日本消费行业10月跟踪报告：内需分化，免税回暖

Investment Rating - The report does not explicitly state an investment rating for the industry, but it suggests a focus on companies with optimistic profit improvement prospects. Core Insights - Domestic demand in Japan is diverging, with a rebound in duty-free sales driven by the National Day holiday and a weaker yen, marking the first positive growth in duty-free sales in eight months [3][15]. - Consumers are highly sensitive to prices for daily necessities, leading to increased average transaction values at discount and convenience stores, despite a decline in foot traffic [3][15]. - There is a trend of "downgrading" in dining and clothing consumption, with value brands like Saizeriya and Uniqlo seeing significant increases in customer traffic and same-store sales [3][15]. - Actual household entertainment spending has increased significantly, with travel and savings becoming preferred uses of disposable income, reflecting a mindset of enjoying life while prioritizing financial security amid economic uncertainty [3][15]. - The hotel industry continues to thrive due to a record number of inbound tourists and the depreciation of the yen, with strong demand for luxury goods and cosmetics from visitors [3][15]. Summary by Sections Macro Overview - The Japanese yen has depreciated, and inflationary pressures are rising, with the consumer confidence index slightly increasing to 35.8 in October from 35.3 in September [2][9]. - Real wages contracted by 1.4% year-on-year in September, continuing a nine-month trend of negative growth, while nominal wage growth was only 1.9%, significantly lagging behind inflation [2][9]. - The Producer Price Index (PPI) rose by 2.7% year-on-year in October, maintaining above 2% for four consecutive months, indicating persistent price pressures [2][13]. Essential Consumption - Retail sales in essential goods are showing steady growth despite high prices, with same-store sales for major retailers like Aeon and 7-Eleven increasing by 4.7% and 1.3% respectively in October [4][18]. - The demand for basic food and beverage items remains under pressure, with a year-on-year decline in retail sales for food and beverages recorded at approximately 35.56 billion yen in September [4][18]. Optional Consumption - There is a significant increase in demand for winter clothing, with same-store sales for Uniqlo rising by 25.1% in October, driven by strong sales of winter collections [5][32]. - The restaurant sector has seen same-store sales growth for major chains like Saizeriya and McDonald's, with increases of 16.9% and 8.1% respectively in October [5][28]. - Duty-free sales have turned positive for the first time in eight months, with a year-on-year growth of 7.5% in October, driven by increased tourist spending [5][36]. Stock Market Performance - The consumer sector saw most stocks rise from October 27 to November 27, with retail and food and beverage sectors gaining 5.6% and 4.7% respectively [6]. - Investment recommendations focus on companies like Mercari, which is expected to improve profitability, and Kirin Holdings, which has shown strong operational profit growth [6].