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>Nisshinbo is aiming for a radical transformation from old-fashioned textile business to high-tech, aiming for 80% revenue from defense and high-end tech within 3-5 years </li>
<li>New President Yasuji Ishii promises swift decision-making and a comprehensive restructuring plan by February 2026, targeting 10% RoE, up from a 8% deficit at the trough.</li>
<li>Nisshinbo trades at 70% of book value but should easily trade up to 1.5x if it achieves its Roe target.</li>
</ul>


Nisshinbo is aiming for a radical transformation from old-fashioned textile business to high-tech, aiming for 80% revenue from defense and high-end tech within 3-5 years 
New President Yasuji Ishii promises swift decision-making and a comprehensive restructuring plan by February 2026, targeting 10% RoE, up from a 8% deficit at the trough.
Nisshinbo trades at 70% of book value but should easily trade up to 1.5x if it achieves its Roe target.


Can Nisshinbo (3105) Become a Superstock?

Global Materials | Industrials | Commodities

Rahul Jain

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Japan’s defence renaissance is underway, driven by structural budget growth toward 2%+ of GDP.</li>
<li>Multi-Decade tailwinds in missiles, cyber, and naval systems will reshape the domestic defence industry.</li>
<li>Investors should balance national champions with mid-cap leverage plays to capture both visibility and alpha.</li>
</ul>


Japan’s defence renaissance is underway, driven by structural budget growth toward 2%+ of GDP.
Multi-Decade tailwinds in missiles, cyber, and naval systems will reshape the domestic defence industry.
Investors should balance national champions with mid-cap leverage plays to capture both visibility and alpha.


Japan Defence Supercycle: Multi-Decade Tailwinds, Near-Term Catalysts

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mercari-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27149:1" rel="noopener">Mercari Inc (4385 JP)</a> will be added to the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tokyo-stock-exchange-tokyo-price-index-topix" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22910:1" rel="noopener">Tokyo Stock Exchange Tokyo Price Index Topix (TPX INDEX)</a> at the close on 28 July.</li>
<li>There are a lot of FFW changes, mainly reductions. This leads to large funding inflows on the large index stocks.</li>
<li>We estimate the inclusion of Mercari and the FFW changes will lead to a one-way turnover of 0.56% leading to a one-way trade of JPY 442.23bn (US$3.25bn).</li>
</ul>



Mercari Inc (4385 JP) will be added to the Tokyo Stock Exchange Tokyo Price Index Topix (TPX INDEX) at the close on 28 July.
There are a lot of FFW changes, mainly reductions. This leads to large funding inflows on the large index stocks.
We estimate the inclusion of Mercari and the FFW changes will lead to a one-way turnover of 0.56% leading to a one-way trade of JPY 442.23bn (US$3.25bn).


TOPIX July Rebalance: Mercari Inclusion, FFW Changes, US$6.5bn To Trade

NTT (Nippon Telegraph & Telephone) / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>On 7 April, the JPX announced the changes to the Free Float Weights (FFW) for the TOPIX Index. There are some big changes due to the updated FFW methodology.</li>
<li>From April to June, we see a one-way turnover of 2.87% and a one-way trade of ¥2,285bn. Some stocks have opposite way flows in different months.</li>
<li>Stocks with inflows outperformed stocks with outflows from Oct-Dec 2021 before giving up all the gains. These stocks have started to outperform and could continue outperforming over the next quarter.</li>
</ul>


On 7 April, the JPX announced the changes to the Free Float Weights (FFW) for the TOPIX Index. There are some big changes due to the updated FFW methodology.
From April to June, we see a one-way turnover of 2.87% and a one-way trade of ¥2,285bn. Some stocks have opposite way flows in different months.
Stocks with inflows outperformed stocks with outflows from Oct-Dec 2021 before giving up all the gains. These stocks have started to outperform and could continue outperforming over the next quarter.


