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)

<ul>
<li>Shopping malls are now trading at pre-pandemic levels again and developers and tenants alike are much more upbeat and optimistic about the future. </li>
<li>The pandemic, alongside competition from e-commerce, has left its mark but this has mostly been a good thing, forcing more proactive management of malls.</li>
<li>Profitability remains a concern but rents are up for some and more efficiencies are being introduced through digitisation.</li>
</ul>


Shopping malls are now trading at pre-pandemic levels again and developers and tenants alike are much more upbeat and optimistic about the future. 
The pandemic, alongside competition from e-commerce, has left its mark but this has mostly been a good thing, forcing more proactive management of malls.
Profitability remains a concern but rents are up for some and more efficiencies are being introduced through digitisation.


Japan Shopping Malls: More Proactive and Disciplined Post-Covid

<ul>
<li>The long awaited lifting of restrictions on inbound tourists in October seems to have given new confidence to domestic tourists too.</li>
<li>Major airlines, hotels and railways are all reporting a significant uplift in bookings with several forecasting that figures will exceed 2019 by March next year.</li>
<li>Retailers have benefitted too, notably department stores and lifestyle retailers. Now all Japan needs is for Chinese tourists to be allowed out.</li>
</ul>


The long awaited lifting of restrictions on inbound tourists in October seems to have given new confidence to domestic tourists too.
Major airlines, hotels and railways are all reporting a significant uplift in bookings with several forecasting that figures will exceed 2019 by March next year.
Retailers have benefitted too, notably department stores and lifestyle retailers. Now all Japan needs is for Chinese tourists to be allowed out.


Japan's Retailers, Hotels, Carriers Rejoice: Domestic Tourism Surges and Inbound Traffic Rises

Technical Analyst, Vermilion Research

Joe Jasper

Technical Analyst

Technical and Quantitative Research

Vermilion Research

Vermilion’s objective is to deliver timely, actionable, and unique technical research to professional investors through the application of our various technical indicators.

Our research strategists seek to highlight securities which we believe are at major inflection points, based on our various technical and quantitative indicators, and offer asymmetric risk/return profiles. Our unique research methodology, centered on relative strength, enables our strategists to deliver superior investment recommendations.

Our process begins by organizing the universe of actively traded stocks into discrete sectors, then into industry groups. We then apply our technical and quantitative tools to identify developing price trends. Once attractive trends are identified within a selected sector or group, we screen for individual stocks which we believe offer the best risk/reward profile. We provide a historical perspective that often reveals, through our long-term charts, how price patterns often repeat themselves over time.

Technical Analysis

S&P BSE SENSEX Index / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>Many major indexes are still testing (and holding above) critical supports. This includes MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), TOPIX/TOPIX Small/Nikkei 225, EURO STOXX 50, STOXX Europe 600, and the DAX</li>
<li>Our overall outlook remains neutral, and we continue to see many attractive buying opportunities, especially out of Japan, India, and a new one -- Brazil.</li>
<li>Buy ideas focus on the Consumer Discretionary and Financials Sectors, with the vast majority of stock recommendations from Japan, India, and Brazil</li>
</ul>


Many major indexes are still testing (and holding above) critical supports. This includes MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), TOPIX/TOPIX Small/Nikkei 225, EURO STOXX 50, STOXX Europe 600, and the DAX
Our overall outlook remains neutral, and we continue to see many attractive buying opportunities, especially out of Japan, India, and a new one -- Brazil.
Buy ideas focus on the Consumer Discretionary and Financials Sectors, with the vast majority of stock recommendations from Japan, India, and Brazil


Europe, Japan, $ACWI Testing Critical Supports; Rising DXY, Global Sovereign Yields a Major Headwind

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

David Blennerhassett

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>The virtuous cycle of shareholder return commences as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/china-mobile-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27:1" rel="noopener">China Mobile (941 HK)</a> starts buying its H-shares.</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/suzuki-motor-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:732:1" rel="noopener">Suzuki (7269 JP)</a>'s implied stub is currently around its all-time low, as is the simple ratio. <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/maruti-suzuki-india-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:733:1" rel="noopener">Maruti Suzuki (MSIL IN)</a> remains steadfast in its support for hybrid vehicles. That's a liability.</li>
<li>Quarz's intervention in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/mapletree-north-asia-commercial-trust" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:5127:1" rel="noopener">Mapletree North Asia Commercial (MAGIC SP)</a> is NOT surprising. They have some past experience complaining about Singaporean REIT mergers and other takeovers. But their analysis is surprising.</li>
</ul>


The virtuous cycle of shareholder return commences as China Mobile (941 HK) starts buying its H-shares.

