Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>We are Bullish on Rorze, a global leader in ultra-clean wafer substrate handling solutions.</li>
<li>We believe that Rorze is well placed to monetise the long-term growth in semiconductor demand and WFE spend</li>
<li>The stock has recently underperformed its peer group and valuations collapsed. We see almost 100% upside potential based on a 14x target multiple</li>
</ul>


We are Bullish on Rorze, a global leader in ultra-clean wafer substrate handling solutions.
We believe that Rorze is well placed to monetise the long-term growth in semiconductor demand and WFE spend
The stock has recently underperformed its peer group and valuations collapsed. We see almost 100% upside potential based on a 14x target multiple


Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>In early February 2022, Silchester International Investors (according to its website) sent letters to four low-ROE-earning Japanese regional banks proposing a new dividend policy.</li>
<li>The management and boards of each bank rejected the policy proposal though two of the four had upped their proposed dividend or changed policy prior, and two upped it afterwards.</li>
<li>While Bank of Kyoto is the biggest equity portfolio, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/chugoku-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11177:1" rel="noopener">Chugoku Bank (8382 JP)</a> is a relatively large, provincial, regional bank, with middling equity portfolio. Different shape. Different situation.</li>
</ul>


In early February 2022, Silchester International Investors (according to its website) sent letters to four low-ROE-earning Japanese regional banks proposing a new dividend policy.
The management and boards of each bank rejected the policy proposal though two of the four had upped their proposed dividend or changed policy prior, and two upped it afterwards.
While Bank of Kyoto is the biggest equity portfolio, Chugoku Bank (8382 JP) is a relatively large, provincial, regional bank, with middling equity portfolio. Different shape. Different situation.


JAPAN ACTIVISM: Silchester Goes After Chugoku Bank

Index Rebal/Special Situations, Quiddity Advisors

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

Index Rebal/Special Situations

Index Rebalance

<div><p>JPX-Nikkei 400 is composed of common stocks whose main market is the TSE1, TSE2, JASDAQ, and Mothers sections (which will become the Prime Market, Standard Market, or Growth Market next April) of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. This is a free-float-adjusted market-value-weighted (capped) index composed of 400 constituents selected based on several factors including market capitalization, trading value, operating profits, and ROE.</p></div><div><p>A periodic review is conducted by the Index providers, the JPX Group and Nikkei Inc, in August every year. This review is conducted using the final business day of June as the base date. </p></div><div><p>Quiddity provides quantitative research on pre-event basket strategies surrounding this Index Rebalance event and others. Below is a look at potential Inclusions and Removals for the JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebalance to come in August 2022 based on trading data as of end-October 2021.</p></div>

JPX-Nikkei 400 is composed of common stocks whose main market is the TSE1, TSE2, JASDAQ, and Mothers sections (which will become the Prime Market, Standard Market, or Growth Market next April) of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. This is a free-float-adjusted market-value-weighted (capped) index composed of 400 constituents selected based on several factors including market capitalization, trading value, operating profits, and ROE.A periodic review is conducted by the Index providers, the JPX Group and Nikkei Inc, in August every year. This review is conducted using the final business day of June as the base date. Quiddity provides quantitative research on pre-event basket strategies surrounding this Index Rebalance event and others. Below is a look at potential Inclusions and Removals for the JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebalance to come in August 2022 based on trading data as of end-October 2021.

JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebalance 2022: Leader Board End-Oct 2021

<div><p>JPX-Nikkei 400 is composed of common stocks listed in the First Section, Second Section, MOTHERS Market, and the JASDAQ Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. This is a free-float-adjusted market-value-weighted (capped) index composed of 400 constituents that are selected based on several factors including market capitalization, trading value, operating profits, and ROE.</p></div><div><p>A periodic review will be conducted by the Index providers, the JPX Group and Nikkei Inc, in August every year. This review will be conducted using the final business day of June as the base date. </p></div><div><p>Quiddity provides quantitative research on pre-event basket strategies surrounding this Index Rebalance event. Below is a discussion on the latest adjustments required for the basket portfolio for the 2021 Rebalance based on April-end data. </p></div>

JPX-Nikkei 400 is composed of common stocks listed in the First Section, Second Section, MOTHERS Market, and the JASDAQ Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. This is a free-float-adjusted market-value-weighted (capped) index composed of 400 constituents that are selected based on several factors including market capitalization, trading value, operating profits, and ROE.A periodic review will be conducted by the Index providers, the JPX Group and Nikkei Inc, in August every year. This review will be conducted using the final business day of June as the base date. Quiddity provides quantitative research on pre-event basket strategies surrounding this Index Rebalance event. Below is a discussion on the latest adjustments required for the basket portfolio for the 2021 Rebalance based on April-end data. 

JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebalance 2021: Pre-Event Basket Adjustments for April-End

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

ja research

ja research is an independent research platform focused exclusively on Japanese equities. Leveraging data and graphic analysis provided by Japan Analytics, we provide insights on small and medium-sized companies that have been ignored by the sell-side as well as challenging conventional wisdom on larger companies. We also offer analyst and corporate access, the latter with translation if required. 

