Low-cost operations that balance value for money with profitability

「賃金の上昇や新規出店による人件費の増加に加え、新規出店や既存店の改装に伴う減価償却費、物流費などの増加により、販売費及び一般管理費は172億84百万円（前年同期比108.4％）となりました。こうしたコスト増加要因はあったものの、売上総利益率の改善により営業利益は前年を上回り、増収増益となりました。」

「In terms of costs, in addition to higher labor costs due to rising wages and new store openings, depreciation associated with new store openings and renovations of existing stores, logistics costs and other expenses increased. As a result, selling, general and administrative expenses were ¥17,284 million, or 108.4% of the same period of the previous fiscal year. Despite these cost increases, operating profit exceeded the previous year as a result of an improved gross profit margin, resulting in higher revenue and higher profit.」

「Labor costs increased as wages rose, but by advancing operational efficiency measures such as introducing self-checkout registers, the Company restrained the increase in working hours and minimized the increase in labor costs.」

「In terms of costs, labor costs increased due to higher wages, but the increase in working hours was kept in check by improving operational efficiency through measures including the introduction of self-checkout registers, allowing us to minimize the increase in labor costs. In addition, depreciation increased in connection with new store openings and renovations of existing stores, while transaction fees also increased as the use of cashless payments rose. As a result, selling, general and administrative expenses were ¥15,948 million, or 106.0% of the same period of the previous fiscal year.」

「In terms of costs, labor costs increased due to higher wages, but improved operational efficiency reduced working hours from the previous fiscal year, allowing us to keep the increase to a minimum. Although the use of cashless payments continued to rise, negotiations on transaction fee rates helped limit the impact on costs. As a result of these initiatives, selling, general and administrative expenses were ¥30,174 million, or 104.1% of the previous fiscal year's level.」

「On the cost side, SG&A expenses were ¥15,049 million, or 103.9% of the same period of the previous year, due in part to higher DX-related costs and cashless payment fees. As a result, operating income was ¥2,243 million, or 118.1% of the same period of the previous year.」

「On the cost side, SG&A expenses were ¥7,254 million, or 102.4% of the previous fiscal year, due to higher personnel expenses and cashless payment fees.」

「Operating income fell below the previous year due to the lower gross margin, resulting in higher revenue but lower profit.」

「On the cost side, although wage levels were raised, personnel expenses were held broadly unchanged from the previous year as a result of efforts to improve work efficiency in stores. Meanwhile, SG&A expenses were ¥21,612 million, or 103.7% of the previous fiscal year, due to renovations, EC-related costs and higher cashless payment fees.」

「On the cost side, personnel expenses were broadly unchanged from the previous year as a result of efforts to improve work efficiency at stores. However, SG&A expenses were ¥14,484 million, or 104.2% of the previous fiscal year, due to investment in renovations and the EC business, as well as higher cashless payment fees.」

「We have focused on EDLC (everyday low costs) to support EDLP.」

「In addition to reducing head-office operations, we will work to further improve productivity at stores by reviewing delivery plans and product display methods, thereby thoroughly pursuing EDLC (everyday low costs) to support EDLP.」

「On the cost side, SG&A expenses were ¥20,837 million, or 102.3% of the previous fiscal year, due to renovation expenses, higher electricity costs and increased cashless payment fees.」

「On the cost side, personnel expenses decreased due in part to lower labour hours at stores. However, SG&A expenses were ¥6,848 million, or 102.7% of the previous fiscal year, due to one-time expenses for promoting DX and higher electricity expenses.」

「In addition to a 1% improvement in the gross margin from two years earlier, thorough cost reductions resulted in operating income of approximately 1.8 times and ordinary income of approximately 1.9 times the levels from two years earlier, advancing the reform of the earnings structure.」

「On the expense side, lower distribution expenses and cashless payment fees, together with the control of labour hours in line with sales, resulted in SG&A expenses of ¥20,378 million, or 98.8% of the previous year, below the previous year’s level.」

「On the expense side, lower sales than in the previous fiscal year reduced variable costs such as distribution expenses and cashless payment fees. In addition, the review of sales programmes and control of labour hours contributed to SG&A expenses of ¥13,626 million, down 1.1% year on year and below the previous year.」

