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/canon-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1:1" rel="noopener">Canon Inc (7751 JP)</a> reported Q2 earnings early last week. Shares dropped 4% the next day but closed down only 1%. Now they are above the prior close. </li>
<li>They biked the dividend nicely (was ¥45/share last year, guided to ¥50 this year, but made ¥60/share instead. </li>
<li>And now they have announced another ¥50bn buyback on top of the one announced in May. Fourth time in 14 years a second tranche is announced in one year. </li>
</ul>



Canon Inc (7751 JP) reported Q2 earnings early last week. Shares dropped 4% the next day but closed down only 1%. Now they are above the prior close. 
They biked the dividend nicely (was ¥45/share last year, guided to ¥50 this year, but made ¥60/share instead. 
And now they have announced another ¥50bn buyback on top of the one announced in May. Fourth time in 14 years a second tranche is announced in one year. 


Canon (7751) - Second Buyback This Year - Last Happened in 2014

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/canon-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1:1" rel="noopener">Canon Inc (7751 JP)</a> on Monday announced a share buyback programme.</li>
<li>It isn't very big. But it bears consideration because of other things going on. </li>
<li>Shareholder structure is of much more importance than many investors appreciate. Here even more so.</li>
</ul>



Canon Inc (7751 JP) on Monday announced a share buyback programme.
It isn't very big. But it bears consideration because of other things going on. 
Shareholder structure is of much more importance than many investors appreciate. Here even more so.


Canon (7751) - Buyback Looks Small But Shareholder Structure Matters

Executive Director, Metrical Inc

Aki Matsumoto

Executive Director

Independent Leading Corporate Governance Research

Metrical Inc

METRICAL INC. is an independent leading Corporate Governance research firm in Japan where Corporate Governance is increasingly recognized as an important element on corporate management in these days. Thus, CG research and solutions would become an essential component of global capital markets and play important to contribute to transparency of the markets and maximize shareholders’ value in Japan. 

METRICAL INC. provides Corporate Governance research and analysis including rating services, and  also offers investment research and IR services with solutions and customized profound research on CG and IR issues.

<ul>
<li>The focus of this article is on the company's announcement that it will buy back up to 10 billion yen (5.5 million shares, or 2.11% of the total outstanding shares).</li>
<li>Without explanation of how Brother will actually allocate the expected cash flow between investment and shareholder-return, it is impossible to fully answer why the amount was set at JPY10 billion.</li>
<li>Capital Allocation is not well explained, and not many investors are paying attention to our niche business, but we should get more attention because the company is a cash cow.</li>
</ul>


The focus of this article is on the company's announcement that it will buy back up to 10 billion yen (5.5 million shares, or 2.11% of the total outstanding shares).
Without explanation of how Brother will actually allocate the expected cash flow between investment and shareholder-return, it is impossible to fully answer why the amount was set at JPY10 billion.
Capital Allocation is not well explained, and not many investors are paying attention to our niche business, but we should get more attention because the company is a cash cow.


Japan's Governance: Brother Industries (6448): 3QFY3/2022 Meeting - Share Buybuck

