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. 

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>The merger of Tsuruha and Welcia got the green light in May and will further galvanise the sector to consolidate, especially in prescriptions due to the shortage of qualified staff.</li>
<li>Which is why Ain has confirmed the acquisition of Kanto-based prescription drug chains operated by Kraft. </li>
<li>The move will help maintain Ain’s dominance in the dispensing pharmacy sector and encourage further M&amp;A.</li>
</ul>


The merger of Tsuruha and Welcia got the green light in May and will further galvanise the sector to consolidate, especially in prescriptions due to the shortage of qualified staff.
Which is why Ain has confirmed the acquisition of Kanto-based prescription drug chains operated by Kraft. 
The move will help maintain Ain’s dominance in the dispensing pharmacy sector and encourage further M&amp;A.


Ain's Purchase of Kraft a Sign of More Drugstore M&A to Come

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>There have been a lot of deals in the last 5 years, including M&amp;A between Japanese companies, distribution deals/licenses, foreign companies buying into Japan and Japanese buying foreign brands. </li>
<li>Consolidation is a key motivation but so are category expansion, rationalisation and buying in expertise. All these reasons and more suggest more deals to come in the next few years.</li>
<li>Here we provide a comprehensive list of deals between 2019-2025 as well as a map showing who owns who and, as important, who influences who without any paperwork at all.</li>
</ul>


There have been a lot of deals in the last 5 years, including M&amp;A between Japanese companies, distribution deals/licenses, foreign companies buying into Japan and Japanese buying foreign brands. 
Consolidation is a key motivation but so are category expansion, rationalisation and buying in expertise. All these reasons and more suggest more deals to come in the next few years.
Here we provide a comprehensive list of deals between 2019-2025 as well as a map showing who owns who and, as important, who influences who without any paperwork at all.


[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

<ul>
<li>The Japanese stock market posted a modest gain of 1% for the week, with the Nikkei closing at 39,470 on Friday</li>
<li>Looking ahead, the market remains sensitive to external catalysts such as U.S. monetary policy decisions (FOMC on 17/18th), the BOJ (18/19th), and developments in China’s economic policies.</li>
<li>Topcon's stock skyrocketed 63% this week, fueled by speculation that the eyecare leader may go private.</li>
</ul>


The Japanese stock market posted a modest gain of 1% for the week, with the Nikkei closing at 39,470 on Friday
Looking ahead, the market remains sensitive to external catalysts such as U.S. monetary policy decisions (FOMC on 17/18th), the BOJ (18/19th), and developments in China’s economic policies.
Topcon's stock skyrocketed 63% this week, fueled by speculation that the eyecare leader may go private.


Japan Weekly | Nikkei Edges Up; Topcon, Rakuten, Oji, Bandai

<ul>
<li>Seven &amp; I released 1H24 earnings today as well as details on planned restructuring of its business. Results included some one-off items hitting operating profit as well as lower footfall.</li>
<li>The bigger news was the plan to hive off the non-CVS retail operations into a new company, York Holdings, leaving a newly named 7-Eleven Corporation running CVS globally.</li>
<li>Unusually, Seven also mentioned the possibility of new strategic partners investing in York, including even the "original founding families", suggesting one way of holding on to control.</li>
</ul>


Seven &amp; I released 1H24 earnings today as well as details on planned restructuring of its business. Results included some one-off items hitting operating profit as well as lower footfall.
The bigger news was the plan to hive off the non-CVS retail operations into a new company, York Holdings, leaving a newly named 7-Eleven Corporation running CVS globally.
Unusually, Seven also mentioned the possibility of new strategic partners investing in York, including even the "original founding families", suggesting one way of holding on to control.


