'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

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.

Event-Driven

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/159/033/original/2020-09-15_10-23-17.png?1600133037" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="159033"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source for all charts &amp; tables: Japan Analytics</div>THE BUFFETT TRADE - Much has already written on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/berkshire-hathaway-inc-cl-b" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8635:1" rel="noopener">Berkshire Hathaway</a>'s purchase of stakes in Japan's sogo shosha, including on this <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/a-quick-look-at-the-buffet-trade-and-the-most-obvious-follow-ons" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:43125" rel="noopener">platform</a>. The Japanese trading houses have a long and proud tradition and continue to attract the best talent from at home and abroad. In many respects, they have similarities with BH given their long-term approach to investing and focus on free cash flow generation. The differences are as striking, particularly the exposure to commodities and Asia, and the implications for both BH and Japan are profound.In this DETAIL section, we examine: -<ul>
<li>the macro 'logic' driving these investments,</li>
<li>a more appropriate analytical and valuation methodology for these companies</li>
<li>the historically most-correlated peer groups and companies from both a technical and fundamental perspective if this trade were to be applied more broadly to the Japanese market. </li>
</ul><div class="content-highlight">We can summarise our approach to understanding the rationale behind the Buffett trade in the chart below. The sogo shosha are, in aggregate, significant generators of Residual Comprehensive Income, particularly relative to their current market valuations. Priced at a historically low 0.93x book, Japan's trading houses are one of the world's better deep value trades.</div><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/159/053/original/2020-09-15_13-42-01.png?1600144936" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="159053"></figure>

Source for all charts &amp; tables: Japan AnalyticsTHE BUFFETT TRADE - Much has already written on Berkshire Hathaway's purchase of stakes in Japan's sogo shosha, including on this platform. The Japanese trading houses have a long and proud tradition and continue to attract the best talent from at home and abroad. In many respects, they have similarities with BH given their long-term approach to investing and focus on free cash flow generation. The differences are as striking, particularly the exposure to commodities and Asia, and the implications for both BH and Japan are profound.In this DETAIL section, we examine: -
the macro 'logic' driving these investments,
a more appropriate analytical and valuation methodology for these companies
the historically most-correlated peer groups and companies from both a technical and fundamental perspective if this trade were to be applied more broadly to the Japanese market. 
We can summarise our approach to understanding the rationale behind the Buffett trade in the chart below. The sogo shosha are, in aggregate, significant generators of Residual Comprehensive Income, particularly relative to their current market valuations. Priced at a historically low 0.93x book, Japan's trading houses are one of the world's better deep value trades.

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Analysing The "Buffett Trade", Valuing the Sogo Shosha & The Return of Asian Inflation

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs, Douglas Research Advisory

Douglas Kim

Korea/Asia, Events, IPOs

Equity Bottom-Up

In this insight, we highlight seven major trading companies in Korea that could receive a greater positive boost from the global institutional investors who seek to find similar companies to the Japanese trading companies invested by Warren Buffett. The seven Korean trading companies mentioned in this insight have an average P/B multiple of 0.5x in 2020, which is 23% lower than the average P/B multiple of 0.7x for the five Japanese trading companies invested by Warren Buffett. These companies are as follows:<ul>
<li>Samsung C&amp;T</li>
<li>GS Corp</li>
<li>Hanwha Corp</li>
<li>POSCO International</li>
<li>SK Networks</li>
<li>LG International</li>
<li>Hyundai Corp</li>
</ul>

In this insight, we highlight seven major trading companies in Korea that could receive a greater positive boost from the global institutional investors who seek to find similar companies to the Japanese trading companies invested by Warren Buffett. The seven Korean trading companies mentioned in this insight have an average P/B multiple of 0.5x in 2020, which is 23% lower than the average P/B multiple of 0.7x for the five Japanese trading companies invested by Warren Buffett. These companies are as follows:
Samsung C&amp;T
GS Corp
Hanwha Corp
POSCO International
SK Networks
LG International
Hyundai Corp


Buffett's Investments in Japanese Trading Companies - Positive Boost to Korean Trading Companies?