<p>Today after the close, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/brother-industries-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6114:1" rel="noopener">Brother Industries (6448 JP)</a> announced a takeover of its TSE2 and Nagoya2-listed subsidiary <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nissei-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10064:1" rel="noopener">Nissei Corp (6271 JP)</a>.</p><p>This is not entirely unexpected. The TSE has been pressuring companies to reduce parent/subsidiary "dual listings" because of the inherent conflicts of interest posed by a parent company which wants to benefit from its subsidiary, perhaps at the expense of minority shareholders in the subsidiary. METI, in summer of 2019, released the <strong><a href="https://www.meti.go.jp/policy/economy/keiei_innovation/keizaihousei/pdf/fairmaguidelines_english.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">METI Fair M&amp;A Guidelines</a></strong> to attempt to reduce the inequity often seen in the process, where asymmetric information, incumbency, and existing control of a board (and thereby management) could lead to sub-optimal outcome for minority shareholders. </p><p>Despite the fanfare, and some initial adherence to the guidelines by good corporate citizens, there has been a run of takeovers since then whereby Boards of Target Companies have not seen fit to abide by the Fair M&amp;A Guidelines and takeovers have been proposed (and effected) at prices which would not otherwise be possible in a fair process for control and delisting. </p><p>This is yet another example of a too-low price. </p><p>To be sure, it is a decent premium to the last-traded price - about 37.6%. And it is a not quite 4-year high price. But...</p><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/240/309/original/Screenshot+2021-11-08+at+3.09.18+PM.png?1636355720" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="240309"></figure></section><p>...while the Takeover Price at ¥1,500/share yields a Tender Offer Market Cap of ¥41.55bn, which seems relatively high for a company whose highest net income in 5yrs is ¥1.211bn, looking a little closer changes things.</p><p>When one realises the company has ¥11.4bn of cash, another ¥10.1bn of securities holdings, and other current assets (mostly receivables) less ALL other liabilities at the company would be another ¥6.3bn, that means Brother is buying out the company at a 'valuation' of ¥13.7bn, which is the cumulative EBITDA forecast by management from now until about August 2025. </p><p>Management forecasts used by the DCF valuation agent suggest EBITDA should double in the five years from March 2023 to March 2028, and Operating Profit should triple. And for this, a takeover at just under 1.0x book value. Given the real estate could be sold and leased back, or there could be synergies by adding Nissei Corp back into Brother to share facilities, that effectively means the takeover is basically free. </p><p>I may sound like a scratched record, but this seems.... too low?</p>

Today after the close, Brother Industries (6448 JP) announced a takeover of its TSE2 and Nagoya2-listed subsidiary Nissei Corp (6271 JP).This is not entirely unexpected. The TSE has been pressuring companies to reduce parent/subsidiary "dual listings" because of the inherent conflicts of interest posed by a parent company which wants to benefit from its subsidiary, perhaps at the expense of minority shareholders in the subsidiary. METI, in summer of 2019, released the METI Fair M&amp;A Guidelines to attempt to reduce the inequity often seen in the process, where asymmetric information, incumbency, and existing control of a board (and thereby management) could lead to sub-optimal outcome for minority shareholders. Despite the fanfare, and some initial adherence to the guidelines by good corporate citizens, there has been a run of takeovers since then whereby Boards of Target Companies have not seen fit to abide by the Fair M&amp;A Guidelines and takeovers have been proposed (and effected) at prices which would not otherwise be possible in a fair process for control and delisting. This is yet another example of a too-low price. To be sure, it is a decent premium to the last-traded price - about 37.6%. And it is a not quite 4-year high price. But......while the Takeover Price at ¥1,500/share yields a Tender Offer Market Cap of ¥41.55bn, which seems relatively high for a company whose highest net income in 5yrs is ¥1.211bn, looking a little closer changes things.When one realises the company has ¥11.4bn of cash, another ¥10.1bn of securities holdings, and other current assets (mostly receivables) less ALL other liabilities at the company would be another ¥6.3bn, that means Brother is buying out the company at a 'valuation' of ¥13.7bn, which is the cumulative EBITDA forecast by management from now until about August 2025. Management forecasts used by the DCF valuation agent suggest EBITDA should double in the five years from March 2023 to March 2028, and Operating Profit should triple. And for this, a takeover at just under 1.0x book value. Given the real estate could be sold and leased back, or there could be synergies by adding Nissei Corp back into Brother to share facilities, that effectively means the takeover is basically free. I may sound like a scratched record, but this seems.... too low?

