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. 

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Discount cash and carry wholesaler/franchisor, Kobe Bussan, posted more record results for FY2023, a reflection of the demand for discount retailing.</li>
<li>Net profits were down due to foreign exchange costs, but the company continues to expand to meet the growing demand for discount retailing,</li>
<li>Kobe is also now building domestic factories to counter exchange rate fluctuations, and a new restaurant and food services arm with big potential to grow its wholesale business.</li>
</ul>


Discount cash and carry wholesaler/franchisor, Kobe Bussan, posted more record results for FY2023, a reflection of the demand for discount retailing.
Net profits were down due to foreign exchange costs, but the company continues to expand to meet the growing demand for discount retailing,
Kobe is also now building domestic factories to counter exchange rate fluctuations, and a new restaurant and food services arm with big potential to grow its wholesale business.


Head of Research, IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Sumeet Singh

Head of Research, IPOs & Placements

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/trial-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36821:1" rel="noopener">Trial Holdings (5882 JP)</a> (TH) raised around US$259m after pricing its IPO at the top-end in its Japan IPO.</li>
<li>TH operates a network of retail stores that offer one-stop shopping under its everyday low price model, across a variety of daily necessities, food items and other products.</li>
<li>We have looked at the company’s past performance in our previous notes. In this note, we talk about the trading dynamics.</li>
</ul>



Trial Holdings (5882 JP) (TH) raised around US$259m after pricing its IPO at the top-end in its Japan IPO.
TH operates a network of retail stores that offer one-stop shopping under its everyday low price model, across a variety of daily necessities, food items and other products.
We have looked at the company’s past performance in our previous notes. In this note, we talk about the trading dynamics.


Trial Holdings IPO Trading - Demand and Valuation Are Towards the Higher Side

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/trial-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36821:1" rel="noopener">Trial Holdings (5882 JP)</a> (TH) is now looking to raise up to US$259m in its Japan IPO, after having canceled its prior listing attempt last year.</li>
<li>TH operates a network of retail stores that offer one-stop shopping under its everyday low price model, across a variety of daily necessities, food items and other products.</li>
<li>We have looked at the company’s past performance in our previous notes. In this note, we talk about implied valuations in the IPO range.</li>
</ul>



Trial Holdings (5882 JP) (TH) is now looking to raise up to US$259m in its Japan IPO, after having canceled its prior listing attempt last year.
TH operates a network of retail stores that offer one-stop shopping under its everyday low price model, across a variety of daily necessities, food items and other products.
We have looked at the company’s past performance in our previous notes. In this note, we talk about implied valuations in the IPO range.


Trial Holdings IPO - Not Wholly Convinced but a Strong Market Should Help

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Aeon will almost definitely increase its stake in Tsuruha Holdings, which on its own will catalyse drugstore competitors to consider their mergeable options.</li>
<li>Tsuruha MAY merge with Welcia under Aeon and just talk of this will catalyse drugstore competitors even more.</li>
<li>But the ongoing fusion of drugstore retailing and FMCG formats like supermarkets and convenience stores, will also spur the entire FMCG sector to respond to Aeon's massive potential dominance.</li>
</ul>


Aeon will almost definitely increase its stake in Tsuruha Holdings, which on its own will catalyse drugstore competitors to consider their mergeable options.
Tsuruha MAY merge with Welcia under Aeon and just talk of this will catalyse drugstore competitors even more.
But the ongoing fusion of drugstore retailing and FMCG formats like supermarkets and convenience stores, will also spur the entire FMCG sector to respond to Aeon's massive potential dominance.


