Sanrio, the creator of Hello Kitty, announced consolidated net sales of 194.0 billion yen (up 33.9% year-on-year), operating profit of 77.8 billion yen (up 50.3% year-on-year), and net profit attributable to owners of parent of 54.6 billion yen (up 30.9% year-on-year) for the fiscal year ended March 2026. This performance marked five consecutive fiscal years of increased revenue and profit, setting new record highs. The robust results were attributed to increased customer visits to the merchandise business and the strong performance of its multi-character strategy in licensing, with notable contributions from properties like Kuromi and My Melody globally.
Looking ahead, Sanrio provided an optimistic consolidated earnings forecast for the fiscal year ending March 2027, projecting net sales of 229.8 billion yen (up 18.4% year-on-year) and operating profit of 89.5 billion yen (up 15.0% year-on-year). These figures surpass initial targets of 175.0 billion yen for net sales and 65.0 billion yen for operating profit, indicating continued demand growth both domestically and internationally. The company expects to achieve its sixth consecutive fiscal year of increased revenue and profit.
In terms of shareholder returns, Sanrio increased its annual dividend for the fiscal year ended March 2026 to 69 yen per share, up from 53 yen in the previous fiscal year, based on a consolidated dividend payout ratio targeting 30%. For the fiscal year ending March 2027, the annual dividend is projected to be 16 yen per share, taking into account a 5-for-1 stock split effective April 1, 2026. This proactive stance on shareholder returns, combined with the strong earnings forecast, is expected to positively impact investor sentiment.
