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

<p>United Arrows core (and original) customer is now in their 40s and 50s with a large wallet and a willingness to spend on premium fashions. The venerable select shop retailer doesn’t want to age alongside its first customers and has unveiled a new brand targeting younger consumers with its lowest prices yet. United Arrows has faced tough trading during the pandemic but should benefit from a rebound given its strong brand and improving supply chains delivering better cost performance.</p>

United Arrows core (and original) customer is now in their 40s and 50s with a large wallet and a willingness to spend on premium fashions. The venerable select shop retailer doesn’t want to age alongside its first customers and has unveiled a new brand targeting younger consumers with its lowest prices yet. United Arrows has faced tough trading during the pandemic but should benefit from a rebound given its strong brand and improving supply chains delivering better cost performance.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<p>The latest Census in Japan confirms the ongoing fall in total population across most of the country but reveals surprising growth markets in small pockets, particularly around Greater Tokyo which now accounts for just under 30% of the total population.</p><p>There are also ever growing numbers of single people, expanding the promising solo market. In the bigger cities, younger people bring new types of consumption but the increase in older singles is a growing problem.</p><p>The following provides background macro trends for any investor looking at the Japan consumer space and some stocks we think will benefit from these macro trends.</p>

The latest Census in Japan confirms the ongoing fall in total population across most of the country but reveals surprising growth markets in small pockets, particularly around Greater Tokyo which now accounts for just under 30% of the total population.There are also ever growing numbers of single people, expanding the promising solo market. In the bigger cities, younger people bring new types of consumption but the increase in older singles is a growing problem.The following provides background macro trends for any investor looking at the Japan consumer space and some stocks we think will benefit from these macro trends.

Shrinking, Ageing Japan but a Growing Solo Market

Telco/Internet specialist

Kirk Boodry

Redex Research

<p>Rakuten shares are down 8% this week on credit concerns and delays in network expansion. The S&amp;P credit downgrade is a lagging indicator but slower network deployment could have future consequences. A key theme for Rakuten Mobile this year is customer retention as it converts free trial users to revenue-generating subs and network quality is by far Rakuten’s biggest weakness. That mobile revenue is needed to offset aggressive marketing costs now that the pricing playing field has been defined. We expect peak operating losses over the next few quarters and that keeps us cautious on the story. We remain at Neutral.</p>

Rakuten shares are down 8% this week on credit concerns and delays in network expansion. The S&amp;P credit downgrade is a lagging indicator but slower network deployment could have future consequences. A key theme for Rakuten Mobile this year is customer retention as it converts free trial users to revenue-generating subs and network quality is by far Rakuten’s biggest weakness. That mobile revenue is needed to offset aggressive marketing costs now that the pricing playing field has been defined. We expect peak operating losses over the next few quarters and that keeps us cautious on the story. We remain at Neutral.

Rakuten Group (Neutral) - Credit Downgrade, Network Delays as Company Enters Toughest Stretch

<p>In 2002, Seiyu was saved by the foreign might of Walmart. Today it is about 25% smaller but over the same 20 years, it has gone from a ¥90 billion loss to an estimated ¥40 billion operating profit last year. Now, with the backing of its new majority owners, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kkr-co-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27333:1" rel="noopener">KKR &amp; Co Inc (KKR US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten Inc (4755 JP)</a>, Seiyu has announced ambitious plans to become Japan’s largest online supermarket by 2025. This is increasingly likely thanks to Rakuten's new reach through its new joint venture with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/japan-post-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:359:1" rel="noopener">Japan Post Holdings (6178 JP).</a> </p><p>Right now, online food retailing is a two horse race between Amazon and Rakuten, with Z Holdings nowhere in sight.</p>

In 2002, Seiyu was saved by the foreign might of Walmart. Today it is about 25% smaller but over the same 20 years, it has gone from a ¥90 billion loss to an estimated ¥40 billion operating profit last year. Now, with the backing of its new majority owners, KKR &amp; Co Inc (KKR US) and Rakuten Inc (4755 JP), Seiyu has announced ambitious plans to become Japan’s largest online supermarket by 2025. This is increasingly likely thanks to Rakuten's new reach through its new joint venture with Japan Post Holdings (6178 JP). Right now, online food retailing is a two horse race between Amazon and Rakuten, with Z Holdings nowhere in sight.

