Updated Mar 23, 2026 by GREE
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Financial
Published by GREE
GREE, Inc. reported FY2023 full‑year net sales of ¥75.4 billion and operating income of ¥12.5 billion, marking year‑on‑year growth across its diversified portfolio. The fourth quarter delivered ¥20.1 billion in sales and ¥5.0 billion in operating income, with the Investment Business providing a notable earnings boost while other segments performed near expectations. The company restructured its reporting from two to four business segments—Game and Anime, Metaverse, DX, and Commerce—to better reflect expanding domains. Game and Anime sales were slightly weakened by a post‑anniversary dip in Heaven Burns Red, yet overall profitability remained strong due to reduced advertising costs and investment contributions. Metaverse operations, split into platform, VTuber, B2B, and Web3 sub‑units, continue to invest heavily; FY24 sales are projected at ¥8.1 billion with operating income near break‑even, while FY26 targets a shift to profitability across all sub‑units. DX focuses on marketing and operational digital transformation services, forecasting FY24 sales of ¥5.7 billion with stable operating income, and FY26 aims for ¥7.9 billion in sales and ¥1.2 billion in income. Commerce, anchored by aumo Inc., expects FY24 sales of ¥1.5 billion and modest operating income, with a projected FY26 rise to ¥3.3 billion and ¥0.4 billion income as HR media initiatives mature. Investment activities remain a key driver, with assets under management at ¥80 billion and significant distributions from fund exits and startup investments. The company projects consolidated FY24 operating income between ¥4.0 billion and ¥5.0 billion, excluding new game titles, while FY26 forecasts maintain a similar range with an anticipated 10 % return from investment holdings. GREE’s strategy emphasizes diversifying revenue streams beyond games, expanding overseas distribution, and building a multi‑layered development pipeline to stabilize earnings and support medium‑term growth.
Toshiki Oya, Senior Vice President, CFO: Thank you for joining the FY2023 fourth quarter financial results briefing of GREE, Inc. I am Toshiki Oya. Please refer to the Executive Summary on page 2. For the FY23 full year, net sales was ¥75.4 billion, operating income was ¥12.5 billion, and EBITDA was ¥12.8 billion. We achieved year-on-year growth in sales and income. In the Game and Anime Business, we developed IP and made progress with global distribution with a focus on a mainstay title, Heaven Burns Red. We continued to invest in the growth of the Metaverse, DX and Commerce Businesses. In the Investment Business, we saw fluctuations on a quarterly basis but achieved steady contribution to earnings on a full-year basis. For the fourth quarter of FY23, net sales was ¥20.1 billion, operating income was ¥5.0 billion, and EBITDA was ¥5.1 billion. The Investment Business contributed to the increase in operating income, while all other businesses performed generally in line with our expectations. We will strengthen efforts to steadily improve business portfolio profitability over the medium term.
as ¥5.0 billion, and EBITDA was ¥5.1 billion. The Investment Business contributed to the increase in operating income, while all other businesses performed generally in line with our expectations. We will strengthen efforts to steadily improve business portfolio profitability over the medium term. Going to page 3, the structure of this material has changed significantly this time and let me explain the changes to the reportable segments. Previously, we explained our business in two segments, the Internet and Entertainment Business and the Investment and Incubation Business. In order to improve understanding of the GREE Group's expanding business domains, the four businesses previously included in the Internet and Entertainment Business segment have been reclassified as separate reportable segments, as you see on the right. For each reportable segment, the person in charge of the business will later explain directly to you the latest situation, performance results, earnings forecasts, and trends in the mid-term plan. The overview of consolidated financial results is shown on page 6. Page 7 illustrates the trends in net sales and operating income. The fourth quarter results in the Game and Anime Business were somewhat weak on a reactionary decline from anniversary events held in the third quarter for Heaven Burns Red, but consolidated results remained strong due to earnings contribution from the Investment Business. Page 1 of 9
Page 8 is a new disclosure, sales and operating income by segment. This will be explained later in detail by the persons in charge of each business. Page 9 is the operating income analysis. As I said, despite a reactionary decline in sales from anniversary events held for Heaven Burns Red, we posted operating income of roughly ¥5.0 billion on a decline in expenses such as advertising costs and contribution from the Investment Business. Page 10 shows the cost structure of the fourth quarter. As I have just said, variable costs, especially advertising costs, decreased, while fixed costs remained almost flat. Total costs declined by ¥2.8 billion to ¥15.2 billion. Page 11 is the year-end dividend. Our dividend distribution policy has not changed and aims at DOE of 2.0% and consolidated dividend ratio of 20% or higher. In line with the policy, we plan a dividend of ¥11 per share. Now let us move on to the operational overview. Page 13 shows the plan of medium and long-term growth based on the four pillars you are familiar with. Next is our business plan for FY24. This page shows the summary and the persons in charge of each business will give more details later. Page 15 shows the earnings forecast by segment. Forecasts are not disclosed for the Investment Business, which is highly uncertain, or for the overall consolidated results. Instead, I will provide guidance verbally at the end of this presentation. Now let us move on to the business part. Yuta Maeda, Senior Vice President: Yuta Maeda will cover the Game and Anime Business.
