Sotoh Co., Ltd. (TSE: 3571), a wool-textile dyeing and finishing company based in Ichinomiya, Aichi Prefecture, reported consolidated full-year results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026 (FY3/2026) under Japanese GAAP. Revenue rose 6.5% year-on-year to ¥10,699 million from ¥10,043 million, but the company stayed in the red at the operating line: the operating loss widened to ¥229 million from a ¥146 million loss a year earlier, and the ordinary line slipped to a ¥36 million loss from a ¥31 million profit. Despite those pressures, net profit attributable to owners of the parent rose 26.7% to ¥515 million from ¥406 million, and basic earnings per share improved to ¥41.18 from ¥32.28.
Profit above the operating line
The headline curiosity of the results is that net profit climbed even though the business lost money at the operating level. This reflects items that sit below operating profit: non-operating income and extraordinary gains lifted the bottom line well past the operating result, more than offsetting the core dyeing-and-finishing operation's loss. Comprehensive income, which captures valuation movements on the company's investment holdings, came in at ¥921 million, down 8.1% from the prior year but still a healthy contribution that underscores how much of Sotoh's earnings power resides outside its day-to-day manufacturing.
An asset-rich balance sheet
Sotoh remains a notably asset-rich, lightly geared company. Total assets stood at ¥19,792 million and net assets at ¥14,910 million, lifting the equity ratio to 75.3% from 74.4% a year earlier — among the strongest balance sheets in the listed textile space. Book value per share rose to ¥1,223.53. That capital cushion gives the company latitude to ride out a soft trading environment without pressure on its dividend, even in a year when the operating business did not cover its costs.
Cash flow and capital returns
Cash generation was solid: operating cash flow was a positive ¥1,068 million, against a ¥647 million investing outflow and a ¥1,057 million financing outflow, leaving period-end cash and equivalents of ¥1,252 million. On capital returns, Sotoh raised its FY3/2026 annual dividend to ¥42.00 per share (¥15 interim + ¥27 year-end) from ¥40.00 the prior year — a consolidated payout ratio of 102.0%, signalling a commitment to shareholder returns that exceeds the year's reported earnings.
FY27 earnings guidance withheld
For the fiscal year to March 2027, Sotoh declined to publish an earnings forecast. Management said it cannot reasonably forecast results given the continuing situation in the Middle East and uncertainty in raw-material markets, and stated it will disclose figures once it becomes able to do so. The company did, however, set a dividend forecast of ¥40.00 per share for FY3/2027 (¥14 interim + ¥26 year-end), a step down from the ¥42 just paid but in line with its longer-run distribution. With its high equity ratio and steady cash generation, Sotoh enters the new year financially well positioned even as the trading outlook remains clouded.
| Metric | FY3/2026 | FY3/2025 | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue (¥M) | 10,699 | 10,043 | +6.5% |
| Operating profit (¥M) | -229 | -146 | Loss |
| Ordinary profit (¥M) | -36 | 31 | Loss |
| Net profit attrib. (¥M) | 515 | 406 | +26.7% |
| EPS (¥) | 41.18 | 32.28 | +27.6% |
| Annual dividend (¥) | 42.00 | 40.00 | +¥2.00 |
| Equity ratio | 75.3% | 74.4% | +0.9pp |
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.