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. 

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

At least until the Covid-19 crisis hit Japan in January, the majority of retailers were gearing up to announce yet another really good year of financial results for FY2019-20.
Even with the crisis, results were generally better than for FY2018 – although there are big variations by sector.
Those differences are more or less what we’ve come to expect, with traditional formats like department stores continuing to struggle, while those formats that have adopted modern management are doing well.
The following is an in-depth review of Japan's retail sector, providing:
<ul>
<li>An overview of consumer demand and retail performance</li>
<li>Format by format reviews showing growth and profit performance across all the main formats: convenience stores, supermarkets, GMS, consumer electronics, drugstores, homecentres, department stores, apparel, home and other specialty  formats.</li>
<li>Rankings:
<ul>
<li>Market share and size by sector/format</li>
<li>By sales for all retailers with sales over ¥250 billion</li>
<li>By gross and operating margins, split by format and category.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
As this is an in-depth insight, the review is split into two parts to make it easier to read.  This is Part II which provides snapshot reviews of each format/sector. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/the-japan-retail-review-winners-and-losers-in-japanese-retailing-part-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Part I, which provides a quick overview of all retailing, can be read here</a>.

At least until the Covid-19 crisis hit Japan in January, the majority of retailers were gearing up to announce yet another really good year of financial results for FY2019-20.
Even with the crisis, results were generally better than for FY2018 – although there are big variations by sector.
Those differences are more or less what we’ve come to expect, with traditional formats like department stores continuing to struggle, while those formats that have adopted modern management are doing well.
The following is an in-depth review of Japan's retail sector, providing:

An overview of consumer demand and retail performance
Format by format reviews showing growth and profit performance across all the main formats: convenience stores, supermarkets, GMS, consumer electronics, drugstores, homecentres, department stores, apparel, home and other specialty  formats.
Rankings:

Market share and size by sector/format
By sales for all retailers with sales over ¥250 billion
By gross and operating margins, split by format and category.



As this is an in-depth insight, the review is split into two parts to make it easier to read.  This is Part II which provides snapshot reviews of each format/sector. Part I, which provides a quick overview of all retailing, can be read here.

Japan Retail Review 2019-20 Part II: A Sector by Sector Review of Winners and Losers

Retail sales slumped again in May, but only because people are not buying clothes, visiting department stores and shopping centres, or buying their lunches at convenience stores.Although this led to another major drop in total sales, several sectors did very well and in June there was a surge in spending at some speciality chains and a return to some semblance of normality for many.

Retail sales slumped again in May, but only because people are not buying clothes, visiting department stores and shopping centres, or buying their lunches at convenience stores.Although this led to another major drop in total sales, several sectors did very well and in June there was a surge in spending at some speciality chains and a return to some semblance of normality for many.

Japan Retail: Essentials Strong in May but in June Even Discretionary Bounces Back

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

<div>
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/145/396/original/2020-07-11_10-05-20.png?1594454466" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="145396"></figure><div class="content-caption"> Source • Japan Analytics</div>
SMALL CHANGE - With over half of the companies with February, May, August and November year-ends having reported, the gap between the performance of larger and smaller capitalisation companies is widening again - as was the case prior to the March COVID 'crash'. The former are benefiting from a relatively more robust earnings momentum and the willingness of shareholders to look through to 2022. For the latter, their mostly-retail investor base is focused more on the prolongation of current operating losses despite, in many cases, ample Net Financial Assets.  42% of companies reporting on Friday had net losses for the last three months on an average decline in revenues of 14%. For the next reporting 'cohort' with one less 'normal' month, these statistics will be worse.
DAILY STATS
</div><hr><div>83 Quarterly Results</div><div><ul>
<li>
Results Score: 19 Positive / 3 Neutral / 61 Negative</li>
<li>
Average Results Score Change: -4.4</li>
<li>
Average % Change in Revenue: -14.2% Quarter YoY / -0.9% Rolling TTM YoY</li>
<li>
Average Operating Profit Margin Change: -0.7ppt</li>
<li>
Percentage Making Quarterly Losses: 42%</li>
</ul></div><hr><div> 31 Annual • 13 Interim Forecasts/Revisions</div><div><ul>
<li>
Annual Forecast/Revision Score: 13 Positive / 4 Neutral / 14 Negative</li>
<li>
Interim Forecast/Revision Score Change: 5 Positive / 1 Neutral / 7 Negative</li>
<li>
Average Forecast/Revision Score Change: -3.9</li>
</ul></div>


