Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>The changes to the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX)</a> as part of the March rebalance should be announced in just over 2 weeks. We expect 2-3 changes at the review.</li>
<li>The forecast adds have massively outperformed the forecast deletes and the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nikkei-225" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22909:1" rel="noopener">Nikkei225 Index</a> over every time period going back 3 months with the largest outperformance in the last month.</li>
<li>Positioning appears to be stretched in one forecast add while there appears to be under positioning in a couple of the forecast deletes.</li>
</ul>


The changes to the Nikkei 225 (NKY INDEX) as part of the March rebalance should be announced in just over 2 weeks. We expect 2-3 changes at the review.
The forecast adds have massively outperformed the forecast deletes and the Nikkei225 Index over every time period going back 3 months with the largest outperformance in the last month.
Positioning appears to be stretched in one forecast add while there appears to be under positioning in a couple of the forecast deletes.


Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance: Performance of Potential Adds/Deletes & Positioning

Equity Analyst, LightStream Research

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

Equity Analyst

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.

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shift-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:7266:1" rel="noopener">Shift Inc (3697 JP)</a> ’s share price went up by about 13% today following the release of its 1QFY08/2025 results yesterday. Share price is up 19% YTD.</li>
<li>• Shift’s aggressive investment on HR and system reinforcement had resulted in a decline in the company’s margins since 1QFY08/2024, this drove share prices down.</li>
<li>Shift has once again proved that its business model is resilient and we expect the company’s earnings to continue to see strong growth going forward.</li>
</ul>



Shift Inc (3697 JP) ’s share price went up by about 13% today following the release of its 1QFY08/2025 results yesterday. Share price is up 19% YTD.
• Shift’s aggressive investment on HR and system reinforcement had resulted in a decline in the company’s margins since 1QFY08/2024, this drove share prices down.
Shift has once again proved that its business model is resilient and we expect the company’s earnings to continue to see strong growth going forward.


Shift 1Q: Earnings Beat with Further Upside

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>In December, I thought the March 2025 Nikkei 225 Rebalance was going to be 2 ADDs 2 DELETEs and a double-capping for Fast Retailing. </li>
<li>Fast Retailing has fallen sharply vs Nikkei 225, and another stock has announced a large-multiple share split, making it a strong candidate for Nikkei 225 ADDITION in March 2025.</li>
<li>There is short-term path risk on all three ADDs, but they are definitely worth watching. Keep an eye out for separate insights on two of these names.</li>
</ul>


In December, I thought the March 2025 Nikkei 225 Rebalance was going to be 2 ADDs 2 DELETEs and a double-capping for Fast Retailing. 
Fast Retailing has fallen sharply vs Nikkei 225, and another stock has announced a large-multiple share split, making it a strong candidate for Nikkei 225 ADDITION in March 2025.
There is short-term path risk on all three ADDs, but they are definitely worth watching. Keep an eye out for separate insights on two of these names.


[Quiddity Index Jan25] Nikkei 225 Mar Rebal: 3 IN, 3 OUT, $3bn One Way

Japanese Turnaround Situations, Short-Ideas, Azabu Research

Michael Allen

Japanese Turnaround Situations, Short-Ideas

Azabu Research

Azabu Research is a publishing and consulting firm focused on distressed equities in the Japanese market. We specialize in turnaround strategies, corporate combinations, divestitures, and restructuring.

Publisher of the Tokyo Turnaround Letter, which conducts the most thorough research possible of publicly available information, including forensic tests for fraudulent overstatement of assets and understatement of liabilities, as well as rigorous market and industry analysis to assess the underlying strengths of the company’s products or services, the appropriateness of the company’s turnaround strategy, and the skill of its current management team. The average length of a report exceeds 25 pages of text and tables, excluding any disclosures or executive summaries.

We have more than 30 years of experience in applying this process to distressed equities in Japan. Additionally, subscribers have free access to detailed, yet easily navigated earnings models for the target company as well as the top five comparable companies, and unlimited access to the analyst for follow-up questions.

Azabu Research also conducts be-spoke research on a project basis, and provides consulting services to companies looking to restructure, divest, make acquisitions, go public, or improve investor sentiment toward their stock.

