Director, Head of Research, Smartkarma

Pranav Rao

Director, Head of Research

Smartkarma

Smartkarma unites the fragmented investment industry, connecting institutional investors, independent research providers, and corporates within a single network.

Research Reinvented

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Welcome to Curator’s Cut, a fortnightly roundup of standout themes from the 1,000+ insights published in the past two weeks on Smartkarma</li>
<li>In this cut, we compare Japanese insurers versus banks, look at the Chinese EV sector and explore how tariff hikes benefit Asian port operators</li>
<li>Want to dig deeper? Comment or message with the themes you’d like to see highlighted next</li>
</ul>


Welcome to Curator’s Cut, a fortnightly roundup of standout themes from the 1,000+ insights published in the past two weeks on Smartkarma
In this cut, we compare Japanese insurers versus banks, look at the Chinese EV sector and explore how tariff hikes benefit Asian port operators
Want to dig deeper? Comment or message with the themes you’d like to see highlighted next


Curator's Cut: Japan Insurers Vs Banks, the State of the Chinese EV Sector & Asian Ports in Focus

Financials & FinTech research, Galliano’s Financials Research

Victor Galliano

Financials & FinTech research

Financials & FinTech, EM & Developed Markets

Galliano’s Financials Research

Galliano's Financials Research provides fundamental research in Emerging Markets financials, including FinTech, as well as financials in select Developed Markets.

The investment style applied is generally value oriented, although Growth At Reasonable Price (GARP) strategies can also be used where appropriate. 

Our investment research approach aim is often contrarian, looking to capitalise on overly sceptical or optimistic consensus views. In terms of valuation techniques, the focus is on PBV ratio to ROE, PE multiples and dividend yield, as well as the application of PEG ratios and, where appropriate, Sum of the Parts (SOTP) valuations.

<ul>
<li>We update our views on ten Japanese midcap banks targeting attractively valued beneficiaries of the realization of big strategic shareholdings, as well as beneficiaries of the improving interest rate outlook</li>
<li>We re-iterate our buys on Hachijuni Bank and Hokuhoku Financial; there is potential to realize their large strategic holdings relative to their market capitalizations combined with their attractive PTBV ratios</li>
<li>We take Gunma Bank off the buy list, replacing it with Iyogin; Iyogin has a constructive mix of large strategic holdings, attractive valuations and healthy gearing to higher interest rates</li>
</ul>


We update our views on ten Japanese midcap banks targeting attractively valued beneficiaries of the realization of big strategic shareholdings, as well as beneficiaries of the improving interest rate outlook
We re-iterate our buys on Hachijuni Bank and Hokuhoku Financial; there is potential to realize their large strategic holdings relative to their market capitalizations combined with their attractive PTBV ratios
We take Gunma Bank off the buy list, replacing it with Iyogin; Iyogin has a constructive mix of large strategic holdings, attractive valuations and healthy gearing to higher interest rates


Japanese Midcap Banks – Hachijuni (8359 JP) Is Our Top Pick

Hokuhoku Financial Group / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>We analyse ten Japanese midcap banks to target beneficiaries of the realization of strategic shareholdings, as well as beneficiaries of the improving interest rate outlook</li>
<li>We add Hachijuni Bank and Hokuhoku Financial to the buy list, based on the potential for realization of strategic holdings; these share-holdings are large relative to their respective market capitalizations</li>
<li>We maintain Gunma Bank on the buy list, primarily for its very strong gearing into the rising interest cycle and its attractive PE multiples</li>
</ul>


We analyse ten Japanese midcap banks to target beneficiaries of the realization of strategic shareholdings, as well as beneficiaries of the improving interest rate outlook
We add Hachijuni Bank and Hokuhoku Financial to the buy list, based on the potential for realization of strategic holdings; these share-holdings are large relative to their respective market capitalizations
We maintain Gunma Bank on the buy list, primarily for its very strong gearing into the rising interest cycle and its attractive PE multiples


Japanese Midcap Banks – Three Key Picks

Mizuho Financial Group / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>We focus on five key factors, namely capital adequacy, credit quality, exposure to government securities, interest rate gearing and valuation with growth metrics for our Japanese banks universe</li>
<li>It is important to note that the relaxation of yield curve control is translating into rising loan yields generally in the BoJ data to September-end 2023</li>
<li>We stick with our positive views on Resona, Mizuho and Concordia; we remove Hachijuni from the buy list and SMFG, replacing the latter with MUFG in the large cap banks</li>
</ul>