 Source • Japan Analytics
SMALL CHANGE - With over half of the companies with February, May, August and November year-ends having reported, the gap between the performance of larger and smaller capitalisation companies is widening again - as was the case prior to the March COVID 'crash'. The former are benefiting from a relatively more robust earnings momentum and the willingness of shareholders to look through to 2022. For the latter, their mostly-retail investor base is focused more on the prolongation of current operating losses despite, in many cases, ample Net Financial Assets.  42% of companies reporting on Friday had net losses for the last three months on an average decline in revenues of 14%. For the next reporting 'cohort' with one less 'normal' month, these statistics will be worse.
DAILY STATS
83 Quarterly Results

Results Score: 19 Positive / 3 Neutral / 61 Negative

Average Results Score Change: -4.4

Average % Change in Revenue: -14.2% Quarter YoY / -0.9% Rolling TTM YoY

Average Operating Profit Margin Change: -0.7ppt

Percentage Making Quarterly Losses: 42%
 31 Annual • 13 Interim Forecasts/Revisions

Annual Forecast/Revision Score: 13 Positive / 4 Neutral / 14 Negative

Interim Forecast/Revision Score Change: 5 Positive / 1 Neutral / 7 Negative

Average Forecast/Revision Score Change: -3.9


🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 10th July - Small Change

No one really knows what will happen after the initial shock of the coronavirus fades away. Many observers in Japan, expert and otherwise, are already predicting a completely new world in one way or another, but the reality is likely more prosaic.What is certain is that the Japanese consumer economy will recover and it is just a question of when.The most likely effect of the crisis is that it will catalyse a period of change already in process and which also happens to be one of the most dramatic and far-reaching seen so far in retail.But there is one trend that may well reverse as more businesses go under or contract, providing relief for many retailers: the labour shortage and rise in wages.The following offers an in-depth review of both the impact of the current crisis and implications as well as the long-term trends in Japanese retailing, providing insight into which sectors, formats and specific companies will win and lose in the next three years.For a short read, we provide the conclusions and winners and losers first.

No one really knows what will happen after the initial shock of the coronavirus fades away. Many observers in Japan, expert and otherwise, are already predicting a completely new world in one way or another, but the reality is likely more prosaic.What is certain is that the Japanese consumer economy will recover and it is just a question of when.The most likely effect of the crisis is that it will catalyse a period of change already in process and which also happens to be one of the most dramatic and far-reaching seen so far in retail.But there is one trend that may well reverse as more businesses go under or contract, providing relief for many retailers: the labour shortage and rise in wages.The following offers an in-depth review of both the impact of the current crisis and implications as well as the long-term trends in Japanese retailing, providing insight into which sectors, formats and specific companies will win and lose in the next three years.For a short read, we provide the conclusions and winners and losers first.

After Covid: The Future for Japanese Retail: Winners & Losers

Most apparel firms and retailers suffered plummeting sales in March and expect a further wrenching in April.The only retailers to post higher sales were <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/workman-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8467:1" rel="noopener">Workman Co Ltd (7564 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nishimatsuya-chain-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13375:1" rel="noopener">Nishimatsuya Chain (7545 JP).</a> The only good news is that many saw online sales surge as consumers switched to mobile purchases. While this wasn’t enough to offset lost sales in stores, it will catalyse the shift to online.

Most apparel firms and retailers suffered plummeting sales in March and expect a further wrenching in April.The only retailers to post higher sales were Workman Co Ltd (7564 JP) and Nishimatsuya Chain (7545 JP). The only good news is that many saw online sales surge as consumers switched to mobile purchases. While this wasn’t enough to offset lost sales in stores, it will catalyse the shift to online.

90% of Japanese Listed Apparel Firms Down but E-Commerce Powers Ahead

Japan

RYOHIN KEIKAKU CO., LTD. is a retailer and wholesaler of Mujirushi Ryohin brand products, which were originally a generic private-brand product.  The Company's product line includes knitwear, food, and household items

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Ryohin Keikaku (7453 JP)

Japan Retail Review 2019-20 Part II: A Sector by Sector Review of Winners and Losers

At least until the Covid-19 crisis hit Japan in January, the majority of retailers were gearing up to announce yet another really good year of...

Michael Causton

Japan Retail: Essentials Strong in May but in June Even Discretionary Bounces Back

Retail sales slumped again in May, but only because people are not buying clothes, visiting department stores and shopping centres, or buying their...

Michael Causton

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 10th July - Small Change

SMALL CHANGE - With over half of the companies with February, May, August and November year-ends having reported, the gap between the performance...

Campbell Gunn

After Covid: The Future for Japanese Retail: Winners & Losers

No one really knows what will happen after the initial shock of the coronavirus fades away. Many observers in Japan, expert and otherwise, are...

Michael Causton

90% of Japanese Listed Apparel Firms Down but E-Commerce Powers Ahead

Most apparel firms and retailers suffered plummeting sales in March and expect a further wrenching in April.The only retailers to post higher sales...

Michael Causton

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