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

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>2025 will start with more attractive turnaround opportunities than we have seen in a long time. </li>
<li>An uptick in TOBs, MBOs and merger discussions makes it suddenly no longer safe to short low-PBR companies indiscriminately.</li>
<li>Investors are noticing. More than two-dozen large- and medium-cap stocks with deep discounts to the benchmark began to bounce off well-defined support levels in late December.</li>
</ul>


2025 will start with more attractive turnaround opportunities than we have seen in a long time. 
An uptick in TOBs, MBOs and merger discussions makes it suddenly no longer safe to short low-PBR companies indiscriminately.
Investors are noticing. More than two-dozen large- and medium-cap stocks with deep discounts to the benchmark began to bounce off well-defined support levels in late December.


Unloved Japan Round Up Jan. 3: Set Up for A Banner Year?

Japan Specialist

Mark Chadwick

Sumitomo Heavy Industries / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>
 Buy ahead of August print: Mechatronics margins inflected to 9.4%, estimates are rising, and July divestitures should improve ROIC, supporting further re-rating from 1.0x book.</li>
<li>
 Key catalyst: Semiconductor-equipment orders started weak (~6% of FY target achieved in Q1); evidence of stabilization, is enough to support guidance.</li>
<li>
Risk/Reward: Reaffirmed JPY60bn OP guidance could drive 15–25% upside via multiple expansion; another guidance cut would challenge the self-help story and pressure shares.</li>
</ul>



 Buy ahead of August print: Mechatronics margins inflected to 9.4%, estimates are rising, and July divestitures should improve ROIC, supporting further re-rating from 1.0x book.

 Key catalyst: Semiconductor-equipment orders started weak (~6% of FY target achieved in Q1); evidence of stabilization, is enough to support guidance.

Risk/Reward: Reaffirmed JPY60bn OP guidance could drive 15–25% upside via multiple expansion; another guidance cut would challenge the self-help story and pressure shares.


Sumitomo Heavy (6302) | August Results Are the Next Inflection Point

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>
 For the week: Nikkei: +3.6% | TPX +3.1% | JPY 152.84 (+2.20¥): equities broke decisively to new highs </li>
<li>The market’s optimism was anchored in political transition: the election of Sanae Takaichi as Japan’s first female prime minister </li>
<li>The coalition agreement unites conservative and reformist forces around constitutional, defense, and fiscal reforms to build a “strong and independent Japan.” </li>
</ul>



 For the week: Nikkei: +3.6% | TPX +3.1% | JPY 152.84 (+2.20¥): equities broke decisively to new highs 
The market’s optimism was anchored in political transition: the election of Sanae Takaichi as Japan’s first female prime minister 
The coalition agreement unites conservative and reformist forces around constitutional, defense, and fiscal reforms to build a “strong and independent Japan.” 


Japan Strategy Weekly | Building a Strong and Independent Japan

Japanese Equity Specialist, Ortus Advisors

Andrew Jackson

Japanese Equity Specialist

Ortus Advisors

<ul>
<li>Tech weakness in Japan to continue, following the profit taking lead out of the US with NVDA numbers on Wednesday.</li>
<li>Defence related may get a lift after yesterdays weakness, with Middle East tensions rising, Japan warding off a Chinese spy plane and ex-Defence Minister announcing candidacy for LDP leader.</li>
<li>Typhoon Shanshan is expected in Kyushu. Resulting weakness on related names is usually short-lived and largely retail investor driven, making reverse positioning into the moves the more attractive tactic.</li>
</ul>


Tech weakness in Japan to continue, following the profit taking lead out of the US with NVDA numbers on Wednesday.
Defence related may get a lift after yesterdays weakness, with Middle East tensions rising, Japan warding off a Chinese spy plane and ex-Defence Minister announcing candidacy for LDP leader.
Typhoon Shanshan is expected in Kyushu. Resulting weakness on related names is usually short-lived and largely retail investor driven, making reverse positioning into the moves the more attractive tactic.