Seiyu: Back in the Mainstream Thanks to Rakuten

IPOs and Catalysts/Events, Global Equity Research Ltd

Arun George

IPOs and Catalysts/Events

Uncompromised, Independent, Conflict-Free Research

Global Equity Research Ltd

Global Equity Research was started in 2017 by a group of experienced research professionals. It was founded on a passionate belief in the importance and the need for uncompromised, independent, conflict-free research. We aim to provide differentiated and actionable primary and bottom up fundamental research.

Equity Capital Markets

Bukalapak.com PT Tbk / Equity Capital Markets

<div>
<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/bukalapak" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:33575:1" rel="noopener">Bukalapak (BUKA IJ)</a>, which means 'opening a kiosk' in Indonesian, is a leading e-commerce player in non-Tier 1 cities in Indonesia, with a market share of 35% in 2020 based on GMV (gross merchandise value), according to Frost &amp; Sullivan. </p>
<p>Bukalapak will price its IPO at the top-end of its indicative price range of Rp750-850 per share, according to press reports. Bukalapak will raise Rp22 trillion ($1.5 billion) which will be Indonesia's largest-ever IPO. The shares are set to list on 6 August. </p>
</div><div><p>In <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/bukalapak-ipo-initiation-island-shopping" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:54584" rel="noopener">Bukalapak IPO Initiation: Island Shopping</a>, we noted that like its peers, Bukalapak is benefiting from the accelerating adoption of e-commerce in Indonesia. Bukalapak’s strategy of focusing on consumers in the non-Tier 1 area and the mass market in the Tier 1 area results in a relatively small overlap (less than 20%) between its customers and customers of other online marketplaces such as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sea-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8509:1" rel="noopener">Sea Ltd (SE US)</a>'s Shopee, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tokopedia-pt" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:24239:1" rel="noopener">Tokopedia PT (1087142D IJ)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/alibaba-group-holding-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:787:1" rel="noopener">Alibaba Group (BABA US)</a>'s Lazada. Competitors generally target the affluent segment of the market. We concluded that Bukalapak's fundamentals tick all the right boxes of rising monetisation, lower losses and declining cash burn, in our view. </p></div><div class="content-highlight"><p>Our valuation analysis suggests that the IPO price range is attractive. Overall, we would participate in the IPO.</p></div>


Bukalapak (BUKA IJ), which means 'opening a kiosk' in Indonesian, is a leading e-commerce player in non-Tier 1 cities in Indonesia, with a market share of 35% in 2020 based on GMV (gross merchandise value), according to Frost &amp; Sullivan. 
Bukalapak will price its IPO at the top-end of its indicative price range of Rp750-850 per share, according to press reports. Bukalapak will raise Rp22 trillion ($1.5 billion) which will be Indonesia's largest-ever IPO. The shares are set to list on 6 August. 
In Bukalapak IPO Initiation: Island Shopping, we noted that like its peers, Bukalapak is benefiting from the accelerating adoption of e-commerce in Indonesia. Bukalapak’s strategy of focusing on consumers in the non-Tier 1 area and the mass market in the Tier 1 area results in a relatively small overlap (less than 20%) between its customers and customers of other online marketplaces such as Sea Ltd (SE US)'s Shopee, Tokopedia PT (1087142D IJ) and Alibaba Group (BABA US)'s Lazada. Competitors generally target the affluent segment of the market. We concluded that Bukalapak's fundamentals tick all the right boxes of rising monetisation, lower losses and declining cash burn, in our view. Our valuation analysis suggests that the IPO price range is attractive. Overall, we would participate in the IPO.

Japan

Rakuten Group, Inc. provides Internet services. The Company offers Internet finance services which including "Rakuten Card" and "Rakuten Bank". Rakuten Group also provides digital content services including electronic book services.

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Rakuten (4755 JP)

United Arrows Unveils Online Brand

United Arrows has had a tough time during the pandemic like all premium fashion retailers but should benefit from a rebound as well as its new...

Michael Causton

Shrinking, Ageing Japan but a Growing Solo Market

Japan's population is contracting but there are areas of growth, particularly the solo market (single people living alone) and the senior market....

Michael Causton

Rakuten Group (Neutral) - Credit Downgrade, Network Delays as Company Enters Toughest Stretch

Shares are down 8% after a credit downgrade and reports of a delay in network expansion. The latter is most relevant and keeps us cautious. We have...

Kirk Boodry

Seiyu: Back in the Mainstream Thanks to Rakuten

Online is only 3% of food retail in Japan but this is about to change fast. Amazon leads in this race but Rakuten is about to catch up through...

Michael Causton

Bukalapak IPO: Valuation Insights

Bukalapak will price its IPO at the top-end of its indicative price range of Rp750-850 per share, according to press reports. Our valuation...

Arun George

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