7-Eleven Corporation: A Clear Strategy for Long-Term Value, Founding Family Return to Super-Stores

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

<ul>
<li>Hypermarket reshuffles as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jd-com-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29043:1" rel="noopener">JD.com (9618 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dfi-retail-group-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7427:1" rel="noopener">DFI Retail (DFI SP)</a> exit <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yonghui-superstores-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15910:1" rel="noopener">Yonghui Superstores (601933 CH)</a>; and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd-d7b798e2-202d-4e01-9a1e-799e2ae8f0c7" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group  (9988 HK)</a> potentially exits <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sun-art-retail-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:401:1" rel="noopener">Sun Art Retail (6808 HK)</a>.</li>
<li>Evidently the influence of a younger hip third-generation tycoon-scion wasn't the panacea for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/new-world-development" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7037:1" rel="noopener">New World Development (17 HK)</a> and its ongoing issues in the HK/China property space.</li>
<li>MBK bumps the Tender Offer prices for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/korea-zinc-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:17944:1" rel="noopener">Korea Zinc (010130 KS)</a> by 13.6% to ₩750,000 and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/young-poong-precision-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16188:1" rel="noopener">Young Poong Precision (036560 KS)</a> by 25% to ₩25,000. What with the Choi's do?</li>
</ul>


Hypermarket reshuffles as JD.com (9618 HK) and DFI Retail (DFI SP) exit Yonghui Superstores (601933 CH); and Alibaba Group  (9988 HK) potentially exits Sun Art Retail (6808 HK).
Evidently the influence of a younger hip third-generation tycoon-scion wasn't the panacea for New World Development (17 HK) and its ongoing issues in the HK/China property space.
MBK bumps the Tender Offer prices for Korea Zinc (010130 KS) by 13.6% to ₩750,000 and Young Poong Precision (036560 KS) by 25% to ₩25,000. What with the Choi's do?


Last Week in Event SPACE: DFI/JD.com/Yonghui, Alibaba/Sun Art, New World Development, Austal

Japan

AIN HOLDINGS INC. operates and franchises pharmacies in Japan.  The Company primarily sells medicines, external-use medicine, cosmetics, and food products. AIN Pharmaciez also conducts clinical tests for medical institutions.

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

Ain Holdings Inc (9627 JP)

Ain's Purchase of Kraft a Sign of More Drugstore M&A to Come

That the merger of Tsuruha and Welcia will drive consolidation in the pharmacy sector is a given, and Ain acquiring Kanto-based prescription drug...

Michael Causton

[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

Michael Causton

Japan Weekly | Nikkei Edges Up; Topcon, Rakuten, Oji, Bandai

Japanese stock market sees 1% gain, Topcon's stock soars 63%, market remains sensitive to external factors like U.S. monetary policy and China's...

Mark Chadwick

7-Eleven Corporation: A Clear Strategy for Long-Term Value, Founding Family Return to Super-Stores

Seven & I showed some falls in SSS and income in 1H. Plans to restructure business by creating York Holdings for non-CVS retail ops, with the...

Michael Causton

Last Week in Event SPACE: DFI/JD.com/Yonghui, Alibaba/Sun Art, New World Development, Austal

It’s Sunday! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed during the...

David Blennerhassett

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Ain's Purchase of Kraft a Sign of More Drugstore M&A to Come

​That the merger of Tsuruha and Welcia will drive consolidation in the pharmacy sector is a given, and Ain acquiring Kanto-based prescription drug...

Michael Causton

[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

​Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

Michael Causton

Japan Weekly | Nikkei Edges Up; Topcon, Rakuten, Oji, Bandai

​Japanese stock market sees 1% gain, Topcon's stock soars 63%, market remains sensitive to external factors like U.S. monetary policy and China's...

Mark Chadwick

7-Eleven Corporation: A Clear Strategy for Long-Term Value, Founding Family Return to Super-Stores

​Seven & I showed some falls in SSS and income in 1H. Plans to restructure business by creating York Holdings for non-CVS retail ops, with the...

Michael Causton

Last Week in Event SPACE: DFI/JD.com/Yonghui, Alibaba/Sun Art, New World Development, Austal

It’s Sunday! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed during the...

David Blennerhassett

That the merger of Tsuruha and Welcia will drive consolidation in the pharmacy sector is a given, and Ain acquiring Kanto-based prescription drug...

Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

Japanese stock market sees 1% gain, Topcon's stock soars 63%, market remains sensitive to external factors like U.S. monetary policy and China's...

Seven & I showed some falls in SSS and income in 1H. Plans to restructure business by creating York Holdings for non-CVS retail ops, with the...