Senior Bank Analyst - Japanese Banks, Windamee Research

J. Brian Waterhouse

Senior Bank Analyst - Japanese Banks

Windamee Research

Japanese Banks

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

Stock markets around the world have been reaching record levels, thanks to the unprecedented amounts of money being pumped into the financial markets by the advanced nations’ central banks in a bid to offset the economic damage caused by COVID-19.  In Japan, too, the Topix Index finished 2020 at 1804.68, just off its high-point for the year and up a very modest 4.8% YoY after plummeting around 500 points in March.
For investors in Japanese bank stocks, however, it was another year of pain: the Topix Bank Index closed 2020 down 21.7% YoY.  Moreover, just 5 bank stocks out of the total of 92 showed positive gains YoY.  All 7 major Japanese banks showed YoY declines: the ‘best-performer’ was down 21.1% YoY, with the average major bank YoY decline exceeding 25%.  By the end of 2020, 13 Japanese bank stocks had lost over one-third of their value, although they had been considerably lower earlier in the year.
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2021 commences with bank lending at near record-high levels after a record surge in lending, a mountain of cash on deposit that the banks are struggling to deploy profitably, exceptionally low loan to deposit (LDR) ratios, margins under pressure, profits under pressure and, for many banks, dividends under pressure as well.  None of this is likely to boost investor confidence in Japanese bank stocks.
Business models need to be reinvented to properly incorporate the new digital era, branches amalgamated or closed, and staff reduced.  This will take time and be costly.
Meanwhile, two banks have already suggested that they will likely make consolidated net losses in FY3/3021, with others perhaps to follow as we approach the end of the fiscal year in March.
2021 will also see a handful of regional bank mergers; indeed, this has already started with the first on 1 January 2021, creating the Daishi Hokuetsu Bank (part of the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/daishi-hokuetsu-financial-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27533:1" rel="noopener">Daishi Hokuetsu Financial Group (7327 JP)</a> ).  While these will be welcomed by the Suga Administration, which is actively encouraging a reduction in the number of regional banks, especially in the more rural parts of the country, there is no guarantee that the surviving entities will be any more profitable or efficient than their predecessors.
Then there is the coronavirus pandemic, which continues to cause social lockdowns, economic disruption, and financial uncertainty aside from its devastating impact on the health and wellbeing of humankind.  All of this still needs to be properly discounted in Japanese bank share prices.  We anticipate further share price weakness in many Japanese banks in 2021.
“Caveat Emptor!” (May the Buyer Beware) remains our advice to would-be investors in Japanese bank stocks for 2021 and beyond.

Stock markets around the world have been reaching record levels, thanks to the unprecedented amounts of money being pumped into the financial markets by the advanced nations’ central banks in a bid to offset the economic damage caused by COVID-19.  In Japan, too, the Topix Index finished 2020 at 1804.68, just off its high-point for the year and up a very modest 4.8% YoY after plummeting around 500 points in March.
For investors in Japanese bank stocks, however, it was another year of pain: the Topix Bank Index closed 2020 down 21.7% YoY.  Moreover, just 5 bank stocks out of the total of 92 showed positive gains YoY.  All 7 major Japanese banks showed YoY declines: the ‘best-performer’ was down 21.1% YoY, with the average major bank YoY decline exceeding 25%.  By the end of 2020, 13 Japanese bank stocks had lost over one-third of their value, although they had been considerably lower earlier in the year.




2021 commences with bank lending at near record-high levels after a record surge in lending, a mountain of cash on deposit that the banks are struggling to deploy profitably, exceptionally low loan to deposit (LDR) ratios, margins under pressure, profits under pressure and, for many banks, dividends under pressure as well.  None of this is likely to boost investor confidence in Japanese bank stocks.
Business models need to be reinvented to properly incorporate the new digital era, branches amalgamated or closed, and staff reduced.  This will take time and be costly.
Meanwhile, two banks have already suggested that they will likely make consolidated net losses in FY3/3021, with others perhaps to follow as we approach the end of the fiscal year in March.
2021 will also see a handful of regional bank mergers; indeed, this has already started with the first on 1 January 2021, creating the Daishi Hokuetsu Bank (part of the Daishi Hokuetsu Financial Group (7327 JP) ).  While these will be welcomed by the Suga Administration, which is actively encouraging a reduction in the number of regional banks, especially in the more rural parts of the country, there is no guarantee that the surviving entities will be any more profitable or efficient than their predecessors.
Then there is the coronavirus pandemic, which continues to cause social lockdowns, economic disruption, and financial uncertainty aside from its devastating impact on the health and wellbeing of humankind.  All of this still needs to be properly discounted in Japanese bank share prices.  We anticipate further share price weakness in many Japanese banks in 2021.
“Caveat Emptor!” (May the Buyer Beware) remains our advice to would-be investors in Japanese bank stocks for 2021 and beyond.

