Executive Director, Metrical Inc

Aki Matsumoto

Executive Director

Independent Leading Corporate Governance Research

Metrical Inc

METRICAL INC. is an independent leading Corporate Governance research firm in Japan where Corporate Governance is increasingly recognized as an important element on corporate management in these days. Thus, CG research and solutions would become an essential component of global capital markets and play important to contribute to transparency of the markets and maximize shareholders’ value in Japan. 

METRICAL INC. provides Corporate Governance research and analysis including rating services, and  also offers investment research and IR services with solutions and customized profound research on CG and IR issues.

<ul>
<li>Cash usage and return targets should be presented to investors along with cost of capital, but few companies can successfully envision future design due to poor planning for growth investments.</li>
<li>Since there’s a significant positive correlation between ROE+DOE and TOPIX, the company should optimize its cash allocation by demonstrating enhanced shareholder returns until it can design a growth investment plan.</li>
<li>Ajinomoto, which provided cost of capital projections and ROIC targets by business segment, should be commended for its constant communication with investors seeking better disclosure in good times and bad.</li>
</ul>


Cash usage and return targets should be presented to investors along with cost of capital, but few companies can successfully envision future design due to poor planning for growth investments.
Since there’s a significant positive correlation between ROE+DOE and TOPIX, the company should optimize its cash allocation by demonstrating enhanced shareholder returns until it can design a growth investment plan.
Ajinomoto, which provided cost of capital projections and ROIC targets by business segment, should be commended for its constant communication with investors seeking better disclosure in good times and bad.


Return Targets and Use of Cash Should Be Disclosed Together with Cost of Capital

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

Index Rebalance

<ul>
<li>An ad hoc <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/s-p-asx-200" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:22901:1" rel="noopener">S&amp;P/ASX 200 (AS51 INDEX)</a> rebalance will be implemented at the close on 17 October with <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/light-wonder-inc-7e7d040f-e811-4fb9-9710-796a39af299e" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:40171:1" rel="noopener">Light &amp; Wonder (LNW AU)</a> replacing <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/united-malt-group-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:29116:1" rel="noopener">United Malt Group Ltd (UMG AU)</a>. </li>
<li>The rebalances of <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wisdomtree-emerging-markets-146edc02-f8a5-4ac5-968b-5f0f7c89e476" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32683:1" rel="noopener">Wisdomtree Emerging Markets (DEM US)</a>, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wisdomtree-em-small-cap" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32679:1" rel="noopener">Wisdomtree Em Small Cap (DGS US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/wisdmtree-emerg-mkt-ex-st-ow" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:32798:1" rel="noopener">Wisdmtree Emerg Mkt Ex-St Ow (XSOE US)</a> will be implemented on 18 October.</li>
<li>There were net outflows from onshore China ETFs with inflows to larger cap ETFs and outflows mainly from the <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/csi-smallcap-500-index-shang" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:35347:1" rel="noopener">CSI Smallcap 500 Index</a> and CSI 1000 Index trackers.</li>
</ul>


An ad hoc S&amp;P/ASX 200 (AS51 INDEX) rebalance will be implemented at the close on 17 October with Light &amp; Wonder (LNW AU) replacing United Malt Group Ltd (UMG AU). 
The rebalances of Wisdomtree Emerging Markets (DEM US), Wisdomtree Em Small Cap (DGS US) and Wisdmtree Emerg Mkt Ex-St Ow (XSOE US) will be implemented on 18 October.
There were net outflows from onshore China ETFs with inflows to larger cap ETFs and outflows mainly from the CSI Smallcap 500 Index and CSI 1000 Index trackers.


Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: HSCEI, HSTECH, TOPIX FFW, SSE50, AS51, ChiNext, Kenedix, Liontown

<ul>
<li>Given that embedding diversity within company is essential for the company's growth and resilience, it’ll be up to management leadership to decide whether this should be promoted as management strategy.</li>
<li>Companies with more women in the workforce tend to have higher stock prices. It can be assumed that the company is hiring talented, skilled, and necessary personnel regardless of gender.</li>
<li>Analysis shows that companies with a higher percentage of female board members contribute more to value creation. Companies that promote board diversity are also keen on diversity throughout the company.</li>
</ul>


Given that embedding diversity within company is essential for the company's growth and resilience, it’ll be up to management leadership to decide whether this should be promoted as management strategy.
Companies with more women in the workforce tend to have higher stock prices. It can be assumed that the company is hiring talented, skilled, and necessary personnel regardless of gender.
Analysis shows that companies with a higher percentage of female board members contribute more to value creation. Companies that promote board diversity are also keen on diversity throughout the company.


