Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

Japan Petroleum Exploration / Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>Japanese companies are buying back more stock than ever before, and recent moves by the TSE and METI are effectively pushing for more.</li>
<li>The new goal is to lift PBR and ROE. The easiest way to lift ROE is reduce E. Low-PBR Cos with excess assets and cross-holdings (outbound and inbound) are targets.</li>
<li>In this insight I look at several possible rankings for potential large buyback targets.</li>
</ul>


Japanese companies are buying back more stock than ever before, and recent moves by the TSE and METI are effectively pushing for more.
The new goal is to lift PBR and ROE. The easiest way to lift ROE is reduce E. Low-PBR Cos with excess assets and cross-holdings (outbound and inbound) are targets.
In this insight I look at several possible rankings for potential large buyback targets.


JAPAN GOVERNANCE CHANGES II - Who Could Surprise on Buybacks? Quant Rankings

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

TSE Tokyo Price Index TOPIX / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>The MSCI ACWI index ACWI-US briefly fell below major support at $90.50-$91.50, though we do not consider it a "decisive" breakdown and we now see a false breakdown (bullish).</li>
<li>On MSCI ACWI (local currency), a false breakdown appears to already be in place, which is bullish as long as the index does not break to a new low.</li>
<li>MSCI EM (EEM-US) continues to hold above $36.50-$37 support, while MSCI ACWI ex-US (ACWX-US) and EAFE (EFA-US) remain above supports at $45 and $65-$66, respectively. Pullback is likely over.</li>
</ul>


The MSCI ACWI index ACWI-US briefly fell below major support at $90.50-$91.50, though we do not consider it a "decisive" breakdown and we now see a false breakdown (bullish).
On MSCI ACWI (local currency), a false breakdown appears to already be in place, which is bullish as long as the index does not break to a new low.
MSCI EM (EEM-US) continues to hold above $36.50-$37 support, while MSCI ACWI ex-US (ACWX-US) and EAFE (EFA-US) remain above supports at $45 and $65-$66, respectively. Pullback is likely over.


Japan Bullishly Inflecting; Constructive Outlook Intact; Global Pullback Likely Over

S&P BSE SENSEX Index / Technical Analysis

<ul>
<li>Our 2023 outlook remains unchanged as we continue to expect broad-based consolidation with $93 capping upside on MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), while important downside targets are $86, $84, and $75-77.</li>
<li>We still recommend tactical overweight to defensives including gold miners and MSCI ACWI Staples, Health Care, and Utilities, given ACWI-US remains near the top of our expected 2023 trading range.</li>
<li>We are now starting to see broad-based improvement, particularly in Japan and India, but also in Taiwan and South Korea. Most of today's buy recommendations are cyclicals in these countries.</li>
</ul>


Our 2023 outlook remains unchanged as we continue to expect broad-based consolidation with $93 capping upside on MSCI ACWI (ACWI-US), while important downside targets are $86, $84, and $75-77.
We still recommend tactical overweight to defensives including gold miners and MSCI ACWI Staples, Health Care, and Utilities, given ACWI-US remains near the top of our expected 2023 trading range.
We are now starting to see broad-based improvement, particularly in Japan and India, but also in Taiwan and South Korea. Most of today's buy recommendations are cyclicals in these countries.


Broad-Based Improvement in India, Add Exposure/Overweight. Buys: Cyclicals in Japan, India, & Taiwan

Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>OVERSEAS: SPX down 3 in a Row as  Fed Hawks out in force; Oil bucks trend ;  P&amp;G see weak sales; Musk makes it up on TESLA's self driving</li>
<li>JAPAN: Kishida Cabinet approval at record lows;  Activist ValueAct tgts S&amp;i(3382); Spate of Street upgrades to BUY incl General Contractors at MS; Japan CPI on tap.</li>
<li>DAILY NUGGET: Could be Nothing Burger but the costs of US default is rising as Debt Limit hit.</li>
</ul>


OVERSEAS: SPX down 3 in a Row as  Fed Hawks out in force; Oil bucks trend ;  P&amp;G see weak sales; Musk makes it up on TESLA's self driving
JAPAN: Kishida Cabinet approval at record lows;  Activist ValueAct tgts S&amp;i(3382); Spate of Street upgrades to BUY incl General Contractors at MS; Japan CPI on tap.
DAILY NUGGET: Could be Nothing Burger but the costs of US default is rising as Debt Limit hit.


