Japanese Turnaround Situations, Short-Ideas, Azabu Research

Michael Allen

Japanese Turnaround Situations, Short-Ideas

Azabu Research

Azabu Research is a publishing and consulting firm focused on distressed equities in the Japanese market. We specialize in turnaround strategies, corporate combinations, divestitures, and restructuring.

Publisher of the Tokyo Turnaround Letter, which conducts the most thorough research possible of publicly available information, including forensic tests for fraudulent overstatement of assets and understatement of liabilities, as well as rigorous market and industry analysis to assess the underlying strengths of the company’s products or services, the appropriateness of the company’s turnaround strategy, and the skill of its current management team. The average length of a report exceeds 25 pages of text and tables, excluding any disclosures or executive summaries.

We have more than 30 years of experience in applying this process to distressed equities in Japan. Additionally, subscribers have free access to detailed, yet easily navigated earnings models for the target company as well as the top five comparable companies, and unlimited access to the analyst for follow-up questions.

Azabu Research also conducts be-spoke research on a project basis, and provides consulting services to companies looking to restructure, divest, make acquisitions, go public, or improve investor sentiment toward their stock.

Independent Research and Consulting Firm

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Solar power will be cheaper than fossil fuels and EVs will be cheaper than ICE vehicles, but you can't make either without the parts that Rohme excels in. </li>
<li>Tesla is up 201% on speculation about its FSD, but Taiyo Yuden, which makes critical parts in FSD systems is down systems, is down 43%.</li>
<li>Kose is down 49%, largely on China woes, but China is no longer big enough to be a problem, and Japan and other regions growth should start to take over. </li>
</ul>


Solar power will be cheaper than fossil fuels and EVs will be cheaper than ICE vehicles, but you can't make either without the parts that Rohme excels in. 
Tesla is up 201% on speculation about its FSD, but Taiyo Yuden, which makes critical parts in FSD systems is down systems, is down 43%.
Kose is down 49%, largely on China woes, but China is no longer big enough to be a problem, and Japan and other regions growth should start to take over. 


Unloved Japan Roundup-Rohm, Taiyo Yuden, Kose

Japanese Equity Specialist, Ortus Advisors

Andrew Jackson

Japanese Equity Specialist

Ortus Advisors

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Tech sell off led my semi-cap names after D/G to sell for AMAT</li>
<li>Ulta beat paints a brighter picture for US consumer spending than expected</li>
<li>Is the relentless buy momo/sell everything else in Japan ready for a reversal?</li>
</ul>


Tech sell off led my semi-cap names after D/G to sell for AMAT
Ulta beat paints a brighter picture for US consumer spending than expected
Is the relentless buy momo/sell everything else in Japan ready for a reversal?


Japan Morning Connection: Markets Clearly Starting to Show EoY Wind Down

<ul>
<li>HP and Dell misses after-mkt yesterday setting off a wave of tech selling.</li>
<li>MSFT under antitrust scrutiny from the FTC raising concerns AI demand is too focused?</li>
<li>Panasonic briefing on AI continues to point to strong growth for its DC related server and power management solutions.</li>
</ul>


HP and Dell misses after-mkt yesterday setting off a wave of tech selling.
MSFT under antitrust scrutiny from the FTC raising concerns AI demand is too focused?
Panasonic briefing on AI continues to point to strong growth for its DC related server and power management solutions.


Japan Morning Connection: Japan Facing an Uphill Battle on Yen Strength and Weak Tape Overnight

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

Equity Capital Markets

FineToday Holdings / Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/finetoday-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:44092:1" rel="noopener">FineToday Holdings Co Ltd (289A JP)</a> is a Japanese personal care business seeking to raise up to US$500 million. It will be listed on 17 December.</li>
<li>We previously discussed the IPO in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/finetoday-holdings-289a-jp-ipo-the-bull-case" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:167184" rel="noopener">FineToday Holdings (289A JP) IPO: The Bull Case</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/finetoday-holdings-289a-jp-ipo-the-bear-case" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:167508" rel="noopener">FineToday Holdings (289A JP) IPO: The Bear Case</a>.</li>
<li>Our valuation analysis suggests that the IPO reference price of JPY2,150 per share is unattractive. Therefore, we would pass on the IPO.</li>
</ul>



FineToday Holdings Co Ltd (289A JP) is a Japanese personal care business seeking to raise up to US$500 million. It will be listed on 17 December.
We previously discussed the IPO in FineToday Holdings (289A JP) IPO: The Bull Case and FineToday Holdings (289A JP) IPO: The Bear Case.
Our valuation analysis suggests that the IPO reference price of JPY2,150 per share is unattractive. Therefore, we would pass on the IPO.


FineToday Holdings (289A JP) IPO: Valuation Insights

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/finetoday-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:44092:1" rel="noopener">FineToday Holdings Co Ltd (289A JP)</a> is a Japanese personal care business seeking to raise up to US$500 million. It will be listed on 17 December.</li>
<li>In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/finetoday-holdings-289a-jp-ipo-the-bull-case" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:167184" rel="noopener">FineToday Holdings (289A JP) IPO: The Bull Case</a>, we highlighted the key elements of the bull case. In this note, we outline the bear case.</li>
<li>The bear case rests on the weak 3Q24 revenue performance, mid-tier revenue growth, leveraged balance sheet, share overhang and pre-IPO dividend.</li>
</ul>



FineToday Holdings Co Ltd (289A JP) is a Japanese personal care business seeking to raise up to US$500 million. It will be listed on 17 December.
In FineToday Holdings (289A JP) IPO: The Bull Case, we highlighted the key elements of the bull case. In this note, we outline the bear case.
The bear case rests on the weak 3Q24 revenue performance, mid-tier revenue growth, leveraged balance sheet, share overhang and pre-IPO dividend.


FineToday Holdings (289A JP) IPO: The Bear Case

Japan

KOSE Corporation manufactures, retails, and exports cosmetics including make up, skin care, and hair care products.  The Company sells its products in Hong Kong, China, Singapore, and Malaysia.

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Kose Corp (4922 JP)

Unloved Japan Roundup-Rohm, Taiyo Yuden, Kose

The top 5 performing large-cap stocks in Japan returned 241% on average so far in 2024, but these stocks were all on their knees a short while ago....

Michael Allen

Japan Morning Connection: Markets Clearly Starting to Show EoY Wind Down

Tech sell off led semi-cap names after D/G to sell for AMAT, Ulta beat signals stronger US consumer spending than expected, has buy momo/sell...

Andrew Jackson

Japan Morning Connection: Japan Facing an Uphill Battle on Yen Strength and Weak Tape Overnight

HP and Dell missed earnings leading to a sell-off in tech, Microsoft under antitrust scrutiny, Panasonic points to strong growth for its DC...

Andrew Jackson

FineToday Holdings (289A JP) IPO: Valuation Insights

Our valuation analysis suggests that the IPO reference price of JPY2,150 per share is unattractive. Therefore, we would pass on the IPO.

Arun George

FineToday Holdings (289A JP) IPO: The Bear Case

The bear case rests on the weak 3Q24 revenue performance, mid-tier revenue growth, leveraged balance sheet, share overhang and pre-IPO dividend.

Arun George

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