Brother MBO/LBO of Nissei Corp (6271) - Another Too-Low Price Parent/Sub Takeout

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Quantitative Analysis

<div><p>The Asia Short Interest weekly looks at moves in market wide short interest and highlights movements in stock specific short interest across Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan using the last available data published by the relevant authorities.</p></div><div><p>Hong Kong saw shorts rise on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/geely-automobile-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:127:1" rel="noopener">Geely Auto (175 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ganfeng-lithium-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26795:1" rel="noopener">Ganfeng Lithium (1772 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pharmaron-beijing-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28428:1" rel="noopener">Pharmaron Beijing Co Ltd-H (3759 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sunny-optical-tech" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13363:1" rel="noopener">Sunny Optical (2382 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-evergrande-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:479:1" rel="noopener">Evergrande Real Estate Group (3333 HK)</a> while there was short covering on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28434:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group (9988 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ck-asset-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22650:1" rel="noopener">CK Asset Holdings (1113 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tencent-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:26:1" rel="noopener">Tencent (700 HK)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ping-an-insurance-grp-co-of-china-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12880:1" rel="noopener">Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/netease" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29030:1" rel="noopener">NetEase (9999 HK)</a>. Shorts increased in the Consumer Discretionary sector, while decreasing in the Communication Services, Real Estate, Financials and Industrials sectors.</p></div><div><p>In Japan, stocks increased on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fujitsu-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16968:1" rel="noopener">Fujitsu Ltd (6702 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/canon-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1:1" rel="noopener">Canon Inc (7751 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/renesas-electronics-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15933:1" rel="noopener">Renesas Electronics (6723 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/brother-industries-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6114:1" rel="noopener">Brother Industries (6448 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/casio-computer-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18338:1" rel="noopener">Casio Computer (6952 JP)</a> while there was short covering on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toshiba-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:637:1" rel="noopener">Toshiba Corp (6502 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sumco-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:379:1" rel="noopener">SUMCO Corp (3436 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/seiko-epson-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16793:1" rel="noopener">Seiko Epson (6724 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/symbio-pharmaceuticals-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10456:1" rel="noopener">Symbio Pharmaceuticals (4582 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ebara-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4728:1" rel="noopener">Ebara Corp (6361 JP)</a>. Shorts increased on Information Technology and Consumer Discretionary stock, while reducing on Industrials and Health Care names.</p></div><div><p>In Korea, shorts increased on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/samsung-electronics-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:191:1" rel="noopener">Samsung Electronics (005930 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lg-display-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7145:1" rel="noopener">LG Display (034220 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hmm-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13494:1" rel="noopener">HMM Co., Ltd. (011200 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mando-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8119:1" rel="noopener">Mando Corp (204320 KS)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sk-hynix-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16955:1" rel="noopener">SK Hynix (000660 KS)</a> while shorts were covered on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/doosan-heavy-industries-construction" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7389:1" rel="noopener">Doosan Heavy Industries &amp; Construction (034020 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kakao-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15002:1" rel="noopener">Kakao Corp (035720 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/pan-ocean-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5279:1" rel="noopener">Pan Ocean (028670 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ncsoft-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5169:1" rel="noopener">NCSOFT Corp (036570 KS)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/samsung-sdi-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:503:1" rel="noopener">Samsung SDI (006400 KS)</a>.</p></div><div><p>In Taiwan, shorts increased on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/taiwan-semiconductor-manufacturing-company" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11230:1" rel="noopener">TSMC (2330 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yang-ming-marine-transport" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8502:1" rel="noopener">Yang Ming Marine Transport (2609 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wan-hai-lines-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14262:1" rel="noopener">Wan Hai Lines (2615 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/innolux-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4509:1" rel="noopener">Innolux Corp (3481 TT)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/evergreen-marine-corp-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15428:1" rel="noopener">Evergreen Marine Corp (2603 TT)</a> while shorts covered on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/au-optronics-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6704:1" rel="noopener">AU Optronics (2409 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/united-microelectronics-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6450:1" rel="noopener">United Microelectronics Corp (2303 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hsin-kuang-steel-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19760:1" rel="noopener">Hsin Kuang Steel (2031 TT)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/genius-electronic-optical-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9632:1" rel="noopener">Genius Electronic Optical (3406 TT)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-airlines-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4591:1" rel="noopener">China Airlines (2610 TT)</a>.</p></div>

