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?

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One, Periscope Analytics

Brian Freitas

Pan-Asia Index Rebalances/ Events/ Delta One

Periscope Analytics

Periscope Analytics focuses on event-driven trades across Asia Pacific and provides comprehensive, timely and systematic coverage of index changes to major Asia Pacific indices in a structured manner.

The analysis includes forecasted inclusions and exclusions to all major Asian indices that have significant amount of tracking assets, including estimates of passive buy/sell flow on the stocks. The service also provides commentary and impact of market consultations, ground rule changes, and other events (IPOs, spin-offs, M&A) that could lead to index changes and passive flow.

Periscope Analytics works with multi-strategy hedge funds, proprietary trading firms, stat arb trading groups and long-only investors that invest and trade in the Asia Pacific region with the data being used to trade index rebalances, avoid pre-positioning and passive flow, and to time entry into and exit from stocks.

Event-Driven Trades Across Asia Pacific

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>There are 15 stocks in Japan that will be sold by passive trackers at the close on 31 May.</li>
<li>Short interest has been increasing in these stocks over the last few months and there will be covering on implementation date.</li>
<li>Cumulative excess volume on all stocks has risen in the last couple of months though the pace of the increase has varied.</li>
</ul>


There are 15 stocks in Japan that will be sold by passive trackers at the close on 31 May.
Short interest has been increasing in these stocks over the last few months and there will be covering on implementation date.
Cumulative excess volume on all stocks has risen in the last couple of months though the pace of the increase has varied.


Japan - Another Big Round of Passive Selling

Keisei Electric Railway Co / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Activist investors, confusing market price with intrinsic value, have shot themselves in the foot by offering terrible advice to Keisei Railway’s management. </li>
<li>When Keisei followed advice from the activist, selling just 1% of the shares of Oriental Land, Keisei's share price collapsed, proving market price has nothing to do with intrinsic value. </li>
<li>Keisei’s revenue growth and return on investment are stronger than most of its peers, and the crash in its stock price caused by activists might create an opportunity for others.</li>
</ul>


Activist investors, confusing market price with intrinsic value, have shot themselves in the foot by offering terrible advice to Keisei Railway’s management. 
When Keisei followed advice from the activist, selling just 1% of the shares of Oriental Land, Keisei's share price collapsed, proving market price has nothing to do with intrinsic value. 
Keisei’s revenue growth and return on investment are stronger than most of its peers, and the crash in its stock price caused by activists might create an opportunity for others.


Keisei Railway (9009) Gets Bad Advice from Activists, Which Is Good for The Rest of US

Equity Derivatives Broker - Delta One Japan, Vantage Capital Markets Japan

François-Xavier Pustoc'h

Equity Derivatives Broker - Delta One Japan

Independent Financial Broker

Vantage Capital Markets Japan

We provide world class financial solutions to our extensive institutional client base including rapidly growing corporations, leading investment banks, commercial banks, asset managers, private equity funds, family offices and hedge funds.

Our services include capital market offerings and placements, wholesale brokerage and execution of cash and derivative products (both listed and OTC) across a range of asset classes.

VCM has offices in London, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Dubai from where we service our global client base. Our strength lies in the experience and quality of our teams, supported by excellent operations and infrastructure.

<ul>
<li>Rebalancing Candidates ADD: Kokusai Electric Corp (6525.T): High Liquidity Group<br>TOP 75, BayCurrent Inc (6532.T), Shift Inc (3697.T)</li>
<li>Rebalancing Candidates DEL: Mitsubishi Logistics Corp. (9301.T), Okuma Corp.<br>(6103.T), Tokuyama Corp (4043.T)</li>
<li>Capping Ratio: Fast Retailing Co Ltd (9983.T)’s Price Adjustment Factor from 2.7 to<br>2.4</li>
</ul>


Rebalancing Candidates ADD: Kokusai Electric Corp (6525.T): High Liquidity Group TOP 75, BayCurrent Inc (6532.T), Shift Inc (3697.T)
Rebalancing Candidates DEL: Mitsubishi Logistics Corp. (9301.T), Okuma Corp. (6103.T), Tokuyama Corp (4043.T)
Capping Ratio: Fast Retailing Co Ltd (9983.T)’s Price Adjustment Factor from 2.7 to 2.4


Nikkei 225 Stock Average Rebalancing – January 2025

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

<ul>
<li>The <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/tokyo-metro-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40930:1" rel="noopener">Tokyo Metro (9023 JP)</a> IPO is one of the largest IPOs of recent years, well-flagged, and it is hot hot hot!  A super stable, well-known, well-respected, service provider.</li>
<li>There are numerous attractions but I expect people have not thought too deeply about the demand and supply dynamics of different holder types. It's worth thinking about. </li>
<li>This was priced "cheap" but everyone knows that so there may be flippers. This is probably more Japan Post Bank than Japan Post Insurance.</li>
</ul>


The Tokyo Metro (9023 JP) IPO is one of the largest IPOs of recent years, well-flagged, and it is hot hot hot!  A super stable, well-known, well-respected, service provider.
There are numerous attractions but I expect people have not thought too deeply about the demand and supply dynamics of different holder types. It's worth thinking about. 
This was priced "cheap" but everyone knows that so there may be flippers. This is probably more Japan Post Bank than Japan Post Insurance.


The Tokyo Metro (9023 JP) IPO And Aftermarket - What To Look For

Japan

TOBU RAILWAY CO., LTD. mainly provides passenger rail and bus transportation services in the Kanto area.  The Company also operates a variety of real estate businesses which construct and sell apartment buildings and single houses, and lease buildings.  Tobu Railway operates an array of businesses such as distributors, amusement parks, and hotels.

Price Gauge
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Tobu Railway (9001 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

Japan - Another Big Round of Passive Selling

The close tomorrow should see huge volumes trade on these stocks. Shorts will be covered and longs will be selectively put on.

Brian Freitas

Keisei Railway (9009) Gets Bad Advice from Activists, Which Is Good for The Rest of US

Activist investors' bad advice to Keisei Railway led to a stock price collapse, highlighting the disconnect between market price and intrinsic...

Michael Allen

Nikkei 225 Stock Average Rebalancing – January 2025

As per the “Periodic Review” conducted twice a year by Nikkei Inc. (Nikkei), the constituents of Nikkei 225 will be reviewed and changed at the end...

Vantage Capital Markets Japan

The Tokyo Metro (9023 JP) IPO And Aftermarket - What To Look For

The Tokyo Metro IPO is 23 October. There is substantial index buying demand at month end of both Oct/Nov, then a lull. Flippers will flip, the...

Travis Lundy

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

Japan - Another Big Round of Passive Selling

The close tomorrow should see huge volumes trade on these stocks. Shorts will be covered and longs will be selectively put on.

Brian Freitas

Keisei Railway (9009) Gets Bad Advice from Activists, Which Is Good for The Rest of US

​Activist investors' bad advice to Keisei Railway led to a stock price collapse, highlighting the disconnect between market price and intrinsic...

Michael Allen

Nikkei 225 Stock Average Rebalancing – January 2025

As per the “Periodic Review” conducted twice a year by Nikkei Inc. (Nikkei), the constituents of Nikkei 225 will be reviewed and changed at the end...

Vantage Capital Markets Japan

The Tokyo Metro (9023 JP) IPO And Aftermarket - What To Look For

The Tokyo Metro IPO is 23 October. There is substantial index buying demand at month end of both Oct/Nov, then a lull. Flippers will flip, the...

Travis Lundy

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

Activist investors' bad advice to Keisei Railway led to a stock price collapse, highlighting the disconnect between market price and intrinsic...