Telco/Internet specialist

Kirk Boodry

Redex Research

Equity Bottom-Up

<ul>
<li>Q3 21 in-line for revenue but well ahead for EBITDA on solid advertising growth leading to an upgrade in management's full-year EBITDA target.</li>
<li>Operational results were encouraging with double-digit gains in ad sales and 7% eCommerce growth despite strong year-ago comps.</li>
<li>Impairment losses for equity associate Demae-Can sting but the overall story is positive.</li>
</ul>


Q3 21 in-line for revenue but well ahead for EBITDA on solid advertising growth leading to an upgrade in management's full-year EBITDA target.
Operational results were encouraging with double-digit gains in ad sales and 7% eCommerce growth despite strong year-ago comps.
Impairment losses for equity associate Demae-Can sting but the overall story is positive.


Z Holdings (Buy) Q3 21 Results Reaction: Mostly Positive as Ad Sales Continues to Impress

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. 

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/rakuten-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:31:1" rel="noopener">Rakuten Inc (4755 JP)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/zozo-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:18379:1" rel="noopener">ZOZO Inc (3092 JP)</a> are in a battle for share in online fashion with both companies increasingly aping the other to attract both merchants and consumers. </li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/amazon-com-inc" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:409:1" rel="noopener">Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US)</a> and <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/z-holdings-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19603:1" rel="noopener">Z Holdings (4689 JP)</a> aren’t standing still either but the competitive pressures between Rakuten and Zozo may put them ahead of their rivals.</li>
<li>This competitive edge now encompasses both physical stores and online platforms for physical retailers, with the aim to bind them ever closer to the platform.</li>
</ul>



Rakuten Inc (4755 JP) and ZOZO Inc (3092 JP) are in a battle for share in online fashion with both companies increasingly aping the other to attract both merchants and consumers. 

Amazon.com Inc (AMZN US) and Z Holdings (4689 JP) aren’t standing still either but the competitive pressures between Rakuten and Zozo may put them ahead of their rivals.
This competitive edge now encompasses both physical stores and online platforms for physical retailers, with the aim to bind them ever closer to the platform.


Platforms Add Merchant Support as Japan's Online Fashion Wars Move Offline

<ul>
<li>We remain very optimistic about the outlook for Mercari's fundamentals, both gross transaction values and operating margins.</li>
<li>The sharing economy in Japan alone remains nascent and Mercari has only just started adding on adjunct value-add services, most of which are (and will) carry high margins.</li>
<li>Even in the core fashion category, which some analysts have assumed is already reaching saturation, CtoC platforms and used retailers have barely scratched the surface as new research shows.</li>
</ul>


We remain very optimistic about the outlook for Mercari's fundamentals, both gross transaction values and operating margins.
The sharing economy in Japan alone remains nascent and Mercari has only just started adding on adjunct value-add services, most of which are (and will) carry high margins.
Even in the core fashion category, which some analysts have assumed is already reaching saturation, CtoC platforms and used retailers have barely scratched the surface as new research shows.


2022 High Conviction – Plenty of Growth Avenues for Mercari, the Apple of CtoC Services

<p><a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/z-holdings-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:19603:1" rel="noopener">Z Holdings (4689 JP)</a>  has posted a second solid quarter with LINE fully consolidated and the company’s first ¥100bn EBITDA quarter is a tantalizing sign of things to come although markets may have to wait for big gains in profitability as full-year guidance remains unchanged. The bad news is H2 comparables will get harder and management is committed to investing for growth over near-term profit expansion but LINE-fueled core performance and long-term potential remain enticing. We are raising our target price from ¥680 to ¥750 and remain at Buy.</p>

Z Holdings (4689 JP)  has posted a second solid quarter with LINE fully consolidated and the company’s first ¥100bn EBITDA quarter is a tantalizing sign of things to come although markets may have to wait for big gains in profitability as full-year guidance remains unchanged. The bad news is H2 comparables will get harder and management is committed to investing for growth over near-term profit expansion but LINE-fueled core performance and long-term potential remain enticing. We are raising our target price from ¥680 to ¥750 and remain at Buy.

Z Holdings (Buy) Q2 21 Results Reaction: Mostly Positive but Guidance Unchanged

Equity Capital Markets

<p>The Oyo listing should be a win for Softbank Group, which owns 47% (pre-listing) for a mere $1.1bn but initial pricing talk of $10-12bn seems wildly optimistic when matched against comparable valuations for premium online travel companies like Airbnb (implied Oyo value $4bn) or India tech ($7bn). Last year we thought this was worthless, so the turnaround is a pleasant surprise but we would not be buyers over INR 80/share ($7bn).</p>

The Oyo listing should be a win for Softbank Group, which owns 47% (pre-listing) for a mere $1.1bn but initial pricing talk of $10-12bn seems wildly optimistic when matched against comparable valuations for premium online travel companies like Airbnb (implied Oyo value $4bn) or India tech ($7bn). Last year we thought this was worthless, so the turnaround is a pleasant surprise but we would not be buyers over INR 80/share ($7bn).

Oyo and Softbank Group - This Would Be Generously Valued at $4-7bn but that Keeps CEO Under Water

Japan

LY Corporation operates as an internet search engine "Yahoo! JAPAN". The Company provides electronic commerce and settlement finance services for small medium enterprises and individuals. LY also operates media business including search linked advertising and display advertising services.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

LY (4689 JP)

Z Holdings (Buy) Q3 21 Results Reaction: Mostly Positive as Ad Sales Continues to Impress

This was a good quarter with better-than-expected growth in eCommerce, ad sales and cashless payments and an upgrade to the full-year EBITDA target...

Kirk Boodry

Platforms Add Merchant Support as Japan's Online Fashion Wars Move Offline

Zozo has had a good run during the pandemic and we continue to remain bullish about its growth thanks to many recent innovations but the biggest...

Michael Causton

2022 High Conviction – Plenty of Growth Avenues for Mercari, the Apple of CtoC Services

Mercari is much, much more than its CtoC platform and will emerge as a pivotal part of Japan's consumer goods/services/finance distribution system...

Michael Causton

Z Holdings (Buy) Q2 21 Results Reaction: Mostly Positive but Guidance Unchanged

ZHD has posted a second solid quarter with a fully consolidated LINE and a first ¥100bn EBITDA quarter is exciting although full-year guidance...

Kirk Boodry

Oyo and Softbank Group - This Would Be Generously Valued at $4-7bn but that Keeps CEO Under Water

An Oyo listing is a likely win for Softbank, which owns 47% for a mere $1.1bn but pricing talk of $10-12bn is optimistic compared to the $4-7bn...

Kirk Boodry

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)