Quantitative Analysis

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/102/797/original/2019-10-22_07-21-37.png?1571696560" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="102797"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source: Japan Analytics</div><p>There has been much discussion on Smartkarma in the last week on the 'overexuberance' in Japan's semiconductor production equipment ("SPE") and factory automation (FA) companies' share prices following a 'spike' in <strong><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/harmonic-drive-systems-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10238:1" rel="noopener">Harmonic Drive Systems (6324 JP)</a></strong>(HDS) as discussed <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/harmonic-drive-systems-inc/discussion?discussion=56418" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here, </a>and Capital Group’s block sale in SK Hynix. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/companies/lightstream-research" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="companies:909" rel="noopener">LightStream Research</a> explored the topic in detail in yesterday's <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/readthrough-to-japanese-fa-sector-from-capital-s-sk-hynix-block-sale" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:33298" rel="noopener">Readthrough to Japanese FA Sector from Capital's SK Hynix Block Sale</a>. As <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/raghav-kapoor" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:2" rel="noopener">Raghav Kapoor</a> noted in the discussion on that note: - "<em><strong>The trends between the pricing of the BI Japan Factory Automation Index (BIAPJAVP Index) and the SOX are strikingly similar</strong></em>."   </p><p>This Insight will briefly examine these correlations using the Japan Analytic's scoring framework as well as updating our valuation work on <strong><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/fanuc-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:752:1" rel="noopener">Fanuc (6954 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yaskawa-electric-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2458:1" rel="noopener">Yaskawa Electric (6506 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/daifuku-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10408:1" rel="noopener">Daifuku (6383 JP)</a>, </strong><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/harmonic-drive-systems-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10238:1" rel="noopener"><strong>Harmonic Drive Systems (6324 JP)</strong>, </a>as well as <strong><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>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/advantest-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18107:1" rel="noopener">Advantest (6857 JP)</a>,</strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/disco-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15817:1" rel="noopener">Disco (6146 JP)</a></strong>.     Please refer to our earlier Insight <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/6954-fanuc-timing-the-cycle" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:29401" rel="noopener">Fanuc • Timing the Cycle</a> for details on our scoring methodology.</p><p><strong>We conclude that, although we are likely to confirm the cycle bottom in the next few weeks as interim results are announced, the potential for recovery is more than adequately reflected in these group's extreme valuations and relative-to-market stock prices. As we noted in the discussion on HDS, "the market is re-running the playbook of 2009-2010 where earnings momentum recovered sharply [..] we think the better scenario is the more gradual recovery of  2012-2015 which saw the stock trade sideways until the recovery was well-advanced."</strong></p>

Source: Japan AnalyticsThere has been much discussion on Smartkarma in the last week on the 'overexuberance' in Japan's semiconductor production equipment ("SPE") and factory automation (FA) companies' share prices following a 'spike' in Harmonic Drive Systems (6324 JP)(HDS) as discussed here, and Capital Group’s block sale in SK Hynix. LightStream Research explored the topic in detail in yesterday's Readthrough to Japanese FA Sector from Capital's SK Hynix Block Sale. As Raghav Kapoor noted in the discussion on that note: - "The trends between the pricing of the BI Japan Factory Automation Index (BIAPJAVP Index) and the SOX are strikingly similar."   This Insight will briefly examine these correlations using the Japan Analytic's scoring framework as well as updating our valuation work on Fanuc (6954 JP), Yaskawa Electric (6506 JP), Daifuku (6383 JP), Harmonic Drive Systems (6324 JP), as well as Tokyo Electron (8035 JP), Advantest (6857 JP), and Disco (6146 JP).     Please refer to our earlier Insight Fanuc • Timing the Cycle for details on our scoring methodology.We conclude that, although we are likely to confirm the cycle bottom in the next few weeks as interim results are announced, the potential for recovery is more than adequately reflected in these group's extreme valuations and relative-to-market stock prices. As we noted in the discussion on HDS, "the market is re-running the playbook of 2009-2010 where earnings momentum recovered sharply [..] we think the better scenario is the more gradual recovery of  2012-2015 which saw the stock trade sideways until the recovery was well-advanced."

🇯🇵 Japan • FA & SPE - Calling Bottoms and Tops

Japan

RORZE CORPORATION manufactures printed circuit board conveyers and wafer handlers for semiconductor manufacturing.  The Company also produces sorters and vacuum chamber robots, as well as controllers and stepping motor drivers used in various automation systems.  Rorze provides parts replacement and repair services for its products.

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Rorze Corp (6323 JP)

Rorze (6323) | Japan Small Cap Winner

Rorze is a stock for small-cap Japan growth investors. The company is well placed to monetise the long-term growth in semiconductor demand and WFE...

Mark Chadwick

JAPAN ACTIVISM: Silchester Goes After Chugoku Bank

Silchester's letter to Chugoku Bank is similar to the others, but rejection count/order is different. A small ask on a large balance sheet but...

Travis Lundy

JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebalance 2022: Leader Board End-Oct 2021

In this insight, we take a look at the potential Inclusions and Removals for the JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebalance to come in August 2022 based on trading...

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

JPX-Nikkei 400 Rebalance 2021: Pre-Event Basket Adjustments for April-End

JPX Nikkei 400 2021 Rebal Pre-Event L/S Basket +2.9% in April (thru the 28th). The 30th is rebal day for readers. 2 potential deletes and 7...

Janaghan Jeyakumar, CFA

🇯🇵 Japan • FA & SPE - Calling Bottoms and Tops

There has been much discussion on Smartkarma in the last week on the 'overexuberance' in Japan's semiconductor production equipment ("SPE") and...

Campbell Gunn

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