Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Bic Camera is trading close to its 52-week high after rallying on expectations for the reopening of Japanese borders and increased sales from inbound tourists.</li>
<li>We think the market has gotten way ahead itself due to (a) falling real household spending and (b) less than expected impact from inbound</li>
<li>Bic’s high valuation is likely to derate due to rising interest rates.  We see around 30% downside for the stock based on peer multiples</li>
</ul>


Bic Camera is trading close to its 52-week high after rallying on expectations for the reopening of Japanese borders and increased sales from inbound tourists.
We think the market has gotten way ahead itself due to (a) falling real household spending and (b) less than expected impact from inbound
Bic’s high valuation is likely to derate due to rising interest rates.  We see around 30% downside for the stock based on peer multiples


Bic Camera (3048) | Cash-Strapped Consumers

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>As designed, the JPX-Nikkei400 Index is something of a disaster. It aims to be slightly 'smart' vs other cap-weighted indices like TOPIX, but tracking error vs TOPIX is de minimus.</li>
<li>This year, in week 1, the ADD vs DELETE performance is positive. If we sector-hedge the ADDs vs DELETEs, it's doing even better.</li>
<li>This is probably due to relatively low pre-positioning, and cares. Momentum suggests one could be long ADDs vs DELETEs. And there is the perennial trade to watch out for.</li>
</ul>


As designed, the JPX-Nikkei400 Index is something of a disaster. It aims to be slightly 'smart' vs other cap-weighted indices like TOPIX, but tracking error vs TOPIX is de minimus.
This year, in week 1, the ADD vs DELETE performance is positive. If we sector-hedge the ADDs vs DELETEs, it's doing even better.
This is probably due to relatively low pre-positioning, and cares. Momentum suggests one could be long ADDs vs DELETEs. And there is the perennial trade to watch out for.


2022 JPX Nikkei 400 Rebal Update - Going the Right Way

Index Rebal Trades & Special Situations, Quiddity Advisors

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Index Rebal Trades & Special Situations

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/jpx-nikkei-400-2022-rebal-final-predictions" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:72159" rel="noopener">JPX-Nikkei 400 2022 Rebal: Final Predictions</a>, I discussed Quiddity's final predictions for Potential ADDs/DELs for the JPX-Nikkei Index August 2022 Annual Review.</li>
<li>In that insight, I classified the potential ADDs/DELs by conviction levels and discussed why the high conviction ADDs and DELs deserved a higher weight than the other baskets.</li>
<li>Since then, the LONG High Conviction ADDs - SHORT High conviction DELs Trade has outperformed the other LONG-SHORT combinations.</li>
</ul>


In JPX-Nikkei 400 2022 Rebal: Final Predictions, I discussed Quiddity's final predictions for Potential ADDs/DELs for the JPX-Nikkei Index August 2022 Annual Review.
In that insight, I classified the potential ADDs/DELs by conviction levels and discussed why the high conviction ADDs and DELs deserved a higher weight than the other baskets.
Since then, the LONG High Conviction ADDs - SHORT High conviction DELs Trade has outperformed the other LONG-SHORT combinations.


JPX-Nikkei 400 2022 Rebal: Final Pre-Event Phase Strategy Worked. What Next?

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>After the close, Walmart slashed its quarter and full-year profit guidance – the second inflation-induced cut this year – stock down sharply </li>
<li>The company said inflation is causing consumers to spend more on must-have things such as food and less on electronics </li>
<li>Japanese electronics retailers will face a similar problem as inflation feeds through to weaker consumption of high-end goods  </li>
</ul>


After the close, Walmart slashed its quarter and full-year profit guidance – the second inflation-induced cut this year – stock down sharply 
The company said inflation is causing consumers to spend more on must-have things such as food and less on electronics 
Japanese electronics retailers will face a similar problem as inflation feeds through to weaker consumption of high-end goods  


Walmart Shocker #2 - Sell Japanese Electronics Retailers

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yamada-denki-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:641:1" rel="noopener">Yamada Denki (9831 JP)</a> reported <a href="https://www.yamada-holdings.jp/ir/kessan/2022/220506.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earnings</a> (Revs -7.6% (slight beat), OP -28.6% (slight miss), NP -2.4% (slight miss)), and slightly upbeat forecasts to Mar-2023 (Revs +4.6%, OP +12.5%, NP +2.9%) </li>
<li>They also <a href="https://www.yamada-holdings.jp/lang-en/pdf/press/220506_1e.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> an unchanged dividend at ¥18/share, and a VERY BIG BUYBACK. This is one of the largest, most aggressive, on-market buyback programs I have ever seen.</li>
<li>Previous buybacks have been duds. Yamada Denki is not playing around this time. This time it will be a buy.</li>
</ul>



Yamada Denki (9831 JP) reported earnings (Revs -7.6% (slight beat), OP -28.6% (slight miss), NP -2.4% (slight miss)), and slightly upbeat forecasts to Mar-2023 (Revs +4.6%, OP +12.5%, NP +2.9%) 
They also announced an unchanged dividend at ¥18/share, and a VERY BIG BUYBACK. This is one of the largest, most aggressive, on-market buyback programs I have ever seen.
Previous buybacks have been duds. Yamada Denki is not playing around this time. This time it will be a buy.


Yamada Denki - GINORMOUS Buyback To Dramatically Boost EPS and ROE

Japan

BIC CAMERA INC. operates electronic retail stores throughout Japan focusing on the Tokyo metropolitan area.  The Company sells audio and video equipments, electrical home appliances and telecommunication equipments.  Bic Camera also runs an Internet shopping site.

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Bic Camera Inc (3048 JP)

Bic Camera (3048) | Cash-Strapped Consumers

We remain Bearish on Bic Camera. We fear that the border re-opening is already priced into the stock and that the market has missed the domestic...

Mark Chadwick

2022 JPX Nikkei 400 Rebal Update - Going the Right Way

JPX Nikkei 400 rebalance is going the right way in the 6 trading days so far, and it wasn't done on Day1 (which was lacklustre). It may be under...

Travis Lundy

JPX-Nikkei 400 2022 Rebal: Final Pre-Event Phase Strategy Worked. What Next?

The official index changes could be announced on 5th August 2022. Expect some positive and negative surprises. Inclusion/Exclusion events could...

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Walmart Shocker #2 - Sell Japanese Electronics Retailers

We have a Bearish trading call on the Japanese electronics retail sector. Walmart surprised the market by citing inflationary impact on electronics...

Mark Chadwick

Yamada Denki - GINORMOUS Buyback To Dramatically Boost EPS and ROE

Yamada Denki (9831) just announced better-than-consensus guidance, and a HUGE buyback implying a DPS hike. This will move a lot and will still be...

Travis Lundy

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