Independent Insight Provider, Japanese equities, LightStream Research

Scott Foster

Independent Insight Provider, Japanese equities

Long-Short Analysis on Japan, Asia and the World

LightStream Research

LightStream conducts quantitatively rigorous and data-driven analysis with a focus on Japan and Asia.

We consistently cover the Tech, Consumer and Industrial sectors, and provide ECM and Events coverage more broadly.

We supplement traditional qualitative insights from company relationships with a robust quantitative foundation that examines as much historical data as is available.
We further refine the accuracy of our insights and calls through the use of alternative data to flesh out current trends, and through a valuation framework that emphasises non-superficial peer group selection and a proper attempt to understand the metrics and changes that have driven security valuations in the past.

Equity Bottom-Up

Lasertec Corporation develops, designs, manufactures and markets photomask inspection systems to make semiconductor devices, confocal scanning laser microscopes and liquid crystal display (LCD) inspection systems.

<ul>
<li>Lasertec has dropped more than 20% in the past week and a half, but is still selling at more than 60x EPS guidance for FY Jun-24.</li>
<li>Weak orders at ASML, disappointing guidance from TSMC and doubts about Intel's equipment purchases cast doubt on Lasertec's growth potential.</li>
<li>Between December 2021 and June 2022, Lasertec's share price dropped by more than 50%. Wait for Q3 results before reaching for a falling knife. </li>
</ul>


Lasertec has dropped more than 20% in the past week and a half, but is still selling at more than 60x EPS guidance for FY Jun-24.
Weak orders at ASML, disappointing guidance from TSMC and doubts about Intel's equipment purchases cast doubt on Lasertec's growth potential.
Between December 2021 and June 2022, Lasertec's share price dropped by more than 50%. Wait for Q3 results before reaching for a falling knife. 


YASKAWA Electric Corporation manufactures and markets servomotors, controllers, inverters, and industrial robots.  The Company's products include spindle controllers, computerized numerical control (CNC) systems, and system engineering.

<ul>
<li>The outlook for factory automation is improving with inventory clearance, the upturn in the semiconductor industry and an AI-enhanced response to the labor shortage.</li>
<li>Yaskawa's margins should continue to rise with renewed growth in Robotics, efficiency gains and an upgraded product line. </li>
<li>Valuation stretched at 30x EPS guidance for FY Feb-25, but current weakness looks like a long term buying opportunity.</li>
</ul>


The outlook for factory automation is improving with inventory clearance, the upturn in the semiconductor industry and an AI-enhanced response to the labor shortage.
Yaskawa's margins should continue to rise with renewed growth in Robotics, efficiency gains and an upgraded product line. 
Valuation stretched at 30x EPS guidance for FY Feb-25, but current weakness looks like a long term buying opportunity.


Yaskawa (6506 JP): Start of a New Factory Automation Growth Cycle

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries / Equity Bottom-Up

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. is a comprehensive heavy machinery maker. The Company manufactures machinery, ships, turbines and engines, prime movers, aircrafts, and machine parts for military and commercial use.  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries also researches and develops nuclear power plants.

<ul>
<li>MHI's share price has risen more than 60% year-to-date and nearly tripled over the past 12 months on the improving outlook for Japanese defense contractors.</li>
<li>A huge increase in new orders, prospects for a doubling of sales and a rapidly rising operating margin on Aircraft, Defense &amp; Space have been factored into the price.</li>
<li>The shares do not look expensive compared with international comparables, but neither are they particularly cheap. Potential problems, from Japanese defense budget constraints to production glitches, have been ignored. </li>
</ul>


MHI's share price has risen more than 60% year-to-date and nearly tripled over the past 12 months on the improving outlook for Japanese defense contractors.
A huge increase in new orders, prospects for a doubling of sales and a rapidly rising operating margin on Aircraft, Defense &amp; Space have been factored into the price.
The shares do not look expensive compared with international comparables, but neither are they particularly cheap. Potential problems, from Japanese defense budget constraints to production glitches, have been ignored. 


Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011 JP): Take Profits and Wait for Reality to Catch Up

NEC Corporation manufactures and markets computers, telecommunication equipment, electronic devices, semiconductors, and software.  The Company's products include printers, modems, cellular phones, plasma display panels (PDP), network systems, memory, integrated circuits (IC), thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD), and printed circuit boards (PCB). NEC operates worldwide.

<ul>
<li>CEO Jensen Huang's keynote address at Nvidia's GTC event on March 18 was a reminder that generative AI is about building secure and reliable systems, not chatting up the future.</li>
<li>NEC has spent three years developing its own AI supercomputer, creating the best performing Japanese-language large language model (LLM), and testing new AI products in-house before delivering them to clients.</li>
<li>The introduction of generative AI and LLMs into business- and industry-specific solutions should provide meaningful additions to NEC’s telecom services, social infrastructure, aerospace and national security related businesses. </li>
</ul>


CEO Jensen Huang's keynote address at Nvidia's GTC event on March 18 was a reminder that generative AI is about building secure and reliable systems, not chatting up the future.
NEC has spent three years developing its own AI supercomputer, creating the best performing Japanese-language large language model (LLM), and testing new AI products in-house before delivering them to clients.
The introduction of generative AI and LLMs into business- and industry-specific solutions should provide meaningful additions to NEC’s telecom services, social infrastructure, aerospace and national security related businesses. 


<ul>
<li>The P/E ratio has risen above 20x this fiscal year from no more than 13x in the previous four years, reflecting successful restructuring and investor enthusiasm for AI. </li>
<li>Profit margins are rising, but remain moderate in absolute terms with room for further improvement. The shares may consolidate, but they do not look overvalued.</li>
<li>Management is aiming for generative AI sales of ¥50 billion in three years time. This is less than 2% of total sales, but a positive indicator for NEC's software business.</li>
</ul>


The P/E ratio has risen above 20x this fiscal year from no more than 13x in the previous four years, reflecting successful restructuring and investor enthusiasm for AI. 
Profit margins are rising, but remain moderate in absolute terms with room for further improvement. The shares may consolidate, but they do not look overvalued.
Management is aiming for generative AI sales of ¥50 billion in three years time. This is less than 2% of total sales, but a positive indicator for NEC's software business.


NEC (6701 JP): Generative AI Is the Spark, Not the Driver

Securities analyst covering electronics, precision equipment & robotics, engineering, construction, transport and other sectors for more than 25 years in Japan and 3 years in Korea. Permanent resident of Japan.

Scott Foster
Independent Insight Provider, Japanese equities
• LightStream Research

Lasertec (6920 JP): Further to Fall

Lasertec is down more than 20% but still looks overvalued as weak orders at ASML, disappointing guidance at TSMC and uncertain equipment demand at...

Scott Foster

Yaskawa (6506 JP): Start of a New Factory Automation Growth Cycle

Long-term buy with share price down 10% in the past month as orders bottom out. Robotics looking up with inventory cleared and need for automation...

Scott Foster

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011 JP): Take Profits and Wait for Reality to Catch Up

Take profits in MHI as the very strong order flow and prospects for sales growth and rising margins over the few years should be in the price while...

Scott Foster

NEC (6701 JP): Generative AI (Part 2)

NEC's AI supercomputer, Japanese large-language models and reliable generative AI based services should make significant long-term contributions to...

Scott Foster

NEC (6701 JP): Generative AI Is the Spark, Not the Driver

The shares are up 2.2X in the past year, but do not look overvalued. AI has sparked investor interest, but efficiency gains are driving profits....

Scott Foster