Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning, Copley Fund Research

Steven Holden

Asset Allocation & Fund Positioning

Copley Fund Research

Copley Fund Research provide research and data on asset allocation among Global and Emerging Market equity funds.  The analysis details absolute and relative positioning across countries, sectors and industries together with highly granular data on single stock and single fund allocations.  The data is updated monthly with time series going back to January 2011.

Global Research - Analysis of 165 prominent Global equity funds, combined AUM $335bn
GEM Research - Analysis of 127 prominent global EM equity funds, combined AUM $250bn

Asset Allocation - Global and GEM Equity

Cross Asset Strategy

<p>With the Nikkei 225 index breaking 30k this month, we thought it pertinent to look in more detail at Japan positioning among Global fund managers.  Our data shows that Japan is underowned by Global managers versus its own history and held underweight versus the benchmark MSCI All Country World index.  Current positioning levels are towards their lowest ever levels, yet we are not seeing a sweeping reversal of sentiment in our data just yet, merely a stalling of the declines. </p><p>However, the outperformance of MSCI Japan versus the AC World index over the last 6-months and the psychological breaking of 30,000 in the Nikkei 225 index are both signs that momentum is gathering steam.   We see rising ownership levels in a number of key companies, led by <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sony-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:563:1" rel="noopener">Sony Corp (6758 JP)</a> , <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nintendo-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5415:1" rel="noopener">Nintendo Co Ltd (7974 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tokyo-electron-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:280:1" rel="noopener">Tokyo Electron (8035 JP)</a> and high conviction in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/keyence-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3077:1" rel="noopener">Keyence Corp (6861 JP)</a> among Global investors.  Outside of these 4 stocks, we would highlight the largest index weight, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toyota-motor-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:73:1" rel="noopener">Toyota Motor (7203 JP)</a> as a laggard and a stock that has the potential to play a much greater role in Global portfolios going forwards.</p><p><em>Analysis taken from our Global active fund research, covering 386 managers with combined AUM of $960bn </em></p>

With the Nikkei 225 index breaking 30k this month, we thought it pertinent to look in more detail at Japan positioning among Global fund managers.  Our data shows that Japan is underowned by Global managers versus its own history and held underweight versus the benchmark MSCI All Country World index.  Current positioning levels are towards their lowest ever levels, yet we are not seeing a sweeping reversal of sentiment in our data just yet, merely a stalling of the declines. However, the outperformance of MSCI Japan versus the AC World index over the last 6-months and the psychological breaking of 30,000 in the Nikkei 225 index are both signs that momentum is gathering steam.   We see rising ownership levels in a number of key companies, led by Sony Corp (6758 JP) , Nintendo Co Ltd (7974 JP) and Tokyo Electron (8035 JP) and high conviction in Keyence Corp (6861 JP) among Global investors.  Outside of these 4 stocks, we would highlight the largest index weight, Toyota Motor (7203 JP) as a laggard and a stock that has the potential to play a much greater role in Global portfolios going forwards.Analysis taken from our Global active fund research, covering 386 managers with combined AUM of $960bn 

Global Fund Positioning in Japan:  Underweight and Underowned

'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.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<div><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>• RESULTS &amp; REVISIONS SUMMARY - 1st FEBRUARY •</strong></p></div><div><p>Of Monday's 76 results announcements, 79% scored positively for earnings momentum despite trailing revenues falling by 5.2% on average and a 2.6 percentage point decline in operating margins. 11% of companies were in the red for the quarter.  65% of the 48 annual forecasts/revision announcements scored positively and the average Forecast/Revision score was +2.6 points.</p></div><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>• BEST &amp; WORST •</strong></p><p style="text-align: left;">Monday's best and worst large-cap pairing is <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rohm-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2953:1" rel="noopener">ROHM (6963 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shionogi-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19535:1" rel="noopener">Shionogi (4507 JP)</a>. We would also note the declining momentum at <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/lasertec-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4126:1" rel="noopener">Lasertec (6920 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nintendo-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5415:1" rel="noopener">Nintendo (7974 JP)</a>.</p><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/186/154/original/2021-02-02_05-32-51.png?1612211584" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="186154"></figure></section><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/186/155/original/2021-02-02_05-33-53.png?1612211646" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="186155"></figure></section><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/186/156/original/2021-02-02_05-34-39.png?1612211691" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="186156"></figure></section><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/186/157/original/2021-02-02_05-35-09.png?1612211734" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="186157"></figure></section><div class="content-caption">    Source for all charts &amp; tables: Japan Analytics</div>

