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. 

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>When just viewed as a shop building operator, Marui is a mid-sized property firm with a dependence on the Tokyo market. </li>
<li>Its consumer credit business has always been larger and transactions exceeded ¥3 trillion for the first time last year and should hit ¥5 trillion in  FY2025.</li>
<li>Marui also wants to leverage that data to better manage its buildings and identify fast growing businesses to invest in, resulting in more cross-use and growth businesses.</li>
</ul>


When just viewed as a shop building operator, Marui is a mid-sized property firm with a dependence on the Tokyo market. 
Its consumer credit business has always been larger and transactions exceeded ¥3 trillion for the first time last year and should hit ¥5 trillion in  FY2025.
Marui also wants to leverage that data to better manage its buildings and identify fast growing businesses to invest in, resulting in more cross-use and growth businesses.


Marui: Already a ¥3 Trillion Business but Aiming for ¥5 Trillion

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/melco-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6597:1" rel="noopener">Melco Holdings (6676 JP)</a> chairman Hiroyuki MAKI bought up a 14% stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/base-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28353:1" rel="noopener">BASE Inc (4477 JP)</a> in just under two weeks. It was done quite transparently. He announced daily.</li>
<li>He wants to get to 30% in a Tender Offer. The method, approach, lack of transparency, and similarity to previous situations where he invested has the company wary. </li>
<li>This looks like a Poison Pill case in the offing. It WAS a cheap stock. It is not expensive now. But it is not clear what the endgame is here.</li>
</ul>



Melco Holdings (6676 JP) chairman Hiroyuki MAKI bought up a 14% stake in BASE Inc (4477 JP) in just under two weeks. It was done quite transparently. He announced daily.
He wants to get to 30% in a Tender Offer. The method, approach, lack of transparency, and similarity to previous situations where he invested has the company wary. 
This looks like a Poison Pill case in the offing. It WAS a cheap stock. It is not expensive now. But it is not clear what the endgame is here.


Boss Maki Goes Hard on Base (4477) - Interesting Situation

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>This is an in-depth review of Japanese e-commerce in the last 18 months, a time when e-commerce expanded rapidly and by 2023, e-commerce will be Japan’s single biggest retail channel.</li>
<li>We are now riding a wave of change as retailers integrate the e-commerce channel into their businesses, increasingly approaching a true omnichannel model.</li>
<li>And this is important in Japan because, although e-commerce penetration appears low, this overlooks the importance, convenience and ease of access to physical shops and integration with online.</li>
</ul>


This is an in-depth review of Japanese e-commerce in the last 18 months, a time when e-commerce expanded rapidly and by 2023, e-commerce will be Japan’s single biggest retail channel.
We are now riding a wave of change as retailers integrate the e-commerce channel into their businesses, increasingly approaching a true omnichannel model.
And this is important in Japan because, although e-commerce penetration appears low, this overlooks the importance, convenience and ease of access to physical shops and integration with online.


No one really knows what will happen after the initial shock of the coronavirus fades away. Many observers in Japan, expert and otherwise, are already predicting a completely new world in one way or another, but the reality is likely more prosaic.What is certain is that the Japanese consumer economy will recover and it is just a question of when.The most likely effect of the crisis is that it will catalyse a period of change already in process and which also happens to be one of the most dramatic and far-reaching seen so far in retail.But there is one trend that may well reverse as more businesses go under or contract, providing relief for many retailers: the labour shortage and rise in wages.The following offers an in-depth review of both the impact of the current crisis and implications as well as the long-term trends in Japanese retailing, providing insight into which sectors, formats and specific companies will win and lose in the next three years.For a short read, we provide the conclusions and winners and losers first.

No one really knows what will happen after the initial shock of the coronavirus fades away. Many observers in Japan, expert and otherwise, are already predicting a completely new world in one way or another, but the reality is likely more prosaic.What is certain is that the Japanese consumer economy will recover and it is just a question of when.The most likely effect of the crisis is that it will catalyse a period of change already in process and which also happens to be one of the most dramatic and far-reaching seen so far in retail.But there is one trend that may well reverse as more businesses go under or contract, providing relief for many retailers: the labour shortage and rise in wages.The following offers an in-depth review of both the impact of the current crisis and implications as well as the long-term trends in Japanese retailing, providing insight into which sectors, formats and specific companies will win and lose in the next three years.For a short read, we provide the conclusions and winners and losers first.

After Covid: The Future for Japanese Retail: Winners & Losers

David Blennerhassett

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sun-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10803:1" rel="noopener">Sun Corp (6736 JP)</a> is a clear value play. But it's not as cheap to <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cellebrite-di-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:37102:1" rel="noopener">Cellebrite (CLBT US)</a> as it was  last month. The trade is a net long position</li>
<li>As <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/swire-pacific-ltd-cl-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10433:1" rel="noopener">Swire Pacific (A) (19 HK)</a> plumbs new 12-month lows for its NAV discount and implied stub, Swire's B shares have significantly outperformed the As over the past month.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shandong-hi-speed-holdings-gro" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10356:1" rel="noopener">Shandong Hi-Speed (412 HK)</a> is a bubble. High shareholder concentration is still likely present, and the stock is getting squeezed. SHP is a short. Once it starts to turn.</li>
</ul>



Sun Corp (6736 JP) is a clear value play. But it's not as cheap to Cellebrite (CLBT US) as it was  last month. The trade is a net long position
As Swire Pacific (A) (19 HK) plumbs new 12-month lows for its NAV discount and implied stub, Swire's B shares have significantly outperformed the As over the past month.

Shandong Hi-Speed (412 HK) is a bubble. High shareholder concentration is still likely present, and the stock is getting squeezed. SHP is a short. Once it starts to turn.


Last Week In Event SPACE: Sun Corp/Cellebrite, Swire, Shandong Hi-Speed, PRC Rural Bank Delistings

Japan

BASE, Inc. offers internet based services. The Company provides net shop creation, shopping application development, online payment development, and other services. BASE provides its services throughout Japan.

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BASE Inc (4477 JP)

Marui: Already a ¥3 Trillion Business but Aiming for ¥5 Trillion

Marui is one of the few really solid bets in Japanese consumer/retail thanks to its mix of a leading consumer finance business and fast evolving...

Michael Causton

Boss Maki Goes Hard on Base (4477) - Interesting Situation

Maki-san launched his tender at ¥400 on 7 May, 7 weeks after I wrote this as a sell at ¥496. The shares were higher. They came down. The company...

Travis Lundy

E-Commerce in Japan: The Big Review

Japan's e-commerce sector expanded rapidly in the last 18 months. The following is a complete review and analysis of the major trends as well as...

Michael Causton

After Covid: The Future for Japanese Retail: Winners & Losers

No one really knows what will happen after the initial shock of the coronavirus fades away. Many observers in Japan, expert and otherwise, are...

Michael Causton

Last Week In Event SPACE: Sun Corp/Cellebrite, Swire, Shandong Hi-Speed, PRC Rural Bank Delistings

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

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