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>When just viewed as a shop building operator, Marui is a mid-sized property firm with a dependence on the Tokyo market. </li>
<li>Its consumer credit business has always been larger and transactions exceeded ¥3 trillion for the first time last year and should hit ¥5 trillion in  FY2025.</li>
<li>Marui also wants to leverage that data to better manage its buildings and identify fast growing businesses to invest in, resulting in more cross-use and growth businesses.</li>
</ul>


When just viewed as a shop building operator, Marui is a mid-sized property firm with a dependence on the Tokyo market. 
Its consumer credit business has always been larger and transactions exceeded ¥3 trillion for the first time last year and should hit ¥5 trillion in  FY2025.
Marui also wants to leverage that data to better manage its buildings and identify fast growing businesses to invest in, resulting in more cross-use and growth businesses.


Marui: Already a ¥3 Trillion Business but Aiming for ¥5 Trillion

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>The following is an in-depth review of the Japanese retail sector in 2021-22 and is designed to provide a complete overview for any investor in Japanese retail/consumer markets.</li>
<li>FY2021-22 proved a rebound year for retailers at the sector level. But on a company by company basis, there has been radical divergence between the best and the rest. </li>
<li>We look at the reasons for this divergence and the implications for Japanese retail and consumer firms in the years ahead.</li>
</ul>


The following is an in-depth review of the Japanese retail sector in 2021-22 and is designed to provide a complete overview for any investor in Japanese retail/consumer markets.
FY2021-22 proved a rebound year for retailers at the sector level. But on a company by company basis, there has been radical divergence between the best and the rest. 
We look at the reasons for this divergence and the implications for Japanese retail and consumer firms in the years ahead.


Japanese Retailing 2021-22: What's Really Going on and What's Next?

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Last year, fintech-wannabe <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/marui-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13604:1" rel="noopener">Marui Group (8252 JP)</a> announced a large buyback as part of its ¥100bn distribution to shareholders in its MTMP, then increased the size</li>
<li>They repurchased ¥26bn of shares. Today they announced the return of ¥50bn this year including a ¥40bn buyback. And having arrived at their optimal balance sheet structure, a new policy.</li>
<li>That's 10% of market cap and 11.6% of shares. And again a delayed start. And as always, shareholder structure matters. In this case a lot.</li>
</ul>


Last year, fintech-wannabe Marui Group (8252 JP) announced a large buyback as part of its ¥100bn distribution to shareholders in its MTMP, then increased the size
They repurchased ¥26bn of shares. Today they announced the return of ¥50bn this year including a ¥40bn buyback. And having arrived at their optimal balance sheet structure, a new policy.
That's 10% of market cap and 11.6% of shares. And again a delayed start. And as always, shareholder structure matters. In this case a lot.


BIGLY Marui Group (8252 JP) Buyback, Backed by Big Dividend Boost

<ul>
<li>After a bumper bonus during Covid, the fashion sector saw calmer spending in the last 18 months as the big return to shops led to more muted growth online. </li>
<li>The overall EC fashion market grew around 4-7% depending on how you measure it, but online market share actually fell as people went back to shops.</li>
<li>This in-depth review highlights the key trends in the sector as well as the winners by sales growth among retailers and fashion brands.</li>
</ul>


After a bumper bonus during Covid, the fashion sector saw calmer spending in the last 18 months as the big return to shops led to more muted growth online. 
The overall EC fashion market grew around 4-7% depending on how you measure it, but online market share actually fell as people went back to shops.
This in-depth review highlights the key trends in the sector as well as the winners by sales growth among retailers and fashion brands.


