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. 

Equity Bottom-Up

The merger of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/matsumotokiyoshi-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2259:1" rel="noopener">Matsumotokiyoshi Holdings Co., Ltd. (3088 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cocokara-fine-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15447:1" rel="noopener">Cocokara Fine (3098 JP)</a> is just one symptom of the growing concentration of market share in the drugstore sector.But the sector's leaders are no longer just battling for dominance in drugstore retailing; increasingly drugstores are evolving far behind this niche sector.Drugstore retailing is growing faster than any sector other than e-commerce because drugstores are positioned to meet customer needs for well-being, health and, nowadays, a broad range of daily necessities including food, and so becoming ever more integrated into consumers’ daily shopping experience.Their eclectic ranges also mean they perform well in the middle of natural disasters and crises of various forms and many chains have seen good results thanks to earthquakes, extreme weather and especially thanks to Covid, but this doesn’t fully explain the sector’s success.Crises may have helped, but Japan’s top drugstores are today some of the country’s best retailers in their own right.The following is a complete, in-depth review of the drugstore sector, including rankings, KPIs, and future trends on the sector and the potential winners.Jun Tsuruha, the current <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tsuruha-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9536:1" rel="noopener">Tsuruha Holdings (3391 JP)</a> CEO, was widely quoted last year as saying the sector would soon be dominated by just “four or five” major firms. This is far from fantasy, with Tsuruha, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/welcia-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20895:1" rel="noopener">Welcia Holdings (3141 JP)</a>, Matsukiyo-Cocokara, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cosmos-pharmaceutical-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:3797:1" rel="noopener">Cosmos Pharmaceutical (3349 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sugi-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9255:1" rel="noopener">Sugi Holdings (7649 JP)</a> the most likely contenders.

The merger of Matsumotokiyoshi Holdings Co., Ltd. (3088 JP) and Cocokara Fine (3098 JP) is just one symptom of the growing concentration of market share in the drugstore sector.But the sector's leaders are no longer just battling for dominance in drugstore retailing; increasingly drugstores are evolving far behind this niche sector.Drugstore retailing is growing faster than any sector other than e-commerce because drugstores are positioned to meet customer needs for well-being, health and, nowadays, a broad range of daily necessities including food, and so becoming ever more integrated into consumers’ daily shopping experience.Their eclectic ranges also mean they perform well in the middle of natural disasters and crises of various forms and many chains have seen good results thanks to earthquakes, extreme weather and especially thanks to Covid, but this doesn’t fully explain the sector’s success.Crises may have helped, but Japan’s top drugstores are today some of the country’s best retailers in their own right.The following is a complete, in-depth review of the drugstore sector, including rankings, KPIs, and future trends on the sector and the potential winners.Jun Tsuruha, the current Tsuruha Holdings (3391 JP) CEO, was widely quoted last year as saying the sector would soon be dominated by just “four or five” major firms. This is far from fantasy, with Tsuruha, Welcia Holdings (3141 JP), Matsukiyo-Cocokara, Cosmos Pharmaceutical (3349 JP) and Sugi Holdings (7649 JP) the most likely contenders.

Japan Drugstores: Growing Leadership in Food, Household, Cosmetics – and the Odd Medicine Too

