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☆ Will Nikkei's record-breaking rally sustain even as Japan's economy sputters?
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | In Ying-Shan-Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Fuji and Tokyo skyline Jackyenjoyphotography | Moment | Getty ImagesJapan's Nikkei stock index has been on a record-breaking spree on the back of robust earnings and investor-friendly measures. But the country's ailing economy has experts divided over this sustainability of this rally. Japan's corporate governance reforms have been a key driver for the country's stock markets, Momma said, while stressing that stock indexes do not necessarily represent the entire economy that includes SMEs and households. SMEs are a critical lever in the Japanese economy, accounting for 70% of national employment and 50% of the country's economic growth. "Spillover from the global boom of AI-related stocks certainly helped Nikkei," Momma said.

Persons: Kazuo Momma, Momma, Sayuri Shirai, pare, Shirai, Phillip Colmar MRB Organizations: Nikkei, Mizuho Research, CNBC, Bank of Japan, Nvidia, Technology, Stock, Keio University, Bank of America, Phillip Colmar MRB Partners Locations: Fuji, Tokyo, Germany, Japan, U.S, China

☆ Japan's Nikkei surpasses 1989 all-time high on robust corporate earnings, investor-friendly measures
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Clement Tan | In Clemtan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Japan's Nikkei 225 hit a record high on Thursday as robust corporate profitability and steps aimed at boosting investor returns fuel a blistering rally in Japanese equities this year. The Nikkei 225 hit 38,924.88, surpassing the previous record high of 38,915.87 reached in 1989. Japan Inc's solid third-quarter corporate earnings have prompted Bank of America equity strategists to upgrade their 2024 year-end forecasts for the Nikkei 225 to 41,000 from 38,500. They raised their forecasts for the Topix to 2,850 from 2,715. The rally has also been supported by a weaker yen, which has shed about 6% against the dollar so far this year and seems on track to drop to to 33-year lows touched late last year.

Persons: outperformers Organizations: Nikkei, Bank of Locations: Asia, Japan

☆ Feeling the heat: 44% of Japan firms see earnings hit from extreme weather - Reuters poll
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( David Dolan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Satoshi Sugiyama/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Some 44% of Japanese companies see extreme weather events around the globe hitting earnings, a Reuters survey showed, highlighting the impact of scorching heat waves and torrential rains on firms in the world's third-largest economy. Disaster-prone Japan is no stranger to extreme weather events, including typhoons, floods and blistering heat. "Infrastructure is likely to be disrupted due to extreme weather conditions, which could result in emergency spending and lower productivity," wrote a manager at a company in the transport sector. The monthly Reuters Corporate Survey of 502 large and medium-sized non-financial Japanese firms, in which 248 responded, showed a majority of non-manufacturers had already felt or expected to feel the effects of extreme weather on their earnings. Flooding has been a particular headache for Japanese companies.

Persons: Satoshi Sugiyama, Japan Inc's, Fumio, David Dolan, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Mitsubishi Motor, Rights, Reuters Corporate Survey, Reuters, Nikkei Research, Investment, Thomson Locations: Kurashiki, Japan

☆ Nidec's acquisitive CEO hails new Japan rules aimed at making takeovers easier
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-23 | by ( Makiko Yamazaki | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Nidec Corp's logo is pictured at an earnings results news conference in Tokyo, Japan, July 25, 2018. Nagamori welcomed the prospect of Japan becoming more receptive to unsolicited bids. Because unsolicited bids are seen as taboo, Nidec has typically focused on buying and turning around money-losing companies, he said, but "that takes time". In corporate Japan, unsolicited bids have been seen as too adversarial. he said, referring to Nidec's tender offer price with an 80% premium.

Persons: Kim Kyung, Shigenobu Nagamori, Nagamori, Nidec, Makiko Yamazaki, Miho Uranaka, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, TOKYO

☆ 7-Eleven spin-off would jeopardise growth, CEO says, pushing back at ValueAct
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Ritsuko Shimizu | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, May 5 (Reuters) - A spin-off of 7-Eleven would jeopardise the convenience store chain's future growth by cutting it off from its parent's strength in the food business, the chief executive of Japan's Seven & i Holdings Co Ltd (3382.T) told Reuters. ValueAct has long been critical of Seven & i's conglomerate structure, calling for a spin-off of the 7-Eleven chain or for a sale of the entire company, but Isaka said that would not be in the chain's best interests. "The risk and probability of 7-Eleven Japan's growth coming to a halt would be very high if the company's product development resources were to be cut off," he said. In April, ValueAct ratcheted up the pressure on the company, calling for Isaka's departure and saying he was responsible for a "flawed strategy". Isaka said 7-Eleven is reliant on staff and know-how from Seven & i's supermarket businesses, such as Ito-Yokado, in developing products for its "Seven Premium" private brand.

☆ Analysis: Investors seek to break through Japan Inc's 'value trap'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Ankur Banerjee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

SINGAPORE, April 20 (Reuters) - Corporate governance in Japan has suddenly become a cause celebre, rousing the world's third-largest stock market out of decades of lethargy and drawing in hordes of foreign investors. Japan's stock market has long been seen by investors as a 'value trap' where companies focus on market share, hoard cash and care little about shareholder returns. What has prompted investors globally to sit up and take notice is an endorsement from legendary billionaire investor Warren Buffett. The MSCI Japan Value index (.dMIJP0000VPUS) is up 9% since August 2020 versus a 9% drop for the MSCI Japan growth index (.dMIJP0000GPUS). "I think the value trap that was Japan is no longer."

Banknotes of Japanese yen are seen in this illustration picture taken September 22, 2022. Almost a quarter of Japanese manufacturers' production is carried out overseas, according to the latest trade ministry data. The weak yen drives up the cost of acquiring businesses overseas, although that could be less of a concern for many cash-rich Japanese firms. At the same time, the weak yen makes Japanese companies cheaper targets for foreign buyers. For retailers, the weak yen has been particularly painful, as it drives up costs, including for energy and food.

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