The PSA Japan Weekly Research Round-Up for the Week to 20 May 2022

The Weekly Comment Summary
Topix had its worst quarterly earnings since peak Covid in Q2 2020. However, it was primarily down to one company – SoftBank Group. Pelham Smithers discusses this impact but also flags the seasonally unusual poor performance by pharma companies, the yen weakness, with a read across to company forecasts and their own FX assumptions, and rising commodity prices – problems don’t look like going away any time soon, particularly if the Bank of Japan continues with quantitative easing while other G7 central banks tighten.

PSA Company Visits, Tours, and
• Visited: TDK (6762 JT)
• Presentations at: Kaneka (4118 JT), Toho Titanium (5727 JT), Iwatani Corp (8088 JT), Nippon Sanso (4091 JT), Sumitomo Bakelite (4203 JT), Nippon Shokubai (4114 JT), Central Glass (4044 JT), Mitsubishi Gas Chemical (4182 JT)

PSA Weekly Contents at a Glance
Reports / Flash Notes Summaries
1. Why Semiconductor Stocks Need a Reappraisal
2. Square Enix (9684 JT) Results and Outlook
3. Mitsubishi Motors (7211 JT): Recovery Phase Coming to an End
4. Japan’s Systems Integrators – A Brief Note on Why NRI is the Benchmark
5. Enechange (4169 JT) Results and Outlook
6. Ukraine – The Eastern Europe Perspective

Company / Sector / Thematic Comments
Technology: Consumer Electronics, Gaming
1. Square Enix (9684 JT) Rounds Off Strong Showing in FY21, but FY22 Outlook Uncertain
2. Game Console Sales Continue to Struggle
3. Other Consumer Elec / Gaming News & Moves That Caught Our Eye
Technology: Industrial Electronics / Components / Semis & SPE / Precision
4. Why Semiconductor Stocks Need a Reappraisal
5. Q1 2022 Camera Shipments Volumes -7% YoY but +16% in Value Terms
6. Renesas (6723 JT) to Restart Kofu Plant
7. Other Tech-Related News & Moves That Caught Our Eye
Chemicals / Materials
8. Toho Titanium (5727 JT) Presents Positive Outlook
9. Other Chemical / Material-Related News & Moves That Caught Our Eye
Autos
10. Large differences Among Automaker Guidance Numbers
11. Global Auto Sales Plunge at Beginning of Fiscal Year
12. Yamaha Motor (7272 JT) Reports Disappointing FY22 Q1 Results and Full-Year Forecast
13. Possibility of Nissan (7201 JT) to Merge with Renault (RNO FP)
14. Other Auto-Related News & Moves That Caught Our Eye
Auto Parts / Machinery / Heavies
15. Daifuku (6383 JT) Driven by Semis
16. Ferrotec (6890 JT) Surprises with Record FY22 CE OP / To Boost Supply to AMAT
17. SMC (6273 JT) Shares Recover as its Plans are Well-Received
18. Heavies Rise to New Highs
19. Denso (6902 JT) to Hold Conference Call on Semiconductors on 1 June
Internet / eCommerce
20. Net Protections (7383 JT) Rose as Investors Look Past FY22 Guidance
21. Recruit (6098 JT) Forecasts Revenue to Surpass ¥3tril in FY22
22. BASE Inc (4477 JT) Launches TikTok Shopping Ads App
23. Rakuten (4755 JT) Reaches a New One-Year Low
24. Other Internet / eCommerce News & Moves That Caught Our Eye
Enterprise Software / IT Services
25. Enechange (4169 JT) Slashes FY22 Target Amid Electricity Market Woes
26. Cybozu (4776 JT) Confirms FY22 Q2 Sales
27. PKSHA (3993 JT) Makes Good Headway with FY22 H1 Results
Miscellaneous
28. Dentsu (4324 JT) 1Q FY22 OP +41% YoY
29. Japan, UK in Fighter Jet Tie-up Move
Market / Strategy / Macro
30. Weak China Data
31. 1Q GDP Preview / Release