The Asia Short Interest weekly looks at moves in market wide short interest and highlights movements in stock specific short interest across Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Taiwan using the last available data published by the relevant authorities.Hong Kong saw shorts rise on Geely Auto (175 HK), Ganfeng Lithium (1772 HK), Pharmaron Beijing Co Ltd-H (3759 HK), Sunny Optical (2382 HK) and Evergrande Real Estate Group (3333 HK) while there was short covering on Alibaba Group (9988 HK), CK Asset Holdings (1113 HK), Tencent (700 HK), Ping An Insurance (H) (2318 HK) and NetEase (9999 HK). Shorts increased in the Consumer Discretionary sector, while decreasing in the Communication Services, Real Estate, Financials and Industrials sectors.In Japan, stocks increased on Fujitsu Ltd (6702 JP), Canon Inc (7751 JP), Renesas Electronics (6723 JP), Brother Industries (6448 JP) and Casio Computer (6952 JP) while there was short covering on Toshiba Corp (6502 JP), SUMCO Corp (3436 JP), Seiko Epson (6724 JP), Symbio Pharmaceuticals (4582 JP) and Ebara Corp (6361 JP). Shorts increased on Information Technology and Consumer Discretionary stock, while reducing on Industrials and Health Care names.In Korea, shorts increased on Samsung Electronics (005930 KS), LG Display (034220 KS), HMM Co., Ltd. (011200 KS), Mando Corp (204320 KS) and SK Hynix (000660 KS) while shorts were covered on Doosan Heavy Industries &amp; Construction (034020 KS), Kakao Corp (035720 KS), Pan Ocean (028670 KS), NCSOFT Corp (036570 KS) and Samsung SDI (006400 KS).In Taiwan, shorts increased on TSMC (2330 TT), Yang Ming Marine Transport (2609 TT), Wan Hai Lines (2615 TT), Innolux Corp (3481 TT) and Evergreen Marine Corp (2603 TT) while shorts covered on AU Optronics (2409 TT), United Microelectronics Corp (2303 TT), Hsin Kuang Steel (2031 TT), Genius Electronic Optical (3406 TT) and China Airlines (2610 TT).

Asia Shorts: Geely, Ganfeng, Pharmaron, Evergrande, Fujitsu, Canon, Renesas, Toshiba, LGD, Doosan

Japan

BROTHER INDUSTRIES, LTD. manufactures and markets communications and office equipment.  The Company's main products include facsimiles, digital copy machines, label printers, and word processors.  Brother Industries also manufactures and sells sewing machines and other tools.  The Company operates its business worldwide.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Brother Industries (6448 JP)

Canon (7751) - Second Buyback This Year - Last Happened in 2014

Canon last week announced OK Q2 earnings, and higher FY22 guidance, raising it for the second quarter in a row. It also hiked its div guidance. Now...

Travis Lundy

Canon (7751) - Buyback Looks Small But Shareholder Structure Matters

Canon's buyback is "small" but it probably matters more than most think in terms of near-term market structure and performance.

Travis Lundy

Brother MBO/LBO of Nissei Corp (6271) - Another Too-Low Price Parent/Sub Takeout

Brother Industries is taking over gear motor, induction motor, and gear maker/subsidiary Nissei Corp. The price is cheap, but the company is highly...

Travis Lundy

Asia Shorts: Geely, Ganfeng, Pharmaron, Evergrande, Fujitsu, Canon, Renesas, Toshiba, LGD, Doosan

The Insight looks at large short interest movements across HK, Japan, Korea and Taiwan stocks and highlights large increases/decreases in shorts to...

Brian Freitas

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Canon (7751) - Second Buyback This Year - Last Happened in 2014

Canon last week announced OK Q2 earnings, and higher FY22 guidance, raising it for the second quarter in a row. It also hiked its div guidance. Now...

Travis Lundy

Canon (7751) - Buyback Looks Small But Shareholder Structure Matters

Canon's buyback is "small" but it probably matters more than most think in terms of near-term market structure and performance.

Travis Lundy

Japan's Governance: Brother Industries (6448): 3QFY3/2022 Meeting - Share Buybuck

Brother which announced share buyback in 3QFY3/2022 results, doesn't fully explain the background of the buyback, but the company, which is a cash...

Metrical Inc

Brother MBO/LBO of Nissei Corp (6271) - Another Too-Low Price Parent/Sub Takeout

Brother Industries is taking over gear motor, induction motor, and gear maker/subsidiary Nissei Corp. The price is cheap, but the company is highly...

Travis Lundy

Asia Shorts: Geely, Ganfeng, Pharmaron, Evergrande, Fujitsu, Canon, Renesas, Toshiba, LGD, Doosan

The Insight looks at large short interest movements across HK, Japan, Korea and Taiwan stocks and highlights large increases/decreases in shorts to...

Brian Freitas