**Summary of Nippon Active Value Fund PLC Half-Year Report (16 September 2025)**
**Overview**
Nippon Active Value Fund PLC (NAVF) released its half-yearly report for the six months ended 30 June 2025, highlighting strong performance and strategic advancements in its investment approach. The fund focuses on undervalued Japanese companies, primarily in the small and mid-cap sectors, with a strategy centered on active engagement to unlock shareholder value.
**Financial Highlights**
**Net Assets**Increased to £386.8 million from £365.4 million at the end of 2024.
**Net Asset Value (NAV) per Share**Rose to 204.5 pence from 193.2 pence.
**Share Price**Climbed to 200.0 pence from 187.5 pence.
**Performance**NAV total return per share was +7.6%, outperforming the MSCI Japan Small Cap Index (+5.0%). Share price total return was +8.5%.
**Ongoing Charges**Remained low at 1.16% (annualized).
**Strategic Focus**
**Investment Objective**Targets undervalued Japanese companies with potential for value creation through active management and engagement.
**Portfolio Concentration**Focuses on medium and small-cap companies, allowing for significant stakes and productive engagement with management.
**Engagement Strategy**Aims to improve corporate governance, particularly by increasing independent directors and addressing inefficient capital management.
**Key Developments**
**Unlisted Investments**NAVF holds up to 10% of its net assets in unquoted investments, including stakes in delisted companies like Trancom and T&K Toka, acquired through tender offers and corporate actions.
**Corporate Governance**Actively engages with companies to improve governance, exemplified by campaigns at Fuji Media Holdings and Hogy Medical, leading to board representation and strategic reforms.
**Share Issuance**Issued 1.5 million shares in July and August 2025 at a premium to NAV, reflecting investor confidence in the fund’s strategy and Japan’s economic prospects.
**Corporate Governance and Activism**
**Activist Successes**Influenced board representation in five holding companies, including Eiken Chemical and Hogy Medical, through shareholder proposals and private negotiations.
**Fuji Media Holdings Campaign**Public campaign led to the resignation of the board, appointment of independent directors, and a comprehensive reform plan, resulting in a 30.4% stock rally in Q2 2025.
**Hogy Medical Engagement**Secured a board seat for CIO James Rosenwald, positioning NAVF to advocate for privatization or management buyouts.
**Outlook**
**Opportunity Set**Japan’s regulatory push for profitability and shareholder returns, coupled with undervalued companies, provides a favorable environment for NAVF’s strategy.
**Low Correlation**Expects returns to remain relatively uncorrelated with the broader Japanese equities market.
**Confidence in Strategy**Despite macroeconomic uncertainties, the activist approach is expected to continue delivering strong performance.
**Conclusion**
NAVF demonstrated robust financial performance and strategic progress in the first half of 2025, reinforced by its active engagement approach and focus on undervalued Japanese companies. The fund remains well-positioned to capitalize on Japan’s evolving corporate governance landscape and regulatory reforms, offering attractive long-term growth prospects for shareholders.