Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/dena-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:747:1" rel="noopener">DeNA (2432 JP)</a> announced in June a buyback programme to buy up to ¥15bn of stock over the next nine months. They are two-thirds the way through. </li>
<li>At current pace, they should finish by end-Jan or early Feb, then cancel 8mm shares, leading to a small TOPIX selldown <em>likely</em> in March or April. </li>
<li>The company remains cash and securities rich (net cash, after-tax value of securities, and equity affiliates are 100% of market cap). And growth lines will slowly claw their way positive.</li>
</ul>



DeNA (2432 JP) announced in June a buyback programme to buy up to ¥15bn of stock over the next nine months. They are two-thirds the way through. 
At current pace, they should finish by end-Jan or early Feb, then cancel 8mm shares, leading to a small TOPIX selldown likely in March or April. 
The company remains cash and securities rich (net cash, after-tax value of securities, and equity affiliates are 100% of market cap). And growth lines will slowly claw their way positive.


DeNA (2432) Buyback - Accretive on a Low Leverage Business Which Will Grow In Time

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nexon-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16032:1" rel="noopener">Nexon (3659 JP)</a> reported Q2 earnings and Q3 forecasts today. Everything is generally "in-line" to tilting slightly light. But USD/yen volatility matters a lot. </li>
<li>The company announced a small dividend hike, from largely meaningless to ever-so-slightly less meaningless. And a plan to buy back ¥100bn of shares over 3 years. </li>
<li>The inheritance tax issue remains a big one, but overhang appears delayed and buyback accretion is small, and also appears delated. And there's an index sell at end-September.</li>
</ul>



Nexon (3659 JP) reported Q2 earnings and Q3 forecasts today. Everything is generally "in-line" to tilting slightly light. But USD/yen volatility matters a lot. 
The company announced a small dividend hike, from largely meaningless to ever-so-slightly less meaningless. And a plan to buy back ¥100bn of shares over 3 years. 
The inheritance tax issue remains a big one, but overhang appears delayed and buyback accretion is small, and also appears delated. And there's an index sell at end-September.


Nexon Q2 In-Line, New Buyback Plan Too Small To Matter Near-Term

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

<ul>
<li>Amid recent market carnage, one of the strong turnaround stocks in Korea is NCSOFT Corp (036570 KS) which is down 54% from its highs in February 2021.</li>
<li>Three major reasons why NCsoft's share price will turnaround include attractive valuations, better control of labor costs, and strong pipeline of new games. </li>
<li>Short sale value/market cap ratio for NCsoft has declined materially in the past several weeks, reflecting increased optimism in the company's future prospects. </li>
</ul>


Amid recent market carnage, one of the strong turnaround stocks in Korea is NCSOFT Corp (036570 KS) which is down 54% from its highs in February 2021.
Three major reasons why NCsoft's share price will turnaround include attractive valuations, better control of labor costs, and strong pipeline of new games. 
Short sale value/market cap ratio for NCsoft has declined materially in the past several weeks, reflecting increased optimism in the company's future prospects. 


NCsoft: A Strong Turnaround Play in Korean Game Sector

Forensic Accounting

<ul>
<li>On Friday 13 May, two days after earnings, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/capcom-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1459:1" rel="noopener">Capcom Co Ltd (9697 JP)</a> announced a share buyback via Tender Offer from its CEO. </li>
<li>The Announcement talks about how buying the shares back<em> "contributes to the improvement of capital efficiency such as earnings per share (EPS) and return on equity (ROE) of the Company."</em>
</li>
<li>Then another company announcement erases 99% of that accretion, and money out the door. ROE goes up because cash goes out, and pro-forma EPS rises from ¥161.59 to ¥161.61. Whoopee!</li>
</ul>


On Friday 13 May, two days after earnings, Capcom Co Ltd (9697 JP) announced a share buyback via Tender Offer from its CEO. 
The Announcement talks about how buying the shares back "contributes to the improvement of capital efficiency such as earnings per share (EPS) and return on equity (ROE) of the Company."

Then another company announcement erases 99% of that accretion, and money out the door. ROE goes up because cash goes out, and pro-forma EPS rises from ¥161.59 to ¥161.61. Whoopee!


Japan/Asia Long-Short, LightStream Research

Mio Kato

Japan/Asia Long-Short

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

<ul>
<li>Capcom results were previously flagged with a late guidance upgrade and so were unsurprising. </li>
<li>Guidance was a touch above consensus at both the revenue and OP levels but look somewhat conservative even on assumed unit volumes. </li>
<li>But we think there is significant upside to unit volumes and Capcom’s biggest challenge will be to hold down profit so they can generate double digit growth the year after.</li>
</ul>


Capcom results were previously flagged with a late guidance upgrade and so were unsurprising. 
Guidance was a touch above consensus at both the revenue and OP levels but look somewhat conservative even on assumed unit volumes. 
But we think there is significant upside to unit volumes and Capcom’s biggest challenge will be to hold down profit so they can generate double digit growth the year after.


Capcom – Can They Keep Suppressing Profit?

Japan

CAPCOM CO., LTD. develops consumer video game software.  The Company also develops, manufactures, markets, and leases arcade game machines.  Capcom also operates amusement facilities.

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Capcom Co Ltd (9697 JP)

DeNA (2432) Buyback - Accretive on a Low Leverage Business Which Will Grow In Time

DeNA (2432) is a nice pot of assets with a small business attached. It should be better. It appears to be on its way to getting better. It is very...

Travis Lundy

Nexon Q2 In-Line, New Buyback Plan Too Small To Matter Near-Term

Nexon (3659) earnings are up strongly this year, some improvement, some weak yen. The company announced a new buyback plan for the next 3yrs but it...

Travis Lundy

NCsoft: A Strong Turnaround Play in Korean Game Sector

Three major reasons why NCsoft's share price will turnaround include attractive valuations, better control of labor costs, and strong pipeline of...

Douglas Kim

A Word on The Capcom (9697) Buyback

Two days after earnings (which were taken very well (agreeing with Mio)), Capcom (9697) announced a buyback. It claimed capital efficiency and EPS...

Travis Lundy

Capcom – Can They Keep Suppressing Profit?

Capcom guidance was reasonable, coming in slightly higher than consensus but we maintain that the company is sandbagging and its earnings...

Mio Kato

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