Suzuki (7269 JP)'s implied stub is currently around its all-time low, as is the simple ratio. Maruti Suzuki (MSIL IN) remains steadfast in its support for hybrid vehicles. That's a liability.
Quarz's intervention in Mapletree North Asia Commercial (MAGIC SP) is NOT surprising. They have some past experience complaining about Singaporean REIT mergers and other takeovers. But their analysis is surprising.


Last Week in Event SPACE: China Mobile, Suzuki, Mapletree Merger, Bapcor, Toyota Industries/Motor

Travis Lundy

<ul>
<li>Seibu Holdings created a new Medium Term Management Plan in May 2021 including what it called Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals, or BHAGs.</li>
<li>That goal was to move a longtime asset-heavy business to an asset-light model by selling hotel and leisure assets, securitising others, and undergoing a Whole Business Restructuring.</li>
<li>Seibu Construction was sold in January and now it looks like 30 out of 40-odd Japan hotel and leisure facilities are nearly a done deal with a sale to GIC.</li>
</ul>


Seibu Holdings created a new Medium Term Management Plan in May 2021 including what it called Big, Hairy, Audacious Goals, or BHAGs.
That goal was to move a longtime asset-heavy business to an asset-light model by selling hotel and leisure assets, securitising others, and undergoing a Whole Business Restructuring.
Seibu Construction was sold in January and now it looks like 30 out of 40-odd Japan hotel and leisure facilities are nearly a done deal with a sale to GIC.


Seibu Holdings - Asset Heavy To Asset Lighter if Not Fully Asset Light

Japan

Seibu Holdings Inc. offers diversified operation. The Company through its subsidiary companies operates transportation, construction, hotel, leisure facilities, and real estate business. Seibu Holdings provides group enterprises strategy planning, operation management, asset management and supply, and business promotions.

Seibu Holdings (9024 JP)

Japan Shopping Malls: More Proactive and Disciplined Post-Covid

Shopping malls rebound to pre-pandemic levels, prompting optimism for the future as better management drives efficiency. This is an in-depth...

Michael Causton

Japan's Retailers, Hotels, Carriers Rejoice: Domestic Tourism Surges and Inbound Traffic Rises

Tourism is back in Japan, both domestic and inbound. We outline some of the key beneficiaries and expectations for a return to 2019 levels by next...

Michael Causton

Europe, Japan, $ACWI Testing Critical Supports; Rising DXY, Global Sovereign Yields a Major Headwind

Europe $STOXX 50, Japan $TOPIX $Nikkei 225, $ACWI Testing Critical Supports; Rising $DXY, Global Sovereign Yields Remain Major Headwinds for global...

Vermilion Research

Last Week in Event SPACE: China Mobile, Suzuki, Mapletree Merger, Bapcor, Toyota Industries/Motor

The weekend is here! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed...

David Blennerhassett

Seibu Holdings - Asset Heavy To Asset Lighter if Not Fully Asset Light

Seibu Holdings has been in the process of selecting hotel assets for sale, and buyers to buy them. It looks like we may have a deal, at slightly...

Travis Lundy

Japan Shopping Malls: More Proactive and Disciplined Post-Covid

​Shopping malls rebound to pre-pandemic levels, prompting optimism for the future as better management drives efficiency. This is an in-depth...

Michael Causton

Japan's Retailers, Hotels, Carriers Rejoice: Domestic Tourism Surges and Inbound Traffic Rises

Tourism is back in Japan, both domestic and inbound. We outline some of the key beneficiaries and expectations for a return to 2019 levels by next...

Michael Causton

Europe, Japan, $ACWI Testing Critical Supports; Rising DXY, Global Sovereign Yields a Major Headwind

Europe $STOXX 50, Japan $TOPIX $Nikkei 225, $ACWI Testing Critical Supports; Rising $DXY, Global Sovereign Yields Remain Major Headwinds for global...

Vermilion Research

Last Week in Event SPACE: China Mobile, Suzuki, Mapletree Merger, Bapcor, Toyota Industries/Motor

The weekend is here! Pour yourself a coffee, grab a comfortable seat, and sift through a brief summary of insights on various events discussed...

David Blennerhassett

Seibu Holdings - Asset Heavy To Asset Lighter if Not Fully Asset Light

Seibu Holdings has been in the process of selecting hotel assets for sale, and buyers to buy them. It looks like we may have a deal, at slightly...

Travis Lundy

Shopping malls rebound to pre-pandemic levels, prompting optimism for the future as better management drives efficiency. This is an in-depth...