Independent Research and Consulting Firm

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>The median stock in our Dogs of Topix basket outperformed the median stock in the Topix 400 by 4% through Sept 2024.</li>
<li>This is below the average of 7% achieved by such stocks over the past 9 years, but it was a much tougher stretch than it looked. </li>
<li>Do we need to re-think? Much can be learned comparing the outperformers, whose median return was +34%, compared to the underperformers, which declined 23%.</li>
</ul>


The median stock in our Dogs of Topix basket outperformed the median stock in the Topix 400 by 4% through Sept 2024.
This is below the average of 7% achieved by such stocks over the past 9 years, but it was a much tougher stretch than it looked. 
Do we need to re-think? Much can be learned comparing the outperformers, whose median return was +34%, compared to the underperformers, which declined 23%.


Have the Rules for Bottom Fishing Changed?

Pan Pacific International Holdings / Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>The March 2026 review for the Nikkei 225 is turning out to be a little more interesting than one might have expected a few months ago. </li>
<li>As of the end of August, the 3mo ADTV for Kioxia (285A) was ¥18bn despite expectations it would go into M _ _ _. The 1mo average today? ¥383bn.</li>
<li>That means it has rapidly climbed into the top echelons of 5yr trading history. Importantly, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/jx-advanced-metals-corporation" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:44346:1" rel="noopener">JX Advanced Metals (5016 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kokusai-electric-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40152:1" rel="noopener">Kokusai Electric (6525 JP)</a> are not far behind.</li>
</ul>


The March 2026 review for the Nikkei 225 is turning out to be a little more interesting than one might have expected a few months ago. 
As of the end of August, the 3mo ADTV for Kioxia (285A) was ¥18bn despite expectations it would go into M _ _ _. The 1mo average today? ¥383bn.
That means it has rapidly climbed into the top echelons of 5yr trading history. Importantly, JX Advanced Metals (5016 JP) and Kokusai Electric (6525 JP) are not far behind.


[Quiddity Index] Nikkei 225 Mar26 - Kioxia (285A) On the Menu, Others Not Far Behind

Japan

SHIFT Inc. offers information technology outsourcing services. The Company provides outsourcing software testing services to corporations and individual clients. SHIFT also provides software solutions and consulting services, as well as educational classes and programs.

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Shift Inc (3697 JP)

Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance: Performance of Potential Adds/Deletes & Positioning

The forecast adds have strongly outperformed the forecast deletes over the last month. Positioning appears stretched in 1 add while there is under...

Brian Freitas

Shift 1Q: Earnings Beat with Further Upside

Shift's share price rose 13% after strong 1QFY08/2025 results. Key highlight was operating profits which beat consensus by a huge margin. Fall in...

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

[Quiddity Index Jan25] Nikkei 225 Mar Rebal: 3 IN, 3 OUT, $3bn One Way

Nikkei 225 March 2025 Rebalance could easily be three ADDs and three DELETEs this time. Last time it could have been too, but they only went for...

Travis Lundy

Have the Rules for Bottom Fishing Changed?

Increased passive investing and a rising interest rate environment have made the bottom-fishing game more treacherous, but the rules are still the...

Michael Allen

[Quiddity Index] Nikkei 225 Mar26 - Kioxia (285A) On the Menu, Others Not Far Behind

The Nikkei 225 Mar-26 rebalance is shaping up to be something different than one might have predicted just a month ago. High volume has trumped the...

Travis Lundy

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52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Nikkei 225 Index Rebalance: Performance of Potential Adds/Deletes & Positioning

The forecast adds have strongly outperformed the forecast deletes over the last month. Positioning appears stretched in 1 add while there is under...

Brian Freitas

Shift 1Q: Earnings Beat with Further Upside

​Shift's share price rose 13% after strong 1QFY08/2025 results. Key highlight was operating profits which beat consensus by a huge margin. Fall in...

Shifara Samsudeen, FCMA, CGMA

[Quiddity Index Jan25] Nikkei 225 Mar Rebal: 3 IN, 3 OUT, $3bn One Way

Nikkei 225 March 2025 Rebalance could easily be three ADDs and three DELETEs this time. Last time it could have been too, but they only went for...

Travis Lundy

Have the Rules for Bottom Fishing Changed?

Increased passive investing and a rising interest rate environment have made the bottom-fishing game more treacherous, but the rules are still the...

Michael Allen

[Quiddity Index] Nikkei 225 Mar26 - Kioxia (285A) On the Menu, Others Not Far Behind

The Nikkei 225 Mar-26 rebalance is shaping up to be something different than one might have predicted just a month ago. High volume has trumped the...

Travis Lundy

Shift's share price rose 13% after strong 1QFY08/2025 results. Key highlight was operating profits which beat consensus by a huge margin. Fall in...