Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>In April, Silchester went after <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shiga-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18665:1" rel="noopener">Shiga Bank (8366 JP)</a><em>(<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-activism-silchester-goes-after-shiga-bank" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:69339" rel="noopener">JAPAN ACTIVISM:  Silchester Goes After Shiga Bank</a>)</em>, with an open letter decrying destruction of shareholder value, asking for a special dividend. </li>
<li>They said Shiga Bank had excess cross-holdings and perennially low ROE (it does). Silchester asked for a minimal special div as a signal. Shareholders dinged their request at the AGM. </li>
<li>Shiga Bank had a decent runup in the last several months - far outstripping its peers. Now it is rich. Time to take the trade off.</li>
</ul>


In April, Silchester went after Shiga Bank (8366 JP)(JAPAN ACTIVISM:  Silchester Goes After Shiga Bank), with an open letter decrying destruction of shareholder value, asking for a special dividend. 
They said Shiga Bank had excess cross-holdings and perennially low ROE (it does). Silchester asked for a minimal special div as a signal. Shareholders dinged their request at the AGM. 
Shiga Bank had a decent runup in the last several months - far outstripping its peers. Now it is rich. Time to take the trade off.


JAPAN ACTIVISM:  Silchester Target Shiga Bank Dings the Div Proposal Badly

<ul>
<li>Mercari was expected to announce at some point that it would attempt to transfer to TSE Prime. They have now announced. </li>
<li>This will end up being a BIG TOPIX inclusion in May or June. </li>
<li>And the changes to the TOPIX Free Float Weight Methodology will mean it is bigger than it would have been under the old regime (despite unchanged FFW).</li>
</ul>


Mercari was expected to announce at some point that it would attempt to transfer to TSE Prime. They have now announced. 
This will end up being a BIG TOPIX inclusion in May or June. 
And the changes to the TOPIX Free Float Weight Methodology will mean it is bigger than it would have been under the old regime (despite unchanged FFW).


Mercari (4385) Applying for TSE Prime Means TOPIX Inclusion in 4-5 Months

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Yesterday, post-close, Bloomberg reported a headline "<strong>*SILCHESTER REPORTS NIKON STAKE; MAY SEEK CAPITAL POLICY CHANGES</strong>"</li>
<li>That was exciting. It was in all caps. It was activist-ish-y. Today the stock rose 10.3% and we got another article saying it was up because of Silchester's filing.</li>
<li>Beware the Bloomberg headline. Nuance is sometimes lost. They aren't always designed to help investors invest. Often, the main purpose is clickbait.</li>
</ul>


Yesterday, post-close, Bloomberg reported a headline "*SILCHESTER REPORTS NIKON STAKE; MAY SEEK CAPITAL POLICY CHANGES"
That was exciting. It was in all caps. It was activist-ish-y. Today the stock rose 10.3% and we got another article saying it was up because of Silchester's filing.
Beware the Bloomberg headline. Nuance is sometimes lost. They aren't always designed to help investors invest. Often, the main purpose is clickbait.


Nikon (7731) - Beware The Bloomberg Headline But There's Value Here

<ul>
<li>Yesterday, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kyocera-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:753:1" rel="noopener">Kyocera Corp (6971 JP)</a> announced Q2 results and lowered its full-year forecast. Then the CEO said it was "reconsidering" what to do with KDDI shares (after an AGM disaster).</li>
<li>The company had already planned to borrow ¥500bn against the KDDI stake to return capital to shareholders. That was in the price 5+ months ago. </li>
<li>The new hope is that Kyocera just got Corporate Governance Religion. I have my doubts, and even if it did, you have to look carefully at their ambitious plans.</li>
</ul>


Yesterday, Kyocera Corp (6971 JP) announced Q2 results and lowered its full-year forecast. Then the CEO said it was "reconsidering" what to do with KDDI shares (after an AGM disaster).
The company had already planned to borrow ¥500bn against the KDDI stake to return capital to shareholders. That was in the price 5+ months ago. 
The new hope is that Kyocera just got Corporate Governance Religion. I have my doubts, and even if it did, you have to look carefully at their ambitious plans.


Kyocera (6971) And Their $10bn KDDI Stake - Did They Get CorpGov Religion?

<ul>
<li>40% of Banks outside the Top 7 (none of which offered H1 guidance) in the TOPIX Banks Index have now changed H1 guidance or reported H1. 2 reported both up.</li>
<li>92% of the others have revised up H1 net income guidance a weighted average of 47%. Net Interest Income, Corporate fees/comms are up, expenses and credit costs are down.</li>
<li>Big tables with data, reasons for guidance changes, and buyback history of each presented below.</li>
</ul>


40% of Banks outside the Top 7 (none of which offered H1 guidance) in the TOPIX Banks Index have now changed H1 guidance or reported H1. 2 reported both up.
92% of the others have revised up H1 net income guidance a weighted average of 47%. Net Interest Income, Corporate fees/comms are up, expenses and credit costs are down.
Big tables with data, reasons for guidance changes, and buyback history of each presented below.


Japan H1 Bank Earnings: Interest/Fees Up, Expenses/Credit Costs Down - Opportunity Abounds, Still

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.

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Bank of Kyoto (8369 JP)

JAPAN ACTIVISM: Silchester Target Shiga Bank Dings the Div Proposal Badly

Silchester launched a small activist action against four banks this spring. Shiga Bank was one. They asked for a special div at the AGM. Rebuffed....

Travis Lundy

Mercari (4385) Applying for TSE Prime Means TOPIX Inclusion in 4-5 Months

Mercari (4385 JP) announced Friday it applied for TSE Prime transfer. I expect a TOPIX inclusion end-May or end-June. The change in FFW method...

Travis Lundy

Nikon (7731) - Beware The Bloomberg Headline But There's Value Here

Nikon is a cheap company with dual personalities, which keeps its multiple low. It has cash and securities too. Silchester bought 5% and Bloomberg...

Travis Lundy

Kyocera (6971) And Their $10bn KDDI Stake - Did They Get CorpGov Religion?

Kyocera yesterday announced a downward revision AND an intention to "reconsider" the disposition of its KDDI shares after the June AGM hurt. That...

Travis Lundy

Japan H1 Bank Earnings: Interest/Fees Up, Expenses/Credit Costs Down - Opportunity Abounds, Still

The macro backdrop for Japanese banks is pretty good. Business restructuring efforts are bearing fruit. Global macro is adding fees. Stocks are up,...

Travis Lundy

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