• RESULTS &amp; REVISIONS SUMMARY - 1st FEBRUARY •Of Monday's 76 results announcements, 79% scored positively for earnings momentum despite trailing revenues falling by 5.2% on average and a 2.6 percentage point decline in operating margins. 11% of companies were in the red for the quarter.  65% of the 48 annual forecasts/revision announcements scored positively and the average Forecast/Revision score was +2.6 points.• BEST &amp; WORST •Monday's best and worst large-cap pairing is ROHM (6963 JP) and Shionogi (4507 JP). We would also note the declining momentum at Lasertec (6920 JP) and Nintendo (7974 JP).    Source for all charts &amp; tables: Japan Analytics

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​02/​​​​​​​​​​​​​01 - Rohm, Shionogi..

<p style="text-align: center;"><strong>• BEST &amp; WORST •</strong></p><p style="text-align: left;">As we move towards the beginning of the disclosure season for the March/June/September/ December cohort of companies, several companies are revising their forecasts upwards. We also had five early-bird micro-cap Q3 reports. Our best and worst pairing from yesterday's announcements is <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/capcom-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1459:1" rel="noopener">Capcom (9697 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/biofermin-pharmaceutical-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20533:1" rel="noopener">Biofermin Pharmaceutical (4517 JP)</a>.</p><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/183/912/original/2021-01-22_05-48-25.png?1611262158" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="183912"></figure></section><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/183/913/original/2021-01-22_05-49-43.png?1611262202" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="183913"></figure></section><div class="content-caption">Source for all charts &amp; tables: Japan Analytics</div>

• BEST &amp; WORST •As we move towards the beginning of the disclosure season for the March/June/September/ December cohort of companies, several companies are revising their forecasts upwards. We also had five early-bird micro-cap Q3 reports. Our best and worst pairing from yesterday's announcements is Capcom (9697 JP) and Biofermin Pharmaceutical (4517 JP).Source for all charts &amp; tables: Japan Analytics

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​01/​​​​​​​21 Capcom, Infomart, ISI-D

