'Quantamental' Japan Specialist, LightStream Research

Campbell Gunn

'Quantamental' Japan Specialist

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<div><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>• BEST &amp; WORST •</strong></p></div><div>
<p>Tuesday's best and worst pairing is <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/takara-bio-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:10766:1" rel="noopener">Takara Bio (4974 JP)</a> and staffing agency <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/temp-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1428:1" rel="noopener">Persol (2181 JP)</a>.  </p>
<section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/170/640/original/2020-11-11_05-58-20.png?1605041913" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="170640"></figure></section><section class="figure"><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/170/641/original/2020-11-11_06-01-01.png?1605042074" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="170641"></figure></section><div><div class="content-caption">Source for all charts &amp; tables: Japan Analytics</div></div>
<hr>
<div><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>DAILY STATS</strong></p></div>
<hr>
<div><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>244 Quarterly Results</strong></p></div>
<div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><p><strong>Results Score:</strong> 49% Positive / 6% Neutral / 45% Negative</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Average Results Score Change:</strong> -0.1 points</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Average % Change in Revenue:</strong> -5.3% Quarter YoY / -5.9% Rolling TTM YoY </p></li>
<li><p><strong>Average Operating Profit Margin Change:</strong> -1.1 ppt</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Percentage Making Quarterly Losses:</strong> 20%</p></li>
</ul></div>
<hr>
<div><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>111 Annual • 22 Interim Forecasts/Revisions</strong></p></div>
<div><ul style="list-style-type: disc;">
<li><p><strong>Annual Forecast/Revision Score:</strong> 54% Positive / 7% Neutral / 39% Negative</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Interim Forecast/Revision Score Change:</strong> 64% Positive / 0% Neutral / 36% Negative</p></li>
<li><p><strong>Average Forecast/Revision Score Change:</strong> 1.7 points</p></li>
</ul></div>
</div>

• BEST &amp; WORST •
Tuesday's best and worst pairing is Takara Bio (4974 JP) and staffing agency Persol (2181 JP).  
Source for all charts &amp; tables: Japan Analytics

DAILY STATS

244 Quarterly Results

Results Score: 49% Positive / 6% Neutral / 45% Negative
Average Results Score Change: -0.1 points
Average % Change in Revenue: -5.3% Quarter YoY / -5.9% Rolling TTM YoY 
Average Operating Profit Margin Change: -1.1 ppt
Percentage Making Quarterly Losses: 20%


111 Annual • 22 Interim Forecasts/Revisions

Annual Forecast/Revision Score: 54% Positive / 7% Neutral / 39% Negative
Interim Forecast/Revision Score Change: 64% Positive / 0% Neutral / 36% Negative
Average Forecast/Revision Score Change: 1.7 points



🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 11/​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​10 - Shiseido, FUJIFILM, Otsuka, Persol

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/156/586/original/2020-09-02_15-03-28.png?1599026640" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="156586"></figure>
<div class="content-caption">Source for all charts: Japan Analytics</div>
<p><strong>NEV IN JAPAN</strong> - Japan has a reputation for being the world's leading market for finding listed companies with negative Enterprise Value (NEV). Based on a sample of 842,133 traded months for the 3,826 currently-listed non-financial companies in our universe since 1993, NEV-traded months represent 8%. One thousand and eleven companies have spent at least one month with a negative EV and the average NEV 'period' is just over two years.  The number of NEV companies has varied over the last thirty years, from only one in 1994 (Sanyu Construction 1841 JP) to a peak of 437 in 2009 - 15.4% of the universe. In the last two years, the percentage has doubled to 10% or 366 companies, most of which are small-cap.</p>
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/156/590/original/2020-09-02_15-13-33.png?1599027223" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="156590"></figure>
<p><strong>50 BPS</strong> -Accordingly, the aggregate (inverted) value of NEV stocks is ¥2.5 trillion or just 50 basis points of the aggregate of the universe. Nevertheless, the current value is at the upper end of the thirty-year range. We have excluded four non-financial companies - Z Holdings, Rakuten, Japan Post, and Sony - as they have financial subsidiaries on their balance sheets.</p>
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/156/595/original/2020-09-02_15-36-40.png?1599028611" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="156595"></figure>
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/156/866/original/2020-09-03_16-43-25.png?1599119017" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="156866"></figure>
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/156/596/original/2020-09-02_15-37-56.png?1599028687" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="156596"></figure>
<p><strong>NEV 'BUYS'</strong> - Brief periods, and occasionally extended, when higher-quality companies dip into NEV are often good long-term buying opportunities as shown above with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/temp-holdings-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1428:1" rel="noopener">Persol (2181 JP)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toei-animation-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18641:1" rel="noopener">Toei Animation (4816 JP)</a>  and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hakuhodo-dy-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:8736:1" rel="noopener">Hakuhodo DY (2433 JP)</a>. </p>
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/156/623/original/2020-09-02_17-57-38.png?1599037069" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="156623"></figure>
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/156/625/original/2020-09-02_18-04-05.png?1599037457" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="156625"></figure>
<p><strong>NEV 'TRAPS'</strong> - Conversely, NEV can persist for years, 'trapping' both value investors and activists, particularly where management remain 'cloth-eared' such as <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tokyo-broadcasting-system" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:12981:1" rel="noopener">Tokyo Broadcasting System (9401 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toppan-printing-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11875:1" rel="noopener">Toppan Printing (7911 JP).</a></p>
<div class="content-highlight">
<p>In the <strong>DETAIL</strong> section below, we will review the current large-cap NEV companies, as well the most persistent and the largest peak to trough NEV ranges and make some specific stock recommendations.</p>
</div>


