Report
Joel Scheiman ...
  • Julie Boote

PSA Today Mar 12: Land price scandal again/Honda's US Accord set-backs/Miraial woes/Sony and EMI Publishing/Casinos: Hokkaido? Universal?/ Nikkei +1.51%

Japan Market Comment by Pelham Smithers, Julie Boote and Joel Scheiman
Nikkei ¥21,824.03 (+¥354.83 / +1.65%); Topix ¥1,741.30 (+¥25.82/ +1.51%); ¥/$106.59
Tags: Alps (6770 JP), Eisai (4523 JP), Merck (MRK US), Universal Entertainment (6425 JP), Wynn (WYNN US), Ulvac (6728 JP), Tokyo Seimitsu (7729 JP), Canon (7751 JP), Samco (6387 JP), Spotify (SPOT US), Sony (6758 JP), Warner Music (unlisted), Honda (7267 JP), Toyota 7203 JP), Miraial (4238 JP), Samsung (005930 KS), Shin-Etsu Polymer (7970 JP) Konami (9766 JP), Caesars Entertainment (CZR US), Sega Sammy (6460 JP), Paradise (034230 KS), Dynam Japan (6889 HK), MGM Resorts (MGM US), Las Vegas Sands (LVS US), Melco Resort (MLCO US)
Main Points at a Glance
• Nikkei’s rally stalled by renewed land price scandal
• Sony and EMI Music Publishing: Buy or Sell?
• Honda: What’s Going on with The Accord?
• Miraial stands out on the down side
• Casinos: prospects for a casino in Hokkaido…
• …contenders include Universal Entertainment
Underlyings
Alps Alpine Co. Ltd.

Alps Electric is engaged in the manufacture and sale of electronic components and automotive audio equipment. Electronic Components segment offers detector switches, slide switches, power switches, tactile switches, magnetic sensors, humidity sensors, pressure sensors, connectors, encoders, potentiometers, multi control devices, communication modules, actuators and other electronic components for automobiles, smartphones, home appliances and other consumer electronics. Automotive Infotainment segment offers head units, navigation systems and rear view cameras. Logistics segment provides transportation, warehousing and forwarding services specializing in electronic components.

Caesars Entertainment Corporation

Caesars Entertainment is a holding company that provides casino-entertainment and hospitality services. The company's facilities include gaming offerings, food and beverage outlets, hotel and convention space, and non-gaming entertainment options. In addition to its brick and mortar assets, the company operates an online gaming business that provides real money games in certain jurisdictions and provides retail sports wagering in certain jurisdictions. The company's consolidated business is composed of five complementary businesses: casino entertainment, food and beverage, rooms and hotel, casino management services, and entertainment and other business operations, including mobile sports betting.

Canon Inc.

Canon and its subsidiaries are engaged in the manufacture and sale of office multifunction devices, plain paper copying machines, laser printers, inkjet printers, cameras and lithography equipment. Co. sells its products principally under the Canon brand name and through sales subsidiaries. Each of these subsidiaries is responsible for marketing and distribution to retail dealers in an assigned territory. As of Dec. 31, 2017, Co.'s manufacturing is conducted primarily at 30 plants in Japan and 18 plants overseas. Co. operates its business in four segments: Office Business Unit, Imaging System Business Unit, Medical System Business Unit, and Industry and Others Business Unit.

Eisai Co. Ltd.

Eisai is mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of pharmaceutical products. Co.'s principal prescription drugs include anticancer agents, anti-Alzheimer's agent, anti-TNF monoclonal antibodies, antiepileptic agents, proton pump inhibitors, neuropathic pain relievers, and other prescription drugs under the name of "Halaven," "Lenvima," "Fycompa," "BELVIQ," "Pariet/AcipHex," "Aricept," and "Humira." Co.'s principal over-the-counter products include Vitamin B2 preparations "Chocola BB," gastrointestinal drugs, anti-allergic drugs, and dermatological preparations. Co. operates its operations in Japan, the Americas, Europe, China and Asia.

Honda Motor Co. Ltd.

Honda Motor is the parent company of a group mainly develop, manufacture and distribute motorcycles, automobiles, power products, and also provide financing for the sale of those products. Principal manufacturing facilities are located in Japan, the United States of America, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Turkey, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Argentina, and Brazil. Co.'s principal business segments are motorcycles, automobiles, financial services, and power products & other business. Co.'s principal automobile products include passenger cars such as "Legend," "Accord," "Inspire," "Civic," "Insight," "City," "Acura RL," "Acura TL," "Acura TSX," and "Acura CSX".

KONAMI HOLDINGS CORP

Konami Holdings is engaged in the development, publishing, marketing and distribution of video game software products globally for stationary consoles such as Sony PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii, and Microsoft Xbox 360, and for portable consoles such as Sony PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo DS and Nintendo 3DS, as well as for use on personal computers. In addition, Co. plans, produces, operates and distributes entertainment content for mobile phone online games. Co. classifies its businesses into four segments: Digital Entertainment, Health & Fitness, Gaming & System, and Amusement.

Las Vegas Sands Corp.

