Fast Retailing Logs Record Annual Sales, Profits

Tokyo, Oct. 9 (Jiji Press)–Fast Retailing Co., the operator of Uniqlo and other casual clothing brands, on Thursday reported record-high group sales and profits for the year that ended in August, on the back of robust demand both in and outside Japan. Sales rose by 9.6 pct from the previous year to 3,400.5 billion yen, operating profit by 12.6 pct to 564.2 billion yen and net profit by 16.4 pct to 433 billion yen, the Japanese company said. The Uniqlo business posted significantly higher revenues and profits in the Japanese, South Korean, Southeast Asian, European and U.S. markets. The brand saw lower profits in China, but the company expects earnings in the country to improve thanks to structural reforms. “It’s unprecedented for our products to sell so well around the world,” Fast Retailing President Tadashi Yanai said at a press conference in Tokyo, stressing that the company’s strong performance reflects steadily rising brand recognition. He added that the company plans to open large, flagship-scale stores in Japan, Hong Kong and the United States to “let customers experience what Uniqlo is all about.” For the current business year to August 2026, Fast Retailing projects consolidated sales will grow 10.3 pct to 3.75 trillion yen, operating profit 8.1 pct to 610 billion yen and net profit 0.5 pct to 435 billion yen. The company said that it will be able to mitigate the impacts of the U.S. government’s high tariffs to some extent through price revisions in North America and cost cutting. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]