Fashion E-Commerce: Physical Stores Grow Faster than Online in Japan

<ul>
<li>In mid-January, the TSE announced a "name-and-shame" list where they listed all the companies which had put forth a disclosure about 【資本コストや株価を意識した経営の実現に向けた対応】.  But they did not actually shame.</li>
<li>The list shows which companies have disclosed a policy/consideration. But no data/links. We have the links. On Feb 1, the TSE put out a <strong><a href="https://www.jpx.co.jp/english/news/1020/u5j7e50000001bqd-att/240201en.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">presentation</a></strong> and set of <strong><a href="https://www.jpx.co.jp/english/news/1020/u5j7e50000001bqd-att/240201en2.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">case studies</a>.</strong>
</li>
<li>Designed to present the "Investor's Point of View", they have unexpectedly worthwhile advice/commentary for corporates. The TSE appears to be trying hard to prompt serious consideration rather than box-ticking.</li>
</ul>


In mid-January, the TSE announced a "name-and-shame" list where they listed all the companies which had put forth a disclosure about 【資本コストや株価を意識した経営の実現に向けた対応】.  But they did not actually shame.
The list shows which companies have disclosed a policy/consideration. But no data/links. We have the links. On Feb 1, the TSE put out a presentation and set of case studies.

Designed to present the "Investor's Point of View", they have unexpectedly worthwhile advice/commentary for corporates. The TSE appears to be trying hard to prompt serious consideration rather than box-ticking.


Updated Tool for TSE "Mgmt Conscious of Capital Cost/Stock Price" And New Presentation/CaseStudies

Japan

MARUI GROUP CO., LTD. operates department stores which sell clothing, accessories, home appliances, and food stuffs.  The Company also provides consumer loan services.  Marui Group operates in the Tokyo area.

Marui Group (8252 JP)

Marui: Already a ¥3 Trillion Business but Aiming for ¥5 Trillion

Marui is one of the few really solid bets in Japanese consumer/retail thanks to its mix of a leading consumer finance business and fast evolving...

Michael Causton

Japanese Retailing 2021-22: What's Really Going on and What's Next?

There is increasing divergence between the winners and losers in Japanese retailing and the following in-depth review looks at performance in the...

Michael Causton

BIGLY Marui Group (8252 JP) Buyback, Backed by Big Dividend Boost

Marui is doing another big buyback. This time more bigly than last year's bigly buyback. And the dividend was upped 67%. Lots of shareholder...

Travis Lundy

Fashion E-Commerce: Physical Stores Grow Faster than Online in Japan

Fashion sector saw a slowdown in online spending post-Covid as shoppers returned to physical stores, impacting overall market growth. Winners in...

Michael Causton

Updated Tool for TSE "Mgmt Conscious of Capital Cost/Stock Price" And New Presentation/CaseStudies

The TSE update for this will come out in a day or two. There will be some commentary on the update. It is not meaningful yet, mostly because...

Travis Lundy

Marui: Already a ¥3 Trillion Business but Aiming for ¥5 Trillion

Marui is one of the few really solid bets in Japanese consumer/retail thanks to its mix of a leading consumer finance business and fast evolving...

Michael Causton

Japanese Retailing 2021-22: What's Really Going on and What's Next?

There is increasing divergence between the winners and losers in Japanese retailing and the following in-depth review looks at performance in the...

Michael Causton

BIGLY Marui Group (8252 JP) Buyback, Backed by Big Dividend Boost

Marui is doing another big buyback. This time more bigly than last year's bigly buyback. And the dividend was upped 67%. Lots of shareholder...

Travis Lundy

Fashion E-Commerce: Physical Stores Grow Faster than Online in Japan

​Fashion sector saw a slowdown in online spending post-Covid as shoppers returned to physical stores, impacting overall market growth. Winners in...

Michael Causton

Updated Tool for TSE "Mgmt Conscious of Capital Cost/Stock Price" And New Presentation/CaseStudies

The TSE update for this will come out in a day or two. There will be some commentary on the update. It is not meaningful yet, mostly because...

Travis Lundy

Fashion sector saw a slowdown in online spending post-Covid as shoppers returned to physical stores, impacting overall market growth. Winners in...