Koei Tecmo FY26 Net Profit Hits Record ¥42.8 Billion (+13.8%) on Strong Game Catalog, Guides FY27 Operating Profit Down 14% on Reinvestment Cycle

FY3/2026 revenue rose 6.3% to ¥88.4 billion and net profit climbed 13.8% to a record ¥42.8 billion, with operating margin expanding to 42.0% as a deep IP catalog spanning Nobunaga's Ambition, Romance of the Three Kingdoms and the Atelier series drove software sales; the dividend was raised to ¥66 but FY3/2027 guidance flags a 13.9% operating-profit decline on a reinvestment cycle.

Koei Tecmo Holdings corporate signage Koei Tecmo Holdings Co., Ltd. · Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime

Koei Tecmo Holdings Co., Ltd. (TSE: 3635), the Yokohama-headquartered game publisher and IP holder behind Nobunaga's Ambition, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Dynasty Warriors and the Atelier series, reported FY3/2026 consolidated J-GAAP results showing a fifth consecutive year of profit growth and another set of record headline figures. Revenue rose 6.3% year-on-year to ¥88,393 million, operating profit advanced 15.7% to ¥37,168 million, ordinary profit climbed 14.0% to ¥57,000 million, and net profit attributable to shareholders rose 13.8% to ¥42,830 million. Basic EPS came in at ¥131.77 versus ¥119.14.

The operating margin expanded to 42.0% from 38.6% — among the highest in the listed Japanese gaming sector — while ROE attributable to owners eased modestly to 18.6% from 20.7% on a larger equity base. Comprehensive income surged 128.2% to ¥70,139 million, helped by improvements in equity-investment marks against an exceptionally weak prior-year reference.

Cash flow and balance sheet

Operating cash flow held above ¥33 billion at ¥33,010 million (vs. ¥34,369 million), while investing activities used ¥12,080 million versus a ¥40,973 million inflow in the prior year — when the company had drawn down securities holdings. Financing activities provided ¥12,869 million after a ¥63,175 million outflow in FY3/2025. Cash and equivalents at year-end stood at ¥59,334 million. Total assets grew to ¥313,662 million from ¥209,828 million, net assets reached ¥272,536 million, and the equity ratio remained very high at 86.7%, slipping marginally from 89.9% on the back of a temporary expansion of corporate bonds payable.

Dividend raised to ¥66 with a special policy revision

The FY3/2026 year-end dividend was set at ¥66.00, lifting the annual payout to ¥66.00 from ¥60.00 a year earlier and equating to total cash dividends of ¥22,049 million. The consolidated payout ratio of 50.1% was kept in line with the company's policy ceiling around 50%. The board separately published a "Notice on Revision of Dividend Forecast" on the same day to formalize the change.

FY3/2027 guidance: reinvestment cycle weighs on profit

For FY3/2027 management guides revenue of ¥90,000 million (+1.8%) but operating profit down 13.9% to ¥32,000 million, ordinary profit down 26.3% to ¥42,000 million, and net profit down 27.6% to ¥31,000 million, with H1 cumulative guidance pointing to a 33.2% net-profit drop. The annual dividend forecast is set at ¥48.00 (year-end only), implying a payout ratio of 50.3% on the lower guided earnings. The contraction reflects a step-up investment cycle for new title development and engine renewal rather than a structural decline in the catalog, alongside more conservative assumptions for the FY27 swing in equity-investment marks.

Koei Tecmo Holdings Co., Ltd. — FY3/2026 Key Financials (JGAAP, consolidated)
MetricFY3/2026FY3/2025YoY
Revenue (¥ million)88,39383,150+6.3%
Operating profit (¥ million)37,16832,119+15.7%
Ordinary profit (¥ million)57,00049,988+14.0%
Net profit (¥ million)42,83037,628+13.8%
Basic EPS (¥)131.77119.14+10.6%
Operating margin42.0%38.6%+3.4pp
ROE (owners)18.6%20.7%−2.1pp
Equity ratio86.7%89.9%−3.2pp
Annual dividend (¥)66.0060.00+10.0%

JapanStockPulse provides informational content only and does not constitute investment advice. Figures are taken from the company's published earnings short report and may be subject to subsequent revision.