Michael Allen
Director of Azabu Research
Michael Allen is a representative director of Azabu Research. He is also a Senior Advisor to STJ Advisors and a contributing senior Analyst to Sessa Partners. He previously held positions as the head of research for Japan Advisory and Chief Fundamental Analyst at Anova Fund, a market-neutral, sector neutral fund that generated an average 22% annually for six years straight with only 5% variance. His unique style of leadership is heavily influence by Zen and Taoist philosophies that enable him to see things for what they are and to influence others by helping them to find their own best path.
He is best known for his innovative and prescient coverage of Japanese retail companies as a sell-side analyst over a span of more than 30 years. He is fluent in both written and spoken Japanese and holds a degree in international studies from the University of Pacific. He holds certificates in corporate governance from both the Board Director Training Institute of Japan and the Wharton School of Business.
Services
The Tokyo Turnaround Letter
We select select stocks that we believe have the best prospects for a the most dramatic turnarounds and conduct the most exhaustive analysis possible.
Consulting
We team up with industry and financial market specialists to provide companies with innovative solutions to their most inextricable problems.
True Be-Spoke Research
Azabu Research provides proprietary, customized research to investors who seek the most economically efficient path to gaining a competitive edge in the Japanese market.
Latest Blog
Why Bad Stocks Are So Good
A Simple Strategy for Persistent, Non-Correlated Returns A simple strategy of buying the worst-performing stocks of the previous 12 months and holding them for 12 months has outperformed Japan’s Topix index by an average of 7% annually for the past 9 years with low correlation to the underlying […]
This is How We Do It.
Shimamura’s share price had underperformed the retail sector median by 86% over a ten-year period when we first introduced it as an ideal turnaround candidate. The stock subsequently outperformed the Topix retail sector index by 93% over the next 22 months. This report was originally published on July 13, 2020, for […]
How CEO’s Will Lie To You
In 2001, President George Bush issued this appraisal of Vladimir Putin after meeting him for the first time: “I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy.”
You would think it impossible to say anything stupider about a first meeting with a professionally trained liar, […]