expect the company revenue and profits to deteriorate starting in FY03/2020.</li>
<li>Based on our valuation, we believe Advantest is still overvalued at its current price of JPY2,510 per share. As the memory market has just started decelerating and the current cycle nears its worst, we feel the company share price will decline further with the gloomy outlook for company earnings.</li>
</ul>



Advantest Corporation (6857 JP), based in Japan, manufactures and sells semiconductor testing equipment and electronic measuring systems. The company generates a majority of its revenue outside of Japan, where its products are mostly sold in countries where semiconductor volume production processes are concentrated, including South Korea, Taiwan and China.
The company’s revenues are highly correlated with memory demand and capital expenditure. The current oversupply in the DRAM and NAND memory markets has caused DRAM and NAND prices to decline. This has impacted the capital spending by large memory makers such as Samsung, Micron and SK Hynix.
Advantest has witnessed its revenue and operating profits growing at double digits since the beginning of the current semiconductor cycle. However, with the oversupply, memory price declines and capex halts, we expect the company revenue and profits to deteriorate starting in FY03/2020.
Based on our valuation, we believe Advantest is still overvalued at its current price of JPY2,510 per share. As the memory market has just started decelerating and the current cycle nears its worst, we feel the company share price will decline further with the gloomy outlook for company earnings.


Advantest (6857 JP): Memory Downturn Yet to Impact Advantest

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

ja research

ja research is an independent research platform focused exclusively on Japanese equities. Leveraging data and graphic analysis provided by Japan Analytics, we provide insights on small and medium-sized companies that have been ignored by the sell-side as well as challenging conventional wisdom on larger companies. We also offer analyst and corporate access, the latter with translation if required. 

Quantitative Analysis

- MARKET COMPOSITE -
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/076/724/original/2019-01-26_17-35-03.png?1548496734" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="76724"></figure>
<div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>
SLOW &amp; STEADY RECOVERY - From December 25th's lows of 8% by number and 11% by value, the percentages of Japanese stocks above the weighted sum of moving averages have continued to recover to now 19% by number and 26% by value. Total Market Value has now risen by 11.2% from the Christmas Day low and is overdue a 'breather'.
<hr>
- SECTORS -
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/076/725/original/2019-01-26_17-29-21.png?1548497304" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="76725"></figure>
<div class="content-caption">
LEGEND: The 'sparklines' show the three-year trend in the weighted percentage above moving average relative to the Market Composite and the 'STDev' column is a measure of the variability of that relative measure. The table also provides averages for the breaks above and breaks below and the positive and negative crossovers.</div>
SECTOR BREAKDOWN - The top six sectors measured by their percentage above the weighted average of 5-240 Days remain domestic and defensive. REITs, Information Technology, Media, Healthcare and Utilities continue from our previous review with Restaurants replacing Transportation. Equally predictable is the bottom half-dozen - Banks, Autos, Metals, Building Materials, and Chemicals remain from two weeks ago, with Construction replacing Autos. 
<hr>
- COMPANIES -
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/076/763/original/2019-01-27_15-07-37.png?1548569281" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="76763"></figure>
<div class="content-caption">
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/076/775/original/2019-01-27_16-34-40.png?1548574490" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="76775"></figure>
Source: Japan Analytics
</div>
COMPANY MOVING AVERAGE OUTLIERS - As with the Market Composite and Sectors, the Moving Average Outlier indicator uses a weighted sum of each company's share price relative to its 5-day, 20-day, 60-day, 120-day and 240-day moving averages. 'Extreme' values are weighted sums greater than 100% and less than -100%. We would caution that this indicator is best used for timing shorter-term reversals and, in many cases, higher highs and lower lows will be seen. 
In the DETAIL section below, we highlight the current top and bottom twenty-five larger capitalisation outliers, as well as those companies that have seen the most significant positive and negative changes in their outlier percentage in the last two weeks and provide short comments on companies of particular note. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/26722" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26722:1">UUUM (3990 JP)</a> is currently the most 'extreme' positive outlier, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/20895" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20895:1">Welcia (3141 JP)</a> the most 'extreme' negative outlier

- MARKET COMPOSITE -

Source: Japan Analytics
SLOW &amp; STEADY RECOVERY - From December 25th's lows of 8% by number and 11% by value, the percentages of Japanese stocks above the weighted sum of moving averages have continued to recover to now 19% by number and 26% by value. Total Market Value has now risen by 11.2% from the Christmas Day low and is overdue a 'breather'.

