Banks Equity & Credit Research Analyst

D V D Ravi Kumar, CFA

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Shiga Bank is well-leveraged to Japan’s rate hike cycle and regional revitalization strategy, with higher market-rate loan exposure than peers, enabling stronger earnings sensitivity to rising rates.</li>
<li>Core profitability is improving, driven by double-digit NII growth and rising NIMs. A CET1 ratio of 14.0% supports capital returns, selective M&amp;A, and ¥700bn in planned loan growth through 2029.</li>
<li>Despite a +63% YTD rally, shares remain undervalued at 0.7x P/B. Our target of ¥7,850/share implies ~+20% upside, supported by improving RoE, operational efficiencies, and capital deployment.</li>
</ul>


Shiga Bank is well-leveraged to Japan’s rate hike cycle and regional revitalization strategy, with higher market-rate loan exposure than peers, enabling stronger earnings sensitivity to rising rates.
Core profitability is improving, driven by double-digit NII growth and rising NIMs. A CET1 ratio of 14.0% supports capital returns, selective M&amp;A, and ¥700bn in planned loan growth through 2029.
Despite a +63% YTD rally, shares remain undervalued at 0.7x P/B. Our target of ¥7,850/share implies ~+20% upside, supported by improving RoE, operational efficiencies, and capital deployment.


Shiga Bank (8366 JP): High Capital, Low Valuation - Positioned to Ride Japan’s Banking Recovery

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

Hokkoku Financial Holdings / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Japanese banks have been in a relative sweetspot for a couple of years. Higher rates, higher inflation, more FX volatility, better earnings, stronger buybacks. Cross-holding sales up but not spectacular.</li>
<li>The BOJ may raise rates but Trump Tariff retaliation/mitigation is a question. Elections the next two weeks and earnings the 2-3 weeks after that may keep things a question. </li>
<li>But buybacks should pick up. Lots announced in spring end at or before Q1 earnings. And I expect substantial new buybacks to be announced throughout the from Q1 results on.</li>
</ul>


Japanese banks have been in a relative sweetspot for a couple of years. Higher rates, higher inflation, more FX volatility, better earnings, stronger buybacks. Cross-holding sales up but not spectacular.
The BOJ may raise rates but Trump Tariff retaliation/mitigation is a question. Elections the next two weeks and earnings the 2-3 weeks after that may keep things a question. 
But buybacks should pick up. Lots announced in spring end at or before Q1 earnings. And I expect substantial new buybacks to be announced throughout the from Q1 results on.


[Japan Buybacks] - Japan Bank Metrics, Cross-Holdings and Banks Part 1

Director, Head of Research, Smartkarma

Pranav Rao

Director, Head of Research

Smartkarma

Smartkarma unites the fragmented investment industry, connecting institutional investors, independent research providers, and corporates within a single network.

Research Reinvented

<ul>
<li>Welcome to Curator’s Cut, a fortnightly roundup of standout themes from the 1,000+ insights published in the past two weeks on Smartkarma</li>
<li>In this cut, we compare Japanese insurers versus banks, look at the Chinese EV sector and explore how tariff hikes benefit Asian port operators</li>
<li>Want to dig deeper? Comment or message with the themes you’d like to see highlighted next</li>
</ul>


Welcome to Curator’s Cut, a fortnightly roundup of standout themes from the 1,000+ insights published in the past two weeks on Smartkarma
In this cut, we compare Japanese insurers versus banks, look at the Chinese EV sector and explore how tariff hikes benefit Asian port operators
Want to dig deeper? Comment or message with the themes you’d like to see highlighted next


Curator's Cut: Japan Insurers Vs Banks, the State of the Chinese EV Sector & Asian Ports in Focus

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.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/gunma-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15777:1" rel="noopener">Gunma Bank (8334 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/daishi-hokuetsu-financial-group" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:27533:1" rel="noopener">Daishi Hokuetsu Financial Group (7327 JP)</a>/DHFG have announced an MoU to establish one of the largest regional banks in Japan by 1 April 2027.</li>
<li>The transaction involves delisting Gunma through a share exchange with DHFG. A definitive agreement is expected around March 2026. </li>
<li>The plan is long-dated. The lack of a controlling shareholder necessitates a “fair” exchange ratio. My estimated Gunma/DHFG exchange ratio range is 0.38-0.39x.</li>
</ul>



Gunma Bank (8334 JP) and Daishi Hokuetsu Financial Group (7327 JP)/DHFG have announced an MoU to establish one of the largest regional banks in Japan by 1 April 2027.
The transaction involves delisting Gunma through a share exchange with DHFG. A definitive agreement is expected around March 2026. 
The plan is long-dated. The lack of a controlling shareholder necessitates a “fair” exchange ratio. My estimated Gunma/DHFG exchange ratio range is 0.38-0.39x.


Gunma Bank (8334 JP): Daishi Hokuetsu (7327 JP) Share Exchange to Establish a Top Regional Bank

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

<ul>
<li>A group of 7 shareholders are looking to sell 61.3m shares in <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/murata-manufacturing-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11649:1" rel="noopener">Murata Manufacturing (6981 JP)</a> to raise JPY 143.8bn (US$916m). That is 3.3% of shares outstanding.</li>
<li>The shares are being offered at a price range of JPY 2296-2345.5/share, a discount of 5-7% to the last close of the stock.</li>
<li>With the offering less than 5% of shares outstanding and less than US$1bn in size, there is no immediate passive buying and there could be further weakness in the stock.</li>
</ul>


A group of 7 shareholders are looking to sell 61.3m shares in Murata Manufacturing (6981 JP) to raise JPY 143.8bn (US$916m). That is 3.3% of shares outstanding.
The shares are being offered at a price range of JPY 2296-2345.5/share, a discount of 5-7% to the last close of the stock.
With the offering less than 5% of shares outstanding and less than US$1bn in size, there is no immediate passive buying and there could be further weakness in the stock.


Murata Manufacturing (6981 JP) - No Immediate Passive Buying Could Lead to More Weakness

Japan

THE SHIGA BANK, LTD. is a regional bank mainly operating in Shiga.  The Bank also provides financial services including credit card and leasing as well as data management services.

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Shiga Bank (8366 JP)