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. 

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

The following is an in-depth review of Japanese retail in the last 18 months covering all the main formats and categories, providing a quick way to see an overview of all the key trends and winners and losers in Japanese retailing now and going forward.FY2020 was an anomaly and one that businesses everywhere will want to forget and never repeat. There was more than enough pain among Japan’s top retailers last year, but equally some formats did surprisingly well given the circumstances.For most, work-from-home was the single most important factor in determining a chain’s fortunes. City-centre stores and shopping centres offering mostly discretionary shopping have been hit hard, as have convenience stores.But those chains selling essentials, healthcare, electronics and, most importantly, food, all saw their fortunes improve. The pandemic has also revealed the strong, dynamic players and exposed the weaker ones. Oh, and everyone needs to be online.

The following is an in-depth review of Japanese retail in the last 18 months covering all the main formats and categories, providing a quick way to see an overview of all the key trends and winners and losers in Japanese retailing now and going forward.FY2020 was an anomaly and one that businesses everywhere will want to forget and never repeat. There was more than enough pain among Japan’s top retailers last year, but equally some formats did surprisingly well given the circumstances.For most, work-from-home was the single most important factor in determining a chain’s fortunes. City-centre stores and shopping centres offering mostly discretionary shopping have been hit hard, as have convenience stores.But those chains selling essentials, healthcare, electronics and, most importantly, food, all saw their fortunes improve. The pandemic has also revealed the strong, dynamic players and exposed the weaker ones. Oh, and everyone needs to be online.

The Polarising Pandemic in Japanese Retail

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Stay long <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kakaku-com-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7408:1" rel="noopener">Kakaku.com Inc (2371 JP)</a>. Don't sell yet. And definitely stay long <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/digital-garage-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13747:1" rel="noopener">Digital Garage (4819 JP)</a>.</li>
<li>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yamada-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:16273:1" rel="noopener">Yamada Corp (6392 JP)</a>/<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/edion-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14358:1" rel="noopener">Edion Corp (2730 JP)</a> combination gives both a platform. What they do with it is the question that the initial announcement left entirely unanswered.</li>
<li>At a multi-year low implied stub; and an all-time low simple ratio (<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ytl-corp-bhd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8553:1" rel="noopener">YTL (YTL MK)</a>/<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ytl-power-international-bhd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1239:1" rel="noopener">YTL Power (YTLP MK)</a>), if you can set up the stub here cleanly, do so.</li>
</ul>


Stay long Kakaku.com Inc (2371 JP). Don't sell yet. And definitely stay long Digital Garage (4819 JP).
The Yamada Corp (6392 JP)/Edion Corp (2730 JP) combination gives both a platform. What they do with it is the question that the initial announcement left entirely unanswered.
At a multi-year low implied stub; and an all-time low simple ratio (YTL (YTL MK)/YTL Power (YTLP MK)), if you can set up the stub here cleanly, do so.


Last Week In Event SPACE: Digital Garage/Kakaku.com, Yamada Corp/Edion Corp, YTL/YTL Power, Strategy

<ul>
<li>Yamada and Edion may finally be tying the knot, creating a ¥2.5 trillion electronics behemoth that could dominate a shrinking market – although Edion shareholder, Nitori, might oppose the deal.</li>
<li>But previous talks failed, and the initial announcement, while positive, doesn’t say a lot about how the new company will grow.</li>
<li>What it does demonstrate is just how fashionable M&amp;A has become across all formats and sectors to shore up share in a fast-consolidating retail market.</li>
</ul>


Yamada and Edion may finally be tying the knot, creating a ¥2.5 trillion electronics behemoth that could dominate a shrinking market – although Edion shareholder, Nitori, might oppose the deal.
But previous talks failed, and the initial announcement, while positive, doesn’t say a lot about how the new company will grow.
What it does demonstrate is just how fashionable M&amp;A has become across all formats and sectors to shore up share in a fast-consolidating retail market.


Yamada-Edion: The ¥2.5 Trillion Merger that Was Always Coming but Where Are the Benefits?

Global Special Situations & Strategy, SR Services Ltd

David Lepper

Global Special Situations & Strategy

SR Services Ltd

SR Services provides Strategic Knowledge and Solutions services for Family Offices and Corporate Business. 

We deliver this via advisory services, strategic planning, opportunity analysis/sourcing, as well as solution implementation. 

Whilst, we create intellectual discipline and operational leverage for your projects or daily activities, our ultimate objective is to empower whilst enhancing your decision making. 

Strategic Knowledge and Solutions

Cross Asset Strategy

Growth as a style has been the “norm” for years, is the “norm” about to end? The continued strategies by Central Bank’s towards a “lower for longer stance around interest rates”, extended the underperformance of value for most of 2020. However, with the value/growth investment style ratio at 20-year lows, we present 27 names which hold characteristics worthy of further review.