Japan/Asia Long-Short, LightStream Research

Mio Kato

Japan/Asia Long-Short

Last week it was revealed that Warren Buffet had taken stakes of about 5% in Japan’s five major trading companies. This comes at a time when the Japanese market overall offers value investors rich pickings relative to valuations that had been getting more stretched by the day in other regions, especially the US. Below, we provide a quick synopsis of the trading companies’ business models and our thoughts on other potential investments that could attract Berkshire.

Last week it was revealed that Warren Buffet had taken stakes of about 5% in Japan’s five major trading companies. This comes at a time when the Japanese market overall offers value investors rich pickings relative to valuations that had been getting more stretched by the day in other regions, especially the US. Below, we provide a quick synopsis of the trading companies’ business models and our thoughts on other potential investments that could attract Berkshire.

A Quick Look at the Buffet Trade and the Most Obvious Follow-Ons

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/157/903/original/2020-09-09_10-14-19.png?1599614088" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="157903"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source for all charts: Japan Analytics</div>LISTED RESTAURANTS - Japan currently has 102 listed restaurant companies with an aggregate market value of ¥4.9 trillion, representing 2.6% of all listed companies and 0.9% of total market value. Only thirteen companies are capitalised at over ¥100 billion, and forty-one have a market value of less than ¥10 billion. The Sector is ripe for consolidation and COVID-19 should provide a catalyst for an acceleration of the process.  Both <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/create-restaurants-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11513:1" rel="noopener">create restaurants (3387 JP)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/colowide-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13967:1" rel="noopener">Colowide (7616 JP)</a> have positioned themselves as consolidators, but have become highly leveraged in the process.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/157/917/original/File%202020-09-09%2010%2025%2051.jpeg?1599614981" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="157917"></figure>Also, the Sector is highly fragmented and segmented by type of food and concept. Only nineteen companies can be deemed 'diversified'. Furthermore, there are only five listed take-out/delivery specialists, of which <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ride-on-express-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2812:1" rel="noopener">Ride On Express (6082 JP)</a> has been the best performer. Overall, the Sector has declined by 3.6% over one year and by 3.2% over three months - a third quartile performance. Colowide's 31% rise over the last month has pushed the Sector into fourth place amongst our thirty market Sectors, fueled by the apparent success of the tender offer for <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ootoya-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7329:1" rel="noopener">OOTOYA (2705 JP)</a>.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/157/928/original/2020-09-09_10-38-37.png?1599615530" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="157928"></figure>YUTAI KEN - One important consideration for investors to note is the widespread practice of offering kabunushi yutai-ken. In addition to dividends, shareholders are sent coupons that can be redeemed at most of the company's restaurants. Many specialist publications review such programs and offer stock recommendations based on the yutai-yield. As a result, restaurant companies in Japan have some of the highest shareholder counts among listed companies. As coupon-customers normally top-up their spending, this practice helps provide a basic level of cash flow but is a costly exercise to administer. However, there is the added benefit of limiting the number of shares for shorting.<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yoshinoya-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14630:1" rel="noopener"></a>100,000+ CLUB - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yoshinoya-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14630:1" rel="noopener">Yoshinoya (9861 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/atom-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12420:1" rel="noopener">Atom (7412 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zensho-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4586:1" rel="noopener">Zensho (7550 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kappa-create-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19456:1" rel="noopener">Kappa Create (7421 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/komeda-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24019:1" rel="noopener">Komeda (3543 JP)</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/create-restaurants-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11513:1" rel="noopener">create (3387 JP)</a> are all in the top-fifty listed companies ranked by the number of shareholders. All exceed 100,000 shareholders -  beef-bowl chain Yoshiniya has 308,265 exceeding <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mitsui-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20799:1" rel="noopener">Mitsui (8031 JP)</a> which has twenty-four times the capitalisation.<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/157/942/original/2020-09-09_11-15-31.png?1599617746" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="157942"></figure>In this DETAIL below, we shall review Colowide's long-term performance, returns and valuation and offer a view on the prospects for further consolidation. The Colowide group currently comprises of two listed chains - <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kappa-create-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19456:1" rel="noopener">Kappa Create (7421 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/atom-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12420:1" rel="noopener">Atom (7412 JP)</a> and the franchise chain Reins International which also operates in Asia and the US.