Senior Bank Analyst - Japanese Banks, Windamee Research

J. Brian Waterhouse

Senior Bank Analyst - Japanese Banks

Windamee Research

Japanese Banks

<p>Stock markets around the world have been reaching record levels, thanks to the unprecedented amounts of money being pumped into the financial markets by the advanced nations’ central banks in a bid to offset the economic damage caused by COVID-19.  In Japan, too, the Topix Index finished 2020 at 1804.68, just off its high-point for the year and up a very modest 4.8% YoY after plummeting around 500 points in March.</p>
<p>For investors in Japanese bank stocks, however, it was another year of pain: the Topix Bank Index closed 2020 down 21.7% YoY.  Moreover, just 5 bank stocks out of the total of 92 showed positive gains YoY.  All 7 major Japanese banks showed YoY declines: the ‘best-performer’ was down 21.1% YoY, with the average major bank YoY decline exceeding 25%.  By the end of 2020, 13 Japanese bank stocks had lost over one-third of their value, although they had been considerably lower earlier in the year.</p>
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<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/180/838/original/8300-WR-JBanks-2020-0104+TPNBNKvsTPX+in+2020.jpg?1609734252" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="180838"></figure>
<p></p>
</section>
<p>2021 commences with bank lending at near record-high levels after a record surge in lending, a mountain of cash on deposit that the banks are struggling to deploy profitably, exceptionally low loan to deposit (LDR) ratios, margins under pressure, profits under pressure and, for many banks, dividends under pressure as well.  None of this is likely to boost investor confidence in Japanese bank stocks.</p>
<p>Business models need to be reinvented to properly incorporate the new digital era, branches amalgamated or closed, and staff reduced.  This will take time and be costly.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, two banks have already suggested that they will likely make consolidated net losses in FY3/3021, with others perhaps to follow as we approach the end of the fiscal year in March.</p>
<p>2021 will also see a handful of regional bank mergers; indeed, this has already started with the first on 1 January 2021, creating the Daishi Hokuetsu Bank (part of the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/daishi-hokuetsu-financial-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27533:1" rel="noopener">Daishi Hokuetsu Financial Group (7327 JP)</a> ).  While these will be welcomed by the Suga Administration, which is actively encouraging a reduction in the number of regional banks, especially in the more rural parts of the country, there is no guarantee that the surviving entities will be any more profitable or efficient than their predecessors.</p>
<p>Then there is the coronavirus pandemic, which continues to cause social lockdowns, economic disruption, and financial uncertainty aside from its devastating impact on the health and wellbeing of humankind.  All of this still needs to be properly discounted in Japanese bank share prices.  We anticipate further share price weakness in many Japanese banks in 2021.</p>
<p>“<em>Caveat Emptor!”</em> (May the Buyer Beware) remains our advice to would-be investors in Japanese bank stocks for 2021 and beyond.</p>

Stock markets around the world have been reaching record levels, thanks to the unprecedented amounts of money being pumped into the financial markets by the advanced nations’ central banks in a bid to offset the economic damage caused by COVID-19.  In Japan, too, the Topix Index finished 2020 at 1804.68, just off its high-point for the year and up a very modest 4.8% YoY after plummeting around 500 points in March.
For investors in Japanese bank stocks, however, it was another year of pain: the Topix Bank Index closed 2020 down 21.7% YoY.  Moreover, just 5 bank stocks out of the total of 92 showed positive gains YoY.  All 7 major Japanese banks showed YoY declines: the ‘best-performer’ was down 21.1% YoY, with the average major bank YoY decline exceeding 25%.  By the end of 2020, 13 Japanese bank stocks had lost over one-third of their value, although they had been considerably lower earlier in the year.




2021 commences with bank lending at near record-high levels after a record surge in lending, a mountain of cash on deposit that the banks are struggling to deploy profitably, exceptionally low loan to deposit (LDR) ratios, margins under pressure, profits under pressure and, for many banks, dividends under pressure as well.  None of this is likely to boost investor confidence in Japanese bank stocks.
Business models need to be reinvented to properly incorporate the new digital era, branches amalgamated or closed, and staff reduced.  This will take time and be costly.
Meanwhile, two banks have already suggested that they will likely make consolidated net losses in FY3/3021, with others perhaps to follow as we approach the end of the fiscal year in March.
2021 will also see a handful of regional bank mergers; indeed, this has already started with the first on 1 January 2021, creating the Daishi Hokuetsu Bank (part of the Daishi Hokuetsu Financial Group (7327 JP) ).  While these will be welcomed by the Suga Administration, which is actively encouraging a reduction in the number of regional banks, especially in the more rural parts of the country, there is no guarantee that the surviving entities will be any more profitable or efficient than their predecessors.
Then there is the coronavirus pandemic, which continues to cause social lockdowns, economic disruption, and financial uncertainty aside from its devastating impact on the health and wellbeing of humankind.  All of this still needs to be properly discounted in Japanese bank share prices.  We anticipate further share price weakness in many Japanese banks in 2021.
“Caveat Emptor!” (May the Buyer Beware) remains our advice to would-be investors in Japanese bank stocks for 2021 and beyond.

Asia Pac ECM and Index Rebal, Shenton Research

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

Asia Pac ECM and Index Rebal

Asia Pac IPO & Placement Research, China Biotech

DZT Research

DZT Research is an independent Asia Pacific equity specialist. Our quantitative research covers index rebalancing flows, alongside exchange data analytics accross Asia Pacific. On the equity capital markets side, we focus on Asia Pacific ECM, especially biotech and TMT. Our lead analyst is frequently cited by international media.

