Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events, Quiddity Advisors

Travis Lundy

Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events

Quiddity Advisors

Event-Driven

Toppan Printing Co., Ltd. is a printing company that provides commercial and publication printing services. The Company also prints securities paper, packaging products, and electronic related products such as photomasks and colorfilters. Toppan Printing also produces inks and operates a text book publication business.

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/toppan-printing-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:11875:1" rel="noopener">Toppan Printing (7911 JP)</a> established a new <a href="https://ssl4.eir-parts.net/doc/7911/tdnet/2283187/00.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Medium-Term Management Plan</a> with targets in May 2023. 8% ROE, PBR &gt;1.0x. More DX business. More management modernisation. More ESG. Mooooarrrrr!</li>
<li>They also promised capital measures: ¥100bn of buybacks over three years. Total shareholder return of 50%+ over three years. More progress in selling down cross-holdings. </li>
<li>Today the company reported better-than expected full-year revenues, OP, and Net Profit, added more to the buybacks, and shortened the buyback period to two years. Details matter.</li>
</ul>



Toppan Printing (7911 JP) established a new Medium-Term Management Plan with targets in May 2023. 8% ROE, PBR &gt;1.0x. More DX business. More management modernisation. More ESG. Mooooarrrrr!
They also promised capital measures: ¥100bn of buybacks over three years. Total shareholder return of 50%+ over three years. More progress in selling down cross-holdings. 
Today the company reported better-than expected full-year revenues, OP, and Net Profit, added more to the buybacks, and shortened the buyback period to two years. Details matter.


Toppan Printing (7911) Accelerates Buyback Pace and Amount; But Crossholder Sales Lurk

Aozora Bank, Ltd. provides banking services including deposits, savings, loans, foreign exchange transactions, and securities investments. Aozora Bank also provides services such as trust account, resolution and collection, and venture capital.

<ul>
<li>Pre-Open on February 1 2024, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/aozora-bank-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:6483:1" rel="noopener">Aozora Bank Ltd (8304 JP)</a> announced writedowns and a forecast revision, lowering full-year net profit expectations from +¥24bn to -¥28bn.</li>
<li>Shares which had been trading relatively richly (and heavily shorted) fell sharply over the following days, then noted activist Murakami-san started buying in. Then he bought more and went silent.</li>
<li>Today, Aozora reported full-year earnings - much worse than expected and Mar25 guidance lower than already low Street estimates. And they are selling 15% stake to Daiwa Securities Group. Oof!</li>
</ul>


Pre-Open on February 1 2024, Aozora Bank Ltd (8304 JP) announced writedowns and a forecast revision, lowering full-year net profit expectations from +¥24bn to -¥28bn.
Shares which had been trading relatively richly (and heavily shorted) fell sharply over the following days, then noted activist Murakami-san started buying in. Then he bought more and went silent.
Today, Aozora reported full-year earnings - much worse than expected and Mar25 guidance lower than already low Street estimates. And they are selling 15% stake to Daiwa Securities Group. Oof!


Aozora (8304) - Daiwa Securities Group (8601) Tie-Up - Daiwa To Buy 15+%

I'rom Group Co., Ltd. provides management services on clinical trials and staffing consulting services including providing nurses, pharmacists, and clinical pathologists to medical institutions as well as training medicalrelated staffs.  The Company also provides and leases facilities and finances for these who are to start their clinics.

<ul>
<li>Today SMO and CRO operator <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/i-rom-group-co-ltd" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:2686:1" rel="noopener">I'Rom Group (2372 JP)</a> announced an MBO where Blackstone would be the sponsor.</li>
<li>From outward appearances, it would seem to be an estate management exercise. It's not particularly rich as a bid, but it isn't awful. </li>
<li>I expect this gets done as Mori-san and family and friends appear to have 58% going in. Expected to start in June.</li>
</ul>


Today SMO and CRO operator I'Rom Group (2372 JP) announced an MBO where Blackstone would be the sponsor.
From outward appearances, it would seem to be an estate management exercise. It's not particularly rich as a bid, but it isn't awful. 
I expect this gets done as Mori-san and family and friends appear to have 58% going in. Expected to start in June.


Blackstone to Take I'rom (2372 JP) Private in MBO at ¥2800/Share (49% Premium)

KDDI CORPORATION provides mobile communication services and sells mobile devices.  The Company also is a broadband provider.

<ul>
<li>In May 2023, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/entities/kddi-corp" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="entities:639:1" rel="noopener">KDDI Corp (9433 JP)</a> announced a ¥300bn buyback program, did nothing for two months, then announced a Tender Offer Buyback to buy shares from Toyota. </li>
<li>Toyota had increased its stake years before, then KDDI bought back shares from others, so Toyota was backing its ownership down. I discussed the relationships, history, etc, <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/kddi-9433-own-share-tender-offer-toyota-to-sell-gasp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</li>
<li>This year, KDDI announced Friday with earnings that is buying back another large stake from Toyota. </li>
</ul>


In May 2023, KDDI Corp (9433 JP) announced a ¥300bn buyback program, did nothing for two months, then announced a Tender Offer Buyback to buy shares from Toyota. 
Toyota had increased its stake years before, then KDDI bought back shares from others, so Toyota was backing its ownership down. I discussed the relationships, history, etc, here.
This year, KDDI announced Friday with earnings that is buying back another large stake from Toyota. 


