In keeping with its mission, the Matthews Japan Fund (Trades, Portfolio)’s first-quarter transactions, including eight new buys, were in Japanese companies, a strategy that has produced an average annual return of 9.5% over the last five years.
The fund purchased a 1,522,200-share stake in Japan Tobacco Inc. (TSE:2914, Financial), a cigarette manufacturer based in Tokyo, for an average price of ¥4,463.05 ($41.90 in U.S. currency) per share. The acquisition had a 2.44% impact on the fund’s portfolio.
The stake is 0.09% of Japan Tobacco’s outstanding shares and 2.44% of the fund’s total assets. The fund is Japan Tobacco’s leading shareholder among the gurus.
Japan Tobacco has a P/E of 19.8, a P/B of 3.3 and a P/S of 4.6. GuruFocus gives Japan Tobacco a Financial Strength rating of 7/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 3/10.
Japan Tobacco sold for ÂĄ4,467 ($41.94 in American dollars) per share Tuesday.
The fund bought a 3,704,600-share stake in NEXT Co. Ltd. (TSE:2120, Financial), a Japanese company that provides real estate-related information, for an average price of ¥1,198.42 ($11.25 in U.S. money) per share. The deal had a 1.75% impact on the fund’s portfolio.
The stake is 3.12% of NEXT’s outstanding shares and 1.75% of the fund’s total assets. The fund is NEXT’s leading shareholder among the gurus.
NEXT has a P/E of 72.2, a P/B of 8.7 and a P/S of 6.6. GuruFocus gives NEXT a Financial Strength rating of 7/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 4/10.
NEXT sold for ÂĄ1,207 ($11.33 in American currency) per share Tuesday.
The fund acquired a 488,600-share stake in Nitori Holdings Co. Ltd. (TSE:9843, Financial), a Japanese furniture and interior goods company, for an average price of ¥9,206.31 ($86.43 in U.S. dollars) per share. The transaction had a 1.73% impact on the fund’s portfolio.
The stake is 0.44% of Nitori’s outstanding shares and 1.73% of the fund’s total assets. The fund is Nitori’s only shareholder among the gurus.
Nitori has a P/E of 24.9, a P/B of 3.3 and a P/S of 2.5. GuruFocus gives Nitori a Financial Strength rating of 9/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 6/10.
Nitori sold for ÂĄ10,040 ($94.26 in American money) per share Tuesday.
The fund purchased a 588,600-share stake in Sundrug Co. Ltd. (TSE:9989, Financial), a Japanese company primarily involved in the sale of pharmaceutical products but also involved in discount sales of domestic products, for an average price of ¥7,808.15 ($73.31 in U.S. currency) per share. The deal had a 1.7% impact on the fund’s portfolio.
The stake is 0.97% of Sundrug’s outstanding shares and 1.7% of the fund’s total assets. The fund is Sundrug’s only shareholder among the gurus.
Sundrug has a P/E of 22, a P/B of 3.6 and a P/S of 0.9. GuruFocus gives Sundrug a Financial Strength rating of 9/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 7/10.
Sundrug sold for ÂĄ7,610 ($71.45 in American dollars) per share Tuesday.
The fund invested in an 861,000-share stake in W-SCOPE Corp. (TSE:6619, Financial), a Japanese manufacturer of separator films for lithium-ion secondary cell batteries, for an average price of ¥4,133.85 ($38.81 in U.S. money) per share. The transaction had a 1.54% impact on the fund’s portfolio.
The stake is 6.06% of W-SCOPE’s outstanding shares and 1.54% of the fund’s total assets. The fund is W-SCOPE’s only shareholder among the gurus.
W-SCOPE has a P/E of 42.7, a P/B of 6.3 and a P/S of 10.5. GuruFocus gives W-SCOPE a Financial Strength rating of 9/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 5/10.
W-SCOPE sold for ÂĄ5,500 ($51.64 in American currency) per share Tuesday.
The fund bought a 3,142,500-share stake in Infomart Corp. (TSE:2492), a Japanese company engaged in business-to-business ecommerce, for an average price of ¥1,073.85 ($10.08 in U.S. money) per share. The deal had a 1.09% impact on the fund’s portfolio.
The stake is 4.85% of Informart’s outstanding shares and 1.09% of the fund’s total assets. The fund is Infomart’s leading shareholder among the gurus.
Infomart has a P/E of 45.1, a P/B of 6.6 and a P/S of 10.4. GuruFocus gives Infomart a Financial Strength rating of 7/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 9/10.
Infomart sold for ÂĄ963 ($9.04 in American dollars) per share Tuesday.
The fund sold its 1,012,900-share stake in Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. (TSE:8316), a Tokyo-based financial services company, for an average price of ¥31.09 (29 cents in U.S. currency) per share. The divestiture had a -2.11% impact on the fund’s portfolio.
Sumitomo’s leading shareholder among the gurus is David Herro (Trades, Portfolio) with a stake of 7,114,000 shares. The stake is 0.52% of Sumitomo’s outstanding shares and 1.06% of Herro’s total assets.