or the Investment Business, which is highly uncertain, or for the overall consolidated results. Instead, I will provide guidance verbally at the end of this presentation. Now let us move on to the business part. Yuta Maeda, Senior Vice President: Yuta Maeda will cover the Game and Anime Business. Page 17 shows FY23 sales and operating Income. The fourth quarter was comparatively weak on a reactive decline following the one-year anniversary promotions of Heaven Burns Red in the third quarter. However, on a full-year basis, we managed to control the impact following the hits in FY22, achieving solid performance. In the fourth quarter, we Page 2 of 9
successfully conducted the six-year anniversary promotions of Another Eden and SINoALICE. Next, page 18 shows the FY23 topics which supported the solid performance. In particular, the anniversary events and overseas releases of Heaven Burns Red were very well received. We believe that those measures are the reasons why we have been able to maintain our sales, instead of depending solely on initial momentum after release. From page 19, let me explain our future business plan. While putting primary focus on the smartphone games, we will also actively work on console games and anime to create and develop IPs in order to extend and maximize profitability over a long period of time. Page 20 is about overseas development. We will work to distribute all of our future titles overseas by leveraging the know-now and resources we obtained through the distribution of Heaven Burns Red. Page 21, please. As a new direction, we will actively pursue multi-layered new development, which means to promote not only in-house development in its narrow sense but also joint development with other companies, development via licensing as well as outsourcing agreements to rebuild our pipeline into something that fully leverages development knowhow and resources we have accumulated through past projects. That will allow us to hedge against volatilities while strengthening our earnings foundation, as you see on the left. On the right, you see a past example of this nature, One Punch Man jointly developed with Ourpalm Co. Ltd.
elopment knowhow and resources we have accumulated through past projects. That will allow us to hedge against volatilities while strengthening our earnings foundation, as you see on the left. On the right, you see a past example of this nature, One Punch Man jointly developed with Ourpalm Co. Ltd. Page 22 has more recent and future examples. On the left is a licensing example. World Dai Star is an IP based on which TV anime was broadcasted this spring, and was licensed to other companies to develop game. On the right is ONE PUNCH MAN: WORLD, jointly developed with Perfect World Co., Ltd. Now we are actively working to build a multi-layered pipeline including those we cannot disclose here yet. Page 23 shows titles already in development thanks to those efforts. Of course, we are working on our original titles that capitalize on the success of Heaven Burns Red and very large IPs. Some are in earlier phases and not ready to be included here, but we are actively rebuilding our pipeline. Page 3 of 9
GREE reported FY 2023 third‑quarter results with net sales of ¥22.2 billion, operating income of ¥4.2 billion and EBITDA of ¥4.3 billion, reflecting a 15.7 % QoQ rise in sales and a 23.8 % YoY increase compared with the same period in FY 2022. Operating income grew 15.8 % QoQ, driven by the Internet and Entertainment Business (¥1.8 billion) and Investment and Incubation Business (¥2.4 billion). The company highlighted strong performance of its flagship title *Heaven Burns Red*, which achieved No. 1 sales rankings in Japan and several overseas markets following a one‑year anniversary event and aggressive promotional spending. Global distribution of the title began in February 2023, with Korean and traditional Chinese versions launching smoothly. Cost analysis shows advertising expenses rising to ¥3.08 billion QoQ, largely due to upfront promotional investments for app games, while commission fees increased to ¥4.11 billion as sales expanded. Total costs climbed by ¥3.08 billion QoQ to ¥17.93 billion. GREE’s investment arm maintained a total AUM of ¥75.0 billion, with FoF and CVC investments generating high long‑term returns (IRR 23 % for FoF, 20 % for CVC). The company’s dividend policy targets a consolidated payout ratio of at least 20 %, with a planned per‑share dividend of ¥11, consistent with the FY 2022 level. Geographically, operations span Japan, Korea, China, and North America, with the Metaverse Business expanding through REALITY XR cloud and VTuber talent agency FIRST STAGE PRODUCTION. The company projects stable FY 2023 income, acknowledging a potential profit decline following the strong FY 2022 hit‑title performance.
