Kao reported strong results and hit a new year-to-date high, while also introducing a shareholder benefits program. Mercari also reached a year-to-date high on strong results and announced its first-ever share buyback. The Nikkei Average fell for the first time in 3 sessions, but domestic-demand stocks attracted buying.
Kao reported first-half results for the fiscal year ending December 2026, with operating profit up 38.5% from the previous year to ¥95.8 billion. It raised its full-year forecast from ¥182 billion to ¥190 billion. The share price reached a new year-to-date high, and the introduction of shareholder benefits also attracted investor interest.
Mercari maintained strong performance in the fiscal year ended June 2026, with operating profit up 57.7% from the previous period to ¥43.9 billion and revenue up 19.0%. For the fiscal year ending June 2027, it forecasts revenue of ¥260–290 billion and core operating profit of ¥45 billion, and announced its first-ever share buyback, of up to ¥10 billion.