Expected Recovery in Sales and Operating Profit/Loss Under COVID-19

「Following improvements in leading KPIs, the company expects these improvements to translate into sales from the third consolidated quarter onward and will continue building the structure needed to restore profitability in the second half.」

「The company is making an early return to profitability in the next fiscal year, the fiscal year ending November 2026, its top priority, and is undertaking fundamental cost-structure reforms, including a detailed review of unprofitable costs and reductions in fixed costs.」

「As a result, sales for the cumulative period of the first consolidated quarter amounted to ¥899.065 million, up 57.4% year on year.」

「Sales for the consolidated fiscal year amounted to ¥2,665.054 million. This was because, in the HR business, the recovery in foot traffic and growth in inbound demand further increased hiring needs for personnel in the food-service industry. In addition, the previously challenging task of attracting job seekers recovered and remained firm.」

「Sales for the cumulative period of the first two consolidated quarters amounted to ¥1,296.960 million. The main factor in the core HR business was that social activity was returning to pre-COVID-19 levels following the revision of mask-wearing guidelines in March and the transition in May of COVID-19 from a Class 2-equivalent disease to a Class 5 disease, the same category as seasonal influenza, while companies' hiring needs remained firm.」

「Sales for the cumulative period of the first quarter amounted to ¥571.216 million. The main factor was that, although inflation-driven price increases had an impact, companies' hiring needs remained high as social activity became more vigorous in the third year of living with COVID-19.」

「Sales for the cumulative period of the first three quarters amounted to ¥1,127.146 million, up 56.1% year on year. Although the number of COVID-19 cases rose again, the progress of vaccinations and the absence of activity restrictions stimulated efforts to maintain social and economic activity, and economic conditions began to recover. As a result, the effective job-offers-to-applicants ratios for food preparation, customer service and serving recovered to levels comparable to those immediately before the onset of the pandemic, increasing companies' hiring needs and creating opportunities for business discussions. The acquisition of additional large-scale contract projects was also a major factor.」

「Sales for the cumulative period of the first two quarters amounted to ¥731.765 million, up 51.1% year on year. This was mainly because the lifting on 21 March of quasi-emergency measures to prevent the spread of disease in all 18 prefectures removed restrictions on activity, leading to a recovery in consumer demand in the food-service industry during spring holidays and the Golden Week holiday period, while hiring demand for the new fiscal year remained firm.」

「Sales for the cumulative period of the first quarter amounted to ¥322.843 million, up 46.4% year on year. This was mainly because, although the impact of COVID-19, including the Omicron variant, on restaurants continued, companies' hiring needs did not decline and sales were on a recovery trend.」

「With the timing of the end of COVID-19 still unforeseeable and its impact expected to persist, we currently expect sales to recover gradually during the fiscal year ending November 2022, although we anticipate that the impact will continue throughout that fiscal year. At the same time, because we will continue for a certain period to restrain operating expenses through measures such as cost reductions and selective investment allocation, we expect operating results to recover ahead of sales.」

「With the timing of the end of COVID-19 still unforeseeable and its impact expected to persist, we currently expect sales to recover gradually toward the second half of fiscal 2021, although we anticipate that the impact will continue throughout fiscal 2021.」

「With the timing of the end of COVID-19 still unforeseeable and its impact expected to persist, we currently expect sales to recover gradually during fiscal 2021, although we anticipate that the impact will continue throughout fiscal 2021. At the same time, because we will continue for a certain period to restrain operating expenses through measures such as cost reductions and selective investment allocation, we expect operating results to recover ahead of sales.」

「With the timing of the end of COVID-19 still unforeseeable, we currently expect sales to recover gradually from the fourth-quarter accounting period, although we anticipate that the impact will continue throughout 2021.」

「With the timing of the end of COVID-19 still unforeseeable, we currently expect sales to recover gradually from the third quarter, although we anticipate that the impact will continue throughout 2021. At the same time, because we will continue for a certain period to restrain operating expenses through measures such as cost reductions and selective investment allocation, we expect operating results to recover ahead of sales.」