'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

ja research

ja research is an independent research platform focused exclusively on Japanese equities. Leveraging data and graphic analysis provided by Japan Analytics, we provide insights on small and medium-sized companies that have been ignored by the sell-side as well as challenging conventional wisdom on larger companies. We also offer analyst and corporate access, the latter with translation if required. 

Quantitative Analysis

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/079/068/original/2019-02-17_10-57-33.png?1550368676" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="79068"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>PEAK CYCLE EARNINGS - In our <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-winter-results-revisions-flash-cycle-earnings-peak-was-december-26th" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:28022">Winter Results &amp; Revisions Flash</a> Insight of yesterday, we noted that Japanese listed corporate earnings, after nine consecutive 'up' quarters, peaked on December 26th, two days before the market reached a twenty-month low having declined 22.5% in the preceding three months. Forecast earnings peaked on November 7th and have led reported earnings to the downside since August last year.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/079/069/original/2019-02-17_11-06-28.png?1550369207" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="79069"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>ONE-YEAR LAG - Reported and forecast earnings are a lagging indicator and, in this instance, lagged by just under one year. Our preferred leading indicator, the Results &amp; Revision Score which includes earnings momentum factors, peaked on 11th November 2017, 44 trading days ahead of the peak in the Market Composite. As of Friday's close and with 99% of this quarters' announcements made, the Results &amp; Revisions Score is at a new 21-month. The score has now fallen by 70% and has halved since October 26th last year. We will cover the outlook in more detail in our upcoming quarterly Results and Revision review. However, the last two cycles (2009 and 2016) saw 'trough' scores of -9.6 and -2.1, respectively. There is ample room on the downside as export volumes continue to decline and the increase in the consumption tax in October tips Japan into a recession by year-end.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/079/070/original/2019-02-17_11-59-44.png?1550372400" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="79070"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div>SIDEWAYS - The market has moved sideways through the reporting window rising 0.7% in Yen terms and falling 0.7% in US$ terms. The weakness in the currency has helped offset the slide in profits.MARKET/SECTOR STRATEGY- We continue to recommend an underweight position in Japan in global portfolios and favour undervalued domestically-orientated companies in the Information Technology, Internet, Media, and Telecommunications sectors. We would avoid or short the financial sectors Banks, Non-Bank Finance and Multi-Industry (Japan Post). We would underweight the Auto and Other Consumer Products sectors as consumer spending contracts further in the US, Europe, China and in Japan later in the year. In the DETAIL section below, we will review Sector performance over the last two weeks, and, in addition to our regular roundup of company results, revisions and stock performance over the previous two weeks, including brief comments on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/5439" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5439:1">Subaru (7270 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/1301" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1301:1">Infomart (2492 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/16576" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16576:1">Lion (4912 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/4102" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4102:1">Nissan Chemical (4021 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/3077" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3077:1">Keyence (6861 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/6267" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6267:1">Suruga Bank (8358 JP)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/27149" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27149:1">Mercari (4385 JP)</a>.

Source: Japan AnalyticsPEAK CYCLE EARNINGS - In our Winter Results &amp; Revisions Flash Insight of yesterday, we noted that Japanese listed corporate earnings, after nine consecutive 'up' quarters, peaked on December 26th, two days before the market reached a twenty-month low having declined 22.5% in the preceding three months. Forecast earnings peaked on November 7th and have led reported earnings to the downside since August last year.Source: Japan AnalyticsONE-YEAR LAG - Reported and forecast earnings are a lagging indicator and, in this instance, lagged by just under one year. Our preferred leading indicator, the Results &amp; Revision Score which includes earnings momentum factors, peaked on 11th November 2017, 44 trading days ahead of the peak in the Market Composite. As of Friday's close and with 99% of this quarters' announcements made, the Results &amp; Revisions Score is at a new 21-month. The score has now fallen by 70% and has halved since October 26th last year. We will cover the outlook in more detail in our upcoming quarterly Results and Revision review. However, the last two cycles (2009 and 2016) saw 'trough' scores of -9.6 and -2.1, respectively. There is ample room on the downside as export volumes continue to decline and the increase in the consumption tax in October tips Japan into a recession by year-end.Source: Japan AnalyticsSIDEWAYS - The market has moved sideways through the reporting window rising 0.7% in Yen terms and falling 0.7% in US$ terms. The weakness in the currency has helped offset the slide in profits.MARKET/SECTOR STRATEGY- We continue to recommend an underweight position in Japan in global portfolios and favour undervalued domestically-orientated companies in the Information Technology, Internet, Media, and Telecommunications sectors. We would avoid or short the financial sectors Banks, Non-Bank Finance and Multi-Industry (Japan Post). We would underweight the Auto and Other Consumer Products sectors as consumer spending contracts further in the US, Europe, China and in Japan later in the year. In the DETAIL section below, we will review Sector performance over the last two weeks, and, in addition to our regular roundup of company results, revisions and stock performance over the previous two weeks, including brief comments on Subaru (7270 JP), Infomart (2492 JP), Lion (4912 JP), Nissan Chemical (4021 JP), Keyence (6861 JP), Suruga Bank (8358 JP), and Mercari (4385 JP). 

