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>Post-Covid, <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> began to deliver real profit growth but 1H2024 showed it cannot rest on its laurels. </li>
<li>While it’ll be happy not to be worrying about a takeover bid like its rival, Seven &amp; I, it still doesn’t have a profit machine similar to Seven Eleven Japan.</li>
<li>Welcia helps and so does expanding e-commerce but there is still plenty of room for cutting overhead.</li>
</ul>


Post-Covid, Aeon Co Ltd (8267 JP) began to deliver real profit growth but 1H2024 showed it cannot rest on its laurels. 
While it’ll be happy not to be worrying about a takeover bid like its rival, Seven &amp; I, it still doesn’t have a profit machine similar to Seven Eleven Japan.
Welcia helps and so does expanding e-commerce but there is still plenty of room for cutting overhead.


Global Healthcare Analyst

Tina Banerjee

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>China's NMPA aims to redouble efforts to facilitate research and market registration of homegrown innovative drugs, while speeding up the introduction of novel foreign drugs to the domestic market.</li>
<li>Since the BoJ interest rate hike in July, the Yen appreciated ~5% to ¥142.74. Considerable amount of appreciation may be dilutive on the overall performance of export-oriented healthcare industry.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sigma-healthcare-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15966:1" rel="noopener">Sigma Healthcare (SIG AU)</a> has offered remedial measure to alleviate preliminary anti-competition concerns raised by ACCC in relation to its proposed merger with CWG.</li>
</ul>


China's NMPA aims to redouble efforts to facilitate research and market registration of homegrown innovative drugs, while speeding up the introduction of novel foreign drugs to the domestic market.
Since the BoJ interest rate hike in July, the Yen appreciated ~5% to ¥142.74. Considerable amount of appreciation may be dilutive on the overall performance of export-oriented healthcare industry.

Sigma Healthcare (SIG AU) has offered remedial measure to alleviate preliminary anti-competition concerns raised by ACCC in relation to its proposed merger with CWG.


APAC Healthcare Weekly (Oct 6)-Strong Yen Impact, Sigma's Remedial Measures, Mesoblast's Fund Raise

<ul>
<li>Core inflation rates remain stubbornly high and real wages are still falling. </li>
<li>Surveys suggest one more major round of price hikes in October but the government still thinks prices will stabilise below its 2% target by the end of the year.</li>
<li>The increases are lowering consumer confidence – bad news for most retailers, although major discount chains are making hay while the sun, well, doesn’t shine.</li>
</ul>


Core inflation rates remain stubbornly high and real wages are still falling. 
Surveys suggest one more major round of price hikes in October but the government still thinks prices will stabilise below its 2% target by the end of the year.
The increases are lowering consumer confidence – bad news for most retailers, although major discount chains are making hay while the sun, well, doesn’t shine.


Japanese Prices Rise Again; 60% of Consumers Feeling the Pinch and Looking for Better Value

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> raised around US$259m in Mar 2024. Its IPO lockup is set to expire soon.</li>
<li>TH operates a network of retail stores in Japan that offer one-stop shopping under its everyday low price (EDLP) model.</li>
<li>In this note, we will talk about the lockup dynamics and possible placement.</li>
</ul>



Trial Holdings (5882 JP) raised around US$259m in Mar 2024. Its IPO lockup is set to expire soon.
TH operates a network of retail stores in Japan that offer one-stop shopping under its everyday low price (EDLP) model.
In this note, we will talk about the lockup dynamics and possible placement.


Trial Holdings IPO Lockup - Large Number of Small Holders Hold Around US$400m of Stock

<ul>
<li>There has been a long-term trend of market concentration in Japan's retail sector for more than a decade.</li>
<li>But consolidation is accelerating due to the pressures to find growth in a depopulating market and the winner takes all phenomenon which rewards the leading chains.</li>
<li>With higher growth and greater access to capital for the best retailers, the net result is dramatically higher levels of M&amp;A in sectors like drugstores and even supermarkets.  </li>
</ul>


There has been a long-term trend of market concentration in Japan's retail sector for more than a decade.
But consolidation is accelerating due to the pressures to find growth in a depopulating market and the winner takes all phenomenon which rewards the leading chains.
With higher growth and greater access to capital for the best retailers, the net result is dramatically higher levels of M&amp;A in sectors like drugstores and even supermarkets.  


Japan Retail: Market Concentration Accelerates Through M&A and Organic Growth

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)

Aeon (8267JP): Sales Up, Profit Down

Post-Covid, Aeon Co Ltd has seen significant profit growth but must address profit challenges and overhead costs to rival Seven & I's profit...

Michael Causton

APAC Healthcare Weekly (Oct 6)-Strong Yen Impact, Sigma's Remedial Measures, Mesoblast's Fund Raise

BoJ interest rate hike leads to Yen appreciation, potentially impacting export-oriented healthcare industry. Sigma Healthcare addresses anti...

Tina Banerjee

Japanese Prices Rise Again; 60% of Consumers Feeling the Pinch and Looking for Better Value

Japanese consumer markets have three big trends: higher prices/squeezed incomes, doubling of single households and more people feeling the pinch....

Michael Causton

Trial Holdings IPO Lockup - Large Number of Small Holders Hold Around US$400m of Stock

Trial Holdings (5882 JP) raised around US$259m in Mar 2024. Its IPO lockup is set to expire soon which will release a large number of small...

Sumeet Singh

Japan Retail: Market Concentration Accelerates Through M&A and Organic Growth

Market concentration in Japan's retail sector has been increasing due to the need for growth in a shrinking market, leading to a surge in M&A...

Michael Causton

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Aeon (8267JP): Sales Up, Profit Down

​Post-Covid, Aeon Co Ltd has seen significant profit growth but must address profit challenges and overhead costs to rival Seven & I's profit...

Michael Causton

APAC Healthcare Weekly (Oct 6)-Strong Yen Impact, Sigma's Remedial Measures, Mesoblast's Fund Raise

BoJ interest rate hike leads to Yen appreciation, potentially impacting export-oriented healthcare industry. Sigma Healthcare addresses anti...

Tina Banerjee

Japanese Prices Rise Again; 60% of Consumers Feeling the Pinch and Looking for Better Value

Japanese consumer markets have three big trends: higher prices/squeezed incomes, doubling of single households and more people feeling the pinch....

Michael Causton

Trial Holdings IPO Lockup - Large Number of Small Holders Hold Around US$400m of Stock

Trial Holdings (5882 JP) raised around US$259m in Mar 2024. Its IPO lockup is set to expire soon which will release a large number of small...

Sumeet Singh

Japan Retail: Market Concentration Accelerates Through M&A and Organic Growth

​Market concentration in Japan's retail sector has been increasing due to the need for growth in a shrinking market, leading to a surge in M&A...

Michael Causton

Post-Covid, Aeon Co Ltd has seen significant profit growth but must address profit challenges and overhead costs to rival Seven & I's profit...

Market concentration in Japan's retail sector has been increasing due to the need for growth in a shrinking market, leading to a surge in M&A...