Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Four years after Itochu got to 40.0% of votes in Descente (8114) in a hostile Tender Offer, Descente partner ANTA, which supported Itochu at the time started selling its stake.</li>
<li>A few months later, Itochu started buying shares of Descente in the market. As of 7 Sep, Itochu had bought Descente shares 81 days straight (9.7% of ADV).</li>
<li>This begs the question: Is Itochu ensuring they maintain voting control as ANTA sells? Or are they buying to lift their stake prior to another bid?</li>
</ul>


Four years after Itochu got to 40.0% of votes in Descente (8114) in a hostile Tender Offer, Descente partner ANTA, which supported Itochu at the time started selling its stake.
A few months later, Itochu started buying shares of Descente in the market. As of 7 Sep, Itochu had bought Descente shares 81 days straight (9.7% of ADV).
This begs the question: Is Itochu ensuring they maintain voting control as ANTA sells? Or are they buying to lift their stake prior to another bid?


Itochu Buying Descente (8114) - ANTA Selldown Offset Or Creeping Takeover?

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. 

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>FY2022 was the best year in a decade for Japan’s big apparel firms. Brands benefitted from the return to shops, particularly department stores.</li>
<li>Some of the leaders used the pandemic to make further progress in rationalisation, diversification and omnichannel, creating solid foundations for further growth in market share.</li>
<li>Sanyo Shokai finally made a profit but has stuck to what it knows, which may lead to problems once the rebound dividend wanes.</li>
</ul>


FY2022 was the best year in a decade for Japan’s big apparel firms. Brands benefitted from the return to shops, particularly department stores.
Some of the leaders used the pandemic to make further progress in rationalisation, diversification and omnichannel, creating solid foundations for further growth in market share.
Sanyo Shokai finally made a profit but has stuck to what it knows, which may lead to problems once the rebound dividend wanes.


Big Apparel Revival: Onward up Again, Sanyo Finally Makes a Profit

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>After the accelerated transition to digital channels during Covid, the fashion sector had a calmer year in 2022 although GTVs still grew around 10%. </li>
<li>Most retailers spent the time investing in more seamless and coherent omnichannel models, and in making the best use of stores and staff in online promotions.</li>
<li>This shift to omnichannel is also leading to changing merchandising, including pre-selling inventory, while others are turning their online stores into malls. </li>
</ul>


After the accelerated transition to digital channels during Covid, the fashion sector had a calmer year in 2022 although GTVs still grew around 10%. 
Most retailers spent the time investing in more seamless and coherent omnichannel models, and in making the best use of stores and staff in online promotions.
This shift to omnichannel is also leading to changing merchandising, including pre-selling inventory, while others are turning their online stores into malls. 


Japan's Fashion E-Commerce Evolving into Dynamic and Seamless Omnichannel, Winners Will Take All

<ul>
<li>Descente has improved profitability since being taken over by Itochu three years ago but much of the growth has come from overseas. </li>
<li>The Descente brand remains weak in Japan but Itochu has plans to rebuild the eponymous label by splitting it into two while creating several new brands.</li>
<li>The plans should help recover momentum in Japan and drive further expansion in China and even into Europe and the US.</li>
</ul>


Descente has improved profitability since being taken over by Itochu three years ago but much of the growth has come from overseas. 
The Descente brand remains weak in Japan but Itochu has plans to rebuild the eponymous label by splitting it into two while creating several new brands.
The plans should help recover momentum in Japan and drive further expansion in China and even into Europe and the US.


<ul>
<li>After decades of industrial, urban focus, city-dwelling Japanese first began a tentative reengagement with nature through hiking two decades ago. </li>
<li>This has evolved into more extended trips that began to include camping and visits to wilder areas.</li>
<li>These excursions are still a bit forbidding for many, so camping and outdoor activities in a park managed by a trusted brand have strong appeal, providing new revenue for brands.</li>
</ul>


After decades of industrial, urban focus, city-dwelling Japanese first began a tentative reengagement with nature through hiking two decades ago. 
This has evolved into more extended trips that began to include camping and visits to wilder areas.
These excursions are still a bit forbidding for many, so camping and outdoor activities in a park managed by a trusted brand have strong appeal, providing new revenue for brands.


Branded Camping from Goldwin and Snow Peak

Japan

GOLDWIN INC. manufactures and markets sportswear for skiing, snowboarding, soccer, tennis, swimming, and other outdoor activities.

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

Goldwin Inc (8111 JP)

Itochu Buying Descente (8114) - ANTA Selldown Offset Or Creeping Takeover?

ANTA went below 5% in Descente in April. Itochu started buying in May. As of 7 Sep, they had bought 81 days straight, accumulating 3.1%. There are...

Travis Lundy

Big Apparel Revival: Onward up Again, Sanyo Finally Makes a Profit

Japanese are buying clothing again which should boost even the major apparel firms but some are performing better than others, notably Onward and...

Michael Causton

Japan's Fashion E-Commerce Evolving into Dynamic and Seamless Omnichannel, Winners Will Take All

Japan's fashion e-commerce sector offers major growth stories among both online malls and physical retailers making a successful transition to...

Michael Causton

Descente Puts on Some Pace

Japanese outdoor brands are on a roll. Descente, now part of the Itochu empire, is rebuilding its brand at home and overseas, with significant...

Michael Causton

Branded Camping from Goldwin and Snow Peak

Branded camping and outdoor leisure in Japan is big business and will provide new revenue streams for the leaders, Goldwin and Snow Peak, over the...

Michael Causton

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)