Whether or Not to Promote Diversity in the Company Depends on Management Leadership

<ul>
<li>With few women in managerial positions, the reality is that for the time being female directors are forced to appoint candidates from outside the company.</li>
<li>Two companies is the limit for a monthly board meeting with agenda preliminarily reviewed; investors should oppose proposals to elect candidates who hold board positions at three or more companies.</li>
<li>The main idea is to promote board diversity for making strategic decisions based on diverse values, but it has become a numbers matching exercise to achieve % of female board members.</li>
</ul>


With few women in managerial positions, the reality is that for the time being female directors are forced to appoint candidates from outside the company.
Two companies is the limit for a monthly board meeting with agenda preliminarily reviewed; investors should oppose proposals to elect candidates who hold board positions at three or more companies.
The main idea is to promote board diversity for making strategic decisions based on diverse values, but it has become a numbers matching exercise to achieve % of female board members.


Board Diversity Also Confuses Ends with Means

Event-Driven

<ul>
<li>At the October rebalance, Free Float Weight (FFW) will be reduced on 284 stocks and increased on 458 stocks. 43 stocks will be removed from Phased Weight Reduction.</li>
<li>Estimated one-way turnover is 1.77% resulting in a one-way trade of ¥1.45tn. 364 stocks have over 4 days ADV to trade, 97 stocks have over 8 days ADV to trade.</li>
<li>Over the last 6 months, the stocks with inflows (&gt;US$25m) have outperformed the stocks with outflows (&gt;US$25m) with most of the outperformance coming in the last three months.</li>
</ul>


At the October rebalance, Free Float Weight (FFW) will be reduced on 284 stocks and increased on 458 stocks. 43 stocks will be removed from Phased Weight Reduction.
Estimated one-way turnover is 1.77% resulting in a one-way trade of ¥1.45tn. 364 stocks have over 4 days ADV to trade, 97 stocks have over 8 days ADV to trade.
Over the last 6 months, the stocks with inflows (&gt;US$25m) have outperformed the stocks with outflows (&gt;US$25m) with most of the outperformance coming in the last three months.


TOPIX October 2023 Rebalance: Round Trip Trade of US$20bn; Upweights Outperform Downweights

Japan

The TOPIX, also known as the Tokyo Stock Price Index, is a capitalization-weighted index of all companies listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The index is supplemented by the subindices of the 33 industry sectors. The index calculation excludes temporary issues and preferred stocks, and has a base value of 100 as of January 4, 1968.

TSE Tokyo Price Index TOPIX (TPX INDEX)

Return Targets and Use of Cash Should Be Disclosed Together with Cost of Capital

I would like to discuss the issues of the September 18 Nikkei article, "Companies Sharpen Awareness of Cost of Capital."

Metrical Inc

Index Rebalance & ETF Flow Recap: HSCEI, HSTECH, TOPIX FFW, SSE50, AS51, ChiNext, Kenedix, Liontown

This recap highlights Insights covering Asian index rebalances (announcements/ forecasts/ IPO Fast Entry/ M&A driven changes). We also highlight...

Brian Freitas

Whether or Not to Promote Diversity in the Company Depends on Management Leadership

I would like to discuss the issues on the September 18 Nikkei article, "Human Capital Disclosure, Hints for Investment, and Correlation with P/B...

Metrical Inc

Board Diversity Also Confuses Ends with Means

I would like to discuss the September 18 Nikkei article, "Concurrent Outside Board Member Positions to Increase by 40% to 2,500 in 2023, Due to...

Metrical Inc

TOPIX October 2023 Rebalance: Round Trip Trade of US$20bn; Upweights Outperform Downweights

There are FFW changes for 700+ stocks and changes to the Phased Weight Reduction list. Round trip trade is around US$20bn and there is over 8 days...

Brian Freitas