Source for all charts: Japan Analytics
NEV IN JAPAN - Japan has a reputation for being the world's leading market for finding listed companies with negative Enterprise Value (NEV). Based on a sample of 842,133 traded months for the 3,826 currently-listed non-financial companies in our universe since 1993, NEV-traded months represent 8%. One thousand and eleven companies have spent at least one month with a negative EV and the average NEV 'period' is just over two years.  The number of NEV companies has varied over the last thirty years, from only one in 1994 (Sanyu Construction 1841 JP) to a peak of 437 in 2009 - 15.4% of the universe. In the last two years, the percentage has doubled to 10% or 366 companies, most of which are small-cap.

50 BPS -Accordingly, the aggregate (inverted) value of NEV stocks is ¥2.5 trillion or just 50 basis points of the aggregate of the universe. Nevertheless, the current value is at the upper end of the thirty-year range. We have excluded four non-financial companies - Z Holdings, Rakuten, Japan Post, and Sony - as they have financial subsidiaries on their balance sheets.



NEV 'BUYS' - Brief periods, and occasionally extended, when higher-quality companies dip into NEV are often good long-term buying opportunities as shown above with Persol (2181 JP), Toei Animation (4816 JP)  and Hakuhodo DY (2433 JP). 


NEV 'TRAPS' - Conversely, NEV can persist for years, 'trapping' both value investors and activists, particularly where management remain 'cloth-eared' such as Tokyo Broadcasting System (9401 JP) and Toppan Printing (7911 JP).

In the DETAIL section below, we will review the current large-cap NEV companies, as well the most persistent and the largest peak to trough NEV ranges and make some specific stock recommendations.


🇯🇵 JAPAN • Looking for Value in Negative Enterprise Value

<div><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>•BEST &amp; WORST 11th AUGUST •</strong></p></div><div>
<p>The 'best' of Tuesday's large-cap announcements came from <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/taiko-pharmaceutical-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11127:1" rel="noopener">Taiko Pharmaceutical (4574 JP)</a><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/yaoko-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:1419:1" rel="noopener">,</a> the worst from railway group <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/hankyu-hanshin-holdings-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:13058:1" rel="noopener">Hankyu Hanshin (9042 JP)</a>.  More extensive coverage follows in the <strong>DETAIL</strong> section below.</p>
<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/152/180/original/2020-08-13_05-28-00.png?1597264094" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="152180"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/152/181/original/2020-08-13_05-28-38.png?1597264139" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="152181"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div>
<hr>
<div><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>DAILY STATS</strong></p></div>
<hr>
<div><p><strong>(BACK TO WEAK) PERCENTAGES</strong> -<strong> 63%</strong> of quarterly results, <strong>61%</strong> of annual forecasts/revisions and<strong> 71%</strong> of interim forecasts have negative Scores and 30% of companies reporting lost money for the quarter.</p></div>
<hr>
<div><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>218 Quarterly Results</strong></p></div>
<div><ul>
<li>
<strong>Results Score:</strong> 28% Positive / 9% Neutral / 63% Negative</li>
<li>
<strong>Average Results Score Change:</strong> -3.8 points</li>
<li>
<strong>Average % Change in Revenue:</strong> -7.2% Quarter YoY / -0.0% Rolling TTM YoY </li>
<li>
<strong>Average Operating Profit Margin Change:</strong> +2.5 ppt</li>
<li>
<strong>Percentage Making Quarterly Losses:</strong> 30%</li>
</ul></div>
<hr>
<div><p style="text-align: center;"><strong>80 Annual • 35 Interim Forecasts/Revisions</strong></p></div>
<div><ul>
<li>
<strong>Annual Forecast/Revision Score:</strong> 29% Positive / 10% Neutral / 61% Negative</li>
<li>
<strong>Interim Forecast/Revision Score Change:</strong> 23% Positive / 6% Neutral / 71% Negative</li>
<li>
<strong>Average Forecast/Revision Score Change:</strong> -7.4 points</li>
</ul></div>
</div>