Good Morning Japan |Fed Hawks Return; Earnings Weigh; ValueAct Tgts S&I(3382); Spate of JP BUY U/Gs

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/shimizu-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8530:1" rel="noopener">Shimizu Corp (1803 JP)</a> has held ~25% of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/nippon-road-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12581:1" rel="noopener">Nippon Road (1884 JP)</a> and has now announced a Partial Tender Offer to go to 50.1%. It's a 20-year high, but...</li>
<li>... it's the wrong price. And it has been. And a quasi-activist has built a 16% stake in recent years. </li>
<li>The question is whether this gets done. They only need to buy 25.25% out of the 75% they don't own, but it's a question.</li>
</ul>



Shimizu Corp (1803 JP) has held ~25% of Nippon Road (1884 JP) and has now announced a Partial Tender Offer to go to 50.1%. It's a 20-year high, but...
... it's the wrong price. And it has been. And a quasi-activist has built a 16% stake in recent years. 
The question is whether this gets done. They only need to buy 25.25% out of the 75% they don't own, but it's a question.


Shimizu Corp Partial Offer for Nippon Road (1884 JP) May Get Interesting

Japan

Shimizu Corporation is a general contractor operating nationwide and overseas. The Company builds residential, commercial, and institutional buildings. Shimizu also performs civil engineering works for roads and operates real estate businesses. The Company, through its subsidiaries, sells and leases construction materials and machinery.

Shimizu Corp (1803 JP)

JAPAN GOVERNANCE CHANGES II - Who Could Surprise on Buybacks? Quant Rankings

JAPAN GOVERNANCE: There is a buyback story coming. It will be big. Bigger than the past year or two, and it will continue. What to buy?

Travis Lundy

Japan Bullishly Inflecting; Constructive Outlook Intact; Global Pullback Likely Over

The MSCI $ACWI briefly fell below our $90.50 support but quickly reclaimed, suggesting a false breakdown and the likely end to this pullback in...

Vermilion Research

Broad-Based Improvement in India, Add Exposure/Overweight. Buys: Cyclicals in Japan, India, & Taiwan

Seeing broad-based improvement in India #SENSEX -- overweight/add exposure. We still recommend a tactical overweight to ACWI defensives with $ACWI...

Vermilion Research

Good Morning Japan |Fed Hawks Return; Earnings Weigh; ValueAct Tgts S&I(3382); Spate of JP BUY U/Gs

Fed Hawks out in full force; Kishida Cabinet approval at record lows; Activist tgts S&i(3382); Spate of Street upgrades to BUY incl General...

Mark Chadwick

Shimizu Corp Partial Offer for Nippon Road (1884 JP) May Get Interesting

Shimizu Corp owns 25%. They want to go to 50.1%. They may be able to but it is not a no-brainer. It may depend on what Simplex does.

Travis Lundy

JAPAN GOVERNANCE CHANGES II - Who Could Surprise on Buybacks? Quant Rankings

JAPAN GOVERNANCE: There is a buyback story coming. It will be big. Bigger than the past year or two, and it will continue. What to buy?

Travis Lundy

Japan Bullishly Inflecting; Constructive Outlook Intact; Global Pullback Likely Over

​The MSCI $ACWI briefly fell below our $90.50 support but quickly reclaimed, suggesting a false breakdown and the likely end to this pullback in...

Vermilion Research

Broad-Based Improvement in India, Add Exposure/Overweight. Buys: Cyclicals in Japan, India, & Taiwan

Seeing broad-based improvement in India #SENSEX -- overweight/add exposure. We still recommend a tactical overweight to ACWI defensives with $ACWI...

Vermilion Research

Good Morning Japan |Fed Hawks Return; Earnings Weigh; ValueAct Tgts S&I(3382); Spate of JP BUY U/Gs

Fed Hawks out in full force; Kishida Cabinet approval at record lows; Activist tgts S&i(3382); Spate of Street upgrades to BUY incl General...

Mark Chadwick

Shimizu Corp Partial Offer for Nippon Road (1884 JP) May Get Interesting

Shimizu Corp owns 25%. They want to go to 50.1%. They may be able to but it is not a no-brainer. It may depend on what Simplex does.

Travis Lundy

The MSCI $ACWI briefly fell below our $90.50 support but quickly reclaimed, suggesting a false breakdown and the likely end to this pullback in...