Digest of Stocks in Focus (Morning Session): akippa, Advantest, Apple and Others

ExaWizards announced that it had begun jointly developing with Sumitomo Wiring Systems a group of AI agents designed to operate at production sites worldwide. The companies will develop audit AI, intervention AI and review AI, conduct demonstrations at overseas sites during the current fiscal year and aim for a full global rollout in the following fiscal year. The impact on results for the fiscal year ending March 2027 is expected to be minor.

Amazia announced that, following the new listing of its investee Skyfall, it expects to sell part of its holdings and recognize a gain on the sale of investment securities. The sale will involve 46,900 shares, with a gain on the transfer of ¥13 million, which is scheduled to be recognized as extraordinary income in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year ending September 2026. The company is currently reviewing its consolidated earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending September 2026 and will disclose the details once finalized.

ispace announced that its U.S. subsidiary had signed a launch contract with Argo Space for the lunar-orbit communications satellite Alpine. The launch is scheduled for as early as 2027 as Mission 2.5, which will place the first satellite into lunar orbit. The company aims to deploy at least 5 lunar-orbit satellites by 2030 and provide communications, positioning, observation and space situational awareness services, among others. The contract value has not been disclosed, and expenses are scheduled to be recorded as early as 2027. The contract is not expected to affect the earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2027.

Ferrotec announced that it would conduct a tender offer to make 日抵抗器 a wholly owned subsidiary. The tender offer price is ¥1,901, representing a 49.1% premium to the previous day's closing price, and the tender offer period will run from 18 September through 5 November.

akippa newly listed on the Standard Market today at an offering price of ¥570. The offering size was approximately ¥1.45 billion, and the initial price is expected to be around ¥1,000. Shares held by venture capital firms are also expected to become eligible for release from lock-up restrictions after the listing.

Advantest rebounded sharply. Buying was strong in semiconductor-related stocks, while gains in the SOX Index, together with increased confidence in buying U.S. technology stocks, provided support.

Kasumigaseki Capital has already announced an upward revision to its earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending August 2026, including an increase in projected operating profit from its previous forecast. The revision was driven by factors including higher earnings from hotel projects, prompting a positive reaction that reversed the decline in profit recorded through the third quarter.

Apple announced upward revisions to its earnings and dividend forecasts. Operating profit for the fiscal year ending December 2026 was raised to ¥930 million from the previous forecast of ¥770 million, while the dividend was increased to ¥15 from ¥10. Strong performance in its overseas used-car export business was also cited as a contributing factor.