- SECTORS -


LEGEND: The 'sparklines' show the three-year trend in the weighted percentage above moving average relative to the Market Composite and the 'STDev' column is a measure of the variability of that relative measure. The table also provides averages for the breaks above and breaks below and the positive and negative crossovers.
SECTOR BREAKDOWN - The top six sectors measured by their percentage above the weighted average of 5-240 Days remain domestic and defensive. REITs, Information Technology, Media, Healthcare and Utilities continue from our previous review with Restaurants replacing Transportation. Equally predictable is the bottom half-dozen - Banks, Autos, Metals, Building Materials, and Chemicals remain from two weeks ago, with Construction replacing Autos. 

- COMPANIES -



Source: Japan Analytics

COMPANY MOVING AVERAGE OUTLIERS - As with the Market Composite and Sectors, the Moving Average Outlier indicator uses a weighted sum of each company's share price relative to its 5-day, 20-day, 60-day, 120-day and 240-day moving averages. 'Extreme' values are weighted sums greater than 100% and less than -100%. We would caution that this indicator is best used for timing shorter-term reversals and, in many cases, higher highs and lower lows will be seen. 
In the DETAIL section below, we highlight the current top and bottom twenty-five larger capitalisation outliers, as well as those companies that have seen the most significant positive and negative changes in their outlier percentage in the last two weeks and provide short comments on companies of particular note. UUUM (3990 JP) is currently the most 'extreme' positive outlier, and Welcia (3141 JP) the most 'extreme' negative outlier

Japan: Moving Average Outliers - Tech[nical] Rebound

Global Special Situations & Strategy, SR Services Ltd

David Lepper

Global Special Situations & Strategy

SR Services Ltd

SR Services provides Strategic Knowledge and Solutions services for Family Offices and Corporate Business. 

We deliver this via advisory services, strategic planning, opportunity analysis/sourcing, as well as solution implementation. 

Whilst, we create intellectual discipline and operational leverage for your projects or daily activities, our ultimate objective is to empower whilst enhancing your decision making. 

Strategic Knowledge and Solutions

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>
Value made a comeback, but growth remains core: In May 2018, we examined the divide between value and growth stocks, ( <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/notes-from-the-silk-road-small-mid-cap-screening-for-zulu-warriors" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:20886">Notes from the Silk Road: Small-Mid Cap Screening for Zulu Warriors</a>). As Q3 unfolded, this eventuated with a +7.5% reversal in favour of value stocks, only to see growth resume dominance in October and November. 
</li>
<li>
<li>
The optimal value/growth style dynamic: We feel exposure to growth at a reasonable price (GARP) coupled with a healthy FCF yield (via our amended Zulu Screen) should provide some healthy medium to long term returns for investors.</li>
<li>
The Screen’s Risk: The Zulu Screen relies on analyst estimates. When market sentiment is weak and forecasts are not amended in a timely manner, the screen is susceptible to mis-selection.</li>
<li>
Q2 2018 screening list succumbed to volatile markets: This was seen in our May screen with our list posting on average a 30% decline in share price, relative to the broader Asia-Pacific Ex-Japan declining 13.6% and the Asia Pacific index by 11.8%.</li>
<li>
Are there reasons for the underperformance? 10 of the 19 stocks in the May screen were from Hong Kong, which saw the Hang Seng Index (HIS) decline 16% over the same period. The decrease seems due to concern over trade wars and doubts about the China economy. Our key approach to stock selection is to take a medium-to-long-term view as well as focus on quality ranked stocks relative to their peers. This is highlighted via the average stock rank of the group declining only 15.8% from 89.6 to 75.5 points.</li>
<li>
Our Q1 2019 screen selected only 9 stocks. Of the 9 stocks identified, the average PEG Ratio was 0.4x, the price to FCF yield was 11% and ROCE was 25%. Stocks were selected from Australia, New Zealand, India, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. Cowell Fashion Company from Korea was the only remaining stock from our May screening.</li>
</ul>



Value made a comeback, but growth remains core: In May 2018, we examined the divide between value and growth stocks, ( Notes from the Silk Road: Small-Mid Cap Screening for Zulu Warriors). As Q3 unfolded, this eventuated with a +7.5% reversal in favour of value stocks, only to see growth resume dominance in October and November. 



The optimal value/growth style dynamic: We feel exposure to growth at a reasonable price (GARP) coupled with a healthy FCF yield (via our amended Zulu Screen) should provide some healthy medium to long term returns for investors.

