Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Last year, Silchester International Investors wrote a series of letters to Bank of Kyoto management and then asked to put items on the AGM agenda. It lost. </li>
<li>A Bloomberg article last week suggests Silchester will ask for a ¥62 special div and a ¥5bn buyback this year. The Silchester letter is "due" by 30 April. </li>
<li>The Bank has already delivered most of the ask this year (¥3bn in upped div, and ¥5bn in buybacks). Silchester will lose. Expect no Conversion on the Road to Kasumigaseki.
</li>
</ul>


Last year, Silchester International Investors wrote a series of letters to Bank of Kyoto management and then asked to put items on the AGM agenda. It lost. 
A Bloomberg article last week suggests Silchester will ask for a ¥62 special div and a ¥5bn buyback this year. The Silchester letter is "due" by 30 April. 
The Bank has already delivered most of the ask this year (¥3bn in upped div, and ¥5bn in buybacks). Silchester will lose. Expect no Conversion on the Road to Kasumigaseki.



JAPAN ACTIVISM: Silchester and Bank of Kyoto (8369) Redux

<ul>
<li>The TSE went through a multi-year period of planning a "<a href="https://www.jpx.co.jp/english/equities/market-restructure/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Market Restructuring</a>" which ended on 4 April 2022 as the TSE split into three Sections, TSE Prime, Standard, and Growth.</li>
<li>After that, the TSE formed a "Council of Experts" (<a href="https://www.jpx.co.jp/english/equities/improvements/follow-up/b5b4pj000004yqcc-att/follow-up_member_en.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">some very senior people</a>) that would <a href="https://www.jpx.co.jp/english/equities/improvements/follow-up/b5b4pj000004yqcc-att/follow-up_market_e.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">follow up</a> on the changes, and recommend new measures.  In January, new rule proposals dropped.</li>
<li>There was <a href="https://www.jpx.co.jp/english/equities/improvements/follow-up/b5b4pj000004yqcc-att/dreu250000000uqc.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">talk</a> of a hard end to the transition period. Also, the Council harped on Awareness of Capital Cost and Efficiency. Most notably, for companies with PBR &lt; 1.</li>
</ul>


The TSE went through a multi-year period of planning a "Market Restructuring" which ended on 4 April 2022 as the TSE split into three Sections, TSE Prime, Standard, and Growth.
After that, the TSE formed a "Council of Experts" (some very senior people) that would follow up on the changes, and recommend new measures.  In January, new rule proposals dropped.
There was talk of a hard end to the transition period. Also, the Council harped on Awareness of Capital Cost and Efficiency. Most notably, for companies with PBR &lt; 1.


Japan's Governance Changes I - The PBR 1.0 Target

<ul>
<li>Today, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten (4755 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35638:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten Bank (5838 JP)</a> <a href="https://www.rakuten-bank.co.jp/press/2023/pdf/230322-2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> that Rakuten Bank had <a href="https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2023/0322_01.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received TSE approval to list</a> (English) on TSE Prime, with expected listing date 21 April 2023.</li>
<li>This had been <a href="https://global.rakuten.com/corp/news/press/2022/0704_02.html?year=2022&amp;month=7&amp;category=corp%20ir%20fintech" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in the works since July 2022</a>, and they <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-21/rakuten-is-said-to-pick-goldman-daiwa-for-banking-unit-ipo#xj4y7vzkg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">selected advisors</a> in September 2022. The low end of the offer price range seems attractive. More diligence needed.</li>
<li>There will be index inclusions. Unlike <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sbi-sumishin-net-bank" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:34572:1" rel="noopener">SBI Sumishin Net Bank (7163 JP)</a> which is going to TSE Standard, Rakuten Bank is going to Prime.</li>
</ul>


Today, Rakuten (4755 JP) and Rakuten Bank (5838 JP) announced that Rakuten Bank had received TSE approval to list (English) on TSE Prime, with expected listing date 21 April 2023.
This had been in the works since July 2022, and they selected advisors in September 2022. The low end of the offer price range seems attractive. More diligence needed.
There will be index inclusions. Unlike SBI Sumishin Net Bank (7163 JP) which is going to TSE Standard, Rakuten Bank is going to Prime.


Rakuten Bank (5838 JP) - Another Net-Bank IPO, This One With TOPIX and Other Index Inclusions

<ul>
<li>The word floating around late Friday as books closed was that foreigners had bid strongly. More than the entire <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/japan-post-bank-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:838:1" rel="noopener">Japan Post Bank (7182 JP)</a> offering size in fact.</li>
<li>The offering is an interesting problem, as discussed before. Different people are going to buy it for different reasons. </li>
<li>This insight looks at the breakdown of ratios and the resultant foreign ownership, along with post-offer supply/demand balance.</li>
</ul>


The word floating around late Friday as books closed was that foreigners had bid strongly. More than the entire Japan Post Bank (7182 JP) offering size in fact.
The offering is an interesting problem, as discussed before. Different people are going to buy it for different reasons. 
This insight looks at the breakdown of ratios and the resultant foreign ownership, along with post-offer supply/demand balance.


Japan Post Bank - Estimating Foreign Ownership and Deal Flowback

David Blennerhassett

<ul>
<li>Japanese banks are the hottest new thing but unless you think <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bank-of-kyoto" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5248:1" rel="noopener">Bank of Kyoto</a> is going to change its spots, it's still best thought of as a range trade. </li>
<li>WM Motors opts for a backdoor listing via merging with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/we-solutions-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9818:1" rel="noopener">WE Solutions Limited (860 HK)</a>. There's probably a good reason for doing so.</li>
<li>You pay for the liquidity of Japanese banks by paying a higher PBR against not as much improvement in ROE. That's life.</li>
</ul>


Japanese banks are the hottest new thing but unless you think Bank of Kyoto is going to change its spots, it's still best thought of as a range trade. 
WM Motors opts for a backdoor listing via merging with WE Solutions Limited (860 HK). There's probably a good reason for doing so.
You pay for the liquidity of Japanese banks by paying a higher PBR against not as much improvement in ROE. That's life.


Last Week In SPACE: Bank of Kyoto, WM Motors, Japanese Banks, Hong Kong Aerospace, CP ALL/MAKRO

Japan

The Bank of Kyoto, Ltd. is a regional bank in Kyoto.  The Bank provides banking services including deposits, savings, loans, foreign exchange transactions, and securities investments.  The Bank of Kyoto also provides financial services such as letter of credit, leasing, loans, and credit cards.

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

Bank of Kyoto (8369 JP)

JAPAN ACTIVISM: Silchester and Bank of Kyoto (8369) Redux

Silchester International Investors last year sent letters to Bank of Kyoto and three other Japanese banks, and made AGM proposals. They will...

Travis Lundy

Japan's Governance Changes I - The PBR 1.0 Target

Japan's powers that be - the TSE and now the Finance Ministry - are targeting listcos with PBRs of less than 1.0x. That will mean they will be...

Travis Lundy

Rakuten Bank (5838 JP) - Another Net-Bank IPO, This One With TOPIX and Other Index Inclusions

Rakuten Bank IPO has been in the works since July 2022. It's here. Timing could have been better. Rakuten Bank specialises in B2C transactions,...

Travis Lundy

Japan Post Bank - Estimating Foreign Ownership and Deal Flowback

I expect the JPB deal will price after the close on Monday. Determinants as to success in aftermarket will be foreign active demand (incl...

Travis Lundy

Last Week In SPACE: Bank of Kyoto, WM Motors, Japanese Banks, Hong Kong Aerospace, CP ALL/MAKRO

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

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)