Daily BriefsMost Read

Most Read: Renesas Electronics, CK Asset Holdings, Welcia Holdings, Toshiba Corp, Ecopro BM , Korea Stock Exchange KOSPI 200, New World Development, Aozora Bank Ltd, APM Human Services Internation and more

In today’s briefing:

  • Renesas (6723) – YET ANOTHER Clean-Up Block Trade – This Time Mitsubishi Elec
  • Hong Kong To Scrap All “Spicy Measures” (Property Cooling Measures)
  • Tsuruha (3391) And Welcia (3141) – Aeon Tsuruha Stake Buy Followed by Merger! [Redux]
  • Beyond the Bubble: A Deep Dive into the Forces Behind the Nikkei Index Surge
  • Ecopro BM (247540 KS): Index Impact of KOSDAQ to KOSPI Transfer
  • Confirmed: Conditions & Schedule of Block Deals Pre-Disclosure Rules in Korea
  • Hong Kong: Stamp Duties Axed; Mortgage Rules Relaxed
  • JAPAN ACTIVISM:  Is Murakami-San Going To Do A PacMetals Rug Pull on Aozora? Or Is This For Real?
  • Aozora Bank (8304 JP): Murakami Becomes a Substantial Shareholder
  • APM Human Services (APM AU): CVC’s 141% Offer Premium


Renesas (6723) – YET ANOTHER Clean-Up Block Trade – This Time Mitsubishi Elec

By Travis Lundy

  • Today after the close, Mitsubishi Electric (6503 JP) announced the sale of its position in Renesas Electronics (6723 JP). That’s 50,706,800 shares.  
  • This is the third large block in four months (Renesas in November for 223mm shares, NEC and Hitachi in January 2024 for 123mm shares).
  • This is smaller, and reasonably well-flagged. Index demand is longer-dated.

Hong Kong To Scrap All “Spicy Measures” (Property Cooling Measures)

By Travis Lundy

  • RTHK just reporting that HK Finance Secretary Paul Chan has said in his budget speech that HK will remove all property cooling measures in place, with immediate effect. 
  • That would be That is Special Stamp Duty, Buyer’s Stamp Duty, New Residential Stamp Duty. “Measures no longer necessary given the current economic and market conditions.”
  • This should cause people to get excited short-term about property developers.

Tsuruha (3391) And Welcia (3141) – Aeon Tsuruha Stake Buy Followed by Merger! [Redux]

By Travis Lundy

  • The first piece had a question mark in the title. This one has an exclamation point. The exclamation point has value for one investor. Other people? Not so much.
  • Today post-close we got the deal. I was a little surprised it came this fast, but it’s now mostly done it appears – largely as predicted in the last piece.
  • There are things one can probably read into the details. It is probably worth thinking about those, and how those details affect the industry. 

Beyond the Bubble: A Deep Dive into the Forces Behind the Nikkei Index Surge

By Nimish Maheshwari

  • Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average has surged past its 1989 peak, fueled by global investor interest, corporate reforms, and innovative investment initiatives like the Nippon Individual Savings Account (NISA).
  • This resurgence marks a significant milestone in Japan’s economic landscape, reflecting renewed investor confidence, structural reforms, and potential growth opportunities in the market.
  • The Nikkei’s surpassing of its previous peak signals a shift in perception towards Japan’s market potential, prompting investors to reconsider the country’s economic trajectory and explore new avenues for investment.

Ecopro BM (247540 KS): Index Impact of KOSDAQ to KOSPI Transfer

By Brian Freitas

  • Ecopro BM (247540 KS)‘s Board has approved the delisting of the stock from the KOSDAQ market and to list on the KOSPI market. The shareholder meeting is on 26 March. 
  • Historically, the KRX has taken an average of 64 days from application to approve the listing to transfer from the KOSDAQ market to the KOSPI market.
  • Ecopro BM (247540 KS) will be deleted from the KOSDAQ 150 Index on its last trading day and inclusion in the KOSPI 200 Index could take place in September.

Confirmed: Conditions & Schedule of Block Deals Pre-Disclosure Rules in Korea

By Sanghyun Park

  • Insiders must disclose transaction details, complete deals within 30 days, limit deviations to 30%, and submit disclosures 30 days before transactions.
  • Financial investors, including institutional ones, are exempt. This encompasses local pension funds (including NPS) and foreign financial investors. Deals under 1% of total shares and less than ₩5B are exempt.
  • Confirmation of the timeline indicates many block deals before July. We should hunt potential deals for proactive setups. Also, we should monitor basis widening in futures due to short-selling ban.

Hong Kong: Stamp Duties Axed; Mortgage Rules Relaxed

By David Blennerhassett

  • Hong Kong residential property prices declined 7% in 2023 and are down >20% from the 2021 peak in 2021. The average price of offices also declined ~7% in 2023.
  • Scrapping property cooling measures, such as the special stamp duty applied to homes resold within 24 months, have been rumoured, to push up housing prices. 
  • In today’s annual budget, we got those. And then some. 

JAPAN ACTIVISM:  Is Murakami-San Going To Do A PacMetals Rug Pull on Aozora? Or Is This For Real?

By Travis Lundy

  • Yesterday after the close, well-known Japanese activist Murakami-san’s preferred entity City Index Eleventh filed a Large Shareholder Report. 
  • The blast across Bloomberg was “*AOZORA 5.4% STAKE REPORTED BY CITY INDEX ELEVENTH.” Sounds exciting after the shares dropped 34% in two days earlier this month after reporting big writedowns. 
  • But there has to be a question here. Why? And Why this way? And what kind of activism would be possible? 

Aozora Bank (8304 JP): Murakami Becomes a Substantial Shareholder

By Arun George

  • Murakami’s entity, City Index Eleventh, reported a 5.42% shareholding in Aozora Bank Ltd (8304 JP). Murakami started buying a day after the disastrous 3QFY23 results.
  • Murakami’s average buy-in price is JPY2,137.88 per share, a 34% discount to the pre-3QFY23 results share price. 
  • Murakami’s disclosure suggests two possibilities: the start of an activist campaign or a short-term trading play replicating the Pacific Metals (5541 JP) playbook.

APM Human Services (APM AU): CVC’s 141% Offer Premium

By David Blennerhassett

  • Back on the 19th Feb, employment and disability services play APM Human Services Internation (APM AU) rejected PE-outfit CVC Asia Pacific’s A$1.60 proposal, a 93% premium to undisturbed.
  • Undeterred, CVC has returned with A$2.00/share indicative Offer, by way of a Scheme, a 141% premium to undisturbed; yet a 44% discount to APM’s November 2021 IPO price of A$3.55/share.
  • APM has determined it will engage and provide CVC with a four-week period of exclusivity. 

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