Japan Morning Connection: Further Sector Rotation on the Cards as Risk-Off Mood for Tech Continues

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

We highlight several positive developments that have occurred since last week’s Int’l Compass report, all of which continue to support our overall constructive outlook. Last week we noted Europe’s STOXX 500 was on the cusp of a breakout above 4040; we got the breakout. WTI and Brent crude oil also broke above key multi-year resistance at $67 and $70, respectively. The MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-US, and EAFE indexes each hit new all-time highs and remain in uptrends. The MSCI Emerging Markets index (EEM-US) bullishly inflected above short-term resistance at $55.35 and RS is reversing the downtrend. These are all bullish signals for global equities, and our constructive outlook remains appropriate.

We highlight several positive developments that have occurred since last week’s Int’l Compass report, all of which continue to support our overall constructive outlook. Last week we noted Europe’s STOXX 500 was on the cusp of a breakout above 4040; we got the breakout. WTI and Brent crude oil also broke above key multi-year resistance at $67 and $70, respectively. The MSCI ACWI, ACWI ex-US, and EAFE indexes each hit new all-time highs and remain in uptrends. The MSCI Emerging Markets index (EEM-US) bullishly inflected above short-term resistance at $55.35 and RS is reversing the downtrend. These are all bullish signals for global equities, and our constructive outlook remains appropriate.

Major Breakouts For WTI and Brent Crude Oil. Actionable Themes: Energy, Manufacturing, Autos/Parts

Japan

SUMITOMO HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD. manufactures and markets heavy electric machinery.  The Company's operations include heavy machinery, shipbuilding, mass-production machinery, environmental equipment, and construction machinery divisions.  Sumitomo Heavy Industries also produces equipment for semiconductor and laser technologies.

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Sumitomo Heavy Industries (6302 JP)

Unloved Japan Round Up Jan. 3: Set Up for A Banner Year?

An uptick in TOBs, MBOs, and mergers creating the best environment for deep value turnarounds in a long time. Dozens of discounted stocks started...

Michael Allen

Sumitomo Heavy (6302) | August Results Are the Next Inflection Point

Investors should consider buying ahead of August print as Mechatronics margins are improving and semiconductor-equipment orders show signs of...

Mark Chadwick

Japan Strategy Weekly | Building a Strong and Independent Japan

Equities in Japan surged to new highs as market optimism was fueled by the election of Japan's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, and a...

Mark Chadwick

Japan Morning Connection: Further Sector Rotation on the Cards as Risk-Off Mood for Tech Continues

Tech weakness in Japan likely to persist. Defense stocks may see a boost amid rising tensions. Reverse position into Typhoon-related weakness.

Andrew Jackson

Major Breakouts For WTI and Brent Crude Oil. Actionable Themes: Energy, Manufacturing, Autos/Parts

Today we highlight several positive developments that have occurred since last week’s Int’l Compass report, all of which continue to support our...

Vermilion Research

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

Unloved Japan Round Up Jan. 3: Set Up for A Banner Year?

An uptick in TOBs, MBOs, and mergers​ creating the best environment for deep value turnarounds in a long time. Dozens of discounted stocks started...

Michael Allen

Sumitomo Heavy (6302) | August Results Are the Next Inflection Point

​Investors should consider buying ahead of August print as Mechatronics margins are improving and semiconductor-equipment orders show signs of...

Mark Chadwick

Japan Strategy Weekly | Building a Strong and Independent Japan

​Equities in Japan surged to new highs as market optimism was fueled by the election of Japan's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, and a...

Mark Chadwick

Japan Morning Connection: Further Sector Rotation on the Cards as Risk-Off Mood for Tech Continues

​Tech weakness in Japan likely to persist. Defense stocks may see a boost amid rising tensions. Reverse position into Typhoon-related weakness.

Andrew Jackson

Major Breakouts For WTI and Brent Crude Oil. Actionable Themes: Energy, Manufacturing, Autos/Parts

Today we highlight several positive developments that have occurred since last week’s Int’l Compass report, all of which continue to support our...

Vermilion Research

An uptick in TOBs, MBOs, and mergers creating the best environment for deep value turnarounds in a long time. Dozens of discounted stocks started...

Investors should consider buying ahead of August print as Mechatronics margins are improving and semiconductor-equipment orders show signs of...

Equities in Japan surged to new highs as market optimism was fueled by the election of Japan's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, and a...

Tech weakness in Japan likely to persist. Defense stocks may see a boost amid rising tensions. Reverse position into Typhoon-related weakness.