Growth as a style has been the “norm” for years, is the “norm” about to end? The continued strategies by Central Bank’s towards a “lower for longer stance around interest rates”, extended the underperformance of value for most of 2020. However, with the value/growth investment style ratio at 20-year lows, we present 27 names which hold characteristics worthy of further review. 

Screening the Silk Road: Q1 2021 All Cap Screening - Free Cashflow (FCF)

Travis Lundy

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yamada-denki-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:641:1" rel="noopener">Yamada Denki (9831 JP)</a> is Japan's top electronics retailer by sales. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/edion-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14358:1" rel="noopener">Edion Corp (2730 JP)</a> is #5. The Nikkei carried an article last night saying they intended to merge. </li>
<li>Both (<a href="https://www.edion.co.jp/en/ir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yamada</a>, <a href="https://www.edion.co.jp/system/files/ir-news/pdf/multilingual/2026-06/20260604Statement%20Regarding%20Certain%20Media%20Reports%20Concerning%20EDION%20Corporation.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edion</a>) confirmed the talks, and board meetings set for tomorrow will likely approve path forward for negotiations. That's not a done deal, but it gets definitive talks. </li>
<li>Yamada has suffered mightily the last few years. Guidance this next year sees a rebound and on a forward basis, is cheap vs Peers (also cheap on a PBR basis).</li>
</ul>



Yamada Denki (9831 JP) is Japan's top electronics retailer by sales. Edion Corp (2730 JP) is #5. The Nikkei carried an article last night saying they intended to merge. 
Both (Yamada, Edion) confirmed the talks, and board meetings set for tomorrow will likely approve path forward for negotiations. That's not a done deal, but it gets definitive talks. 
Yamada has suffered mightily the last few years. Guidance this next year sees a rebound and on a forward basis, is cheap vs Peers (also cheap on a PBR basis).


[Japan M&A] Yamada Denki (9831) And EDION (2730) Merger? Yamada Cheap But Weak Recent History

Japan

EDION Corporation owns and manages its subsidiaries, DEODEO Corp and EIDEN Co, Ltd.  The Company's subsidiaries operate electronics retail stores.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

Edion Corp (2730 JP)

The Polarising Pandemic in Japanese Retail

A complete review of the Japanese retail sector in the last 18 months, format by format, category by category, providing key trends and winners &...

Michael Causton

Last Week In Event SPACE: Digital Garage/Kakaku.com, Yamada Corp/Edion Corp, YTL/YTL Power, Strategy

It’s Sunday! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed during the...

David Blennerhassett

Yamada-Edion: The ¥2.5 Trillion Merger that Was Always Coming but Where Are the Benefits?

Yamada and Edion merger creates potential electronics giant, maybe facing opposition from Nitori. M&A trend in retail market consolidation evident...

Michael Causton

Screening the Silk Road: Q1 2021 All Cap Screening - Free Cashflow (FCF)

With the value/growth investment style ratio at 20-year lows, we present 27 names which hold characteristics worthy of further review.

David Lepper

[Japan M&A] Yamada Denki (9831) And EDION (2730) Merger? Yamada Cheap But Weak Recent History

After the announcement, the kneejerk reaction was to buy EDION and sell Yamada. Why? Targets get a premium. Smaller companies are deemed to be...

Travis Lundy

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

The Polarising Pandemic in Japanese Retail

A complete review of the Japanese retail sector in the last 18 months, format by format, category by category, providing key trends and winners &...

Michael Causton

Last Week In Event SPACE: Digital Garage/Kakaku.com, Yamada Corp/Edion Corp, YTL/YTL Power, Strategy

It’s Sunday! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed during the...

David Blennerhassett

Yamada-Edion: The ¥2.5 Trillion Merger that Was Always Coming but Where Are the Benefits?

​Yamada and Edion merger creates potential electronics giant, maybe facing opposition from Nitori. M&A trend in retail market consolidation evident...

Michael Causton

Screening the Silk Road: Q1 2021 All Cap Screening - Free Cashflow (FCF)

With the value/growth investment style ratio at 20-year lows, we present 27 names which hold characteristics worthy of further review.

David Lepper

[Japan M&A] Yamada Denki (9831) And EDION (2730) Merger? Yamada Cheap But Weak Recent History

After the announcement, the kneejerk reaction was to buy EDION and sell Yamada. Why? Targets get a premium. Smaller companies are deemed to be...

Travis Lundy

Yamada and Edion merger creates potential electronics giant, maybe facing opposition from Nitori. M&A trend in retail market consolidation evident...