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. 

Event-Driven

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/h2o-retailing-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:17562:1" rel="noopener">H2 O Retailing (8242 JP)</a>, the biggest retail group in Kansai, announced in late August that it would expand its share in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kansai-super-market-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15519:1" rel="noopener">Kansai Super Market (9919 JP)</a> to take a majority stake. As is usual, the announcement was made with full understanding and acceptance by Kansai Supermarket’s board and CEO, but things have not gone according to plan. We now face another situation where existing shareholders object to a cosy, pre-agreed takeover. In this case, the company objecting is OK Super, the perennially successful Tokyo-based discount supermarket.OK Super would, in our opinion, offer the best growth longer term given its operational excellence, low price positioning and massive pent-up Japanese consumer demand for lower prices. Last year, OK Super broke ¥508 billion in sales for the first time, making it a top four chain, and achieved operating profits of ¥37.8 billion. In contrast, Kansai Super sales were ¥130.9 billion, with operating profits of ¥2.7 billion.Whereas Kansai Super largely represents past supermarket success, OK is the present and future and the prospect of OK entering the Kansai market would represent a serious threat to existing chains, not least H2O’s own.

H2 O Retailing (8242 JP), the biggest retail group in Kansai, announced in late August that it would expand its share in Kansai Super Market (9919 JP) to take a majority stake. As is usual, the announcement was made with full understanding and acceptance by Kansai Supermarket’s board and CEO, but things have not gone according to plan. We now face another situation where existing shareholders object to a cosy, pre-agreed takeover. In this case, the company objecting is OK Super, the perennially successful Tokyo-based discount supermarket.OK Super would, in our opinion, offer the best growth longer term given its operational excellence, low price positioning and massive pent-up Japanese consumer demand for lower prices. Last year, OK Super broke ¥508 billion in sales for the first time, making it a top four chain, and achieved operating profits of ¥37.8 billion. In contrast, Kansai Super sales were ¥130.9 billion, with operating profits of ¥2.7 billion.Whereas Kansai Super largely represents past supermarket success, OK is the present and future and the prospect of OK entering the Kansai market would represent a serious threat to existing chains, not least H2O’s own.

H2O Retailing and OK Super: Which Is the Better Owner of Kansai Supermarket?

Equity Bottom-Up

There are few discount supermarkets in Japan and the largest by far is Kobe Bussan’s Gyomu Super franchise chain.
Despite its no frills presentation and reliance on frozen foods, over the past 12 months, prices that are up to half that charged at mainstream chains have drawn in more customers and across a wider age range.
The company is now expecting yet another record performance this year.
When we first recommend Kobe Bussan in October 2018, the share price stood at around ¥780 and has risen to ¥4,080 since. This isn't cheap but given the five year growth potential, we remain bullish about the fundamentals long-term.

There are few discount supermarkets in Japan and the largest by far is Kobe Bussan’s Gyomu Super franchise chain.
Despite its no frills presentation and reliance on frozen foods, over the past 12 months, prices that are up to half that charged at mainstream chains have drawn in more customers and across a wider age range.
The company is now expecting yet another record performance this year.
When we first recommend Kobe Bussan in October 2018, the share price stood at around ¥780 and has risen to ¥4,080 since. This isn't cheap but given the five year growth potential, we remain bullish about the fundamentals long-term.

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

In this edition of the Smartkarma North Asia Weekly, it summarizes some of the top insights on Smartkarma in the past week covering Japan, HK/China, and the Korean stock markets. The top topics are below:1) Alibaba: Antitrust Concerns2) Tencent Under Pressure From Antitrust Push3) POTUS Executive Order: New OFAC Clarification 4) China Logistics: Major Shareholders Seek to Exit 5) Kuaishou Technology IPO6) Yidu Tech IPO7) TOPIX Inclusion: ODK Solutions 8) New Horizon IPO9) Goldwin Bullish for Future Growth10) Yaoko: A Difficult 2021 Coming11) IQIYI Valuation12) Digital Currency: Still Remember Facebook Libra/​Diem?13) China Dental Care Industry14) ZTO Express &amp; BEST Inc15) Infrastructure Asset-Backed Securities: New Asset Class for Asia16) Japan Airport Terminal17) Will Biden Get Officially Inaugurated on 20 January?

In this edition of the Smartkarma North Asia Weekly, it summarizes some of the top insights on Smartkarma in the past week covering Japan, HK/China, and the Korean stock markets. The top topics are below:1) Alibaba: Antitrust Concerns2) Tencent Under Pressure From Antitrust Push3) POTUS Executive Order: New OFAC Clarification 4) China Logistics: Major Shareholders Seek to Exit 5) Kuaishou Technology IPO6) Yidu Tech IPO7) TOPIX Inclusion: ODK Solutions 8) New Horizon IPO9) Goldwin Bullish for Future Growth10) Yaoko: A Difficult 2021 Coming11) IQIYI Valuation12) Digital Currency: Still Remember Facebook Libra/​Diem?13) China Dental Care Industry14) ZTO Express &amp; BEST Inc15) Infrastructure Asset-Backed Securities: New Asset Class for Asia16) Japan Airport Terminal17) Will Biden Get Officially Inaugurated on 20 January? 