We focus on five key factors, namely capital adequacy, credit quality, exposure to government securities, interest rate gearing and valuation with growth metrics for our Japanese banks universe
It is important to note that the relaxation of yield curve control is translating into rising loan yields generally in the BoJ data to September-end 2023
We stick with our positive views on Resona, Mizuho and Concordia; we remove Hachijuni from the buy list and SMFG, replacing the latter with MUFG in the large cap banks


Japanese Banks – Our Main Thoughts Post 2Q23 Results

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>40% of Banks outside the Top 7 (none of which offered H1 guidance) in the TOPIX Banks Index have now changed H1 guidance or reported H1. 2 reported both up.</li>
<li>92% of the others have revised up H1 net income guidance a weighted average of 47%. Net Interest Income, Corporate fees/comms are up, expenses and credit costs are down.</li>
<li>Big tables with data, reasons for guidance changes, and buyback history of each presented below.</li>
</ul>


40% of Banks outside the Top 7 (none of which offered H1 guidance) in the TOPIX Banks Index have now changed H1 guidance or reported H1. 2 reported both up.
92% of the others have revised up H1 net income guidance a weighted average of 47%. Net Interest Income, Corporate fees/comms are up, expenses and credit costs are down.
Big tables with data, reasons for guidance changes, and buyback history of each presented below.


Japan H1 Bank Earnings: Interest/Fees Up, Expenses/Credit Costs Down - Opportunity Abounds, Still

Japan

The Hachijuni Bank, Ltd. is a regional bank based in Nagano Prefecture. The Bank provides banking services such as deposits, loans, foreign exchange transactions, and trust accounts. The Bank also provides financial services such as leasing, credit cards, credit guarantee, debt recovery, trading, and venture capital and operates branches overseas.

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Hachijuni Bank (8359 JP)

Curator's Cut: Japan Insurers Vs Banks, the State of the Chinese EV Sector & Asian Ports in Focus

This Curator's Cut issue compares Japanese insurers vs banks amidst rising yields, the state of the Chinese EV sector and how Asian port operators...

Pranav Rao

Japanese Midcap Banks – Hachijuni (8359 JP) Is Our Top Pick

Japanese midcap banks: stick with buys on Hachijuni Bank and Hokuhoku Financial, replacing Gunma Bank with Iyogin for potential gains from equity...

Victor Galliano

Japanese Midcap Banks – Three Key Picks

We focus on Japanese midcap banks' key shareholder attributes; Hachijuni and Hokuhoku added to buys for their large strategic holdings, while Gunma...

Victor Galliano

Japanese Banks – Our Main Thoughts Post 2Q23 Results

We look to capital ratios, delinquency, exposure to sovereign bonds, interest rate gearing and valuation; buy Resona, Mizuho and Concordia, adding...

Victor Galliano

Japan H1 Bank Earnings: Interest/Fees Up, Expenses/Credit Costs Down - Opportunity Abounds, Still

The macro backdrop for Japanese banks is pretty good. Business restructuring efforts are bearing fruit. Global macro is adding fees. Stocks are up,...

Travis Lundy

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Curator's Cut: Japan Insurers Vs Banks, the State of the Chinese EV Sector & Asian Ports in Focus

​This Curator's Cut issue compares Japanese insurers vs banks amidst rising yields, the state of the Chinese EV sector and how Asian port operators...

Pranav Rao

Japanese Midcap Banks – Hachijuni (8359 JP) Is Our Top Pick

​Japanese midcap banks: stick with buys on Hachijuni Bank and Hokuhoku Financial, replacing Gunma Bank with Iyogin for potential gains from equity...

Victor Galliano

Japanese Midcap Banks – Three Key Picks

We focus on Japanese midcap banks' key shareholder attributes; Hachijuni and Hokuhoku added to buys for their large strategic holdings, while Gunma...

Victor Galliano

Japanese Banks – Our Main Thoughts Post 2Q23 Results

We look to capital ratios, delinquency, exposure to sovereign bonds, interest rate gearing and valuation; buy Resona, Mizuho and Concordia, adding...

Victor Galliano

Japan H1 Bank Earnings: Interest/Fees Up, Expenses/Credit Costs Down - Opportunity Abounds, Still

The macro backdrop for Japanese banks is pretty good. Business restructuring efforts are bearing fruit. Global macro is adding fees. Stocks are up,...

Travis Lundy

This Curator's Cut issue compares Japanese insurers vs banks amidst rising yields, the state of the Chinese EV sector and how Asian port operators...

Japanese midcap banks: stick with buys on Hachijuni Bank and Hokuhoku Financial, replacing Gunma Bank with Iyogin for potential gains from equity...