Buyout and venture capital investing in Japan and China: Our trip to Tokyo and Shanghai | S07 E12

21 snips

Apr 14, 2025

The hosts share insights from their journey exploring the investment landscapes of Tokyo and Shanghai. They discuss Japan's ongoing challenges in corporate governance and capital allocation, while highlighting unique opportunities in undervalued firms. The cultural contrasts between Japan and China are vividly illustrated, along with China's rapid tech evolution and the intense pressure on its entrepreneurs. Personal stories intertwine with reflections on global market dynamics, revealing complex perceptions and investment prospects in both regions.

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INSIGHT

Japan's Undervalued Market

The Japanese stock market has a large portion trading below book value.
This is due to low returns on equity and assets, despite companies being profitable.

ADVICE

Buyout Opportunities in Japan

Consider Japan for search fund acquisitions.
Buyout firms acquire businesses at 5-6 times EBITDA, with low borrowing costs.

INSIGHT

Cross-Shareholdings and Cash in Japan

Cross-shareholdings entrench Japanese management, limiting external pressure.
Companies often hold significant cash, justifying it as an obligation to customers/suppliers.

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Value: After Hours is a podcast about value investing, Fintwit, and all things finance and investment by investors Tobias Carlisle, and Jake Taylor. See our latest episodes at https://acquirersmultiple.com/podcastWe are live every Tuesday at 1.30pm E / 10.30am P.About Jake Jake's Twitter: https://twitter.com/farnamjake1Jake's book: The Rebel Allocator https://amzn.to/2sgip3lABOUT THE PODCASTHi, I'm Tobias Carlisle. I launched The Acquirers Podcast to discuss the process of finding undervalued stocks, deep value investing, hedge funds, activism, buyouts, and special situations.We uncover the tactics and strategies for finding good investments, managing risk, dealing with bad luck, and maximizing success.SEE LATEST EPISODEShttps://acquirersmultiple.com/podcast/SEE OUR FREE DEEP VALUE STOCK SCREENERhttps://acquirersmultiple.com/screener/FOLLOW TOBIASWebsite: https://acquirersmultiple.com/Firm: https://acquirersfunds.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GreenbackdLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobycarlisleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/tobiascarlisleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tobias_carlisleABOUT TOBIAS CARLISLETobias Carlisle is the founder of The Acquirer’s Multiple®, and Acquirers Funds®.He is best known as the author of the #1 new release in Amazon’s Business and Finance The Acquirer’s Multiple: How the Billionaire Contrarians of Deep Value Beat the Market, the Amazon best-sellers Deep Value: Why Activists Investors and Other Contrarians Battle for Control of Losing Corporations (2014) (https://amzn.to/2VwvAGF), Quantitative Value: A Practitioner’s Guide to Automating Intelligent Investment and Eliminating Behavioral Errors (2012) (https://amzn.to/2SDDxrN), and Concentrated Investing: Strategies of the World’s Greatest Concentrated Value Investors (2016) (https://amzn.to/2SEEjVn). He has extensive experience in investment management, business valuation, public company corporate governance, and corporate law.Prior to founding the forerunner to Acquirers Funds in 2010, Tobias was an analyst at an activist hedge fund, general counsel of a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, and a corporate advisory lawyer. As a lawyer specializing in mergers and acquisitions he has advised on transactions across a variety of industries in the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Australia, Singapore, Bermuda, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Guam. He is a graduate of the University of Queensland in Australia with degrees in Law (2001) and Business (Management) (1999).