After a somewhat euphoric start to September, with some Japanese bank stocks recovering as much as 20% from their mid-August lows on a global wave of ‘Value over Momentum’ buying, we expect the market to return sharply to reality in October, leaving Japanese bank stocks in danger of sinking back to those mid-August lows, if not lower.
Share price performance in the April-September 2019 1st Half of the FY3/2020 fiscal year showed negative returns across the Japanese banking sector for all but a handful of largely-illiquid small banks. October starts with an increase in Japanese consumption tax to 10%, and may end with Britain crashing out of the EU with no deal whatsoever. If investors move to ‘risk off’, with global markets overshadowed by concerns that the global economy may be teetering on recession as the US-China ‘trade war’ continues, we expect the Yen to strengthen as part of a ‘flight to safety’: not good for Japanese bank stocks generally.
The rise in consumption tax is a risky move for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as past increases have been followed by a collapse in consumer spending. Any attempts by the Bank of Japan to head off an economic slowdown by resorting to more quantitative easing spells bad news for the embattled Japanese banks, especially the regionals and secondary regionals which remain overly-reliant on interest income. It is all looking rather unpleasant. Caveat Emptor! (May the Buyer Beware) remains our advice to would-be investors in Japanese bank stocks in 2019.

After a somewhat euphoric start to September, with some Japanese bank stocks recovering as much as 20% from their mid-August lows on a global wave of ‘Value over Momentum’ buying, we expect the market to return sharply to reality in October, leaving Japanese bank stocks in danger of sinking back to those mid-August lows, if not lower.
Share price performance in the April-September 2019 1st Half of the FY3/2020 fiscal year showed negative returns across the Japanese banking sector for all but a handful of largely-illiquid small banks. October starts with an increase in Japanese consumption tax to 10%, and may end with Britain crashing out of the EU with no deal whatsoever. If investors move to ‘risk off’, with global markets overshadowed by concerns that the global economy may be teetering on recession as the US-China ‘trade war’ continues, we expect the Yen to strengthen as part of a ‘flight to safety’: not good for Japanese bank stocks generally.
The rise in consumption tax is a risky move for Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as past increases have been followed by a collapse in consumer spending. Any attempts by the Bank of Japan to head off an economic slowdown by resorting to more quantitative easing spells bad news for the embattled Japanese banks, especially the regionals and secondary regionals which remain overly-reliant on interest income. It is all looking rather unpleasant. Caveat Emptor! (May the Buyer Beware) remains our advice to would-be investors in Japanese bank stocks in 2019.

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>On 1 April 2024, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten (4755 JP)</a> announced <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> and Rakuten would start talks aimed at creating a Fintech Group. I wrote <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/if-rakuten-4755-combines-financial-units-who-wins-and-how-well-it-s-complicated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this</a>. Talks halted 6mos later.</li>
<li>Back then, word was Bank was dissatisfied with the ratios. As of 25 Feb 2026, they are starting talks again as Rakuten Group sees greater bank competition as rates rise.</li>
<li>It's a complicated structure but worth it for Rakuten Bank. Rakuten Bank customer and deposit growth continues higher than the bank industry as a whole. Deposit beta is a question.</li>
</ul>


On 1 April 2024, Rakuten (4755 JP) announced Rakuten Bank (5838 JP) and Rakuten would start talks aimed at creating a Fintech Group. I wrote this. Talks halted 6mos later.
Back then, word was Bank was dissatisfied with the ratios. As of 25 Feb 2026, they are starting talks again as Rakuten Group sees greater bank competition as rates rise.
It's a complicated structure but worth it for Rakuten Bank. Rakuten Bank customer and deposit growth continues higher than the bank industry as a whole. Deposit beta is a question.


[Japan Event] Rakuten Bank (5838) - New Fintech Holding Would Be Positive IF Done Right

Index Rebal/Special Situations, Quiddity Advisors

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Index Rebal/Special Situations

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>In the TOPIX Index, some "low liquidity" names carry a liquidity factor of 0.75x resulting in their actual index weights being smaller than their default weights.</li>
<li>These names are reviewed every April and if the liquidity factor of a stock gets removed, the stock will see index inflows from passive trackers of TOPIX.</li>
<li>In this insight, we take a look at Quiddity's final predictions for the names that are likely to see their Liquidity Factors removed in April 2025 and their flow implications.</li>
</ul>


In the TOPIX Index, some "low liquidity" names carry a liquidity factor of 0.75x resulting in their actual index weights being smaller than their default weights.
These names are reviewed every April and if the liquidity factor of a stock gets removed, the stock will see index inflows from passive trackers of TOPIX.
In this insight, we take a look at Quiddity's final predictions for the names that are likely to see their Liquidity Factors removed in April 2025 and their flow implications.


TOPIX Index Upweights: Final Expectations For "The Big April Basket" 2025

<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 TOYAMA BANK, LTD. is a regional bank based in Toyama.  The Bank provides banking services such as deposits, foreign exchange transactions, and loans to local customers.

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Bank Of Toyama /Ltd (8365 JP)

Japanese Banks: Ever Lower

For investors in Japanese bank stocks, 2020 was another year of pain. The sector fell almost 22% YoY; only 5 bank stocks out of 92 registered YoY...

J. Brian Waterhouse

Japanese Banks: A Chill Wind in October

After a somewhat euphoric start to September, with some Japanese bank stocks recovering as much as 20% from their mid-August lows on a global wave...

J. Brian Waterhouse

[Japan Event] Rakuten Bank (5838) - New Fintech Holding Would Be Positive IF Done Right

Rakuten Bank is the worst-performing listed bank in Japan in the last 11+ months despite strong earnings growth. Everyone else's PER multiple is...

Travis Lundy

TOPIX Index Upweights: Final Expectations For "The Big April Basket" 2025

The TOPIX Liquidity Factor (0.75x) changes for April 2025 will be officially announced after the close today (7th April 2025) and the actual index...

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

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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