「Although sales declined, the gross margin improved significantly to 23.0%, up 1.0 percentage point year on year, due to the review of special-sale programmes and strong sales of high-margin products such as outdoor goods. On the expense side, in addition to lower variable costs such as distribution expenses and cashless payment fees resulting from the decline in sales from the previous fiscal year, lower utilities and depreciation expenses resulted in SG&A expenses of ¥6,670 million, down 2.1% year on year and below the previous year.」

「On the expense side, personnel expenses increased with sales growth, while selling commissions increased as the share of cashless payments rose. However, by reviewing promotional activities to avoid customer congestion, using web conferencing and implementing various cost reductions such as reducing supplies, we were able to contain SG&A expenses at ¥20,621 million, broadly in line with the previous year and up 0.4% year on year.」

「On the expense side, personnel expenses increased with sales growth, while selling commissions increased as the share of cashless payments rose. However, by reviewing promotional activities to avoid customer congestion, using web conferencing and implementing various cost reductions such as reducing supplies, we were able to contain SG&A expenses at ¥13,776 million, broadly in line with the previous year and up 1.0% year on year.」

「On the expense side, personnel expenses increased due to higher sales and the implementation of infection-control measures, while selling commissions increased as the share of cashless payments rose. However, by reviewing promotional activities to avoid customer congestion, using web conferencing and implementing various cost reductions such as reducing supplies, we were able to contain SG&A expenses at ¥6,815 million, broadly in line with the previous year and up 2.4% year on year.」

「Thorough low-cost operations to achieve “low prices every day.”」

「On the cost side, SG&A expenses were ¥20,533 million, up 2.3% year on year, due in part to higher selling commissions resulting from the increased share of cashless payments.」

「On the cost side, SG&A expenses were ¥13,639 million, up 0.6% year on year, due in part to higher selling commissions resulting from the increased share of cashless payments.」

「SG&A expenses were ¥6,657 million, up 2.2% year on year, due in part to higher advertising and card processing fees.」

「Operating income was ¥2,549 million, up 0.7% from the previous fiscal year, and the operating income margin on operating revenue was 2.2%.」

「Although operating revenue was below the same period of the previous year, operating gross profit was ¥21,825 million, up 0.2% year on year, due in part to a 0.1-percentage-point improvement in the gross margin. SG&A expenses were ¥20,073 million, up 0.4% year on year, due in part to higher selling expenses such as advertising and card processing fees.」

「Although selling expenses increased due in part to the higher proportion of card sales, SG&A expenses were ¥13,558 million, up 0.2% year on year, due to lower personnel expenses from more efficient store operations and lower rent and repair expenses. As a result, operating income was ¥1,393 million, up 3.2% year on year.」

「SG&A expenses were ¥6,513 million, down 1.7% year on year, due to lower personnel expenses from more efficient store operations, as well as lower rent and supplies expenses. As a result, operating income was ¥619 million, up 4.4% year on year.」

「Our group regards the operating margin as an important management indicator. While pursuing sustained sales growth, we will work to expand operating income by establishing low-cost operations and enhance corporate value through sound management.」

「We aim to clarify our system of responsibility, further refine our low-cost operations so that we can provide value pricing while maintaining our profitability, and build a structure capable of responding promptly to changes in the business environment through proactive organisational restructuring, strategic M&A and alliances.」

「Cost reductions exceeding the decline in operating revenue caused by the 11-month non-standard fiscal period led to operating income of ¥1,935 million, compared with ¥1,530 million in the previous 12-month period, and ordinary income of ¥2,360 million, compared with ¥1,413 million in the previous 12-month period.」

「In terms of profit, SG&A expenses decreased by ¥198 million due to reductions in utilities through the introduction of energy-saving equipment and lower rent expense following store closures. Operating income was ¥1,860 million, representing a 9.5% year-on-year increase, and ordinary income was ¥2,093 million, up 22.4%.」

「Meanwhile, SG&A expenses decreased 2.0% year on year to ¥13,826 million, mainly due to reductions in utilities and personnel expenses. As a result, operating income was ¥1,091 million, up 22.7% year on year, and ordinary income was ¥1,136 million, up 26.7%, resulting in lower revenue but higher profit.」

「Meanwhile, expenses were ¥6,873 million, down 2.6% year on year, as reductions in utilities and personnel expenses progressed. As a result, operating income was ¥623 million, up 46.4% year on year, and ordinary income was ¥670 million, up 53.6%, resulting in higher revenue and profit.」

「We regard operating margin as an important management metric and believe it is important to further refine our low-cost operations so that we can balance providing value for money with profitability.」