The Screen’s Risk: The Zulu Screen relies on analyst estimates. When market sentiment is weak and forecasts are not amended in a timely manner, the screen is susceptible to mis-selection.

Q2 2018 screening list succumbed to volatile markets: This was seen in our May screen with our list posting on average a 30% decline in share price, relative to the broader Asia-Pacific Ex-Japan declining 13.6% and the Asia Pacific index by 11.8%.

Are there reasons for the underperformance? 10 of the 19 stocks in the May screen were from Hong Kong, which saw the Hang Seng Index (HIS) decline 16% over the same period. The decrease seems due to concern over trade wars and doubts about the China economy. Our key approach to stock selection is to take a medium-to-long-term view as well as focus on quality ranked stocks relative to their peers. This is highlighted via the average stock rank of the group declining only 15.8% from 89.6 to 75.5 points.

Our Q1 2019 screen selected only 9 stocks. Of the 9 stocks identified, the average PEG Ratio was 0.4x, the price to FCF yield was 11% and ROCE was 25%. Stocks were selected from Australia, New Zealand, India, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. Cowell Fashion Company from Korea was the only remaining stock from our May screening.


Screening the Silk Road: Q1-2019 Small-Mid Cap GARP (Zulu Warrior Screening)

MARKET COMPOSITE<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/073/799/original/2018-12-22_16-48-37.png?1545464931" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="73799"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>TRADING ZONE - As of last Friday, the Japan All Market Composite has now entered a bear market, having declined by 20% from the January 23rd high if Y757t. At the close, only 8% by number and 11% by value of Japanese stocks were trading above their weighted composite of 5, 20, 60, 120, and 240-day moving averages. These were the lowest closing values since February 2016 when the All Market Composite reached a low of Y475tand  offer an entry point for a short-term trade for those happy to hold over the extended New Year Holiday period.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/073/800/original/2018-12-22_16-49-53.png?1545465006" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="73800"></figure><div class="content-caption">
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/073/801/original/2018-12-22_16-52-17.png?1545465147" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="73801"></figure> Source: Japan Analytics</div>BREAKOUTS -  The 'Breaking Bad' percentage reached 11% on December 4th, the tenth-lowest reading in three years bu thas yet to fall below '-15-.  Adding the Breaking Above and Breaking Below percentages together provides a more straightforward view of the 15% threshold that has marked previous short and medium-term turning points, and which again we have yet to reach.<hr> SECTORS<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/073/804/original/2018-12-22_18-10-04.png?1545469815" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="73804"></figure><div style="text-align: left;" class="content-caption">LEGEND: The 'sparklines' show the three-year trend in the weighted percentage above moving average relative to the Market Composite and the 'STDev' column is a measure of the variability of that relative measure. The table also provides averages for the breaks above and breaks below and the positive and negative 'crossovers'.</div>SECTOR BREAKDOWN - The top six sectors measured by the percentage above the weighted average of 5-240 Days are all, predictably, domestic and defensive -  Food, Beverages &amp; Tobacco, REITs, Information Technology, Internet, Media and Utilities. Equally predictable are the bottom half-dozen - Banks, Non-Bank Finance, Autos, Metals, Electrical Equipment and Chemicals. <hr>COMPANIESCOMPANY MOVING AVERAGE OUTLIERS - As with the market and sectors, out moving average outlier indicator uses a weighted sum of the share price relative to its 5-day, 20-day, 60-day, 120 day and 240-day moving averages. Extreme values are weighted sums greater than 100% and less than -100%. We would caution that this indicator is best used for timing shorter-term reversals and, in many cases, higher highs and lower lows will be seen. <figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/073/816/original/2018-12-23_15-00-13.png?1545544826" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="73816"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>THE 100% CLUB - As of Friday 21st, there were 16 extreme positive outliers and 622 extreme negative outliers. The number of extreme negative outliers suggests we are a short-term bottom.<div class="content-highlight">In the DETAIL section below, we highlight the current top and bottom twenty-five larger capitalisation outliers as well as those companies that have seen the most significant positive and negative changes in their outlier percentage in the last two weeks and provide short comments on companies of particular note. </div>

