Japanese Turnaround Situations, Short-Ideas, Azabu Research

Michael Allen

Japanese Turnaround Situations, Short-Ideas

Azabu Research

Azabu Research is a publishing and consulting firm focused on distressed equities in the Japanese market. We specialize in turnaround strategies, corporate combinations, divestitures, and restructuring.

Publisher of the Tokyo Turnaround Letter, which conducts the most thorough research possible of publicly available information, including forensic tests for fraudulent overstatement of assets and understatement of liabilities, as well as rigorous market and industry analysis to assess the underlying strengths of the company’s products or services, the appropriateness of the company’s turnaround strategy, and the skill of its current management team. The average length of a report exceeds 25 pages of text and tables, excluding any disclosures or executive summaries.

We have more than 30 years of experience in applying this process to distressed equities in Japan. Additionally, subscribers have free access to detailed, yet easily navigated earnings models for the target company as well as the top five comparable companies, and unlimited access to the analyst for follow-up questions.

Azabu Research also conducts be-spoke research on a project basis, and provides consulting services to companies looking to restructure, divest, make acquisitions, go public, or improve investor sentiment toward their stock.

Independent Research and Consulting Firm

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Japan’s chemicals industry is finally undergoing a long-overdue consolidation that should lead to fewer companies, higher profitability, and less volatility.</li>
<li>These changes may be driving significant mispricing. Like most segments, RoE drives most of the variance in PBR, but with more frequent and far larger outliers.</li>
<li>KH Neochem, Daicel, and Mitsui Chemicals are the undervalued outliers, and all three are positioned for rapid growth in our view.</li>
</ul>


Japan’s chemicals industry is finally undergoing a long-overdue consolidation that should lead to fewer companies, higher profitability, and less volatility.
These changes may be driving significant mispricing. Like most segments, RoE drives most of the variance in PBR, but with more frequent and far larger outliers.
KH Neochem, Daicel, and Mitsui Chemicals are the undervalued outliers, and all three are positioned for rapid growth in our view.


Long-Overdue Consolidation in Japanese Chemicals Drives Growth & Mispricing

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

<ul>
<li>There are 44 adds/41 deletes for the JPX Nikkei 400 Index to bring the number of index constituents back to 400. There are stocks with multiple days ADV to trade.</li>
<li>Based on the adds, deletes and capping changes, we estimate one way turnover of 7.9% and a round-trip trade of JPY 880bn (US$6bn).</li>
<li>The adds have outperformed the deletes over the last year though that has been faded over the last couple of months. Breaking with history, there could be outperformance near-term.</li>
</ul>


There are 44 adds/41 deletes for the JPX Nikkei 400 Index to bring the number of index constituents back to 400. There are stocks with multiple days ADV to trade.
Based on the adds, deletes and capping changes, we estimate one way turnover of 7.9% and a round-trip trade of JPY 880bn (US$6bn).
The adds have outperformed the deletes over the last year though that has been faded over the last couple of months. Breaking with history, there could be outperformance near-term.


JPX Nikkei 400 Index Rebalance: A Bunch of Chunky Adds & US$6bn Trade

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wcp-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36076:1" rel="noopener">WCP (WCP KS)</a>, a lithium-ion batteries separator company, has set its IPO price at KRW60,000 per share, a hefty 25-40% discount on the "desired" IPO price range of KRW80,000-100,000. </li>
<li>The target raise has declined from KRW720-900 billion (US$517-646 million) to KRW432 billion (US$310 million) due to the lower IPO price and offer shares.</li>
<li>While the final IPO price is now reasonable, the process smacks desperation and calls into question the credibility of the syndicate's forecasts. This is still an avoid.</li>
</ul>



WCP (WCP KS), a lithium-ion batteries separator company, has set its IPO price at KRW60,000 per share, a hefty 25-40% discount on the "desired" IPO price range of KRW80,000-100,000. 
The target raise has declined from KRW720-900 billion (US$517-646 million) to KRW432 billion (US$310 million) due to the lower IPO price and offer shares.
While the final IPO price is now reasonable, the process smacks desperation and calls into question the credibility of the syndicate's forecasts. This is still an avoid.