Source for all charts: Japan AnalyticsLISTED RESTAURANTS - Japan currently has 102 listed restaurant companies with an aggregate market value of ¥4.9 trillion, representing 2.6% of all listed companies and 0.9% of total market value. Only thirteen companies are capitalised at over ¥100 billion, and forty-one have a market value of less than ¥10 billion. The Sector is ripe for consolidation and COVID-19 should provide a catalyst for an acceleration of the process.  Both create restaurants (3387 JP), and Colowide (7616 JP) have positioned themselves as consolidators, but have become highly leveraged in the process.Also, the Sector is highly fragmented and segmented by type of food and concept. Only nineteen companies can be deemed 'diversified'. Furthermore, there are only five listed take-out/delivery specialists, of which Ride On Express (6082 JP) has been the best performer. Overall, the Sector has declined by 3.6% over one year and by 3.2% over three months - a third quartile performance. Colowide's 31% rise over the last month has pushed the Sector into fourth place amongst our thirty market Sectors, fueled by the apparent success of the tender offer for OOTOYA (2705 JP).YUTAI KEN - One important consideration for investors to note is the widespread practice of offering kabunushi yutai-ken. In addition to dividends, shareholders are sent coupons that can be redeemed at most of the company's restaurants. Many specialist publications review such programs and offer stock recommendations based on the yutai-yield. As a result, restaurant companies in Japan have some of the highest shareholder counts among listed companies. As coupon-customers normally top-up their spending, this practice helps provide a basic level of cash flow but is a costly exercise to administer. However, there is the added benefit of limiting the number of shares for shorting.100,000+ CLUB - Yoshinoya (9861 JP), Atom (7412 JP), Zensho (7550 JP), Kappa Create (7421 JP), Komeda (3543 JP), and create (3387 JP) are all in the top-fifty listed companies ranked by the number of shareholders. All exceed 100,000 shareholders -  beef-bowl chain Yoshiniya has 308,265 exceeding Mitsui (8031 JP) which has twenty-four times the capitalisation.In this DETAIL below, we shall review Colowide's long-term performance, returns and valuation and offer a view on the prospects for further consolidation. The Colowide group currently comprises of two listed chains - Kappa Create (7421 JP) and Atom (7412 JP) and the franchise chain Reins International which also operates in Asia and the US.

🇯🇵 Japan • Colowide (7616 JP) - A Bite Too Far

Independent Asian Credit Research, Bondcritic

Warut Promboon

Independent Asian Credit Research

Asian Fixed Income/Frontier Market Research

Bondcritic

Bondcritic, established in 2009, is designed to be an independent credit research voice that helps investors gain insights and unbiased analyses on Asian fixed income market. Our mission is to discover deep-value Asian high-yield and distressed bonds with a bottom-up approach, together with the help of our proprietary ESG (Environmental, Social Development, and Governance) model. At the same time, we focus on bringing investment cases of unrated and unloved issuers to the general public.

Credit

We initiate our coverage of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/parkway-pantai-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29218:1" rel="noopener">Parkway Pantai Ltd (0794727D SP)</a> (Parkway Pantai), a wholly-owned subsidiary of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ihh-healthcare-bhd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:876:1" rel="noopener">IHH Healthcare (IHH MK)</a> of which major shareholders include A3-rated Japanese conglomerate <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mitsui-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20799:1" rel="noopener">Mitsui &amp; Co Ltd (8031 JP)</a> and Khazanah Nasional Bhd, Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund.
1Q20 operating numbers were down and we expect April and May to be worse hit by the COVID19 lockdowns (which began in March). Non-urgent procedures had been postponed while supply chains were disrupted. We believe Singapore and Malaysia have seen their worst, while the worst is not yet over for India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Other Asian countries like HK, Australia, and Japan are seeing higher COVID19 daily infections after reopening of their borders.
Medical tourists account for only 1/4 of Parkway Pantai’s Singapore revenue (with Indonesians accounting for the bulk of these medical tourists) and 6% for its Malaysia revenue. Semi-electives procedures have already picked up, according to management, despite borders still being closed. Elective procedures are also likely to return soon as there are no major communal spreads of virus in both Singapore and Malaysia, Parkway Pantai’s two key markets. We predict continuation of startup losses, albeit smaller, in Greater China. The possibility of finding a vaccine, hopefully by 1H2021 according to the WHO, may however spell some hope to the end of the havoc caused by the pandemic, but it may still take up till end-2021 or even 2022 to ensure sufficient supply to meet global demand.
We do not doubt Parkway Pantai’s ability to call PARKPT 4.25% Perp (7/22c) due in July 2022 on its financials and shareholders’ backing. The higher reset coupon should incentivize the Company to call, in our view. Based on 4.73% YTC at time of writing, PARKPT 4.25% Perp (7/22c) traded between a “B+” and a “BB-“credit, in our judgment. PARKPT 4.25% Perp deserves at least a “BB” rating, in our view,  on its financials and shareholders’ support which we believe will give the Perp at least a 73-bp upside. While there is an upside to be had, a high-yield perp such as PARKPT 4.25% Perp (7/22c) with a 4.7% yield to call should warrant a NEUTRAL recommendation, in our judgment.