•BEST &amp; WORST 11th AUGUST •
The 'best' of Tuesday's large-cap announcements came from Taiko Pharmaceutical (4574 JP), the worst from railway group Hankyu Hanshin (9042 JP).  More extensive coverage follows in the DETAIL section below.
Source • Japan Analytics

DAILY STATS

(BACK TO WEAK) PERCENTAGES - 63% of quarterly results, 61% of annual forecasts/revisions and 71% of interim forecasts have negative Scores and 30% of companies reporting lost money for the quarter.

218 Quarterly Results


Results Score: 28% Positive / 9% Neutral / 63% Negative

Average Results Score Change: -3.8 points

Average % Change in Revenue: -7.2% Quarter YoY / -0.0% Rolling TTM YoY 

Average Operating Profit Margin Change: +2.5 ppt

Percentage Making Quarterly Losses: 30%


80 Annual • 35 Interim Forecasts/Revisions


Annual Forecast/Revision Score: 29% Positive / 10% Neutral / 61% Negative

Interim Forecast/Revision Score Change: 23% Positive / 6% Neutral / 71% Negative

Average Forecast/Revision Score Change: -7.4 points



🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 12th August - PPI, Toshiba, McDonald's, ENEOS

ja research

ja research is an independent research platform focused exclusively on Japanese equities. Leveraging data and graphic analysis provided by Japan Analytics, we provide insights on small and medium-sized companies that have been ignored by the sell-side as well as challenging conventional wisdom on larger companies. We also offer analyst and corporate access, the latter with translation if required. 

<figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/123/035/original/2020-03-15_07-07-04.png?1584223644" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="123035"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><p><strong>RELATIVE VALUE</strong> - Since the recent peak of December 17th, the TOPIX Index has fallen by 28% in 56 trading days. The<strong> -0.57% daily average rate of decline</strong> over the last three months has only been exceeded on 32 of the 10,142 days since March 1979, eight of which occurred in 1990, with the balance in 2008. From the January 23rd 2018 peak of 1,911, the index has fallen by 34% and is within 3% of our target (expressed in terms of Total Market Value ex REITs) outlined in our <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-market-update-opportunity-knocks" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:37049" rel="noopener">Opportunity Knocks?</a> Insight published on 1st March. The market is also within 5% of the TOPIX low of 1,196 of 12th February 2016, which we expect will provide some short-term support. Although Japan and many other developed world economies are now in recession, markets do not fall in a straight line forever. <strong>Japanese equities now offer attractive relative value and should outperform over the coming months.</strong></p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/123/034/original/2020-03-15_06-53-01.png?1584222882" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="123034"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/123/036/original/2020-03-15_07-18-49.png?1584224347" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="123036"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/123/037/original/2020-03-15_07-23-55.png?1584224666" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="123037"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • Japan Analytics</div><p><strong>IT'S DIFFERENT THIS TIME</strong> - Most bear markets in Japan have coincided with periods of Yen strength, including the 29% 2015/16 decline when the currency strengthened by 19%. Repeating the rate of decline analysis above, in US dollar terms there have only been <strong>four days in the last twenty-eight years</strong> with worse 56-day rates of decline - all in October 2008. <strong>All four days provided fearless investors with excellent medium-term gains.</strong> Although this increase in market volatility may be less welcome for international investors in Japanese equities, the impact of the <em>Covid-19 recession</em> on the Japanese economy will be more muted. Also, the 48% collapse in the oil price year-to-date will help offset the negative impact of the October 2019 increase in the consumption tax and the decline in export sales in Europe. Lastly, we would suggest that the much-derided net cash that Japanese corporates 'hoard' for rainy days such as these, should delay the need for increases in credit lines. Our recent series of Insights on<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/japan-who-s-swimming-naked-part-2-altman-z-score" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:37316" rel="noopener"> Who’s Swimming Naked?</a> cover those companies to which this does not apply. <strong>Overall</strong>, <strong>for Japan at least, it is different this time.</strong></p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/123/039/original/File%202020-03-15%203%2024%2020.jpeg?1584225464" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="123039"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/123/040/original/File%202020-03-15%203%2026%2031.jpeg?1584225508" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="123040"></figure><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/123/041/original/File%202020-03-15%207%2044%2021.jpeg?1584225894" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="123041"></figure><p></p><div class="content-caption">Source • Max Roser, Hannah Ritchie and Esteban Ortiz-Ospina (2020) - "Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) – Research and Statistics". Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus' [Online Resource]</div><p><strong>CONTAINING COVID</strong> - According to <a href="https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the peerless <strong>Global Change Data Lab</strong> at Oxford University, Japan has, (except for the unfortunate passengers and crew on the Diamond Princess cruise ship), managed to contain Covid-19 better than any other large nation. While, there is some scepticism that this outcome could be a result of under-testing to avoid cancellation of the Olympic Games; nevertheless, the recorded cases fatality rate in a country with an above-average age profile is surprisingly low.  Currently, the daily increase in active Covid-19 cases in Japan is less than one hundred and was only seventeen on March 15th. The cumulative number of confirmed Covid-19 fatalities is 24, of which two occurred yesterday. The confirmed number of cases per 100,000 population is 0.65, which compares with 19.5 in South Korea, 16.5 in Italy and 12 in Iran. </p><figure class="editor-figure mceNonEditable"><img src="https://static-prod.smartkarma.com/images/media/000/123/038/original/2020-03-15_07-34-05.png?1584225268" class="editor-image img-responsive" data-smartkarma-image-id="123038"></figure><div class="content-caption">Source • oann.com</div><p><strong>KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON -</strong> Last night's press conference by Prime Minister Abe was in stark contrast to the sombre tone to those of Prime Minister Johnson of the United Kingdom and the tragicomic ramblings of the US President. Having received the legislative powers to declare a state of emergency, Abe declined at this stage to invoke any social restrictions beyond the already-announced school closures. As in the UK, sporting authorities are cancelling events or holding them <em>sine populo</em>. Japan's long obsession with cleanliness, the culture of bowing as a greeting and readiness to conform have served to 'flatten the curve'. The increased focus on such practices has also resulted in a very low incidence of seasonal influenza this year. Japan also has significantly lower levels of air pollution compared to China, Iran and northern Italy, a  factor that has become a factor in fatality rates, especially amongst the elderly. Although internal travel and restaurant patronage have sharply declined in Japan, shops are open and are well-stocked (except for now-rationed paper products) and 'free movement' with slightly-greater-than-normal social distancing is the norm. Whatever the motivations may be regarding the Olympics and Abe's legacy, Japan is unwilling to force the economy into the economic depression that would be the result of prolonged lockdown. </p><p><strong>A COVID-19 WORLD</strong> - This 'keep-calm-carry-on' model of a Covid-19-prevalent world (as is also seen in Singapore and Taiwan) will eventually have to be applied globally. These countries rapid transition to the new 'Covid-19 world' should result in better short-term outcomes for these economies.  The UK is currently being criticised for attempting to follow a version of this model, and may eventually have to go against the advice of its epidemiologists. Fortunately, for now, the general public are giving the UK government the benefit of the doubt. There will be a sharp divergence in the medium-term economic outlooks for countries taking these two 'paths' with those that are over-reacting paying a heavy price. While this does not bode well for the Eurozone, East Asia, including Japan, should emerge in better shape in this new 'viral' world.      </p><div class="content-highlight"><p>In the <strong>DETAIL</strong> section below, we shall review a number of our favourite market indicators, recent sector performance and make some recommendations as to how to harness this<strong> once-in-a-decade</strong> opportunity to buy high-quality Japanese companies at attractive prices.</p></div>