Aeon (Maybe) Gets Tsuruha, Could Trigger Wave of Mergers in the Sector (And Beyond)

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aeon-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3:1" rel="noopener">Aeon Co Ltd (8267 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tsuruha-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9536:1" rel="noopener">Tsuruha Holdings (3391 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/welcia-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20895:1" rel="noopener">Welcia Holdings (3141 JP)</a> have announced an alliance to establish the largest drugstore alliance in Japan by December 2027.</li>
<li>Aeon will carry out several Tsuruha transactions – buy Oasis 13.58% stake at JPY15,500 per share and, on receiving regulatory approval, reach 27.17% of the voting rights.  </li>
<li>The agreements involve merging Tsuruha and Welcia through a share exchange offer and Aeon subsequently increasing its Tsuruha voting rights from 27.17% to less than 51%. </li>
</ul>



Aeon Co Ltd (8267 JP), Tsuruha Holdings (3391 JP) and Welcia Holdings (3141 JP) have announced an alliance to establish the largest drugstore alliance in Japan by December 2027.
Aeon will carry out several Tsuruha transactions – buy Oasis 13.58% stake at JPY15,500 per share and, on receiving regulatory approval, reach 27.17% of the voting rights.  
The agreements involve merging Tsuruha and Welcia through a share exchange offer and Aeon subsequently increasing its Tsuruha voting rights from 27.17% to less than 51%. 


Aeon (8267 JP), Tsuruha (3391 JP) And Welcia (3141 JP)’s Long-Dated Plan

Japan

COSMOS Pharmaceutical Corporation operates drug stores based in Kyushu. The Company sells daily necessities such as drug medicines, foodstuffs, and alcoholic beverages.

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Cosmos Pharmaceutical (3349 JP)

Kobe Bussan: Expect More Growth

Kobe Bussan's record results in FY2023 show the demand for discount retailing. Its is expanding operations and building domestic factories as well...

Michael Causton

Trial Holdings IPO Trading - Demand and Valuation Are Towards the Higher Side

Trial Holdings (5882 JP) (TH) raised around US$259m after pricing its IPO at the top-end in its Japan IPO. In this note, we talk about the trading...

Sumeet Singh

Trial Holdings IPO - Not Wholly Convinced but a Strong Market Should Help

Trial Holdings (5882 JP) (TH) is now looking to raise up to US$259m in its Japan IPO, after having canceled its prior listing attempt last year. In...

Sumeet Singh

Aeon (Maybe) Gets Tsuruha, Could Trigger Wave of Mergers in the Sector (And Beyond)

Aeon's potential increased stake in Tsuruha Holdings and possible merger with Welcia will likely prompt drugstore competitors to consider their...

Michael Causton

Aeon (8267 JP), Tsuruha (3391 JP) And Welcia (3141 JP)’s Long-Dated Plan

We prefer to play these transactions through Tsuruha due to a valuation benchmark (Aeon’s acquisition from Oasis at JPY15,500) and undemanding...

Arun George

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Kobe Bussan: Expect More Growth

​Kobe Bussan's record results in FY2023 show the demand for discount retailing. Its is expanding operations and building domestic factories as well...

Michael Causton

Trial Holdings IPO Trading - Demand and Valuation Are Towards the Higher Side

Trial Holdings (5882 JP) (TH) raised around US$259m after pricing its IPO at the top-end in its Japan IPO. In this note, we talk about the trading...

Sumeet Singh

Trial Holdings IPO - Not Wholly Convinced but a Strong Market Should Help

Trial Holdings (5882 JP) (TH) is now looking to raise up to US$259m in its Japan IPO, after having canceled its prior listing attempt last year. In...

Sumeet Singh

Aeon (Maybe) Gets Tsuruha, Could Trigger Wave of Mergers in the Sector (And Beyond)

​Aeon's potential increased stake in Tsuruha Holdings and possible merger with Welcia will likely prompt drugstore competitors to consider their...

Michael Causton

Aeon (8267 JP), Tsuruha (3391 JP) And Welcia (3141 JP)’s Long-Dated Plan

We prefer to play these transactions through Tsuruha due to a valuation benchmark (Aeon’s acquisition from Oasis at JPY15,500) and undemanding...

Arun George

Kobe Bussan's record results in FY2023 show the demand for discount retailing. Its is expanding operations and building domestic factories as well...

Aeon's potential increased stake in Tsuruha Holdings and possible merger with Welcia will likely prompt drugstore competitors to consider their...