Quantitative Analysis

<ul>
<li>We analyzed the changes in margin trading positions of JPX stocks as of Jun 26th. The aggregated net margin trading position is USD32,057m.</li>
<li>We tabulate league tables for top/bottom net long/short of margin trading by value, net margin buy as multiple of ADT.</li>
<li>We highlight net margin buy/sell changes in Kioxia, SoftBank, Tokyo Electron, Fujikura, McDonald's, Skylark, Disco, Taiyo Yuden, Lasertec, Japan Tobacco.</li>
</ul>


We analyzed the changes in margin trading positions of JPX stocks as of Jun 26th. The aggregated net margin trading position is USD32,057m.
We tabulate league tables for top/bottom net long/short of margin trading by value, net margin buy as multiple of ADT.
We highlight net margin buy/sell changes in Kioxia, SoftBank, Tokyo Electron, Fujikura, McDonald's, Skylark, Disco, Taiyo Yuden, Lasertec, Japan Tobacco.


JPX Margin Trading Weekly (Jun 26th): Kioxia, SoftBank, Tokyo Electron, Fujikura, McDonald's, Disco

Japan

Nintendo Co., Ltd. develops, manufactures, and sells household leisure equipment. The Company produces home use video game hardware and software products. Nintendo markets its products throughout Japan.

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Nintendo (NTDOY US)

Global Fund Positioning in Japan: Underweight and Underowned

With the Nikkei 225 index breaking 30k this month, Global managers remain under-invested and underweight Japan versus the benchmark MSCI All...

Steven Holden

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 02/01 - Rohm, Shionogi..

Of Monday's 76 results announcements, 79% scored positively for earnings momentum despite trailing revenues falling by 5.2% on average and a 2.6...

Campbell Gunn

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 01/21 Capcom, Infomart, ISI-D

As we move towards the beginning of the disclosure season for the March/June/September/ December cohort of companies, several companies are...

Campbell Gunn

Japanese Banks: Ever Lower

For investors in Japanese bank stocks, 2020 was another year of pain. The sector fell almost 22% YoY; only 5 bank stocks out of 92 registered YoY...

J. Brian Waterhouse

JPX Margin Trading Weekly (Jun 26th): Kioxia, SoftBank, Tokyo Electron, Fujikura, McDonald's, Disco

We analyzed JPX margin trading positions report for the past week and highlighted Kioxia, SoftBank, Tokyo Electron, Fujikura, McDonald's, Skylark,...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

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52-week Range

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Global Fund Positioning in Japan: Underweight and Underowned

With the Nikkei 225 index breaking 30k this month, Global managers remain under-invested and underweight Japan versus the benchmark MSCI All...

Steven Holden

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​02/​​​​​​​​​​​​​01 - Rohm, Shionogi..

Of Monday's 76 results announcements, 79% scored positively for earnings momentum despite trailing revenues falling by 5.2% on average and a 2.6...

Campbell Gunn

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​01/​​​​​​​21 Capcom, Infomart, ISI-D

As we move towards the beginning of the disclosure season for the March/June/September/ December cohort of companies, several companies are...

Campbell Gunn

Japanese Banks: Ever Lower

For investors in Japanese bank stocks, 2020 was another year of pain. The sector fell almost 22% YoY; only 5 bank stocks out of 92 registered YoY...

J. Brian Waterhouse

JPX Margin Trading Weekly (Jun 26th): Kioxia, SoftBank, Tokyo Electron, Fujikura, McDonald's, Disco

We analyzed JPX margin trading positions report for the past week and highlighted Kioxia, SoftBank, Tokyo Electron, Fujikura, McDonald's, Skylark,...

Ke Yan, CFA, FRM

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 02/01 - Rohm, Shionogi..

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 01/21 Capcom, Infomart, ISI-D