日本消费行业3月跟踪报告：必选提价激发囤货，可选趋缓龙头突围

Investment Rating - The report suggests a focus on Japanese consumer companies with optimistic profit growth prospects, including Asics, Pan Pacific International Holdings, Fast Retailing, and Asahi Group [6]. Core Insights - The Japanese consumer confidence index fell for the fourth consecutive month to 34.1 in March, the lowest since March 2023, indicating a decline in consumer sentiment amid rising inflation [2][8]. - Essential consumer goods saw a surge in stockpiling due to anticipated price hikes in April, leading to a significant increase in sales, particularly in beer, which saw a year-on-year increase of over 30% [3][14]. - Discretionary consumption faced a slowdown, with mixed performance among companies; brands like Salia, Uniqlo, and Muji managed to attract consumers despite the overall decline in demand [3][5]. Macro Overview - Inflation in Japan is rising, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increasing by 3.6% year-on-year in March, while core CPI (excluding fresh food) rose by 3.2% [2][10]. - Real wages fell by 1.5% year-on-year in February, reflecting that wage growth is not keeping pace with inflation [2][8]. - The Producer Price Index (PPI) rose by 4.2% year-on-year in March, marking the highest level since 1980 [12]. Essential Consumption - Retail sales for essential goods increased primarily due to higher average transaction values, with notable growth in companies like PPIH (+5.9%), 7-Eleven (+1.0%), and Aeon (+2.9%) [4][16]. - The stockpiling trend was driven by consumers preparing for upcoming price increases, significantly boosting sales in food and daily necessities [3][14]. Discretionary Consumption - Discretionary spending showed varied performance, with restaurants like Salia and McDonald's increasing prices due to rising raw material costs, leading to year-on-year sales growth of 13.9% and 11.0%, respectively [5][26]. - Department store sales declined for the second consecutive month, with a year-on-year drop of 2.8% in March, influenced by a strong previous year's performance [33][37]. - The duty-free sales sector experienced its first negative growth in 36 months, reflecting a broader trend of reduced spending on high-priced items due to the appreciating yen and economic uncertainties [5][37]. Company Performance - Asahi and Kirin reported significant revenue increases in March, with Asahi's beer sales up 37% and Kirin's up 30%, driven by stockpiling ahead of price hikes [20][23]. - Uniqlo's same-store sales rose by 11.5% in March, benefiting from strong demand for seasonal products and effective marketing strategies [30][35]. - The performance of specialty stores like Muji and Nitori varied, with Muji seeing a 20.5% increase in same-store sales while Nitori experienced an 8.6% decline [35].