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>Leading furniture retailer Nitori recently announced it would work with French platform developer Mirakl to build an online marketplace. The site will be available late 2024 or early 2025. </li>
<li>Nitori wants the mall to contribute 20% of revenues by 2032 within a sales target of ¥3 trillion, when overseas store numbers are expected to be double those in Japan.</li>
<li>But, founder Akio Nitori says he wants to see overseas sales much higher than official targets and may well get there through close targeting of the rising Asian middle class.</li>
</ul>


Leading furniture retailer Nitori recently announced it would work with French platform developer Mirakl to build an online marketplace. The site will be available late 2024 or early 2025. 
Nitori wants the mall to contribute 20% of revenues by 2032 within a sales target of ¥3 trillion, when overseas store numbers are expected to be double those in Japan.
But, founder Akio Nitori says he wants to see overseas sales much higher than official targets and may well get there through close targeting of the rising Asian middle class.


Nitori: One of the Best Bets in Japan Consumer Markets

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fast-retailing-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:751:1" rel="noopener">Fast Retailing (9983 JP)</a> investors are in a conundrum. The stock is doing well. With one quarter to go, the company just raised its full-year EPS target by 8.3%.</li>
<li>It also raised its H2 dividend by 20+% so the full-year div will be more than 20% higher than previously forecast and up 35+% since last year. All good. </li>
<li>Except for the selling. Potentially lots of selling. And more outperformance begets more selling. Then even more selling in 2024. And 2025? What about 2025? More outperformance begets more selling.</li>
</ul>



Fast Retailing (9983 JP) investors are in a conundrum. The stock is doing well. With one quarter to go, the company just raised its full-year EPS target by 8.3%.
It also raised its H2 dividend by 20+% so the full-year div will be more than 20% higher than previously forecast and up 35+% since last year. All good. 
Except for the selling. Potentially lots of selling. And more outperformance begets more selling. Then even more selling in 2024. And 2025? What about 2025? More outperformance begets more selling.


Fast Retailing UPs Forecasts, Which Creates A Sell/Short Opportunity

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?

<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/ryohin-keikaku-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2765:1" rel="noopener">Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP)</a> fired a broadside at Uniqlo last month when it confirmed not only that its new president would be a former lieutenant to Tadashi Yanai, but also that it plans to reduce prices to compete with Uniqlo in apparel and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nitori-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20386:1" rel="noopener">Nitori Holdings (9843 JP)</a> in home.While Muji is today a quarter of the size of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fast-retailing-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:751:1" rel="noopener">Fast Retailing (9983 JP)</a>, it has big plans to become a ¥3 trillion behemoth in just 10 years with more stores in Japan than even discount apparel chain, Shimamura.Is this a real plan or just a rallying of the troops, Uniqlo-style?

Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP) fired a broadside at Uniqlo last month when it confirmed not only that its new president would be a former lieutenant to Tadashi Yanai, but also that it plans to reduce prices to compete with Uniqlo in apparel and Nitori Holdings (9843 JP) in home.While Muji is today a quarter of the size of Fast Retailing (9983 JP), it has big plans to become a ¥3 trillion behemoth in just 10 years with more stores in Japan than even discount apparel chain, Shimamura.Is this a real plan or just a rallying of the troops, Uniqlo-style?

<ul>
<li>Nitori, Japan’s largest furniture retailer, once again grew consolidated revenues in its extended financial year to March.</li>
<li>Despite the increased costs of imports, profits also rose, although net profits saw a rare decline.</li>
<li>The group still has strong growth potential: it continues to diversify, including into apparel, expand its omnichannel operations and is now building more stores overseas. </li>
</ul>


Nitori, Japan’s largest furniture retailer, once again grew consolidated revenues in its extended financial year to March.
Despite the increased costs of imports, profits also rose, although net profits saw a rare decline.
The group still has strong growth potential: it continues to diversify, including into apparel, expand its omnichannel operations and is now building more stores overseas. 


Japan

Nitori Holdings Co., Ltd., is based in Hokkaido and operates a furniture retail chain.  The Company sells living room furniture, storage furniture, dining furniture, office furniture, beds, and interior goods.  Nitori Holdings also sells original brand merchandise and imported merchandise.

Nitori Holdings (9843 JP)

Nitori: One of the Best Bets in Japan Consumer Markets

Furniture retailer Nitori to launch online marketplace as part of plans for a tripling of revenue by 2032 through online growth at home overseas...

Michael Causton

Fast Retailing UPs Forecasts, Which Creates A Sell/Short Opportunity

Fast Retailing announced decent earnings for Q3 and upgraded forecasts for August 2023. It also raised its full-year dividend vs previous guidance....

Travis Lundy

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

Muji: A ¥3 Trillion Brand by 2030?

Muji has confounded critics in the last decade by finding new growth domestically despite perceived saturation. Now it wants to increase sales 6...

Michael Causton

Nitori: 33 Years of Revenue Growth

Nitori may have been a stand out performer for more than 20 years but there is still plenty of opportunity for growth both from its core...

Michael Causton

Nitori: One of the Best Bets in Japan Consumer Markets

​Furniture retailer Nitori to launch online marketplace as part of plans for a tripling of revenue by 2032 through online growth at home overseas...

Michael Causton

Fast Retailing UPs Forecasts, Which Creates A Sell/Short Opportunity

Fast Retailing announced decent earnings for Q3 and upgraded forecasts for August 2023. It also raised its full-year dividend vs previous guidance....

Travis Lundy

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

Muji: A ¥3 Trillion Brand by 2030?

Muji has confounded critics in the last decade by finding new growth domestically despite perceived saturation. Now it wants to increase sales 6...

Michael Causton

Nitori: 33 Years of Revenue Growth

Nitori may have been a stand out performer for more than 20 years but there is still plenty of opportunity for growth both from its core...

Michael Causton

Furniture retailer Nitori to launch online marketplace as part of plans for a tripling of revenue by 2032 through online growth at home overseas...