Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>In mid-February 2023, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/citizen-watch-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8571:1" rel="noopener">Citizen Watch (7762 JP)</a> announced another buyback. It had averaged nearly two small buybacks a year for the past four years for a total of ¥10bn.</li>
<li>This new one was ¥40bn, which assuming a 20% share price jump was 12% of ADV for a year. Bigly! We got the 20% jump, then not much more.</li>
<li>But Citizen has been buying fiercely. In the first 25 days of trading they averaged 25.8% of volume and bought back 11.5% of shares out. There's a story here. </li>
</ul>


In mid-February 2023, Citizen Watch (7762 JP) announced another buyback. It had averaged nearly two small buybacks a year for the past four years for a total of ¥10bn.
This new one was ¥40bn, which assuming a 20% share price jump was 12% of ADV for a year. Bigly! We got the 20% jump, then not much more.
But Citizen has been buying fiercely. In the first 25 days of trading they averaged 25.8% of volume and bought back 11.5% of shares out. There's a story here. 


Citizen Watch (7762) : Super-Aggressive Buyback Likely Ending Soon - Beware of Risks Both Ways

<ul>
<li>Last Friday, the FFW changes for the TOPIX July Free Float Weight Review were announced. There have also been other recent announcements creating flows on 30 July.</li>
<li>Some of these other recent announcements represent a possible change in <em>ad hoc</em> methodology.</li>
<li>Total Flow for 30 July is ~$3.3bn a side driven by selling flows (3/4 of the buy flows are reverse funding). $2.1bn of selling is &gt; 3 days ADV.</li>
</ul>


Last Friday, the FFW changes for the TOPIX July Free Float Weight Review were announced. There have also been other recent announcements creating flows on 30 July.
Some of these other recent announcements represent a possible change in ad hoc methodology.
Total Flow for 30 July is ~$3.3bn a side driven by selling flows (3/4 of the buy flows are reverse funding). $2.1bn of selling is &gt; 3 days ADV.


July TOPIX FFW Rebal - Bigger Than Expected

Japan Petroleum Exploration / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Japanese companies are buying back more stock than ever before, and recent moves by the TSE and METI are effectively pushing for more.</li>
<li>The new goal is to lift PBR and ROE. The easiest way to lift ROE is reduce E. Low-PBR Cos with excess assets and cross-holdings (outbound and inbound) are targets.</li>
<li>In this insight I look at several possible rankings for potential large buyback targets.</li>
</ul>


Japanese companies are buying back more stock than ever before, and recent moves by the TSE and METI are effectively pushing for more.
The new goal is to lift PBR and ROE. The easiest way to lift ROE is reduce E. Low-PBR Cos with excess assets and cross-holdings (outbound and inbound) are targets.
In this insight I look at several possible rankings for potential large buyback targets.


JAPAN GOVERNANCE CHANGES II - Who Could Surprise on Buybacks? Quant Rankings

Index Rebalance

Pan Pacific International Holdings / Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>Today we saw the culmination of the ridiculously wrong-way Nikkei 225 Sep25 rebalance. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shift-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7266:1" rel="noopener">Shift Inc (3697 JP)</a> looked like a classic deletion, not addition.</li>
<li>93.3% of the observation period has now passed, which means we can look at the March 2026 Periodic Review with a fair bit of accuracy.</li>
<li>It is likely to be the runner-ups in the Sep25 review from the Consumer Goods sector, though the second-runner-up ADD needs a stock split to have any chance. More below.</li>
</ul>


Today we saw the culmination of the ridiculously wrong-way Nikkei 225 Sep25 rebalance. Shift Inc (3697 JP) looked like a classic deletion, not addition.
93.3% of the observation period has now passed, which means we can look at the March 2026 Periodic Review with a fair bit of accuracy.
It is likely to be the runner-ups in the Sep25 review from the Consumer Goods sector, though the second-runner-up ADD needs a stock split to have any chance. More below.


[Quiddity Index] Oct25 Leaderboard for Nikkei 225 Mar26 Review; One In One Out Likely

<ul>
<li>Every year it's the same trade. But sometimes it is not. This year it is Friday and Monday. Or not. Historically, the day before ex-date and ex-date see outright performance.</li>
<li>The month-end and quarter-end bring big flows, or not, depending on how things have gone. This year they have gone well for equities, so odds are flows are smaller.</li>
<li>Over the past 10 years or so, the two-day return on the <em>March</em> trade is pretty good. The September trade appears to be more mixed. </li>
</ul>


Every year it's the same trade. But sometimes it is not. This year it is Friday and Monday. Or not. Historically, the day before ex-date and ex-date see outright performance.
The month-end and quarter-end bring big flows, or not, depending on how things have gone. This year they have gone well for equities, so odds are flows are smaller.
Over the past 10 years or so, the two-day return on the March trade is pretty good. The September trade appears to be more mixed. 


The 2025 Japan September-End Rebal and Dividend Trade

Japan

Citizen Watch Co., Ltd. operates watch production businesses. The Company produces electronic watches and other products. Citizen Watch conducts businesses in Japan.

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Citizen Watch (7762 JP)

Citizen Watch (7762) : Super-Aggressive Buyback Likely Ending Soon - Beware of Risks Both Ways

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July TOPIX FFW Rebal - Bigger Than Expected

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JAPAN GOVERNANCE CHANGES II - Who Could Surprise on Buybacks? Quant Rankings

JAPAN GOVERNANCE: There is a buyback story coming. It will be big. Bigger than the past year or two, and it will continue. What to buy?

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[Quiddity Index] Oct25 Leaderboard for Nikkei 225 Mar26 Review; One In One Out Likely

The Sep 2025 Nikkei 225 Rebal was not a "right-way" event for the ADD (Shift (3697)). The March 2026 rebal looks also to be a 1 IN 1 OUT affair,...

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The 2025 Japan September-End Rebal and Dividend Trade

Every year (every half year) it is the same trade. Dividend reinvestment for passive funds. This September it "should" be ¥2trln+ but it will...

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