Smartkarma North Asia Weekly: Alibaba Antitrust, OFAC Clarification, China Logistics, & Kuaishou IPO

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yaoko-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1419:1" rel="noopener">Yaoko Co Ltd (8279 JP)</a> will again post record revenues and profit for FY2020 to March next year, but the top supermarket is worried that FY2021 will see a reversal of its fortunes.A boom in fresh food retailing is one of the few positives to emerge out of the Covid crisis, but with no end in sight, shoppers are beginning to stay away.It is one of the few supermarkets with the financial strength to weather an extended downturn, but even Yaoko is preparing for harder times.Despite good financial performance so far this year, Yaoko’s caution is typical of the company and one reason why it leads the sector on so many measures. It has a breakeven point ratio of 84.9%, meaning that it can afford to see sales drop as much as 15.1% before it falls into the red in relation to operating costs.

Yaoko Co Ltd (8279 JP) will again post record revenues and profit for FY2020 to March next year, but the top supermarket is worried that FY2021 will see a reversal of its fortunes.A boom in fresh food retailing is one of the few positives to emerge out of the Covid crisis, but with no end in sight, shoppers are beginning to stay away.It is one of the few supermarkets with the financial strength to weather an extended downturn, but even Yaoko is preparing for harder times.Despite good financial performance so far this year, Yaoko’s caution is typical of the company and one reason why it leads the sector on so many measures. It has a breakeven point ratio of 84.9%, meaning that it can afford to see sales drop as much as 15.1% before it falls into the red in relation to operating costs.

Yaoko: A Difficult 2021 Coming for Japanese Supermarkets

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/itochu-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18448:1" rel="noopener">Itochu Corp (8001 JP)</a> has completed its buyout of Familymart (see <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/travis-lundy" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:25" rel="noopener">Travis Lundy's</a> insights <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/itochu-gets-the-famima-hunnypot-and-now-things-get-funky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/itochu-haz-opinionz-about-familymart" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-needs-more-cowbell" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/the-amended-familymart-document-is-a-must-read-for-investor-stewards" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>). Itochu has clearly taken full advantage of a depressed Familymart share price and an opportunity for the trading house to begin more adventurous diversification of the convenience store business.
This will include moving into more types of food format, including its nascent hybrid store collaborations with supermarkets and drugstores and an upcoming push into e-commerce, but will also mean more integration with Itochu's food wholesale business – which when combined is bigger than that of its arch rival, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mitsubishi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20668:1" rel="noopener">Mitsubishi Corp (8058 JP).</a>
Mitsubishi and Itochu have been playing catch-up with each other for the last two decades in a race to build Japan's first integrated food wholesale-retail businesses.
Now that Itochu has succeeded in its bid, the question remains whether Mitsubishi will now look to consolidate its own food retail assets like <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lawson-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1040:1" rel="noopener">Lawson Inc (2651 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/life-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1743:1" rel="noopener">Life Corp (8194 JP).</a>

Itochu Corp (8001 JP) has completed its buyout of Familymart (see Travis Lundy's insights here, here, here and here). Itochu has clearly taken full advantage of a depressed Familymart share price and an opportunity for the trading house to begin more adventurous diversification of the convenience store business.
This will include moving into more types of food format, including its nascent hybrid store collaborations with supermarkets and drugstores and an upcoming push into e-commerce, but will also mean more integration with Itochu's food wholesale business – which when combined is bigger than that of its arch rival, Mitsubishi Corp (8058 JP).
Mitsubishi and Itochu have been playing catch-up with each other for the last two decades in a race to build Japan's first integrated food wholesale-retail businesses.
Now that Itochu has succeeded in its bid, the question remains whether Mitsubishi will now look to consolidate its own food retail assets like Lawson Inc (2651 JP) and Life Corp (8194 JP).

Familymart: What's Next? And Will Mitsubishi React?

Japan

Blue Zones Holdings Co.,Ltd. operates supermarkets. The Company sells groceries, household goods, and other home-related products. Blue Zones Holdings conducts businesses in Japan.

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Blue Zones Holdings (417A JP)

H2O Retailing and OK Super: Which Is the Better Owner of Kansai Supermarket?

Kansai Super is the prize in a bidding war between H2O Retailing and OK Super. While the former would use Kansai to consolidate market share, a...

Michael Causton

Kobe Bussan: Achieving New Records

Japan's discount food market is booming. The biggest discount supermarket operator is Kobe Bussan. The share price has around 6-fold since we first...

Michael Causton

Smartkarma North Asia Weekly: Alibaba Antitrust, OFAC Clarification, China Logistics, & Kuaishou IPO

In this edition of the Smartkarma North Asia Weekly, it summarizes some of the top insights on Smartkarma in the past week covering Japan, HK...

Douglas Kim

Yaoko: A Difficult 2021 Coming for Japanese Supermarkets

Yaoko is one of the best managed supermarkets in Japan but even this leading retailer is worried about the outlook for Japanese supermarkets. If it...

Michael Causton

Familymart: What's Next? And Will Mitsubishi React?

Itochu initiated a buyout for an additional 10% of Familymart shares over the summer. The move is widely seen as Itochu taking full advantage of a...

Michael Causton

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