Fintech & EM-focused Analyst, KT Capital Group

Alec Tseung

Fintech & EM-focused Analyst

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

This Original aims to identify the key investment opportunities among the listed brokers in the three major East Asian countries - China, Japan, and Korea. By looking at the development of the brokerage sectors in these three countries, we observe a general trend where upstart online brokers first compete against the more established brokers based on their cost and technological advantages. This then pushes the more established brokers to either focus on more lucrative wholesale businesses or adopt and invest in tech initiatives in order to stay competitive in the retail market.After further establishing themselves in the retail market, these upstart online brokers then also diversify and expand into the more lucrative wealth/asset management or even wholesale businesses.  By gauging at which phase the broker is in this cycle, investors can have a good understanding of its future outlook.In our opinion, Korean brokers currently offer the best value, while the Chinese pure-play online brokers offer the highest growth potential. As such, our pecking order, in terms of investment attractiveness, is <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kiwoom-securities-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20418:1" rel="noopener">Kiwoom Securities (039490 KS)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/east-money-information-co-a" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8075:1" rel="noopener">East Money Information Co A (300059 CH)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/futu-holdings-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27858:1" rel="noopener">Futu Holdings Ltd (FUTU US)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/monex-group-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:14211:1" rel="noopener">Monex Group Inc (8698 JP)</a> / <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/huatai-securities-co-ltd-h" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:449:1" rel="noopener">Huatai Securities Co Ltd (H) (6886 HK)</a>.  <h2>What is Original?</h2>In this Original, we look into the competitive landscape of the brokerage sectors in China, Japan, and Korea. 55 listed brokers from these three countries are included in this Original as the company universe for regression analysis. Among them, a total of 8 brokers are chosen, with their company profiles separately presented, to further showcase and contrast the impact of competition and technological disruption. Based on this, a pecking order is then developed, both on a country and a company basis.

This Original aims to identify the key investment opportunities among the listed brokers in the three major East Asian countries - China, Japan, and Korea. By looking at the development of the brokerage sectors in these three countries, we observe a general trend where upstart online brokers first compete against the more established brokers based on their cost and technological advantages. This then pushes the more established brokers to either focus on more lucrative wholesale businesses or adopt and invest in tech initiatives in order to stay competitive in the retail market.After further establishing themselves in the retail market, these upstart online brokers then also diversify and expand into the more lucrative wealth/asset management or even wholesale businesses.  By gauging at which phase the broker is in this cycle, investors can have a good understanding of its future outlook.In our opinion, Korean brokers currently offer the best value, while the Chinese pure-play online brokers offer the highest growth potential. As such, our pecking order, in terms of investment attractiveness, is Kiwoom Securities (039490 KS), East Money Information Co A (300059 CH), Futu Holdings Ltd (FUTU US), Monex Group Inc (8698 JP) / Huatai Securities Co Ltd (H) (6886 HK).  What is Original?In this Original, we look into the competitive landscape of the brokerage sectors in China, Japan, and Korea. 55 listed brokers from these three countries are included in this Original as the company universe for regression analysis. Among them, a total of 8 brokers are chosen, with their company profiles separately presented, to further showcase and contrast the impact of competition and technological disruption. Based on this, a pecking order is then developed, both on a country and a company basis.

Asian Brokers: A Competition Between Value and Growth

Asia L/S Equity PM/Macro/Thematic Idea Generation

Rikki Malik

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Core business well positioned to benefit from the growth in the Japanese VC industry</li>
<li>A good Partner for international firms looking to invest in Japan</li>
<li>New direction on Capital Allocation is underappreciated by the market</li>
</ul>


Core business well positioned to benefit from the growth in the Japanese VC industry
A good Partner for international firms looking to invest in Japan
New direction on Capital Allocation is underappreciated by the market


JAFCO (8595) In the Right Place at the Right Time

Research Coverage of Japanese Listed Companies, Shared Research Inc

Shared Research

Research Coverage of Japanese Listed Companies

Shared Research Inc

Pioneering research coverage of Japanese listed companies. Now customizable and interactive for global institutional investors. Corporate access reimagined.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jafco-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8848:1" rel="noopener">Jafco Co Ltd (8595 JP)</a> is the largest specialist venture capital company in Japan.</li>
<li>In FY03/23, JAFCO reported revenue of JPY14.1bn, an operating loss of JPY4.4bn, a recurring loss of JPY3.0bn, and net income of JPY40.6bn.</li>
<li>JAFCO Group Co., Ltd. has announced a partnership with Nomura Asset Management Co., Ltd. to create a new publicly offered investment trust incorporating unlisted shares.</li>
</ul>



Jafco Co Ltd (8595 JP) is the largest specialist venture capital company in Japan.
In FY03/23, JAFCO reported revenue of JPY14.1bn, an operating loss of JPY4.4bn, a recurring loss of JPY3.0bn, and net income of JPY40.6bn.
JAFCO Group Co., Ltd. has announced a partnership with Nomura Asset Management Co., Ltd. to create a new publicly offered investment trust incorporating unlisted shares.


