Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets, JapanConsuming

Michael Causton

Expert on Japan Retail and Consumer Markets

Real Insight on Japanese Consumer Markets

JapanConsuming

JapanConsuming is a specialist research firm producing intelligence on Japanese retail and consumer markets. Founded in 2000, JapanConsuming has become the leading provider of insights on Japanese retailers and consumer trends to retailers, brands, government agencies and investors. As well as a highly regarded monthly report on the market, JapanConsuming produces in-depth reports on retail sectors, seminars on key trends and telephone consulting to investors on trends and retailers.

JapanConsuming was founded by Michael Causton and Roy Larke. 

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>World may finally have found the key to real growth after years of trying to build a fashion retail business in shopping centres, but with limited success.</li>
<li>The big problem was that it didn’t have the supply chain skills to compete with the big retailers like Uniqlo and Adastria.</li>
<li>Buying the supplier that helped grow those same chains means World now has a real chance to enter the big leagues.</li>
</ul>


World may finally have found the key to real growth after years of trying to build a fashion retail business in shopping centres, but with limited success.
The big problem was that it didn’t have the supply chain skills to compete with the big retailers like Uniqlo and Adastria.
Buying the supplier that helped grow those same chains means World now has a real chance to enter the big leagues.


Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul>
<li>In this in-depth review, it is clear that while Japanese clothing markets had a solid year in FY2024-25, once again the top 100 retailers outperformed by a large margin.</li>
<li>This meant they surpassed 71% share of the market but, within the specialty market alone, the top 10 retailers own 34%. This is now a clear oligopoly.</li>
<li>There are no signs of the situation changing either but rather the capacity of the leaders to invest should further expand share at the top.</li>
</ul>


In this in-depth review, it is clear that while Japanese clothing markets had a solid year in FY2024-25, once again the top 100 retailers outperformed by a large margin.
This meant they surpassed 71% share of the market but, within the specialty market alone, the top 10 retailers own 34%. This is now a clear oligopoly.
There are no signs of the situation changing either but rather the capacity of the leaders to invest should further expand share at the top.


The Great Divide: Fashion Retail’s Oligopoly

Honeys Holdings Co., Ltd. / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Honeys Holdings is leveraging its SPA model to drive growth using a data-driven rapid decision-making process to capture demand in the tough womenswear market.</li>
<li>It has managed to grow sales for five straight years while also rebuilding supply chains, with some of the highest gross margins in the industry.</li>
<li>While margins have been hit by higher import costs due to the weak Yen, and higher labour costs, Honeys is squeezing costs further to make up for this.</li>
</ul>


Honeys Holdings is leveraging its SPA model to drive growth using a data-driven rapid decision-making process to capture demand in the tough womenswear market.
It has managed to grow sales for five straight years while also rebuilding supply chains, with some of the highest gross margins in the industry.
While margins have been hit by higher import costs due to the weak Yen, and higher labour costs, Honeys is squeezing costs further to make up for this.


<ul>
<li>There have been a lot of deals in the last 5 years, including M&amp;A between Japanese companies, distribution deals/licenses, foreign companies buying into Japan and Japanese buying foreign brands. </li>
<li>Consolidation is a key motivation but so are category expansion, rationalisation and buying in expertise. All these reasons and more suggest more deals to come in the next few years.</li>
<li>Here we provide a comprehensive list of deals between 2019-2025 as well as a map showing who owns who and, as important, who influences who without any paperwork at all.</li>
</ul>


There have been a lot of deals in the last 5 years, including M&amp;A between Japanese companies, distribution deals/licenses, foreign companies buying into Japan and Japanese buying foreign brands. 
Consolidation is a key motivation but so are category expansion, rationalisation and buying in expertise. All these reasons and more suggest more deals to come in the next few years.
Here we provide a comprehensive list of deals between 2019-2025 as well as a map showing who owns who and, as important, who influences who without any paperwork at all.


[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

<ul>
<li>TSI Holdings long managed to get away with half-hearted reforms because it was so rich.</li>
<li>Operating losses in 1H2024 and falls in sales at key brands have spurred the company to finally take real action, the last of the big apparel firms to do so.</li>
<li>The good news is that the business is so bulging with inefficiencies that it won't take much to boost income.</li>
</ul>


TSI Holdings long managed to get away with half-hearted reforms because it was so rich.
Operating losses in 1H2024 and falls in sales at key brands have spurred the company to finally take real action, the last of the big apparel firms to do so.
The good news is that the business is so bulging with inefficiencies that it won't take much to boost income.


TSI to Cull Brands and 20% of Staff and Deliver Real Profits – Finally

Japan

World Co., Ltd. designs, manufactures, and distributes apparels. The Company produces women's garments, men's garments, children's garments, and other products. World also operates investment businesses.

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World Co Ltd (3612 JP)

World Buys Mitsubishi Clothing Business

World has found the key to growth by acquiring a supplier business owned by Mitsubishi Corp to compete with big retailers like Uniqlo and Adastria.

Michael Causton

The Great Divide: Fashion Retail’s Oligopoly

Japanese clothing market dominated by top 100 retailers in FY2024-25, with top 10 owning 34% in specialty market, solidifying oligopoly. Leaders...

Michael Causton

Honeys’ Faster, High Profit Fashion

Honeys Holdings uses data-driven decision-making to drive growth and profit in the Japanese womenswear market, despite challenges like higher...

Michael Causton

[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

Michael Causton

TSI to Cull Brands and 20% of Staff and Deliver Real Profits – Finally

TSI Holdings finally taking real action after operating losses and sales declines, with potential for easy income boost due to multiple...

Michael Causton

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

World Buys Mitsubishi Clothing Business

​World has found the key to growth by acquiring a supplier business owned by Mitsubishi Corp to compete with big retailers like Uniqlo and Adastria.

Michael Causton

The Great Divide: Fashion Retail’s Oligopoly

​Japanese clothing market dominated by top 100 retailers in FY2024-25, with top 10 owning 34% in specialty market, solidifying oligopoly. Leaders...

Michael Causton

Honeys’ Faster, High Profit Fashion

​Honeys Holdings uses data-driven decision-making to drive growth and profit in the Japanese womenswear market, despite challenges like higher...

Michael Causton

[Japan M&A] Who Owns Who in Fashion & Lifestyle Markets

​Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

Michael Causton

TSI to Cull Brands and 20% of Staff and Deliver Real Profits – Finally

​TSI Holdings finally taking real action after operating losses and sales declines, with potential for easy income boost due to multiple...

Michael Causton

World has found the key to growth by acquiring a supplier business owned by Mitsubishi Corp to compete with big retailers like Uniqlo and Adastria.

Japanese clothing market dominated by top 100 retailers in FY2024-25, with top 10 owning 34% in specialty market, solidifying oligopoly. Leaders...

Honeys Holdings uses data-driven decision-making to drive growth and profit in the Japanese womenswear market, despite challenges like higher...

Recent years have seen a surge in deals between Japanese and foreign companies in lifestyle/fashion, driven by consolidation and category...

TSI Holdings finally taking real action after operating losses and sales declines, with potential for easy income boost due to multiple...