I would like to express my gratitude for our shareholders’ continued support and patronage.
The fiscal year ended April 30, 2024 was a year of investments. We transformed the policy of the Mid-term Management Plan and worked to raise the pace of customer acquisitions by significantly enhancing investments in customer acquisition. Particularly, in the EC business “Super Delivery,” in September 2023 we introduced a new free plan with zero membership fees for domestic retailers, from which we had collected 2,000 yen as a monthly membership fee. In line with the introduction of this free plan, we actively implemented promotion activities and a welcome back campaign for those who reactivate their memberships. As a result, a strong synergy effect was created and the number of domestic registered members and buying customers increased significantly. In our financial business “URIHO,” we also implemented promotion activities to increase awareness. In the financial business, both the guarantee balance of “URIHO” and the value of transactions of “Paid” have continued to see steady, double-digit growth.
Profits decreased in the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024 due to increased advertising and sales promotion expenses as a result of investments in customers being significantly enhanced in a strategic manner. However, as each service was used by an increasing number of customers, net sales continued to increase. This was achieved entirely thanks to your support and we would like to express our sincere gratitude.
Based on the above, we will aim for a V-shaped recovery by doubling operating income to a record high in the fiscal year ending April 30, 2025, with all employees working together.
I sincerely ask for further support and encouragement from our shareholders.