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. 

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Aeon just announced record revenues of more than ¥9 trillion for FY2022. </li>
<li>Its supermarkets, mall developments and drugstores continue to strengthen and even the GMS business had a good year even if it still a way to go to generate consistent profit.</li>
<li>Meanwhile, Aeon plans to pour ¥150 billion a year into group-wide digital technologies, after launching the most advanced food online operation Japan has seen yet this month.</li>
</ul>


Aeon just announced record revenues of more than ¥9 trillion for FY2022. 
Its supermarkets, mall developments and drugstores continue to strengthen and even the GMS business had a good year even if it still a way to go to generate consistent profit.
Meanwhile, Aeon plans to pour ¥150 billion a year into group-wide digital technologies, after launching the most advanced food online operation Japan has seen yet this month.


<ul>
<li>It has taken three years to build and set up but Aeon will finally open its first automated warehouse for online food sales in Chiba this summer. </li>
<li>The warehouse will run on technology from Ocado and act as the backend for a completely new online supermarket called Green Beans.</li>
<li>A second warehouse is due to come online in 2026, expanding sales to all of Tokyo and into Kanagawa. This is the most advanced food e-commerce operation in Japan.</li>
</ul>


It has taken three years to build and set up but Aeon will finally open its first automated warehouse for online food sales in Chiba this summer. 
The warehouse will run on technology from Ocado and act as the backend for a completely new online supermarket called Green Beans.
A second warehouse is due to come online in 2026, expanding sales to all of Tokyo and into Kanagawa. This is the most advanced food e-commerce operation in Japan.


Aeon to Launch Ground-Breaking Online Food Business

<ul>
<li>The 100 Yen shop model looked in danger when inflation began to bite and labour costs surged but the sector continues to expand</li>
<li>Their fixed price model meant there was little leeway to offset higher costs through higher prices but a survey shows 90% of respondents visited a Daiso store recently.</li>
<li>While Daiso has adapted quickly and looks to have a bright future, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/seria-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12989:1" rel="noopener">Seria Co Ltd (2782 JP)</a> refuses to adapt and has seen profits plummet.</li>
</ul>


The 100 Yen shop model looked in danger when inflation began to bite and labour costs surged but the sector continues to expand
Their fixed price model meant there was little leeway to offset higher costs through higher prices but a survey shows 90% of respondents visited a Daiso store recently.
While Daiso has adapted quickly and looks to have a bright future, Seria Co Ltd (2782 JP) refuses to adapt and has seen profits plummet.


100 Yen Shops to Hit ¥1 Trillion This Year but Seria's Model Squeezing Profits

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mitsubishi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20668:1" rel="noopener">Mitsubishi Corp (8058 JP)</a>'s ¥300bn buyback means 8+% of ADV every day from here to end-Dec 2023. Buy MitCorp vs trading houses with less of a buyback impact. </li>
<li>Rumours abound of an MSCI up weight for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jardine-matheson-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19718:1" rel="noopener">Jardine Matheson Holdings (JM SP)</a>. It wasn't a clear-cut situation. And nothing came of it. </li>
<li>There are concerns about the stability of funding for JIP’s offer for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toshiba-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:637:1" rel="noopener">Toshiba Corp (6502 JP)</a> in the event that <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kioxia" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29243:1" rel="noopener">Kioxia (6600 JP)</a>’s results collapse further.</li>
</ul>



Mitsubishi Corp (8058 JP)'s ¥300bn buyback means 8+% of ADV every day from here to end-Dec 2023. Buy MitCorp vs trading houses with less of a buyback impact. 
Rumours abound of an MSCI up weight for Jardine Matheson Holdings (JM SP). It wasn't a clear-cut situation. And nothing came of it. 
There are concerns about the stability of funding for JIP’s offer for Toshiba Corp (6502 JP) in the event that Kioxia (6600 JP)’s results collapse further.


Last Week in Event SPACE: MitCorp, Jardine Matheson, Toshiba, Japanese Foreign Inflows

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>With food inflation exceeding 8% in December, prices have become the focus for all supermarket retailing. </li>
<li>This is good news for those that are set up for price competition but it presents a serious challenge to the majority of chains.</li>
<li>The net result will be a widening gap in performance between the best and rest, with the former delivering both top line growth and rising margins.</li>
</ul>


With food inflation exceeding 8% in December, prices have become the focus for all supermarket retailing. 
This is good news for those that are set up for price competition but it presents a serious challenge to the majority of chains.
The net result will be a widening gap in performance between the best and rest, with the former delivering both top line growth and rising margins.


Japan's Supermarkets: The Coming Disruption

Japan

AEON CO., LTD. operates general merchandise stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores throughout Japan. The Company is also engaged in women's and casual clothing store business, development business of commercial property, and financing service through the subsidiaries.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Aeon Co Ltd (8267 JP)

Aeon: All Signs Point to Higher Returns

Aeon has long been famous for low margins and an empire of diverse business units with less than stellar efficiency. The last five years have seen...

Michael Causton

Aeon to Launch Ground-Breaking Online Food Business

Aeon is now officially a major e-commerce business, after years of having barely any skin in the game. The potential of its new Ocado-backed online...

Michael Causton

100 Yen Shops to Hit ¥1 Trillion This Year but Seria's Model Squeezing Profits

Seria has always extracted the highest profits from the 100 Yen sector even as its larger competitor, Daiso, grew faster. Now, with labour and...

Michael Causton

Last Week in Event SPACE: MitCorp, Jardine Matheson, Toshiba, Japanese Foreign Inflows

The weekend is here! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed...

David Blennerhassett

Japan's Supermarkets: The Coming Disruption

With Trial's IPO looming and inflation at record highs, Japan's supermarket sector is a sector ripe for disruption as pricing pressures widen the...

Michael Causton

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)