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>I discuss the article with the argument that "Companies that have moved to take drastic shareholder returns in response to activist investors' proposals have seen their share prices rise conspicuously.</li>
<li>When the stocks continues to slump and there are no positive factors to be found in a company's performance, corporate actions such as TOBs and shareholder returns are the focus.</li>
<li>Companies that move aggressively to shareholder returns only after being proposed by activist investors have't given much thought to cash allocation, cost of capital, and corporate value (shareholder return) before.</li>
</ul>


I discuss the article with the argument that "Companies that have moved to take drastic shareholder returns in response to activist investors' proposals have seen their share prices rise conspicuously.
When the stocks continues to slump and there are no positive factors to be found in a company's performance, corporate actions such as TOBs and shareholder returns are the focus.
Companies that move aggressively to shareholder returns only after being proposed by activist investors have't given much thought to cash allocation, cost of capital, and corporate value (shareholder return) before.


Japanese Companies Targeted by Activist Investors Not Thinking of Cash Allocation, Corporate Value?

<ul>
<li>I have considered the Nikkei article, "Listed companies are being questioned on how they spend their cash."</li>
<li>More and more listed companies are also showing ROIC in their presentations, but it will take more time for both analysts and listed companies to understand the cost of capital.</li>
<li>Regarding the argument that using cash for share repurchases and dividends is effective, companies that retire treasury stock 3 or more times often have high profitability and higher stock valuations.</li>
</ul>


I have considered the Nikkei article, "Listed companies are being questioned on how they spend their cash."
More and more listed companies are also showing ROIC in their presentations, but it will take more time for both analysts and listed companies to understand the cost of capital.
Regarding the argument that using cash for share repurchases and dividends is effective, companies that retire treasury stock 3 or more times often have high profitability and higher stock valuations.


It Is a Good Trend that More Japanese Managers Are Using "Capital Allocation and Cash Allocation"

<ul>
<li>I would like to discuss the issues on the Nikkei article, "Discussions are underway to disclose human capital in annual securities reports in fiscal 2023."</li>
<li>It is good news for investors that the disclosure will be required in the legal documents. However, very few companies translate the document into English.</li>
<li>Companies should include content that matches the company's management policy. From the investor's standpoint, it's required to carefully analyze whether the disclosed information are consistent with the company's actual actions.</li>
</ul>


I would like to discuss the issues on the Nikkei article, "Discussions are underway to disclose human capital in annual securities reports in fiscal 2023."
It is good news for investors that the disclosure will be required in the legal documents. However, very few companies translate the document into English.
Companies should include content that matches the company's management policy. From the investor's standpoint, it's required to carefully analyze whether the disclosed information are consistent with the company's actual actions.


Human Capital Disclosure in 'Yuho' Report Is Good News, but There Are Challenges

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

<ul>
<li>The bear market rally that we were on watch for started last week, confirmed by the bullish reversals on the DAX, Hang Seng, MSCI China (MCHI-US), and China Internet (KWEB-US).</li>
<li>Is this just another bear market rally, or will indexes are able to make a higher low and start a new bull market? Either way, it's a start.</li>
<li>We highlight attractive stocks from a bottoms-up perspective, spanning several Sectors. Over half hail from Japan, where the TOPIX Small index is reversing its downtrend.</li>
</ul>


The bear market rally that we were on watch for started last week, confirmed by the bullish reversals on the DAX, Hang Seng, MSCI China (MCHI-US), and China Internet (KWEB-US).
Is this just another bear market rally, or will indexes are able to make a higher low and start a new bull market? Either way, it's a start.
We highlight attractive stocks from a bottoms-up perspective, spanning several Sectors. Over half hail from Japan, where the TOPIX Small index is reversing its downtrend.


Cautiously Optimistic Following Downtrend Reversals; Japan Continues to Lead; Bottoms-Up Stock Rec's

<ul>
<li>I would like to discuss the points about the Nikkei article "Companies should do their best to prevent harmful effects of parent-subsidiary listings."</li>
<li>Recently, more and more companies are evaluating their businesses from the perspective of ROE and ROIC. This is thought to be gradually eliminating parent-subsidiary listings.</li>
<li>Rather than hoping to eliminate parent-subsidiary listings by strengthening TSE rules, it's more important to instill in companies a management philosophy on how to achieve long-term growth in corporate value.</li>
</ul>


I would like to discuss the points about the Nikkei article "Companies should do their best to prevent harmful effects of parent-subsidiary listings."
Recently, more and more companies are evaluating their businesses from the perspective of ROE and ROIC. This is thought to be gradually eliminating parent-subsidiary listings.
Rather than hoping to eliminate parent-subsidiary listings by strengthening TSE rules, it's more important to instill in companies a management philosophy on how to achieve long-term growth in corporate value.


The Key to Dissolving Parent-Subsidiary Listings Is More Than Tighter TSE Rules

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)

Japanese Companies Targeted by Activist Investors Not Thinking of Cash Allocation, Corporate Value?

I will discuss the argument that "Companies that have moved to take drastic shareholder returns in response to activist investors' proposals have...

Metrical Inc

It Is a Good Trend that More Japanese Managers Are Using "Capital Allocation and Cash Allocation"

I would like to discuss the issues on the Nikkei article, "Listed companies are being questioned on how they spend their cash."

Metrical Inc

Human Capital Disclosure in 'Yuho' Report Is Good News, but There Are Challenges

I would like to discuss the issues on the Nikkei article, "Discussions are underway to disclose human capital in annual securities reports in...

Metrical Inc

Cautiously Optimistic Following Downtrend Reversals; Japan Continues to Lead; Bottoms-Up Stock Rec's

The bear market rally that we were on watch for started last week, confirmed by the bullish reversals on the DAX, Hang Seng, MSCI China $MCHI, and...

Vermilion Research

The Key to Dissolving Parent-Subsidiary Listings Is More Than Tighter TSE Rules

I would like to discuss the points about the Nikkei article "Companies should do their best to prevent harmful effects of parent-subsidiary listings."

Metrical Inc