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

A couple of minutes before the AM session close yesterday, the Nikkei Inc released a <a href="https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXMZO48537880U9A810C1I00000/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">story</a> saying that the Special Committee formed to help <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/cocokara-fine-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:15447:1" rel="noopener">cocokara Fine (3098 JP)</a> management decide whether to enter merger talks with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/matsumotokiyoshi-holdings-co" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2259:1" rel="noopener">Matsumotokiyoshi Holdings Co (3088 JP)</a> (commonly known as "MatsuKiyo") or with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/sugi-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9255:1" rel="noopener">Sugi Holdings (7649 JP)</a> has decided to go with MatsuKiyo. The cocokara Board of Directors looked at the same information and inputs, and they agreed with the panel that the synergy effect was greater if they joined with MatsumotoKiyoshi. cocokara shares immediately popped 9.5% before settling +6.9% at lunch. MatsuKiyo popped as well.  <figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/095/696/original/Screenshot%202019-08-14%20at%205.16.51%20PM.png?1565774282" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="95696"></figure><div class="content-caption">source: tradingview.com, Quiddity</div>Over the lunch break, cocokara fine released a <a href="https://corp.cocokarafine.co.jp/news/pdf/20190814_TD01.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> (Japanese only for now; English will be in the Discussion Posts below if it comes) saying similar, and that they would enter exclusive negotiations with Matsumoto Kiyoshi on joining, with an eye to concluding a basic agreement, followed by a final agreement. When the market opened in the afternoon, both fell, then both slowly rose back into the end of the day. cocokara ended up 1.3%; Matsukiyo fell 2.2% on the day. The share price ratio closed at 1.689.The panel convened in mid-June to study the matter looked at product policy, store opening areas, the organizational structure of the two enterprises, and decided that the synergy effects with MatsuKiyo were significant. Apparently MatsuKiyo submitted two proposals - capital tie-up as first envisaged earlier in April and "management integration" (which means a full joining (merger or holdco)).On a pro-forma basis (using end-March numbers), the combination would run 3,008 stores and have almost ¥1 trillion in sales (¥976.4bn in FY18) against the current number one and number two <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/welcia-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:20895:1" rel="noopener">Welcia Holdings (3141 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tsuruha-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:9536:1" rel="noopener">Tsuruha Holdings (3391 JP)</a> with ¥670-695 billion in segment sales each this past year. This comes as something of a surprise. I thought Sugi would end up being the preferred partner for reasons of culture, overlap (lack thereof), and Cocokara's desire to get into healthcare services, where Sugi already has a tie-up with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/medpeer-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:4090:1" rel="noopener">Medpeer Inc (6095 JP)</a>. I also figured Sugi might offer better terms. I would note that this is still not a done deal. Usually, two firms will talk informally, then the boards will decide management teams should talk formally after the ground has been broken. In this case the informal talks to understand synergy and culture appear not to have been completed before we got to the Independent Committee so in this case the parents have decided which potential spouse is better before the kids have done the speed dating.A full discussion is below the fold.<hr> For more on this subject, see my previous piece <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/cocokara-fine-cocokara" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:30197" rel="noopener">Cocokara Fine は Cocokara いいね*</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/profiles/michael-causton" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="accounts:2415" rel="noopener">Michael Causton</a>'s excellent and informative pieces on the deal and the sector <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/matsukiyo-and-cocokara-fine-tie-to-shake-up-drugstore-sector" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:29890" rel="noopener">Matsukiyo and Cocokara Fine Tie to Shake up Drugstore Sector</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-drugstores-set-to-expand-further" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:28119" rel="noopener">Japan Drugstores Set to Expand Further</a>, and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/drug-fuelled-marriages-and-macho-shachos-in-japan" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:30346" rel="noopener">Drug-Fuelled Marriages and Macho Shachos* in Japan</a>. Furthermore, two of his recent big picture pieces <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japanese-retailing-the-big-disruption-and-opportunity-in-the-next-5-years" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:30770" rel="noopener">Japanese Retailing: The Big Disruption – and Opportunity – in the Next 5 Years</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/winners-and-losers-in-japanese-retailing-in-the-next-5-10-years" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:30771" rel="noopener">Winners and Losers in Japanese Retailing in the Next 5-10 Years</a> are excellent backdrop, with the latter providing the SWOTs for the sector.For more information on Japanese Tender Offers and M&amp;A - how they work and how they unfold - please refer to the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/quiddity-japan-m-a-guide-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Quiddity Japan M&amp;A Guide</a>.