Asia Long-Short PM/Analyst

Curtis Lehnert

Event-Driven

If ever there was a stub business that is poised to capitalize on global trends of factory automation, automated logistics handling and electric vehicle prevalence, it is that of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/4500" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4500:1">Toyota Industries (6201 JP)</a>. In August, I took an in-depth look at the major businesses of Toyota Industries and concluded that the market was not giving the company credit for the global leadership it has established in the forklifts and automobile A/C compressor businesses, nor for the progress it has made in the logistics equipment business. While the market's oversight appeared to have corrected in September and October as the discount to NAV contracted from 34% to 25%, the trend has since reversed and the discount is back at trough levels of 35%. In August, I implied that this would be a good trading opportunity. Today, I explicitly recommend going long the stub.
In this insight I will cover:
<ul class="">
<li>A market-neutral trade setup </li>
<li>A review of the core unlisted businesses</li>
<li>Alternative data used to gauge performance in the core business</li>
<li>Risks of the trade</li>
<li>A recap of ALL my stub trade ideas on Smartkarma, including track record of performance</li>
</ul>

If ever there was a stub business that is poised to capitalize on global trends of factory automation, automated logistics handling and electric vehicle prevalence, it is that of Toyota Industries (6201 JP). In August, I took an in-depth look at the major businesses of Toyota Industries and concluded that the market was not giving the company credit for the global leadership it has established in the forklifts and automobile A/C compressor businesses, nor for the progress it has made in the logistics equipment business. While the market's oversight appeared to have corrected in September and October as the discount to NAV contracted from 34% to 25%, the trend has since reversed and the discount is back at trough levels of 35%. In August, I implied that this would be a good trading opportunity. Today, I explicitly recommend going long the stub.
In this insight I will cover:

A market-neutral trade setup 
A review of the core unlisted businesses
Alternative data used to gauge performance in the core business
Risks of the trade
A recap of ALL my stub trade ideas on Smartkarma, including track record of performance


TRADE IDEA - Toyota Industries (6201 JP) Stub: Riding the Automation Wave

Toyota Industries (TICO) deserves a fresh look after the stub has sold off to historically low levels.  The core business remains a high quality industrial leader with #1 global market share in forklifts and automobile A/C compressors.  The company has made significant progress into the high-growth logistics equipment sector after the acquisition of two global leaders in the space and is also a key player in the booming EV industry.  The stub is currently trading around 30% discount to NAV and has been near 2 standard deviations below its long-term average.  On an EV/Sales basis the stub business is trading at a whopping 40% discount to its closest listed peer.
I believe the changing composition of the stub business is not yet fully understood.  The market seems to be mispricing this high quality business due to disappointing guidance for FY19 and accompanying margin contraction, while ignoring growth in materials handling/logistics.  There is also huge potential in the A/C compressor segment as the company has important competitive advantages to serve electric vehicle makers worldwide.

Toyota Industries (TICO) deserves a fresh look after the stub has sold off to historically low levels.  The core business remains a high quality industrial leader with #1 global market share in forklifts and automobile A/C compressors.  The company has made significant progress into the high-growth logistics equipment sector after the acquisition of two global leaders in the space and is also a key player in the booming EV industry.  The stub is currently trading around 30% discount to NAV and has been near 2 standard deviations below its long-term average.  On an EV/Sales basis the stub business is trading at a whopping 40% discount to its closest listed peer.
I believe the changing composition of the stub business is not yet fully understood.  The market seems to be mispricing this high quality business due to disappointing guidance for FY19 and accompanying margin contraction, while ignoring growth in materials handling/logistics.  There is also huge potential in the A/C compressor segment as the company has important competitive advantages to serve electric vehicle makers worldwide.

Toyota Industries (6201 JP): Stub Business Expanding into High Growth Segments

Japan

DAIFUKU CO., LTD. designs, manufactures, and sells material handling equipment such as automated storage systems, conveyors, and automatic sorters.  The Company's products are used for automation in manufacturing and distribution businesses.

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Daifuku Co Ltd (6383 JP)

Japan: Fortnightly Update: Past the Peak

PEAK CYCLE EARNINGS - In our Winter Results & Revisions Flash Insight of yesterday, we noted that Japanese listed corporate earnings, after...

Campbell Gunn

TRADE IDEA - Toyota Industries (6201 JP) Stub: Riding the Automation Wave

If ever there was a stub business that is poised to capitalize on global trends of factory automation, automated logistics handling and electric...

Curtis Lehnert

Toyota Industries (6201 JP): Stub Business Expanding into High Growth Segments

Toyota Industries (TICO) deserves a fresh look after the stub has sold off to historically low levels. The core business remains a high quality...

Curtis Lehnert

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