Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Equity Analyst

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.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cyberagent-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8197:1" rel="noopener">CyberAgent Inc (4751 JP)</a> reported 1QFY09/2024 results yesterday. Revenue increased 15.2% YoY with OP increasing 12.4% QoQ, and beat consensus estimates by a huge margin.</li>
<li>All three business segments have shown strong improvement, with newly released gaming title  "Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade" driving growth for Games business.</li>
<li>CyberAgent's (CA’s) share price moved up by about 4% following earnings announcement and seems that the worst is over for the company.</li>
</ul>



CyberAgent Inc (4751 JP) reported 1QFY09/2024 results yesterday. Revenue increased 15.2% YoY with OP increasing 12.4% QoQ, and beat consensus estimates by a huge margin.
All three business segments have shown strong improvement, with newly released gaming title  "Jujutsu Kaisen Phantom Parade" driving growth for Games business.
CyberAgent's (CA’s) share price moved up by about 4% following earnings announcement and seems that the worst is over for the company.


High Conviction 2024 – CyberAgent: All Three Segments on a Road to Recovery

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cyberagent-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8197:1" rel="noopener">CyberAgent Inc (4751 JP)</a> (CA) is a Japan-based media and entertainment company offering media, internet advertising, smart games and investment development businesses in Japan.</li>
<li>The gaming business of the company has collapsed with the slowdown of hit title UMA MUSUME while titles released after UMA MUSUME have failed to perform satisfactorily.</li>
<li>Profitability of Internet advertising and media are expected recover and seems that worst is over for the games business as several titles are slated for release in the near future.</li>
</ul>



CyberAgent Inc (4751 JP) (CA) is a Japan-based media and entertainment company offering media, internet advertising, smart games and investment development businesses in Japan.
The gaming business of the company has collapsed with the slowdown of hit title UMA MUSUME while titles released after UMA MUSUME have failed to perform satisfactorily.
Profitability of Internet advertising and media are expected recover and seems that worst is over for the games business as several titles are slated for release in the near future.


2024 High Conviction – CyberAgent: Worst Seems to Be Over

<ul>
<li>CA reported 4Q and full-year FY09/2023 results today. 4Q revenue increased 5% YoY while OP dropped more than 50% during the quarter. Revenues beat consensus while OP fell behind.</li>
<li>Games revenues further decreased YoY during the quarter (improved QoQ) while it managed to report an OP which was possible due to UMA MUSUME’s game anniversary.</li>
<li>Though CA released a new game in September and few lined-up for release, until the company releases a hit title like UMA MUSUME, we expect the recovery to be slow.</li>
</ul>


CA reported 4Q and full-year FY09/2023 results today. 4Q revenue increased 5% YoY while OP dropped more than 50% during the quarter. Revenues beat consensus while OP fell behind.
Games revenues further decreased YoY during the quarter (improved QoQ) while it managed to report an OP which was possible due to UMA MUSUME’s game anniversary.
Though CA released a new game in September and few lined-up for release, until the company releases a hit title like UMA MUSUME, we expect the recovery to be slow.


CyberAgent: Gaming Shows Some Recovery but New Releases Yet to Shift Momentum for Games

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

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cyberagent-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8197:1" rel="noopener">CyberAgent</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lixil-group-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:454:1" rel="noopener">Lixil Group</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hakuhodo-dy-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8736:1" rel="noopener">Hakuhodo Dy Holdings</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kobayashi-pharmaceutical-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14930:1" rel="noopener">Kobayashi Pharmaceutical</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/welcia-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20895:1" rel="noopener">Welcia Holdings</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/temp-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1428:1" rel="noopener">Persol Holdings</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/gmo-payment-gateway-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1492:1" rel="noopener">GMO Payment Gateway</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kurita-water-industries-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3870:1" rel="noopener">Kurita Water Industries</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/open-house-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19550:1" rel="noopener">Open House</a> have all underperformed the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225</a> over the recent past.</li>
<li>The underperformance could lead to adjustments in global passive portfolios and liquidity events on some of the stocks.</li>
<li>Short interest has increased on some stocks and there could be more pre-positioning to come over the next few weeks.</li>
</ul>



CyberAgent, Lixil Group, Hakuhodo Dy Holdings, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, Welcia Holdings, Persol Holdings, GMO Payment Gateway, Kurita Water Industries and Open House have all underperformed the Nikkei 225 over the recent past.
The underperformance could lead to adjustments in global passive portfolios and liquidity events on some of the stocks.
Short interest has increased on some stocks and there could be more pre-positioning to come over the next few weeks.