A couple of minutes before the AM session close yesterday, the Nikkei Inc released a story saying that the Special Committee formed to help cocokara Fine (3098 JP) management decide whether to enter merger talks with Matsumotokiyoshi Holdings Co (3088 JP) (commonly known as "MatsuKiyo") or with Sugi Holdings (7649 JP) has decided to go with MatsuKiyo. The cocokara Board of Directors looked at the same information and inputs, and they agreed with the panel that the synergy effect was greater if they joined with MatsumotoKiyoshi. cocokara shares immediately popped 9.5% before settling +6.9% at lunch. MatsuKiyo popped as well.  source: tradingview.com, QuiddityOver the lunch break, cocokara fine released a statement (Japanese only for now; English will be in the Discussion Posts below if it comes) saying similar, and that they would enter exclusive negotiations with Matsumoto Kiyoshi on joining, with an eye to concluding a basic agreement, followed by a final agreement. When the market opened in the afternoon, both fell, then both slowly rose back into the end of the day. cocokara ended up 1.3%; Matsukiyo fell 2.2% on the day. The share price ratio closed at 1.689.The panel convened in mid-June to study the matter looked at product policy, store opening areas, the organizational structure of the two enterprises, and decided that the synergy effects with MatsuKiyo were significant. Apparently MatsuKiyo submitted two proposals - capital tie-up as first envisaged earlier in April and "management integration" (which means a full joining (merger or holdco)).On a pro-forma basis (using end-March numbers), the combination would run 3,008 stores and have almost ¥1 trillion in sales (¥976.4bn in FY18) against the current number one and number two Welcia Holdings (3141 JP) and Tsuruha Holdings (3391 JP) with ¥670-695 billion in segment sales each this past year. This comes as something of a surprise. I thought Sugi would end up being the preferred partner for reasons of culture, overlap (lack thereof), and Cocokara's desire to get into healthcare services, where Sugi already has a tie-up with Medpeer Inc (6095 JP). I also figured Sugi might offer better terms. I would note that this is still not a done deal. Usually, two firms will talk informally, then the boards will decide management teams should talk formally after the ground has been broken. In this case the informal talks to understand synergy and culture appear not to have been completed before we got to the Independent Committee so in this case the parents have decided which potential spouse is better before the kids have done the speed dating.A full discussion is below the fold. For more on this subject, see my previous piece Cocokara Fine は Cocokara いいね* and Michael Causton's excellent and informative pieces on the deal and the sector Matsukiyo and Cocokara Fine Tie to Shake up Drugstore Sector, Japan Drugstores Set to Expand Further, and Drug-Fuelled Marriages and Macho Shachos* in Japan. Furthermore, two of his recent big picture pieces Japanese Retailing: The Big Disruption – and Opportunity – in the Next 5 Years and Winners and Losers in Japanese Retailing in the Next 5-10 Years are excellent backdrop, with the latter providing the SWOTs for the sector.For more information on Japanese Tender Offers and M&amp;A - how they work and how they unfold - please refer to the Quiddity Japan M&amp;A Guide.

Cocokara (3098) Going With MatsuKiyo (3088) But Ratio Overextended

Japan

SOGO MEDICAL CO., LTD. operates and franchises pharmacies and sells pharmaceutical chemicals and drugs. Sogo Medical also provides equipment leasing and management consulting services for medical institutions and start-up medical practitioners.  The Company rents out televisions to hospitalized patients and provides meals to them.

Sogo Medical (4775 JP)

Japan Drugstores: Growing Leadership in Food, Household, Cosmetics – and the Odd Medicine Too

The Japanese drugstore sector has seen a big merger but there will be more as the sector not only consolidates down to a few leaders but also...

Michael Causton

Cocokara (3098) Going With MatsuKiyo (3088) But Ratio Overextended

A couple of minutes before the AM session close yesterday, the Nikkei Inc released a story saying that the Special Committee formed to help...

Travis Lundy