TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Taiyo Pacific Partners announced today that it has accumulated in excess of 5% in CyberAgent, Inc. (4751) to become CyberAgent’s second largest shareholder. Taiyo Pacific Partners is known for its cooperative investment style working with senior management to enhance shareholder value.
Brian K. Heywood, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner of Taiyo Pacific Partners, said, “CyberAgent is an example of Japanese innovation and next generation leadership in the fast growing internet and social media field that is reshaping global communications. President Fujita and his management team have grown the firm into Japan’s top online advertising agency and we expect CyberAgent to utilize rising smartphone penetration to generate even higher returns for shareholders in the years ahead.”
Michael A. King, Chief Investment Officer and Managing Partner of Taiyo Pacific Partners, said, “CyberAgent is able to generate lower risk, steady profit expansion in the growing online advertising agency business while also providing attractive exposure to the significant medium to long term upside potential of Ameba, its community and game-based smartphone social networking service (SNS). We believe the combination of reliable growth with upside leverage is not accounted for in the current valuation.”
President Susumu Fujita commented, “Taiyo Pacific Partners takes a long term view and we are pleased they have come to well understand our business model and strategy. We will work to meet shareholders’ high expectations through growing our smartphone business and raising CyberAgent’s corporate value.”
Taiyo Pacific Partners, located in Kirkland, Washington, was founded in 2003 by Asia-focused professionals dedicated to friendly shareholder activism in Japan and other Asian countries. The firm currently manages over $2.0 billion in Japan-focused funds. All strategies employ a friendly activist approach. Investors include US, Japanese and European pension plans, endowments and other institutional investors.