Japan’s Yaskawa Electric (OTCPK:YASKY) (6506.T) has taken a beating over the past six months, with the shares down about a third as the emerging weakness I saw in the summer has grown into full-blown troubles across the business. With auto demand likely to weaken from here and no real near-term drivers for improved handset or semiconductor order trends, Yaskawa could be looking at a rough trough period, particularly if management won’t step up and cut costs and production in anticipation of tougher times.
When I wrote about Yaskawa back in July I thought