Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, 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/money-forward-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:25919:1" rel="noopener">Money Forward (3994 JP)</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/moneta-money-bank-as-91531fc9-8a67-43d7-8182-cf45abd5ebca" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28372:1" rel="noopener"></a> MF’s recent earnings was no surprise to us as we continued to highlight that the company’s business model is far inferior to its counterpart freee. </li>
<li>The last 2-3 quarterly results have made that discrepancy clear and MF’s non-BO SaaS businesses are only dead weight and have helped conceal weaknesses of its business model.</li>
<li>MF’s share price is down 19.3% YTD and think the market has finally come to terms that MF is losing ground whereas freee has managed to turn around its profitability.</li>
</ul>



Money Forward (3994 JP) MF’s recent earnings was no surprise to us as we continued to highlight that the company’s business model is far inferior to its counterpart freee. 
The last 2-3 quarterly results have made that discrepancy clear and MF’s non-BO SaaS businesses are only dead weight and have helped conceal weaknesses of its business model.
MF’s share price is down 19.3% YTD and think the market has finally come to terms that MF is losing ground whereas freee has managed to turn around its profitability.


Money Forward: Business Model Begins to Breakdown

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>Three shareholders of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/socionext-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36351:1" rel="noopener">Socionext (6526 JP)</a> aim to raise around US$1.8bn via selling all of their shares in Socionext.</li>
<li>Socionext was listed on 12th Oct 2022, when it raised US$457m in its upsized Japan IPO. Its six-month lockup expired in Apr 2023. Its shares are up 6x since listing.</li>
<li>In this note, we talk about the deal dynamics and run the deal through our ECM framework.</li>
</ul>


Three shareholders of Socionext (6526 JP) aim to raise around US$1.8bn via selling all of their shares in Socionext.
Socionext was listed on 12th Oct 2022, when it raised US$457m in its upsized Japan IPO. Its six-month lockup expired in Apr 2023. Its shares are up 6x since listing.
In this note, we talk about the deal dynamics and run the deal through our ECM framework.


Socionext Placement - A US$1.8bn Cleanup, Will Have to Give up Some of Its 6x Listing Gains

APAC IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Clarence Chu

APAC IPOs & Placements

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/socionext-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:36351:1" rel="noopener">Socionext (6526 JP)</a> was listed on 12th Oct 2022, when it raised US$457m in its upsized Japan IPO. Its six-month lockup will expire on 9th Apr 2023.</li>
<li>Socionext is a fabless semiconductor provider which commenced operations after integrating the system on a chip (SoC) businesses of Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited and Panasonic Holding Corporation in 2015.</li>
<li>Coming up for six-month lockup expiry are the Development Bank of Japan, Fujitsu and Panasonic, the trio had each trimmed their respective stakes in the IPO.</li>
</ul>



Socionext (6526 JP) was listed on 12th Oct 2022, when it raised US$457m in its upsized Japan IPO. Its six-month lockup will expire on 9th Apr 2023.
Socionext is a fabless semiconductor provider which commenced operations after integrating the system on a chip (SoC) businesses of Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited and Panasonic Holding Corporation in 2015.
Coming up for six-month lockup expiry are the Development Bank of Japan, Fujitsu and Panasonic, the trio had each trimmed their respective stakes in the IPO.


Socionext Lock-Up - Up 2.67x Since IPO. US$930m Worth of Shares to Be Unlocked

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35638:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten Bank (5838 JP)</a>, the online banking arm of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten (4755 JP)</a>, aims to raise up to around US$630m in its Japan listing in April 2023.</li>
<li>RB is the largest internet bank in Japan, by number of accounts. As of Dec 22, it had 13.3m deposit accounts with a total deposit base of JPY8.8tn.</li>
<li>In our earlier notes, we have looked at the company’s past performance and undertook a peer comparison. In this note, we talk about valuations in the IPO price range.</li>
</ul>



Rakuten Bank (5838 JP), the online banking arm of Rakuten (4755 JP), aims to raise up to around US$630m in its Japan listing in April 2023.
RB is the largest internet bank in Japan, by number of accounts. As of Dec 22, it had 13.3m deposit accounts with a total deposit base of JPY8.8tn.
In our earlier notes, we have looked at the company’s past performance and undertook a peer comparison. In this note, we talk about valuations in the IPO price range.


