Using business acquisitions, corporate acquisitions, and partnerships with specialist companies

「After the end of the fiscal year, on 19 May 2026, the Company entered into a basic agreement with SBIホールディングス株式会社 to begin discussions toward a capital and business alliance involving 株式会社ライブドア, the core subsidiary of the Company’s media business, and the neo-media business operated by SBIH.」

「The purpose of this basic agreement is to combine the financial data and customer base held by the SBI Group with the media platform and content-creation capabilities held by our group in order to build a next-generation media business.」

「Based on a shift in its business policy toward selectivity and focus, the Company will transfer all shares of 株式会社ミンカブアセットパートナーズ’ financial services business to its business alliance partner, TRADE WORKS Co.,Ltd, judging that greater business synergies can be achieved with that company.」

「Under the agreement, the share transfer was completed on 1 September of the same year, and the company was made a wholly owned subsidiary.」

「At a meeting of the Board of Directors held on 14 July 2023, the Company resolved to acquire all shares issued by 株式会社フロムワン and make it a wholly owned subsidiary. On 10 August 2023, the Company entered into a share transfer agreement with shareholders of 株式会社フロムワン, including DENTSU GROUP INC.」

「The Company also actively pursued its M&A strategy for the next stage of growth and completed multiple M&A transactions, including large-scale transactions. As a result, fees for arranging syndicated loans to finance the M&A transactions and other M&A-related expenses were incurred and recorded as non-operating expenses.」

「On 28 December 2022, the Company made 株式会社ライブドア a wholly owned subsidiary. Together with the asset-building information media outlet “MINKABU (みんかぶ)” and the stock information specialist media outlet “Kabutan (株探),” the Group became one of Japan’s leading online media groups, with approximately 80 million monthly users.」

「The Company recorded an extraordinary loss in connection with the partial revision of existing partnership arrangements with capital and business alliance partners, following changes in priorities within the Group against the backdrop of the livedoor business being integrated into the Group.」

「In addition to advanced technologies such as blockchain, ALIS has expertise in operating a token economy on the social media platform “ALIS.to,” which uses blockchain technology, including stimulating user communication through ALIS tokens issued by the company and developing paid content.」

「The Company agreed to have the group of services operated by LINE株式会社, centered on “livedoor Blog,” “livedoor News” and “Kstyle” (the “livedoor business”), transferred through an absorption-type company split to 株式会社ライブドア, a wholly owned subsidiary to be newly established by LINE株式会社, and to acquire all of its shares and make it a wholly owned subsidiary. The Company entered into a share transfer agreement on 28 September 2022, with the transfers scheduled for 1 December 2022 and 28 December 2022, respectively.」

「On 11 April 2022, the Company entered into an agreement with 株式会社BANQ to underwrite a third-party allotment by 株式会社WEB3 WALLET, which 株式会社BANQ would establish through a company split of its NFT division, and to acquire more than half of the total voting rights in 株式会社WEB3 WALLET. Under the agreement, the Company acquired shares in 株式会社WEB3 WALLET on 1 May 2022 and made it a consolidated subsidiary.」

「This was mainly attributable to a ¥461.322 million increase in investment securities related to minority investments, primarily from the capital and business alliance, and a combined ¥347.993 million increase in software and software under development due to software development investments.」

「Net cash used in investing activities was ¥787.598 million. This was mainly due to ¥368.111 million in payments for the acquisition of intangible assets, primarily software development investments, and ¥385.088 million in payments for the acquisition of investment securities in connection with the capital and business alliance.」

「All payments for the share issuance through a third-party allotment under the agreement were completed on 31 May 2021. In addition, to support the steady advancement of this capital and business alliance, 1 outside director recommended by QUICK was elected at the annual general meeting of shareholders held on 24 June 2021.」

「The Company and QUICK have been business partners since September 2020. To further strengthen their collaboration, a third-party allotment was conducted with 日本経済新聞社, the parent company of QUICK, also participating. The parties agreed on the goal of establishing the de facto standard for financial and economic information in Japan through broad cooperation and began initiatives to expand their business fields and scale and improve operating efficiency.」

「This was primarily attributable to a ¥209.195 million increase in goodwill due to the acquisition of shares in ロボット投信株式会社 and other factors, increases of ¥69.298 million and ¥152.099 million in software and software under development, respectively, due to investment in software development, and a ¥292.418 million increase in investment securities due to the implementation of a capital and business alliance and other factors.」

「At a meeting of the Board of Directors held on 30 March 2020, the Company resolved to acquire a majority of the issued shares of ロボット投信株式会社 through its subscription for a third-party allotment of new shares and make the company a consolidated subsidiary. The Company entered into a total share subscription agreement on 15 May 2020 and acquired the shares on 30 June 2020. Voting interest acquired: 50.14%」

「At a meeting of the Board of Directors held on 30 March 2020, the Company resolved to acquire a majority of the issued shares of ロボット投信株式会社 through its subscription for a third-party allotment of new shares and make the company a consolidated subsidiary. On 31 March 2020, the Company entered into a basic agreement setting the planned share acquisition date as the end of June 2020.」

「On 27 December 2019, the Company acquired 66.73% of the issued shares of Prop Tech plus株式会社 and made it a consolidated subsidiary.」

「Investment and other assets increased by ¥46.026 million, primarily as a result of the acquisition of investment securities associated with the capital participation in WILLs Inc.」

「Drawing on its track record and experience, the Company views business transfers and corporate acquisitions that expand the scope of its expertise, development, sales, and other capabilities as effective means of executing its management strategy.」