TOPIX FFW Transition - Big Flows from April to June

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

The September 2021 Nikkei 225 Rebalance was the first under the new rules. It was discussed in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/2021-nikkei-225-rebalance-nintendo-murata-keyence-in-nisshinbo-toyo-seikan-skupper-out" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:57008" rel="noopener">2021 Nikkei 225 Rebalance: Nintendo, Murata, Keyence IN; Nisshinbo, Toyo Seikan, 'Skupper' OUT</a> about three weeks ago when announced. The ADDITIONS and DELETIONS were announced on 6 September for implementation on 30 September at the close. There was, ex-ante, quite a bit to buy, and not a huge amount to sell from the explicit deletions, though there is a little to sell on a down-weight to the Price Adjustment Factor on <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sompo-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:632:1" rel="noopener">Sompo Holdings (8630 JP)</a> and there was - on an ex-ante basis - something like US$4.8bn of the other 221 names to sell. <section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/232/054/original/N225+Sep+2021+Adds+Deletes.png?1632731028" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="232054"></figure></section>That was then. Since then, we have had 13 trading days to build up new pre-positioning or unwind previous pre-positioning. And we are have a run-up to the trade on Thursday at the close. An accompanying insight will briefly discuss the OTHER delta trade which interferes with the smooth flow of this event. More below.

The September 2021 Nikkei 225 Rebalance was the first under the new rules. It was discussed in 2021 Nikkei 225 Rebalance: Nintendo, Murata, Keyence IN; Nisshinbo, Toyo Seikan, 'Skupper' OUT about three weeks ago when announced. The ADDITIONS and DELETIONS were announced on 6 September for implementation on 30 September at the close. There was, ex-ante, quite a bit to buy, and not a huge amount to sell from the explicit deletions, though there is a little to sell on a down-weight to the Price Adjustment Factor on Sompo Holdings (8630 JP) and there was - on an ex-ante basis - something like US$4.8bn of the other 221 names to sell. That was then. Since then, we have had 13 trading days to build up new pre-positioning or unwind previous pre-positioning. And we are have a run-up to the trade on Thursday at the close. An accompanying insight will briefly discuss the OTHER delta trade which interferes with the smooth flow of this event. More below.

September 2021 Nikkei 225 Rebal With 3 Days Left

Japan

Nisshinbo Holdings Inc. manufactures cotton fabrics, synthetic textiles, and chemical products used in apparel and industrial materials.  The Company also makes a variety of paper products, electronics products for wireless communication devices and semiconductors, and specialized machines for industrial manufacturing. In addition, Nisshinbo makes brakes for automobiles.

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Nisshinbo Holdings (3105 JP)

Can Nisshinbo (3105) Become a Superstock?

Nisshinbo aims for a radical transformation to defense and high-tech juggernaut with new president promising swift decision-making and more than...

Michael Allen

Japan Defence Supercycle: Multi-Decade Tailwinds, Near-Term Catalysts

Japan's defense industry is experiencing a renaissance with increased budget allocation, leading to opportunities for investors in national...

Rahul Jain

TOPIX July Rebalance: Mercari Inclusion, FFW Changes, US$6.5bn To Trade

Mercari will be added to the TPX at the close on 28 July. There are a lot of FFW changes that will result in one-way turnover of 0.56% leading to a...

Brian Freitas

TOPIX FFW Transition - Big Flows from April to June

Changes to the Topix FFW methodology will result in a turnover of 2.87% & trade of ¥2,285bn from April to June. There is a lot to trade on some...

Brian Freitas

September 2021 Nikkei 225 Rebal With 3 Days Left

The September 2021 Nikkei 225 Rebalance has performed "as expected" for both the ADDs and the DELETEs. It appears that the DELETEs have seen...

Travis Lundy

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Can Nisshinbo (3105) Become a Superstock?

Nisshinbo aims for a radical transformation to defense and high-tech juggernaut with new president promising swift decision-making and more than...

Michael Allen

Japan Defence Supercycle: Multi-Decade Tailwinds, Near-Term Catalysts

​Japan's defense industry is experiencing a renaissance with increased budget allocation, leading to opportunities for investors in national...

Rahul Jain

TOPIX July Rebalance: Mercari Inclusion, FFW Changes, US$6.5bn To Trade

Mercari will be added to the TPX at the close on 28 July. There are a lot of FFW changes that will result in one-way turnover of 0.56% leading to a...

Brian Freitas

TOPIX FFW Transition - Big Flows from April to June

Changes to the Topix FFW methodology will result in a turnover of 2.87% & trade of ¥2,285bn from April to June. There is a lot to trade on some...

Brian Freitas

September 2021 Nikkei 225 Rebal With 3 Days Left

The September 2021 Nikkei 225 Rebalance has performed "as expected" for both the ADDs and the DELETEs. It appears that the DELETEs have seen...

Travis Lundy

Japan's defense industry is experiencing a renaissance with increased budget allocation, leading to opportunities for investors in national...