Macroeconomics

<ul>
<li>Commercial Real Estate issues, the dog that didn't bark in 2023, is back.</li>
<li>Unlike March 2023, this cannot be fixed by liquidity injections alone.</li>
<li>US employment data surprises on the upside. Further Government manipulation?</li>
</ul>


Commercial Real Estate issues, the dog that didn't bark in 2023, is back.
Unlike March 2023, this cannot be fixed by liquidity injections alone.
US employment data surprises on the upside. Further Government manipulation?


Further Cracks Appearing in the US Economy

APAC IPOs & Placements, Aequitas Research

Ethan Aw

APAC IPOs & Placements

IPOs and Placements coverage across Asia Pacific

Aequitas Research

We cover all listing across the Asia Pacific along with follow-up placements. As of Dec 2020, our team had covered 539 IPOs with a hit rate of 73.5% and 685 placements with a hit rate of 66.8%.

We combine fundamental bottom-up views with our proprietary quantitative framework to provide a holistic coverage across new listings and placements. Our coverage includes pre-IPO notes before the deal is launched, follow-up analysis once the deal is live and post-listing trading analysis as well.

Equity Capital Markets

<ul>
<li>In this note, we will take a look at broker performance for Japanese IPOs and placements in 2023. </li>
<li>The following dataset includes all Japanese IPOs and placements above US$100m, which amounted to a total of 32 deals. 
</li>
<li>The deals you see in this note are based on our historical IPO and placement tracker. Feel free to drop us a message for additional information.</li>
</ul>


In this note, we will take a look at broker performance for Japanese IPOs and placements in 2023. 
The following dataset includes all Japanese IPOs and placements above US$100m, which amounted to a total of 32 deals. 

The deals you see in this note are based on our historical IPO and placement tracker. Feel free to drop us a message for additional information.


Aequitas Japan IPOs + Placements Broker Performance 2023

Japan

Nomura Holdings, Inc. is a holding company which manages financial operations for its subsidiaries.  As a group, the Company provides a variety of financial services such as dealing, brokerage, underwriting, and asset management. Nomura Securities Co., a registered member of the New York and London Stock Exchanges, has branches around the world.

Nomura Holdings (8604 JP)

Asian Brokers: A Competition Between Value and Growth

The Original looks into the current competitive landscape of the brokerage sectors in China, Japan, and Korea, with a view to developing a list of...

Alec Tseung

JAFCO (8595) In the Right Place at the Right Time

Japanese VC industry growth presents an opportunity for core business; an ideal partner for foreign investors in Japan; and the market undervalues...

Rikki Malik

JAFCO Group (8595): Q3 FY03/24 Update

Japan's largest venture capital company, Jafco Co Ltd, reported financials for FY03/23 and announced a partnership with Nomura Asset Management to...

Shared Research

Further Cracks Appearing in the US Economy

Commercial real estate issues resurface in 2024, posing a challenge that cannot be resolved solely through liquidity injections. US employment...

Rikki Malik

Aequitas Japan IPOs + Placements Broker Performance 2023

In this note, we will take a look at broker performance for Japanese IPOs and placements in 2023, which includes all Japanese IPOs and placements...

Ethan Aw

Asian Brokers: A Competition Between Value and Growth

The Original looks into the current competitive landscape of the brokerage sectors in China, Japan, and Korea, with a view to developing a list of...

Alec Tseung

JAFCO (8595) In the Right Place at the Right Time

​Japanese VC industry growth presents an opportunity for core business; an ideal partner for foreign investors in Japan; and the market undervalues...

Rikki Malik

JAFCO Group (8595): Q3 FY03/24 Update

​Japan's largest venture capital company, Jafco Co Ltd, reported financials for FY03/23 and announced a partnership with Nomura Asset Management to...

Shared Research

Further Cracks Appearing in the US Economy

​Commercial real estate issues resurface in 2024, posing a challenge that cannot be resolved solely through liquidity injections. US employment...

Rikki Malik

Aequitas Japan IPOs + Placements Broker Performance 2023

In this note, we will take a look at broker performance for Japanese IPOs and placements in 2023, which includes all Japanese IPOs and placements...

Ethan Aw

Japanese VC industry growth presents an opportunity for core business; an ideal partner for foreign investors in Japan; and the market undervalues...

Japan's largest venture capital company, Jafco Co Ltd, reported financials for FY03/23 and announced a partnership with Nomura Asset Management to...

Commercial real estate issues resurface in 2024, posing a challenge that cannot be resolved solely through liquidity injections. US employment...