We initiate our coverage of Parkway Pantai Ltd (0794727D SP) (Parkway Pantai), a wholly-owned subsidiary of IHH Healthcare (IHH MK) of which major shareholders include A3-rated Japanese conglomerate Mitsui &amp; Co Ltd (8031 JP) and Khazanah Nasional Bhd, Malaysia’s sovereign wealth fund.
1Q20 operating numbers were down and we expect April and May to be worse hit by the COVID19 lockdowns (which began in March). Non-urgent procedures had been postponed while supply chains were disrupted. We believe Singapore and Malaysia have seen their worst, while the worst is not yet over for India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Other Asian countries like HK, Australia, and Japan are seeing higher COVID19 daily infections after reopening of their borders.
Medical tourists account for only 1/4 of Parkway Pantai’s Singapore revenue (with Indonesians accounting for the bulk of these medical tourists) and 6% for its Malaysia revenue. Semi-electives procedures have already picked up, according to management, despite borders still being closed. Elective procedures are also likely to return soon as there are no major communal spreads of virus in both Singapore and Malaysia, Parkway Pantai’s two key markets. We predict continuation of startup losses, albeit smaller, in Greater China. The possibility of finding a vaccine, hopefully by 1H2021 according to the WHO, may however spell some hope to the end of the havoc caused by the pandemic, but it may still take up till end-2021 or even 2022 to ensure sufficient supply to meet global demand.
We do not doubt Parkway Pantai’s ability to call PARKPT 4.25% Perp (7/22c) due in July 2022 on its financials and shareholders’ backing. The higher reset coupon should incentivize the Company to call, in our view. Based on 4.73% YTC at time of writing, PARKPT 4.25% Perp (7/22c) traded between a “B+” and a “BB-“credit, in our judgment. PARKPT 4.25% Perp deserves at least a “BB” rating, in our view,  on its financials and shareholders’ support which we believe will give the Perp at least a 73-bp upside. While there is an upside to be had, a high-yield perp such as PARKPT 4.25% Perp (7/22c) with a 4.7% yield to call should warrant a NEUTRAL recommendation, in our judgment.

Parkway Pantai: Good Brand with Limited Upside

Japan

MITSUI & CO., LTD. is a general trading company.  The Company has operating groups including Iron and Steel, Non-Ferrous Metals, Machinery, Chemicals, Foods, Energy, Textiles, and General Merchandise.  Mitsui also operates real estate and overseas development projects.

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

Mitsui & Co Ltd (8031 JP)

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Analysing The "Buffett Trade", Valuing the Sogo Shosha & The Return of Asian Inflation

THE BUFFETT TRADE - Much has written on $ber

Campbell Gunn

Buffett's Investments in Japanese Trading Companies - Positive Boost to Korean Trading Companies?

This is a follow up to Mio Kato's insight, A Quick Look at the Buffet Trade and the Most Obvious Follow-Ons. For many decades, Warren Buffett chose...

Douglas Kim

A Quick Look at the Buffet Trade and the Most Obvious Follow-Ons

Last week it was revealed that Warren Buffet had taken stakes of about 5% in Japan’s five major trading companies. This comes at a time when the...

Mio Kato

🇯🇵 Japan • Colowide (7616 JP) - A Bite Too Far

LISTED RESTAURANTS

Campbell Gunn

Parkway Pantai: Good Brand with Limited Upside

We initiate our coverage of Parkway Pantai Ltd (0794727D SP) (Parkway Pantai), a wholly-owned subsidiary of IHH Healthcare (IHH MK) of which major...

Bondcritic

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)