WCP IPO: Final IPO Price Set, Still an Avoid

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wcp-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36076:1" rel="noopener">WCP (WCP KS)</a>, a lithium-ion batteries separator company, is set to launch its IPO of KRW900 billion (US$692 million). </li>
<li>We last discussed the IPO in <em><strong><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/wcp-ipo-updated-prospectus-solid-1h22-unchanged-and-unattractive-price-range" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:79052" rel="noopener">WCP IPO: Updated Prospectus, Solid 1H22, Unchanged and Unattractive Price Range</a></strong></em>.</li>
<li>Although the de-rating of peer multiples resulted in a decline in the syndicate's intrinsic value, the IPO price range of KRW80,000-100,000 remains unchanged. The IPO price range is unattractive.</li>
</ul>



WCP (WCP KS), a lithium-ion batteries separator company, is set to launch its IPO of KRW900 billion (US$692 million). 
We last discussed the IPO in WCP IPO: Updated Prospectus, Solid 1H22, Unchanged and Unattractive Price Range.
Although the de-rating of peer multiples resulted in a decline in the syndicate's intrinsic value, the IPO price range of KRW80,000-100,000 remains unchanged. The IPO price range is unattractive.


<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wcp-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36076:1" rel="noopener">WCP (WCP KS)</a>, a lithium-ion batteries separator company, has released an updated prospectus for its IPO of KRW900 billion (US$692 million).  </li>
<li>The updated prospectus discloses 1H22 results and a marginal increase in the syndicate’s intrinsic value. Revenue growth and margin improved in 1Q22. </li>
<li>The IPO price range of KRW80,000-100,000 remains unchanged. While the fundamentals are sound, the IPO price range remains unattractive.</li>
</ul>



WCP (WCP KS), a lithium-ion batteries separator company, has released an updated prospectus for its IPO of KRW900 billion (US$692 million).  
The updated prospectus discloses 1H22 results and a marginal increase in the syndicate’s intrinsic value. Revenue growth and margin improved in 1Q22. 
The IPO price range of KRW80,000-100,000 remains unchanged. While the fundamentals are sound, the IPO price range remains unattractive.


WCP IPO: Updated Prospectus, Solid 1H22, Unchanged and Unattractive Price Range

Japan

ASAHI KASEI CORPORATION produces synthetic fibers, industrial chemicals, petrochemicals, plastics (resins), and synthetic rubber.  The Company also operates and sells real estates, pharmaceuticals, medical equipments, electronics, construction materials, and consumer products.

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Asahi Kasei (3407 JP)

Long-Overdue Consolidation in Japanese Chemicals Drives Growth & Mispricing

Consolidation in Japan's chemicals industry leading to fewer companies, higher profitability, and potential for growth in undervalued outliers...

Michael Allen

JPX Nikkei 400 Index Rebalance: A Bunch of Chunky Adds & US$6bn Trade

There are 44 adds/41 deletes for the JPX Nikkei 400 Index resulting in a one-way turnover of 7.9% and a round-trip trade of JPY 880bn (US$6bn)....

Brian Freitas

WCP IPO: Final IPO Price Set, Still an Avoid

While the final IPO price is now reasonable, the process smacks desperation and calls into question the credibility of the syndicate's forecasts....

Arun George

WCP IPO: Valuation Uncompelling

Although the de-rating of peer multiples resulted in a decline in the syndicate's intrinsic value, the IPO price range of KRW80,000-100,000 remains...

Arun George

WCP IPO: Updated Prospectus, Solid 1H22, Unchanged and Unattractive Price Range

The updated prospectus discloses 1H22 results but an unchanged IPO price range of KRW80,000-100,000. While the fundamentals are sound, the IPO...

Arun George

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Long-Overdue Consolidation in Japanese Chemicals Drives Growth & Mispricing

​Consolidation in Japan's chemicals industry leading to fewer companies, higher profitability, and potential for growth in undervalued outliers...

Michael Allen

JPX Nikkei 400 Index Rebalance: A Bunch of Chunky Adds & US$6bn Trade

There are 44 adds/41 deletes for the JPX Nikkei 400 Index resulting in a one-way turnover of 7.9% and a round-trip trade of JPY 880bn (US$6bn)....

Brian Freitas

WCP IPO: Final IPO Price Set, Still an Avoid

While the final IPO price is now reasonable, the process smacks desperation and calls into question the credibility of the syndicate's forecasts....

Arun George

WCP IPO: Valuation Uncompelling

Although the de-rating of peer multiples resulted in a decline in the syndicate's intrinsic value, the IPO price range of KRW80,000-100,000 remains...

Arun George

WCP IPO: Updated Prospectus, Solid 1H22, Unchanged and Unattractive Price Range

The updated prospectus discloses 1H22 results but an unchanged IPO price range of KRW80,000-100,000. While the fundamentals are sound, the IPO...

Arun George

Consolidation in Japan's chemicals industry leading to fewer companies, higher profitability, and potential for growth in undervalued outliers...