Source • Japan AnalyticsRELATIVE VALUE - Since the recent peak of December 17th, the TOPIX Index has fallen by 28% in 56 trading days. The -0.57% daily average rate of decline over the last three months has only been exceeded on 32 of the 10,142 days since March 1979, eight of which occurred in 1990, with the balance in 2008. From the January 23rd 2018 peak of 1,911, the index has fallen by 34% and is within 3% of our target (expressed in terms of Total Market Value ex REITs) outlined in our Opportunity Knocks? Insight published on 1st March. The market is also within 5% of the TOPIX low of 1,196 of 12th February 2016, which we expect will provide some short-term support. Although Japan and many other developed world economies are now in recession, markets do not fall in a straight line forever. Japanese equities now offer attractive relative value and should outperform over the coming months.Source • Japan AnalyticsIT'S DIFFERENT THIS TIME - Most bear markets in Japan have coincided with periods of Yen strength, including the 29% 2015/16 decline when the currency strengthened by 19%. Repeating the rate of decline analysis above, in US dollar terms there have only been four days in the last twenty-eight years with worse 56-day rates of decline - all in October 2008. All four days provided fearless investors with excellent medium-term gains. Although this increase in market volatility may be less welcome for international investors in Japanese equities, the impact of the Covid-19 recession on the Japanese economy will be more muted. Also, the 48% collapse in the oil price year-to-date will help offset the negative impact of the October 2019 increase in the consumption tax and the decline in export sales in Europe. Lastly, we would suggest that the much-derided net cash that Japanese corporates 'hoard' for rainy days such as these, should delay the need for increases in credit lines. Our recent series of Insights on Who’s Swimming Naked? cover those companies to which this does not apply. Overall, for Japan at least, it is different this time.Source • Max Roser, Hannah Ritchie and Esteban Ortiz-Ospina (2020) - "Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) – Research and Statistics". Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/coronavirus' [Online Resource]CONTAINING COVID - According to data from the peerless Global Change Data Lab at Oxford University, Japan has, (except for the unfortunate passengers and crew on the Diamond Princess cruise ship), managed to contain Covid-19 better than any other large nation. While, there is some scepticism that this outcome could be a result of under-testing to avoid cancellation of the Olympic Games; nevertheless, the recorded cases fatality rate in a country with an above-average age profile is surprisingly low.  Currently, the daily increase in active Covid-19 cases in Japan is less than one hundred and was only seventeen on March 15th. The cumulative number of confirmed Covid-19 fatalities is 24, of which two occurred yesterday. The confirmed number of cases per 100,000 population is 0.65, which compares with 19.5 in South Korea, 16.5 in Italy and 12 in Iran. Source • oann.comKEEP CALM AND CARRY ON - Last night's press conference by Prime Minister Abe was in stark contrast to the sombre tone to those of Prime Minister Johnson of the United Kingdom and the tragicomic ramblings of the US President. Having received the legislative powers to declare a state of emergency, Abe declined at this stage to invoke any social restrictions beyond the already-announced school closures. As in the UK, sporting authorities are cancelling events or holding them sine populo. Japan's long obsession with cleanliness, the culture of bowing as a greeting and readiness to conform have served to 'flatten the curve'. The increased focus on such practices has also resulted in a very low incidence of seasonal influenza this year. Japan also has significantly lower levels of air pollution compared to China, Iran and northern Italy, a  factor that has become a factor in fatality rates, especially amongst the elderly. Although internal travel and restaurant patronage have sharply declined in Japan, shops are open and are well-stocked (except for now-rationed paper products) and 'free movement' with slightly-greater-than-normal social distancing is the norm. Whatever the motivations may be regarding the Olympics and Abe's legacy, Japan is unwilling to force the economy into the economic depression that would be the result of prolonged lockdown. A COVID-19 WORLD - This 'keep-calm-carry-on' model of a Covid-19-prevalent world (as is also seen in Singapore and Taiwan) will eventually have to be applied globally. These countries rapid transition to the new 'Covid-19 world' should result in better short-term outcomes for these economies.  The UK is currently being criticised for attempting to follow a version of this model, and may eventually have to go against the advice of its epidemiologists. Fortunately, for now, the general public are giving the UK government the benefit of the doubt. There will be a sharp divergence in the medium-term economic outlooks for countries taking these two 'paths' with those that are over-reacting paying a heavy price. While this does not bode well for the Eurozone, East Asia, including Japan, should emerge in better shape in this new 'viral' world.      In the DETAIL section below, we shall review a number of our favourite market indicators, recent sector performance and make some recommendations as to how to harness this once-in-a-decade opportunity to buy high-quality Japanese companies at attractive prices.

