In this episode of the Planet MicroCap Podcast, I spoke with Michael Fritzell, Editor of Asian Century Stocks Newsletter. We break down the evolving opportunity set across Asia—from China’s state-driven economic shift and ongoing property fallout to the corporate governance unlocks happening in Japan and South Korea. We also dig into why Southeast Asia may be one of the most overlooked pockets of value globally, with “old economy” businesses trading at compelling valuations while capital chases AI elsewhere.
The conversation highlights where inefficiencies exist today, how to think about insider alignment and currency tailwinds, and the key risks—from VIE structures to related-party transactions—that investors need to navigate when hunting for microcap alpha across the region. We mention several companies and sectors during this conversation, and I’m not a shareholder in any of them.
For more information about Asian Century Stocks, please visit: https://www.asiancenturystocks.com/
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Context of the Conversation
01:10 China's Economic Landscape: Opportunities and Risks
11:58 Shifts in Investment Focus: Southeast Asia and Beyond
18:21 Japan's Market Dynamics and Corporate Governance Reforms
24:21 South Korea: Emerging Opportunities and Corporate Changes
27:47 Market Sentiment: The Shift Towards US Stocks
31:56 Inefficiencies in Asian Microcaps vs. US Microcaps
36:02 Red Flags in Asian Investments
38:52 The Concept of Asian Companies Listing Abroad
44:43 Final Thoughts: Finding Value in Overlooked Markets
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