MARKET COMPOSITESource: Japan AnalyticsTRADING ZONE - As of last Friday, the Japan All Market Composite has now entered a bear market, having declined by 20% from the January 23rd high if Y757t. At the close, only 8% by number and 11% by value of Japanese stocks were trading above their weighted composite of 5, 20, 60, 120, and 240-day moving averages. These were the lowest closing values since February 2016 when the All Market Composite reached a low of Y475tand  offer an entry point for a short-term trade for those happy to hold over the extended New Year Holiday period.
 Source: Japan AnalyticsBREAKOUTS -  The 'Breaking Bad' percentage reached 11% on December 4th, the tenth-lowest reading in three years bu thas yet to fall below '-15-.  Adding the Breaking Above and Breaking Below percentages together provides a more straightforward view of the 15% threshold that has marked previous short and medium-term turning points, and which again we have yet to reach. SECTORSLEGEND: The 'sparklines' show the three-year trend in the weighted percentage above moving average relative to the Market Composite and the 'STDev' column is a measure of the variability of that relative measure. The table also provides averages for the breaks above and breaks below and the positive and negative 'crossovers'.SECTOR BREAKDOWN - The top six sectors measured by the percentage above the weighted average of 5-240 Days are all, predictably, domestic and defensive -  Food, Beverages &amp; Tobacco, REITs, Information Technology, Internet, Media and Utilities. Equally predictable are the bottom half-dozen - Banks, Non-Bank Finance, Autos, Metals, Electrical Equipment and Chemicals. COMPANIESCOMPANY MOVING AVERAGE OUTLIERS - As with the market and sectors, out moving average outlier indicator uses a weighted sum of the share price relative to its 5-day, 20-day, 60-day, 120 day and 240-day moving averages. Extreme values are weighted sums greater than 100% and less than -100%. We would caution that this indicator is best used for timing shorter-term reversals and, in many cases, higher highs and lower lows will be seen. Source: Japan AnalyticsTHE 100% CLUB - As of Friday 21st, there were 16 extreme positive outliers and 622 extreme negative outliers. The number of extreme negative outliers suggests we are a short-term bottom.In the DETAIL section below, we highlight the current top and bottom twenty-five larger capitalisation outliers as well as those companies that have seen the most significant positive and negative changes in their outlier percentage in the last two weeks and provide short comments on companies of particular note. 

Japan: Moving Average Outliers - Year-End Blues

Asian Hedge Fund Manager, Long Short Equity, Macro

David Mudd

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul>
<li>On January 1st, we created the Asian Alpha Hedge Fund (AAHF), which returned 31.66% in the first quarter of 2025. AAHF is a simulated (paper-traded) long/short equity Asian hedge fund.</li>
<li>The fund's outperformance was attributed to high alpha generation and country allocation/positioning.  The portfolio gained from its long positions in Hong Kong and shorts in Japan.</li>
<li>On 3/31/25, we reduced long positions in HK tech and covered short positions in Japanese steel companies. At 3/31/25 AAHF had a gross position of 172% and net exposure +5.89%. </li>
</ul>


On January 1st, we created the Asian Alpha Hedge Fund (AAHF), which returned 31.66% in the first quarter of 2025. AAHF is a simulated (paper-traded) long/short equity Asian hedge fund.
The fund's outperformance was attributed to high alpha generation and country allocation/positioning.  The portfolio gained from its long positions in Hong Kong and shorts in Japan.
On 3/31/25, we reduced long positions in HK tech and covered short positions in Japanese steel companies. At 3/31/25 AAHF had a gross position of 172% and net exposure +5.89%. 


Asian Alpha Hedge Fund (AAHF): INTRODUCTION

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): Memory Downturn Yet to Impact Advantest

Advantest Corporation (6857 JP), based in Japan, manufactures and sells semiconductor testing equipment and electronic measuring systems. The...

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

Japan: Moving Average Outliers - Tech[nical] Rebound

- MARKET COMPOSITE - SLOW & STEADY RECOVERY - From December 25th's lows of 8% by number and 11% by value, the percentages of Japanese stocks...

Campbell Gunn

Screening the Silk Road: Q1-2019 Small-Mid Cap GARP (Zulu Warrior Screening)

Value made a comeback, but growth remains core: In May 2018, we examined the divide between value and growth stocks, ( Notes from the Silk...

David Lepper

Japan: Moving Average Outliers - Year-End Blues

MARKET COMPOSITETRADING ZONE - As of last Friday, the Japan All Market Composite has now entered a bear market, having declined by 20% from the...

Campbell Gunn

Asian Alpha Hedge Fund (AAHF): INTRODUCTION

Asian Alpha Hedge Fund (AAHF) returned 32% in the first quarter of 2025. The fund outperformed the MSCI All Country Asia Pacific index by 28%. ...

David Mudd

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