Sumitomo has a P/E of 8, a forward P/E of 5.6, a P/B of 0.5 and a P/S of 1.3. GuruFocus gives Sumitomo a Financial Strength rating of 7/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 6/10.
Sumitomo’s share price has gone up 10,450%. The stock sold for ¥3,280 ($30.79 in American money) per share Tuesday.
The fund sold its 915,400-share stake in OMRON Corp. (TSE:6645), a Japanese electronics company, for an average price of ¥34.7 (33 cents in U.S. dollars) per share. The divestiture had a -1.68% impact on the fund’s portfolio.
Herro is OMRON’s only shareholder among the gurus with a stake of 17,817,000 shares. The stake is 8.33% of OMRON’s outstanding shares and 2.35% of Herro’s total assets.
OMRON has a P/E of 15.5, a P/B of 1.5 and a P/S of 0.9. GuruFocus gives OMRON a Financial Strength rating of 7/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 7/10.
OMRON’s share price has gone up 9,525%. The stock sold for ¥3,340 ($31.36 in American currency) per share Tuesday.
The fund sold its 1,476,300-share stake in Rohto Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (TSE:4527), a Japanese consumer goods and pharmaceutical company, for an average price of ¥2,132.22 ($20.02 in U.S. money) per share. The transaction had a -1.62% impact on the fund’s portfolio.
Hennessy Japan Fund (Trades, Portfolio) is now Rohto’s leading shareholder among the gurus with a stake of 364,400 shares. The stake is 0.32% of Rohto’s outstanding shares and 6.4% of Hennessy Japan Fund (Trades, Portfolio)’s total assets.
Rohto has a P/E of 19.6, a P/B of 1.8 and a P/S of 1.3. GuruFocus gives Rohto a Financial Strength rating of 9/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 7/10.
Rohto sold for ÂĄ1,828 ($17.16 in American dollars) per share Tuesday.
The fund sold its 969,200-share stake in Unicharm Corp. (TSE:8113), a Tokyo-based chemical company, for an average price of ¥20.16 (19 cents in U.S. currency) per share. The divestiture had a -1.09% impact on the fund’s portfolio.
Hennessy Japan Fund (Trades, Portfolio) is Unicharm’s only shareholder among the gurus with a stake of 316,800 shares. The stake is 0.05% of Unicharm’s outstanding shares and 5.82% of Hennessy Japan Fund (Trades, Portfolio)’s total assets.
Unicharm has a P/E of 32.9, a P/B of 3.4 and a P/S of 1.8. GuruFocus gives Unicharm a Financial Strength rating of 9/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 4/10.
Unicharm’s share price has gone up 10,952%. The stock sold for ¥2,228 ($20.92 in American money) per share Tuesday.
The fund raised its stake in Toyota Motor Corp. (TSE:7203), a Japanese automotive company, by nearly 6% with the purchase of 630,700 shares for an average price of ¥6,406.58 ($60.15 in U.S. dollars) per share. The transaction had a 1.29% impact on the fund’s portfolio.
The stake, now 1,461,700 shares, is 0.05% of Toyota’s outstanding shares and 2.99% of the fund’s total assets. Herro is Toyota’s leading shareholder among the gurus with a stake of 13,733,000 shares. The stake is 0.45% of Toyota’s outstanding shares and 3.34% of Herro’s total assets.
Toyota has a P/E of 7.4, a forward P/E of 7.5, a P/B of 1 and a P/S of 0.6. GuruFocus gives Toyota a Financial Strength rating of 7/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 7/10.
Toyota sold for ÂĄ5,442 ($51.09 in American currency) per share Tuesday.
The fund boosted its stake in Kakaku.com Inc. (TSE:2371), a Japanese ecommerce company, by more than 155% with the purchase of 1,699,200 shares for an average price of ¥2,154.52 ($20.23 U.S. money) per share. The deal had a 1.22% impact on the fund’s portfolio.
The stake, now 2,792,700 shares, is 1.27% of Kakaku.com’s outstanding shares and 2% of the fund’s total assets. The fund is Kakaku.com’s leading shareholder among the gurus.
Kakaku.com has a P/E of 34.9, a P/B of 14.6 and a P/S of 1.9. GuruFocus gives Kakaku.com a Financial Strength rating of 10/10 with no debt and a Profitability and Growth rating of 9/10.
Kakaku.com sold for ÂĄ1,972 ($18.51 in American dollars) per share Tuesday.
The fund increased its stake in ORIX Corp. (TSE:8591), a Japanese financial services group, by nearly 62% with the purchase of 1,872,600 shares for an average price of ¥1,568.56 ($14.73 in U.S. currency) per share. The transaction had a 1.03% impact on the fund’s portfolio.
The stake, now 4,898,400 shares, is 0.37% of ORIX’s outstanding shares and 2.69% of the fund’s total assets. The fund is ORIX’s only shareholder among the gurus.
ORIX has a P/E of 7.5, a P/B of 0.9 and a P/S of 0.9. GuruFocus gives ORIX a Financial Strength rating of 6/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 8/10.
ORIX sold for ÂĄ1,520.5 ($14.28 in American money) per share Tuesday.
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