🇯🇵 JAPAN MARKET UPDATE • Relative Value: Short-Term Buy On Japanese Equities

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

<p>Our international Human Resources &amp; Employment Services Groups are showing signs of price and RS bottoms throughout Japan, Europe, and the UK. We believe short-term pullbacks in the names highlighted today should be bought, particularly in light of the Fed hinting at increased flexibility and the potential for improving trade headlines. </p><p>Today we highlight our favorite setups within our int’l HR &amp; Employment Services Groups: Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. (6098-JP), PERSOL HOLDINGS CO. LTD. (2181-JP), Meitec Corporation (9744-JP), Teleperformance SE (TEP-FR), Randstad NV (RAND-NL), Adecco Group AG (ADEN-CH), and PageGroup PLC (PAGE-GB). Add exposure.</p>

Our international Human Resources &amp; Employment Services Groups are showing signs of price and RS bottoms throughout Japan, Europe, and the UK. We believe short-term pullbacks in the names highlighted today should be bought, particularly in light of the Fed hinting at increased flexibility and the potential for improving trade headlines. Today we highlight our favorite setups within our int’l HR &amp; Employment Services Groups: Recruit Holdings Co., Ltd. (6098-JP), PERSOL HOLDINGS CO. LTD. (2181-JP), Meitec Corporation (9744-JP), Teleperformance SE (TEP-FR), Randstad NV (RAND-NL), Adecco Group AG (ADEN-CH), and PageGroup PLC (PAGE-GB). Add exposure.

Int’l Human Resources & Employment Services Stocks Are Bottoming -- Add Exposure

Japan

Persol Holdings Co., Ltd. provides human resource solutions to a wide variety of customers worldwide. The Company's main operations include temporary staffing services, contract services, and employment services. Temp Holdings also provides outsourcing services and employment support services for job seekers.

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Persol Holdings (2181 JP)

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 11/10 - Shiseido, FUJIFILM, Otsuka, Persol

• BEST & WORST • Tuesday's best and worst pairing is Takara Bio (4974 JP) and staffing agency Persol (2181 JP)......................

Campbell Gunn

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Looking for Value in Negative Enterprise Value

NEV IN JAPAN - Japan has a reputation for being the world's leading market for finding listed companies with negative Enterprise Value (NEV)....

Campbell Gunn

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 12th August - PPI, Toshiba, McDonald's, ENEOS

•BEST & WORST 11th AUGUST • The 'best' of Tuesday's large-cap announcements came from Taiko Pharmaceutical (4574 JP), the worst from railway...

Campbell Gunn

🇯🇵 JAPAN MARKET UPDATE • Relative Value: Short-Term Buy On Japanese Equities

RELATIVE VALUE - Since the recent peak of December 17th, the TOPIX Index has fallen by 28% in 56 trading days. The -0.57% daily average rate of...

Campbell Gunn

Int’l Human Resources & Employment Services Stocks Are Bottoming -- Add Exposure

Our international Human Resources & Employment Services Groups are showing signs of price and RS bottoms throughout Japan, Europe, and the...

Vermilion Research

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 11/​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​10 - Shiseido, FUJIFILM, Otsuka, Persol

• BEST & WORST • Tuesday's best and worst pairing is Takara Bio (4974 JP) and staffing agency Persol (2181 JP)......................

Campbell Gunn

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Looking for Value in Negative Enterprise Value

NEV IN JAPAN - Japan has a reputation for being the world's leading market for finding listed companies with negative Enterprise Value (NEV)....

Campbell Gunn

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 12th August - PPI, Toshiba, McDonald's, ENEOS

•BEST & WORST 11th AUGUST • The 'best' of Tuesday's large-cap announcements came from Taiko Pharmaceutical (4574 JP), the worst from railway...

Campbell Gunn

🇯🇵 JAPAN MARKET UPDATE • Relative Value: Short-Term Buy On Japanese Equities

RELATIVE VALUE - Since the recent peak of December 17th, the TOPIX Index has fallen by 28% in 56 trading days. The -0.57% daily average rate of...

Campbell Gunn

Int’l Human Resources & Employment Services Stocks Are Bottoming -- Add Exposure

Our international Human Resources & Employment Services Groups are showing signs of price and RS bottoms throughout Japan, Europe, and the...

Vermilion Research

🇯🇵 JAPAN • Results & Revisions 11/10 - Shiseido, FUJIFILM, Otsuka, Persol