Rakuten Bank IPO - Lower Range Makes It Even More Attractive

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/genda-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:39911:1" rel="noopener">GENDA (9166 JP),</a> along with a selling shareholder, is looking to raise around US$190m to partly fund its M&amp;A.</li>
<li>Genda develops and operates amusement facilities in Japan, primarily operating under its Genda GiGO Entertainment subsidiary.</li>
<li>In this note, we will talk about the placement and run the deal through our ECM framework.</li>
</ul>



GENDA (9166 JP), along with a selling shareholder, is looking to raise around US$190m to partly fund its M&amp;A.
Genda develops and operates amusement facilities in Japan, primarily operating under its Genda GiGO Entertainment subsidiary.
In this note, we will talk about the placement and run the deal through our ECM framework.


GENDA Placement - Good Track Record & Sort off Well Flagged but Relatively Large

Japan

freee K.K. develops software products. The Company produces cloud based accounting softwares, automatic online accounting systems, and other products. freee provides its services throughout Japan.

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Freee (4478 JP)

Money Forward: Business Model Begins to Breakdown

Money Forward's recent earnings was no surprise to us and it highlights its inferior business model compared to freee, with non-BO SaaS businesses...

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

Socionext Placement - A US$1.8bn Cleanup, Will Have to Give up Some of Its 6x Listing Gains

Three shareholders of Socionext (6526 JP) aim to raise around US$1.8bn via selling shares in Socionext. In this note we talk about the deal...

Sumeet Singh

Socionext Lock-Up - Up 2.67x Since IPO. US$930m Worth of Shares to Be Unlocked

Socionext just launched a US$2bn secondary extended offering, with the Development Bank of Japan, Fujitsu, and Panasonic looking to selldown their...

Clarence Chu

Rakuten Bank IPO - Lower Range Makes It Even More Attractive

Rakuten Bank (5838 JP), the online banking arm of Rakuten (4755 JP), aims to raise up to around US$630m in its Japan listing in April 2023.

Sumeet Singh

GENDA Placement - Good Track Record & Sort off Well Flagged but Relatively Large

GENDA (9166 JP), along with a selling shareholder, is looking to raise around US$190m to partly fund its M&A. In this note, we talk about the deal...

Sumeet Singh

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Money Forward: Business Model Begins to Breakdown

​Money Forward's recent earnings was no surprise to us and it highlights its inferior business model compared to freee, with non-BO SaaS businesses...

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

Socionext Placement - A US$1.8bn Cleanup, Will Have to Give up Some of Its 6x Listing Gains

Three shareholders of Socionext (6526 JP) aim to raise around US$1.8bn via selling shares in Socionext. In this note we talk about the deal...

Sumeet Singh

Socionext Lock-Up - Up 2.67x Since IPO. US$930m Worth of Shares to Be Unlocked

Socionext just launched a US$2bn secondary extended offering, with the Development Bank of Japan, Fujitsu, and Panasonic looking to selldown their...

Clarence Chu

Rakuten Bank IPO - Lower Range Makes It Even More Attractive

Rakuten Bank (5838 JP), the online banking arm of Rakuten (4755 JP), aims to raise up to around US$630m in its Japan listing in April 2023.

Sumeet Singh

GENDA Placement - Good Track Record & Sort off Well Flagged but Relatively Large

GENDA (9166 JP), along with a selling shareholder, is looking to raise around US$190m to partly fund its M&A. In this note, we talk about the deal...

Sumeet Singh

Money Forward's recent earnings was no surprise to us and it highlights its inferior business model compared to freee, with non-BO SaaS businesses...