- Net Sales: ¥16.51B
- Operating Income: ¥-66M
- Net Income: ¥-75M
- EPS: ¥-14.76
| Item | Current | Prior | YoY % |
|---|
| Net Sales | ¥16.51B | ¥16.30B | +1.3% |
| Cost of Sales | ¥14.58B | ¥14.13B | +3.1% |
| Gross Profit | ¥1.93B | ¥2.17B | -11.0% |
| SG&A Expenses | ¥2.00B | ¥1.90B | +5.1% |
| Operating Income | ¥-66M | ¥269M | -124.5% |
| Non-operating Income | ¥21M | ¥13M | +63.5% |
| Non-operating Expenses | ¥53M | ¥9M | +518.9% |
| Ordinary Income | ¥-98M | ¥273M | -135.9% |
| Profit Before Tax | ¥-74M | ¥269M | -127.5% |
| Income Tax Expense | ¥-172,000 | ¥89M | -100.2% |
| Net Income | ¥-75M | ¥173M | -143.4% |
| Net Income Attributable to Owners | ¥-73M | ¥179M | -140.8% |
| Total Comprehensive Income | ¥-35M | ¥217M | -116.1% |
| Depreciation & Amortization | ¥238M | ¥214M | +10.9% |
| Interest Expense | ¥51M | ¥6M | +700.9% |
| Basic EPS | ¥-14.76 | ¥35.82 | -141.2% |
| Dividend Per Share | ¥10.00 | ¥0.00 | - |
| Total Dividend Paid | ¥75M | ¥75M | +0.0% |
| Item | Current End | Prior End | Change |
|---|
| Current Assets | ¥17.73B | ¥12.41B | +¥5.31B |
| Cash and Deposits | ¥1.38B | ¥1.09B | +¥293M |
| Accounts Receivable | ¥3.07B | ¥3.00B | +¥70M |
| Inventories | ¥12.59B | ¥8.12B | +¥4.47B |
| Non-current Assets | ¥5.83B | ¥3.29B | +¥2.54B |
| Item | Current | Prior | Change |
|---|
| Operating Cash Flow | ¥-5.01B | ¥-1.70B | ¥-3.31B |
| Investing Cash Flow | ¥-1.87B | ¥-263M | ¥-1.60B |
| Financing Cash Flow | ¥7.17B | ¥1.04B | +¥6.13B |
| Free Cash Flow | ¥-6.88B | - | - |
| Item | Value |
|---|
| Operating Margin | -0.4% |
| ROA (Ordinary Income) | -0.5% |
| Payout Ratio | 41.9% |
| Dividend on Equity (DOE) | 0.6% |
| Book Value Per Share | ¥2,314.58 |
| Net Profit Margin | -0.4% |
| Gross Profit Margin | 11.7% |
| Current Ratio | 180.4% |
| Quick Ratio | 52.2% |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio |
| Item | YoY Change |
|---|
| Net Sales YoY Change | +26.3% |
| Operating Income YoY Change | -28.0% |
| Ordinary Income YoY Change | -29.9% |
| Net Income YoY Change | -31.6% |
| Net Income Attributable to Owners YoY Change | -26.4% |
| Total Comprehensive Income YoY Change | -41.3% |
| Item | Value |
|---|
| Shares Outstanding (incl. Treasury) | 5.10M shares |
| Treasury Stock | 117K shares |
| Average Shares Outstanding | 4.99M shares |
| Book Value Per Share | ¥2,314.52 |
| EBITDA | ¥172M |
| Item | Amount |
|---|
| Q2 Dividend | ¥0.00 |
| Year-End Dividend | ¥15.00 |
| Item | Forecast |
|---|
| Net Sales Forecast | ¥18.00B |
| Operating Income Forecast | ¥371M |
| Ordinary Income Forecast | ¥321M |
| Net Income Forecast | ¥195M |
| Net Income Attributable to Owners Forecast | ¥196M |
| Basic EPS Forecast | ¥39.35 |
This data was automatically extracted from XBRL files. Please refer to the original disclosure documents for accuracy.