KDDI (9433) - Own Share Tender Offer, Toyota To Sell (Gasp!) Redux (Another Buyback in H2 Possible)

China International Capital Corporation / Event-Driven

China International Capital Corporation Ltd. (CICC) operates as an international investment bank. The Company provides financial services, including investment banking, capital markets, securities sales and trading, fixed income, asset management, and private equity. China International Capital also offers individual wealth management and research services.

China International Capital Corporation (3908 HK)

<ul>
<li>The New/Better A-H Premium Tracker has tables, charts, measures galore to track A/H premium positioning, southbound and northbound positioning/volatility in pairs over time, etc.</li>
<li>SOUTHBOUND's buy streak was interrupted again this past week, but they still net bought, as did NORTHBOUND. HK stocks continued bouncing VERY hard. Hs outperformed As very strongly.</li>
<li>As had a chance to catch up. Did not. Liquid Hs outperformed their As by 4.8% from 30-April through 10-May. Wide premia narrowed more than narrow premia.</li>
</ul>


The New/Better A-H Premium Tracker has tables, charts, measures galore to track A/H premium positioning, southbound and northbound positioning/volatility in pairs over time, etc.
SOUTHBOUND's buy streak was interrupted again this past week, but they still net bought, as did NORTHBOUND. HK stocks continued bouncing VERY hard. Hs outperformed As very strongly.
As had a chance to catch up. Did not. Liquid Hs outperformed their As by 4.8% from 30-April through 10-May. Wide premia narrowed more than narrow premia.


A/H Premium Tracker (To 10 May 2024):  Excellent Quiddity Portfolio Gains as Hs Rally Huge Vs As

HK Type 4 license through Ballingal Investment Advisors Ltd. ("BIA" or "BIAL")

BACKGROUND
I have 20+yrs experience in Asia doing alternative strategies (i.e. non-delta1 non long-only) in fixed income, equity derivatives, and activist/catalyst/event-driven and long-short equity strategies with most of that time spent managing money. 

4 years in fixed income macro, 8 years running internal hedge fund and 4yrs investment banking at Citi in Japan, 3 years running an Asia multi-strat portfolio at a hedge fund, 4+yrs as an independent special situations analyst.

Travis Lundy
Pan-Asia Catalysts/Events
• Quiddity Advisors

Toppan Printing (7911) Accelerates Buyback Pace and Amount; But Crossholder Sales Lurk

Toppan had good earnings from securities sales. OP should rise this year. Good. They upped the buyback amount and pace, dramatically. Also good....

Travis Lundy

Aozora (8304) - Daiwa Securities Group (8601) Tie-Up - Daiwa To Buy 15+%

Aozora wrote down more, sold more, and had worse results. Guidance to Mar25 is still weak. Now Aozora is issuing shares to Daiwa Securities Group...

Travis Lundy

A/H Premium Tracker (To 10 May 2024): Excellent Quiddity Portfolio Gains as Hs Rally Huge Vs As

AH Premia narrowed significantly. As an average, they are down near 52wk lows, with most of the move having taken place in the last 3 weeks. Some...

Travis Lundy

Toppan Printing (7911) Accelerates Buyback Pace and Amount; But Crossholder Sales Lurk

Toppan had good earnings from securities sales. OP should rise this year. Good. They upped the buyback amount and pace, dramatically. Also good....

Travis Lundy

Aozora (8304) - Daiwa Securities Group (8601) Tie-Up - Daiwa To Buy 15+%

Aozora wrote down more, sold more, and had worse results. Guidance to Mar25 is still weak. Now Aozora is issuing shares to Daiwa Securities Group...

Travis Lundy

Blackstone to Take I'rom (2372 JP) Private in MBO at ¥2800/Share (49% Premium)

Blackstone is sponsoring the other part of an MBO where CEO Mori-san who controls 47% is taking out the reasonably fast-growing SMO/CRO business at...

Travis Lundy

KDDI (9433) - Own Share Tender Offer, Toyota To Sell (Gasp!) Redux (Another Buyback in H2 Possible)

KDDI announced bad earnings, good forecast, and a big buyback (from Toyota again). Q2 will see on-market buyback impact. KDDI is cheap vs Softbank...

Travis Lundy

A/H Premium Tracker (To 10 May 2024): Excellent Quiddity Portfolio Gains as Hs Rally Huge Vs As

AH Premia narrowed significantly. As an average, they are down near 52wk lows, with most of the move having taken place in the last 3 weeks. Some...

Travis Lundy