Japan - Increase in Shorts on Some Interesting* Stocks

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cyberagent-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8197:1" rel="noopener">CyberAgent Inc (4751 JP)</a> reported 3QFY09/2023 results today. Revenue decreased 0.2% YoY to ¥171.7n (vs consensus ¥177.8bn) while operating income decreased 86.2% YoY to ¥1.4bn (vs consensus ¥11.0bn).</li>
<li>The game business has further deteriorated during 3Q with the absence of hit title launches and drop in UMA MUSUME Rankings. Segment reported losses during the quarter.</li>
<li>CA has opened pre-registrations for two new games, we are not convinced that these could become top performers as the company has not given a hit title since UMA MUSUME.</li>
</ul>



CyberAgent Inc (4751 JP) reported 3QFY09/2023 results today. Revenue decreased 0.2% YoY to ¥171.7n (vs consensus ¥177.8bn) while operating income decreased 86.2% YoY to ¥1.4bn (vs consensus ¥11.0bn).
The game business has further deteriorated during 3Q with the absence of hit title launches and drop in UMA MUSUME Rankings. Segment reported losses during the quarter.
CA has opened pre-registrations for two new games, we are not convinced that these could become top performers as the company has not given a hit title since UMA MUSUME.


CyberAgent 3Q: Gaming Collapses and Spurs Downward Revision

Japan

CyberAgent, Inc. operates blog media website, Ameba.  The Company also operates internet advertising agency, foreign exchange trading website, and creates PC and mobile contents such as advertisements and games. CyberAgent invests in companies with internet related business.

CyberAgent Inc (4751 JP)

High Conviction 2024 – CyberAgent: All Three Segments on a Road to Recovery

CyberAgent's 1Q earnings beat consensus estimates by a huge margin. All three business segments have seen strong growth with newly released...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

2024 High Conviction – CyberAgent: Worst Seems to Be Over

We expect Internet Ad's profitability to improve and Media to start making profits in FY2024E. Games can't go down further as new releases should...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

CyberAgent: Gaming Shows Some Recovery but New Releases Yet to Shift Momentum for Games

CA's games business showed some recovery in 4Q which was possible due to UMA MUSUME's game anniversary. ne new title was released but we expect...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Japan - Increase in Shorts on Some Interesting* Stocks

There are a few stocks in Japan that have underperformed the NKY over the last few months and that could lead to a liquidity event due to the...

Brian Freitas

CyberAgent 3Q: Gaming Collapses and Spurs Downward Revision

Game biz collapsed due to lack of new releases and drop in UMA MUSUME rankings, and reported losses which led to downward revision of guidance. 2...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

High Conviction 2024 – CyberAgent: All Three Segments on a Road to Recovery

​CyberAgent's 1Q earnings beat consensus estimates by a huge margin. All three business segments have seen strong growth with newly released...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

2024 High Conviction – CyberAgent: Worst Seems to Be Over

We expect Internet Ad's profitability to improve and Media to start making profits in FY2024E. Games can't go down further as new releases should...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

CyberAgent: Gaming Shows Some Recovery but New Releases Yet to Shift Momentum for Games

CA's games business showed some recovery in 4Q which was possible due to UMA MUSUME's game anniversary. ne new title was released but we expect...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

Japan - Increase in Shorts on Some Interesting* Stocks

There are a few stocks in Japan that have underperformed the NKY over the last few months and that could lead to a liquidity event due to the...

Brian Freitas

CyberAgent 3Q: Gaming Collapses and Spurs Downward Revision

Game biz collapsed due to lack of new releases and drop in UMA MUSUME rankings, and reported losses which led to downward revision of guidance. 2...

Shifara Samsudeen, ACMA, CGMA

CyberAgent's 1Q earnings beat consensus estimates by a huge margin. All three business segments have seen strong growth with newly released...