Japanese Equity Specialist, Ortus Advisors

Andrew Jackson

Japanese Equity Specialist

Ortus Advisors

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>Cable laggards SEI -16%, Furukawa -14% and Fujikura -10% over the last 5 sessions. Worth looking at for solid upside as the market scrambles for laggards.</li>
<li>Softbank only +1.5% Friday despite ARM +11%. Could see a rebound today if fears from margin loan struggles fade.</li>
<li>Japanese names are likely to give Friday’s gains back but excessive weakness could be an opportunity to reengage ahead of the dust settling post-SpaceX.</li>
</ul>


Cable laggards SEI -16%, Furukawa -14% and Fujikura -10% over the last 5 sessions. Worth looking at for solid upside as the market scrambles for laggards.
Softbank only +1.5% Friday despite ARM +11%. Could see a rebound today if fears from margin loan struggles fade.
Japanese names are likely to give Friday’s gains back but excessive weakness could be an opportunity to reengage ahead of the dust settling post-SpaceX.


Japan Morning Connection: Cable and Optical Laggards in Focus as AI Strength Returns

Equity & Credit Research

Duncan Chan

<ul>
<li>Global wafer shipments grew 5.8% in 2025 and continued expanding into 2026, but China's localisation drive is increasingly influencing procurement decisions.</li>
<li>China's domestic 12-inch wafer penetration is estimated to have reached c.32% in 2026, supported by capacity expansion and qualification progress.</li>
<li>The two groups represent complementary exposures: Shin-Etsu and SUMCO for advanced-node durability; Chinese localisation names for higher-growth domestic substitution.</li>
</ul>


Global wafer shipments grew 5.8% in 2025 and continued expanding into 2026, but China's localisation drive is increasingly influencing procurement decisions.
China's domestic 12-inch wafer penetration is estimated to have reached c.32% in 2026, supported by capacity expansion and qualification progress.
The two groups represent complementary exposures: Shin-Etsu and SUMCO for advanced-node durability; Chinese localisation names for higher-growth domestic substitution.


Silicon Wafer Suppliers: China's Localisation Drive Is Emerging As A Market Share Risk

<ul>
<li>Shin Etsu likely to catch up today after Sumco's +19.23% move on Nomura TP raise from AI wafer demand.</li>
<li>Fuji Electric may get more attention after plans to launch a new liquid cooling product for servers which could reduce power by as much as 85%.</li>
<li>A surge in the US for software should help NEC, Fujitsu, OBIC which are all not far from their lows.</li>
</ul>


Shin Etsu likely to catch up today after Sumco's +19.23% move on Nomura TP raise from AI wafer demand.
Fuji Electric may get more attention after plans to launch a new liquid cooling product for servers which could reduce power by as much as 85%.
A surge in the US for software should help NEC, Fujitsu, OBIC which are all not far from their lows.


Japan Morning Connection: Blue Origin Blast Will Only Add to SpaceX IPO Excitement

<ul>
<li>Disco, Lasertec and Advantest all trading below recent highs despite reporting this season but set to close the gap on positive news.</li>
<li>Softbank -4.5% Friday but looks attractive after reducing its margin loan from $10bn to $6bn easing overextension concerns.</li>
<li>QD Laser +23% on Friday, a positive for Samco Inc, Seikoh Giken and Santec Corp also on this theme.</li>
</ul>


Disco, Lasertec and Advantest all trading below recent highs despite reporting this season but set to close the gap on positive news.
Softbank -4.5% Friday but looks attractive after reducing its margin loan from $10bn to $6bn easing overextension concerns.
QD Laser +23% on Friday, a positive for Samco Inc, Seikoh Giken and Santec Corp also on this theme.


Japan Morning Connection: Sumco Surges on AI Wafer Demand and SPE Laggards Set for a Rebound

<ul>
<li>Google research touting a new memory compression technique exacerbated rotation out of memory names with Micron -18% and Sandisk -10% for the week.</li>
<li>Wafer names shrugging off the memory panic with Soitec and Siltronic higher with Sumco and Shin-Etsu set to follow.</li>
<li>SpaceX IPO buzz sent space names surging. QPS, Synspective and Astroscale all set for more upside today.</li>
</ul>


Google research touting a new memory compression technique exacerbated rotation out of memory names with Micron -18% and Sandisk -10% for the week.
Wafer names shrugging off the memory panic with Soitec and Siltronic higher with Sumco and Shin-Etsu set to follow.
SpaceX IPO buzz sent space names surging. QPS, Synspective and Astroscale all set for more upside today.


Japan Morning Connection: Kioxia Running Out of Steam as Memory Rotation Gathers Pace

Japan

Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. produces and distributes synthetic resins and other chemical products such as fertilizers. The Company also manufactures electronic materials such as semiconductor silicon, synthetic, and rare earth quartz. Shin-Etsu Chemical operates in Japan and overseas.

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Shin Etsu Chemical (4063 JP)

Japan Morning Connection: Cable and Optical Laggards in Focus as AI Strength Returns

Cable laggards SEI and Furukawa worth watching as AI strength returns. Softbank looks set to rebound on ARM's surge. Chiyoda looks well placed as...

Andrew Jackson

Japan Morning Connection: Blue Origin Blast Will Only Add to SpaceX IPO Excitement

Space names Axelspace, QPS, Synspective and Astroscale all sold off Friday on Blue Origin explosion but unlikely to wallow long with SpaceX IPO...

Andrew Jackson

Japan Morning Connection: Sumco Surges on AI Wafer Demand and SPE Laggards Set for a Rebound

Intel's Apple deal and Micron's structural shift drive gains, a positive for Japan's SPE laggards Disco, Lasertec and Advantest now set to close...

Andrew Jackson

Japan Morning Connection: Kioxia Running Out of Steam as Memory Rotation Gathers Pace

Memory rotation deepens as Google's compression research spooks the market. Softbank still has room to run on ARM's AI chip. SpaceX IPO buzz keeps...

Andrew Jackson

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Japan Morning Connection: Cable and Optical Laggards in Focus as AI Strength Returns

Cable laggards SEI and Furukawa worth watching as AI strength returns. Softbank looks set to rebound on ARM's surge. Chiyoda looks well placed as...

Andrew Jackson

Silicon Wafer Suppliers: China's Localisation Drive Is Emerging As A Market Share Risk

China's wafer localisation drive is accelerating, but Shin-Etsu and SUMCO remain protected by qualification barriers, technology leadership and...

Duncan Chan

Japan Morning Connection: Blue Origin Blast Will Only Add to SpaceX IPO Excitement

Space names Axelspace, QPS, Synspective and Astroscale all sold off Friday on Blue Origin explosion but unlikely to wallow long with SpaceX IPO...

Andrew Jackson

Japan Morning Connection: Sumco Surges on AI Wafer Demand and SPE Laggards Set for a Rebound

Intel's Apple deal and Micron's structural shift drive gains, a positive for Japan's SPE laggards Disco, Lasertec and Advantest now set to close...

Andrew Jackson

Japan Morning Connection: Kioxia Running Out of Steam as Memory Rotation Gathers Pace

Memory rotation deepens as Google's compression research spooks the market. Softbank still has room to run on ARM's AI chip. SpaceX IPO buzz keeps...

Andrew Jackson