Verdict: FY2025 Q4 results were weak on profitability and cash generation despite strong topline growth. Revenue rose 26.3% YoY to 165.11, but gross profit was only 19.33 with an 11.7% gross margin, and operating income remained in the red at -0.66, yielding an operating margin of roughly -0.4%. Ordinary income came in at -0.98 and net income at -0.73 (EPS -14.76 JPY), keeping full-year profitability negative. Non-operating income of 0.21 (mainly dividends 0.14) was more than offset by non-operating expenses of 0.53, including interest expense of 0.51, highlighting financing cost pressure. Gross margin at 11.7% looks thin for a food staple/nori processor, indicating incomplete cost pass-through amid input inflation and/or adverse product mix. Operating margin likely compressed YoY by several tens of basis points given revenue expansion alongside deeper operating loss; precise bp change is not calculable due to missing prior-period margin disclosure. Ordinary margin also stayed negative, implying limited help from non-operating items. Cash flow was the most concerning: operating cash flow was a large outflow of -50.11 versus net loss of -0.73, driven likely by working capital build (inventories at 125.93). Free cash flow was -68.78 after capex of -18.49, necessitating heavy financing inflows of 71.66 and lifting short-term loans to 67.00. Liquidity optics are mixed with a current ratio of 180% but a low quick ratio of 52.2%, reflecting inventory-heavy working capital and potential liquidity strain if sales slow or inventory turns extend. Leverage is moderate on a balance sheet basis (D/E 1.04x), but coverage is weak (interest coverage -1.30x) and ROIC was negative at -0.4%. DuPont ROE was -0.6%, driven primarily by a negative net margin (-0.4%) with asset turnover of 0.701 and leverage at 2.04x. Forward-looking, sustaining revenue growth will require improved gross margin and lower SG&A intensity, faster inventory turnover, and refinancing discipline to manage interest costs. Without a turnaround in operating cash generation and margin, dividend capacity (unreported) looks constrained by negative FCF. Overall, the quarter underscores execution risks in pricing, procurement, and inventory management in a higher-rate, inflationary backdrop.
ROE decomposition: Net Profit Margin (-0.4%) × Asset Turnover (0.701x) × Financial Leverage (2.04x) = ROE (-0.6%). The biggest drag is the negative net profit margin, as operating loss (-0.66) and interest burden (0.51) offset revenue growth. Asset turnover at 0.701 indicates modest efficiency for a food processor with heavy inventories; leverage at 2.04x is not extreme but amplifies the negative margin. Business drivers: thin gross margin (11.7%) suggests rising input costs (raw seaweed, packaging, energy) and/or limited pricing power, while SG&A (20.00) exceeded gross profit (19.33), leaving core operations loss-making. Interest expense of 0.51 compressed ordinary income further, consistent with higher short-term borrowings (67.00). Sustainability: the negative margin appears cyclical and operational rather than one-off; recovery depends on price pass-through, cost control, and inventory normalization. Operating leverage is currently unfavorable: revenue +26.3% YoY did not translate into operating profit expansion, indicating SG&A growth and cost inflation outpaced gross profit gains. Concerning trends include SG&A outstripping gross profit and interest costs absorbing limited operating earnings, which together depress margin quality and keep ROE negative.
Revenue grew 26.3% YoY to 165.11, indicating strong sales momentum, likely from price revisions and/or volume recovery. However, growth quality is poor as gross margin is only 11.7% and operating income remains negative, implying limited pass-through and/or adverse mix. EBITDA was 1.72 (1.0% margin), signaling low earnings buffer against cost volatility. Non-operating support is minimal (net non-operating -0.32), leaving little cushion below operating line. The step-up in inventories to 125.93 hints at either front-loaded procurement or slower sell-through; either way, it depresses cash conversion and raises risk if demand normalizes. Near-term outlook hinges on gross margin improvement from procurement normalization and price/mix management, and on SG&A discipline; without these, revenue growth is unlikely to translate to profit growth. With interest expense of 0.51 and negative operating income, ordinary income will remain sensitive to financing costs, making deleveraging or refinancing terms important catalysts.
Liquidity: Current ratio is healthy at 180.4%, but quick ratio is weak at 52.2% due to heavy inventories, indicating reliance on inventory monetization to meet short-term obligations. No explicit warning for current ratio (<1.0) is needed, but quick liquidity risk is elevated. Solvency: D/E is 1.04x (moderate), total loans are 85.03 (short-term 67.00, long-term 18.03). Interest coverage is -1.30x, flagging near-term debt service risk if operating performance does not improve. Maturity mismatch: short-term loans of 67.00 materially exceed cash (13.80) and accounts receivable (30.72), implying refinancing risk and dependence on inventory turns for liquidity. Off-balance sheet: not disclosed; no information on guarantees or leases beyond the reported data. Equity base is 115.28 (BVPS ~2,315 JPY), providing some buffer, but negative ROE and ROIC indicate capital inefficiency.