Las Vegas Sands is a developer of destination properties (Integrated Resorts) that feature accommodations, gaming, entertainment and retail malls, convention and exhibition facilities, restaurants and other amenities. The company owns and operates Integrated Resorts in Asia and the United States. Through its ownership of Sands China Ltd., the company owns and operates properties including The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel, Sands Cotai Central, The Parisian Macao, The Plaza Macao and Four Seasons Hotel Macao, Cotai Strip, and the Sands Macao. In Singapore, the company owns and operates the Marina Bay Sands. The company's Las Vegas Operating Properties includes The Venetian Resort Las Vegas and the Sands Expo Center.

Melco International Development Limited

Melco International Development is an investment holding company. Through its subsidiaries, Co. is principally engaged in four segments: leisure, gaming and entertainment; technology; investment banking and financial services; and property and other investments.

Merck & Co. Inc.

Merck & Co. is a global health care company that delivers health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products. The company's segments are: Pharmaceutical, which includes human health pharmaceutical products that consist of therapeutic and preventive agents for the treatment of human disorders, and human health vaccine products that consist of preventive pediatric, adolescent and adult vaccines; and Animal Health, which discovers, develops, manufactures and markets veterinary pharmaceuticals, vaccines and health management solutions and services, as well as a suite of digitally connected identification, traceability and monitoring products.

MGM Resorts International

MGM Resorts International is a holding company. Through its subsidiaries, the company owns and operates casino, hotel, and entertainment resorts across the United States and in Macau. The company's segments include: Las Vegas Strip Resorts, which consists of casino resorts such as Bellagio, MGM Grand Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay, The Mirage, Luxor, New York-New York, Excalibur, and Park MGM; Regional Operations, which consists of casino resorts such as MGM Grand Detroit, Beau Rivage, Gold Strike Tunica, Borgata, MGM National Harbor, MGM Springfield, Empire City, and MGM Northfield Park; and MGM China, which owns and operates casino resorts and the related gaming subconcession and land concessions.

Paradise Co. Ltd

Paradise is engaged in the operation of casino and other gambling related activity. Co. provides blackjak, bakara, roulettlet, Daisai big wheel, slot machines and other gaming. Co. also maintains casino education center offering free education to deliver training for professional dealers. Co. is also engaged in the business of hotel, tourism, manufacturing and construction.

Shin-Etsu Chemical Co Ltd

Shin-Etsu Chemical is mainly engaged in the manufacturing and sales of polyvinyl chloride and organic chemicals, silicon, functional chemicals, semiconductor silicon, electronic and functional materials, and others. Co.'s principal products include polyvinyl chloride, caustic soda products, methanol, chloromethane, silicon products, cellulose derivatives, silicon metal, poval (polyvinyl alcohol), synthetic pheromones, semiconductor silicon products, rare earth magnets, encapsulation materials, photoresists, photomask blanks, synthetic quartz products, epoxy molding compounds, pellicles, and resin processed products. Co. is also engaged in the export of plant equipment and others.

Toyota Motor Corp.

Toyota Motor is an automobile manufacturer. Co. is primarily engaged in the design, manufacture, and sale of sedans, minivans, compact cars, sport-utility vehicles, trucks and related parts and accessories throughout the world. Co. provides financing, vehicle and equipment leasing and certain other financial services primarily to its dealers and their customers to support the sales of vehicles and other products manufactured by Co. Co.'s principal business segments are automotive operations, financial services operations and other operations. Co. sells its vehicles in approximately 190 countries and regions, and markets for its automobiles in Japan, North America, Europe and Asia.

ULVAC Inc.

ULVAC is engaged in the manufacture and sale of vacuum systems and equipment. The Vacuum Machinery segment provides sputtering systems, CVD systems, vacuum evaporation systems, etching systems, annealing systems, ion implantation systems, vacuum furnaces and vapor deposition polymerization systems for semiconductor processing, LED devices, photovoltaics, optic films, LCD displays, magnetic sensors, and electronic materials; and vacuum components including vacuum pumps, gauges, leak detectors, vacuum valves, and vacuum parts. The Vacuum Application segment provides sputtering target materials, evaporation deposition materials, and titanium and tantalum processing products.

Universal Entertainment

Wynn Resorts Limited

Wynn Resorts is a holding company. Through its subsidiaries, the company is a designer, developer, and operator of resorts featuring hotel rooms, retail space, an array of dining and entertainment options, meeting and convention facilities, and gaming. Through its subsidiary, Wynn Macau, Limited, the company operates two integrated resorts in the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, Wynn Palace and Wynn Macau. In Las Vegas, NV, the company also operates and, with the exception of certain retail space, own Wynn Las Vegas and Encore Boston Harbor, an integrated resort in Everett, MA, adjacent to Boston.

Provider
Pelham Smithers Associates Ltd
Pelham Smithers Associates Ltd

Founded in 2009, Pelham Smithers Associates (PSA) provides market intelligence on Asian technology, focusing in particular on Japan. The industries covered by our team of specialists are: consumer electronics, telecomms, pharmaceuticals, internet, electronic parts and materials, automotive technology, retail and capital goods. 

PSA produces both company and sector reports. The focus of PSA’s research is to identify winners and losers as new technologies impact the top and bottom lines of corporations. Critical to our research is the clear explanation of how these new technologies work and how they impact companies and industries. 

The founding partners have worked closely together for twenty years and the team has more than doubled in size since 2012. 

Analysts
Joel Scheiman

Julie Boote

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