Consumer Discretionary

Report by Yuka Marosek

Once a darling among investors, the stock now trades below ¥4,500, a decline of over 50% from its 2020 high. In her latest report, Yuka Marosek assesses the company’s new growth initiatives including Workman Colors which aims to become a store chosen for its style and design as a fashion brand. In addition, to grow its functional apparel line, which is the foundation of the brand, Workman is adding unique features to casual items, such as pollen-resistant materials and materials less prone to insect bites. Yuka believes the recent improvement in same-store sales makes the stock an interesting prospect for investors looking for recovery plays and a stronger yen beneficiary.

Report by JapanConsuming

JC’s monthly report offers subscribers an easy, fast way to keep up with key trends, deals, marketing ideas, competitor strategies, and all the latest store and consumer data. Top stories from this month's edition include: 1) Seven & I sells Oshman’s to ABC Mart - clear sign that it is beginning to tackle its legacy operations. 2) Aeon Mall looks to experiences to get people into its properties. 3) Workman to open in Ginza; paves way for next big expansion. 4) Omnichannel accelerates in fashion: 40% of eCommerce sales from staff blogging. 5) Subscription retailing goes mainstream.