OCF was -50.11 against net income of -0.73; the OCF/NI ratio (68.64x) is not meaningful with negative NI and masks a serious cash shortfall. The sizable operating outflow likely reflects working capital deterioration, particularly inventory build, and possibly higher payables reduction; the balance sheet shows inventories at 125.93 versus payables at 7.29, indicating funding via debt. Free cash flow was deeply negative at -68.78 after capex of -18.49, requiring financing inflows of 71.66 to bridge the gap. Earnings quality is weak: accounting loss is modest, but cash burn is large, signalling that reported losses understate cash stress. Sustainability: Without improvement in inventory turns and margin, FCF is unlikely to cover dividends and debt service. No clear signs of deliberate working-capital window dressing appear, but the magnitude of inventory relative to sales elevates the risk of later write-downs or margin pressure during clearance.
Dividend data (DPS, total dividends) are unreported; reported payout metrics are inconsistent (-104.8% calculated, 0.4% reported) and not reliable. With FCF at -68.78 and interest coverage negative, internal coverage of dividends is not present this period. Even a modest dividend would be funded by incremental borrowing or balance sheet draw, which is unsustainable if cash generation does not improve. Policy outlook likely turns conservative until operating cash flow normalizes and capex is internally funded. Monitoring points: confirm actual DPS from company release, track quarterly OCF normalization and inventory reduction before assessing coverage.
Business Risks:
- Input cost inflation (raw seaweed, energy, packaging) compressing gross margin
- Pricing power limitations leading to delayed pass-through and negative operating leverage
- Inventory build and potential obsolescence/quality degradation impacting margins
- Demand elasticity and mix shift toward lower-margin channels (e.g., private label)
- Supply variability in seaweed harvests affecting costs and availability
Financial Risks:
- Refinancing risk with short-term loans of 67.00 versus cash 13.80 and negative OCF
- Interest rate risk: interest expense already 0.51 with negative EBIT, coverage -1.30x
- Working capital funding strain due to high inventories relative to receivables and payables
- Potential covenant pressure if lenders require minimum profitability/coverage
Key Concerns:
- Large OCF outflow (-50.11) vs relatively small accounting loss (-0.73) indicating cash stress
- SG&A (20.00) exceeding gross profit (19.33), keeping core operations loss-making
- Negative ROIC (-0.4%) and ROE (-0.6%) signaling capital inefficiency
- Sensitivity to FX if raw materials are imported (not disclosed but typical for category)
Key Takeaways:
- Strong revenue growth (+26.3%) did not translate to profits; operating margin ~-0.4%
- Gross margin thin at 11.7% with SG&A above gross profit, implying structural margin pressure
- Cash burn significant (OCF -50.11, FCF -68.78), financed by higher short-term debt
- Leverage moderate on balance sheet (D/E 1.04x) but serviceability weak (interest coverage -1.30x)
- Inventory intensity elevated (inventories 125.93), weighing on liquidity and future margins
Metrics to Watch:
- Gross margin and ASP/pass-through cadence by quarter
- Inventory turnover days and size of inventory relative to sales
- Operating cash flow and changes in receivables/payables
- Short-term debt level and average interest rate; interest coverage
- SG&A efficiency versus revenue growth
- ROIC recovery toward 5%+ as a minimum hurdle
Relative Positioning:
Within Japan's packaged foods/seasonings segment, the company exhibits weaker profitability and cash conversion than typical peers, with higher inventory reliance and lower margin resilience; balance sheet leverage is moderate but serviceability is strained absent a near-term margin and working-capital turnaround.
This analysis was auto-generated by AI. Please note the following:
- No Guarantee of Accuracy: The accuracy and completeness of this analysis are not guaranteed. For accurate financial data, please refer to the original disclosure documents published on TDnet or other official sources
- Not Investment Advice: This analysis is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice under applicable securities laws. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell any specific securities
- At Your Own Risk: Investment decisions should be made at your own discretion and risk. We assume no liability for any losses incurred based on this analysis