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.

Event-Driven

<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> (RB),  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 Group (4755 JP)</a>, raised around US$630m in its Japan IPO. Its IPO linked lockup will expire soon.</li>
<li>RB is the largest internet bank in Japan, by number of accounts. As of Jun 23, it had 14.0m deposit accounts with a total deposit base of JPY9.4tn.</li>
<li>In this note, we will talk about the lock-up dynamics and updates since our last note.</li>
</ul>



Rakuten Bank (5838 JP) (RB),  the online banking arm of Rakuten Group (4755 JP), raised around US$630m in its Japan IPO. Its IPO linked lockup will expire soon.
RB is the largest internet bank in Japan, by number of accounts. As of Jun 23, it had 14.0m deposit accounts with a total deposit base of JPY9.4tn.
In this note, we will talk about the lock-up dynamics and updates since our last note.


Rakuten Bank IPO Lock-Up - Parent and Company Will Come Out of Lockup

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/freee-kk" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:28424:1" rel="noopener">Freee KK (4478 JP)</a> ’s 1QFY06/2024 results beat consensus estimates. Introduction of qualified invoicing system in October has resulted in strong corporate user growth for the company.</li>
<li>Upfront investment in selling and marketing has helped freee onboard a large no. of corporate clients prior to the introduction of the new invoice system.</li>
<li>Freee expects selling and advertising spending to decline going forward which should help the company reach break-even in FY06/2025E.</li>
</ul>



Freee KK (4478 JP) ’s 1QFY06/2024 results beat consensus estimates. Introduction of qualified invoicing system in October has resulted in strong corporate user growth for the company.
Upfront investment in selling and marketing has helped freee onboard a large no. of corporate clients prior to the introduction of the new invoice system.
Freee expects selling and advertising spending to decline going forward which should help the company reach break-even in FY06/2025E.


Freee 1Q: Earnings Beat; Qualified Invoice System to Further Drive Earnings

Equity Capital Markets

Kokusai Electric  / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>KKR raised around US$730m via selling a stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kokusai-electric-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40152:1" rel="noopener">Kokusai Electric's (6525 JP)</a> (KE) Japan IPO.</li>
<li>KE main business activities consist of the manufacturing, sales and maintenance service of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.</li>
<li>In our previous notes we have looked at the company’s past performance, undertaken a peer comparison and looked at valuations. In this note, we talk about the trading dynamics.</li>
</ul>


KKR raised around US$730m via selling a stake in Kokusai Electric's (6525 JP) (KE) Japan IPO.
KE main business activities consist of the manufacturing, sales and maintenance service of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
In our previous notes we have looked at the company’s past performance, undertaken a peer comparison and looked at valuations. In this note, we talk about the trading dynamics.


Kokusai Electric IPO Trading - Decent Demand, Now for the Real Test

<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> reported 3QFY11/2023 results on Friday. 3Q revenue fell below consensus despite increasing 37.4% YoY while reported operating losses were slightly below consensus estimated operating losses.</li>
<li>MF also has provided more details on its ¥12bn convertible bond issuance in August to secure funds to further grow its SaaS and fintech businesses.</li>
<li>This is concerning given the huge debt in the company’s balance sheet and it seems that the company may not be able to make profits in the near-term.</li>
</ul>



Money Forward (3994 JP) reported 3QFY11/2023 results on Friday. 3Q revenue fell below consensus despite increasing 37.4% YoY while reported operating losses were slightly below consensus estimated operating losses.
MF also has provided more details on its ¥12bn convertible bond issuance in August to secure funds to further grow its SaaS and fintech businesses.
This is concerning given the huge debt in the company’s balance sheet and it seems that the company may not be able to make profits in the near-term.


Money Forward: Weakening Top Line Growth and Huge Convertible Bond Issuance to Support Growth

<ul>
<li>KKR is looking to raise around US$730m via selling a stake in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kokusai-electric-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40152:1" rel="noopener">Kokusai Electric (6525 JP)</a> (KE) in its Japan IPO.</li>
<li>KE main business activities consist of the manufacturing, sales and maintenance service of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.</li>
<li>In our previous notes we have looked at the company’s past performance and undertook a peer comparison. In this note, we talk about valuations.</li>
</ul>


KKR is looking to raise around US$730m via selling a stake in Kokusai Electric (6525 JP) (KE) in its Japan IPO.
KE main business activities consist of the manufacturing, sales and maintenance service of semiconductor manufacturing equipment.
In our previous notes we have looked at the company’s past performance and undertook a peer comparison. In this note, we talk about valuations.


Kokusai Electric IPO - Not Wholly Convinced, One Needs to Look past the Cycle

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)

Rakuten Bank IPO Lock-Up - Parent and Company Will Come Out of Lockup

Rakuten has just announced that it will selldown some of its stake in Rakuten Bank in order to fund redemption of some of its bonds.

Sumeet Singh

Freee 1Q: Earnings Beat; Qualified Invoice System to Further Drive Earnings

Freee's upfront investment in S&M has enabled to onboard a large no. of corporate clients prior to the introduction of the new invoice system....

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

Kokusai Electric IPO Trading - Decent Demand, Now for the Real Test

KKR raised around US$730m via selling a stake in Kokusai Electric's (6525 JP) (KE) Japan IPO. In this note we talk about the trading dynamics.

Sumeet Singh

Money Forward: Weakening Top Line Growth and Huge Convertible Bond Issuance to Support Growth

Money Forward's top line growth has weakened and the company has issued ¥12bn convertible bond in August to secure funds to grow its SaaS and other...

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

Kokusai Electric IPO - Not Wholly Convinced, One Needs to Look past the Cycle

KKR is looking to raise around US$730m via selling a stake in Kokusai Electric (6525 JP) (KE) in its Japan IPO. In this note, we talk about the...

Sumeet Singh

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