Fiscal year 2026 ended with a 13 % rise in sales to ¥487.5 bn, yet operating income swung from a ¥48.1 bn profit in FY2025 to a ¥5.7 bn loss, driven by significant goodwill impairments on Rovio and Stakelogic and a widening deficit in the Gaming segment. Adjusted EBITDA fell to ¥16.6 bn, reflecting heavy upfront development costs and impairment charges, while net equity contracted by ¥48.7 bn as cash balances were depleted following the acquisitions of GAN and Stakelogic. Within Entertainment Contents, sales edged up to ¥326.6 bn from ¥321.5 bn, but operating income declined from ¥40.8 bn to ¥32.4 bn because new Full‑Game and F2P titles underperformed, despite steady growth in licensing revenue. Forecasts for FY2027 project sales of ¥357 bn and operating income of ¥42.5 bn, contingent on successful new IP launches, repeat sales, and a planned lift in licensing income. Margin erosion from title underperformance remains a key risk. Capital allocation for FY2026/3 was restructured to focus on ¥190 bn of cumulative investment over FY2025–FY2027, allocating ¥80 bn to development, ¥120 bn to strategic acquisitions, and planning ¥70 bn in share buybacks while pausing large‑scale M&A. Shareholder returns are expected to rise sharply, with FY2026/3 projected at ¥31.5 bn (≈¥11.7 bn in dividends) and FY2027/3 potentially reaching ¥16.2 bn under a 50 % total‑return ratio applied to projected net income. Pachislot sales showed modest growth, buoyed by new titles and strong first‑week performance of flagship IPs such as “Hokuto No Ken” and “Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress.” Pachinko sales declined as the temporary lift from Lucky Trigger 3.0 Plus faded and hall utilization softened. The group plans to introduce reel‑exchangeable cabinets, expected to account for roughly 20 % of pachislot revenue, and is positioning the gaming business for a J‑curve bottom in FY2027 through intensive lease sales and B2B platform upgrades. The release schedule for FY2026/3 emphasizes a concentrated push of multi‑platform titles, including the Nintendo Switch 2 launch in March 2026 and a slate of global releases across consoles, PC, and mobile from late 2025 to mid‑2026. Key animation properties such as *Detective Conan* and *Lupin the Third* are slated for April–June 2025, with several new IPs and Netflix exclusives planned for early 2026. Pachislot and pachinko product launches are detailed with projected unit sales ranging from 8,000 to 49,000 units across varying gambling‑specification tiers.
Sony Group’s FY2025 consolidated results demonstrate modest revenue growth and a mixed profitability profile across its core business units. Total sales increased 4 % to ¥12.48 trn, largely driven by higher operating income in the Imaging & Sensing Solutions (I&SS) and Music segments. Operating income rose 13 % to ¥1.45 trn, while net income attributable to shareholders fell 3 % to ¥1.03 trn because of a larger equity‑method loss in the Financial Services arm and higher impairment charges. Operating cash flow remained flat at ¥1.97 trn, and the spin‑off of Sony Financial Group was treated as a discontinued operation from Q1 FY25 onward. Within the Music division, sales climbed 15 % to ¥277.5 billion, propelled by growth in Recorded Music and Music Publishing streaming revenues (+9 % and +14 % respectively), live‑event income, and a strong contribution from the Demon Slayer franchise. Operating income in this segment surged 25 % to ¥89.7 billion, reaching a record high even after excluding one‑time items. Sony projects flat sales for FY2026, with operating income expected to decline 11 % to ¥47 billion as streaming gains are offset by the loss of Demon Slayer’s impact. The company consolidates its Pictures and Music results on a U.S. dollar basis, translating foreign‑currency sales and costs using weighted average exchange rates while accounting for hedging transactions. Foreign‑exchange fluctuations affect both sales and operating income, with I&SS hedging gains or losses incorporated into these calculations. These disclosures supplement, but do not replace, Sony’s IFRS‑compliant consolidated financial statements.
Bandai Namco Group reported record‑high net sales of ¥1,002.2 billion for the first nine months of FY2026, up 4.9 % from ¥955.6 billion in the same period of FY2025, driven primarily by robust performance in the Toys and Hobby segment. That segment achieved ¥503.6 billion in sales, a 9.5 % increase, and contributed ¥103.5 billion in profit, up 6.0 %. Digital sales rose modestly to ¥358.8 billion, while Visual and Music and Amusement segments saw slight declines in profitability due to shifts in title mix and product launches. Operating profit fell 12.2 % to ¥157.3 billion, largely attributed to a less favorable home‑console game lineup compared with the prior year. Full‑year forecasts were revised upward: net sales are now projected at ¥1,300.0 billion (a 4.0 % increase over the previous forecast), operating profit at ¥181.0 billion (up 9.7 %), and ordinary profit at ¥190.0 billion (up 10.5 %). The company maintains a shareholder‑return policy targeting a total return ratio of at least 50 %, with FY2026 dividends set at ¥73 billion (base ¥46 billion plus performance‑based ¥27 billion) and a treasury‑share purchase program of up to 6 million shares, worth up to ¥30 billion. Geographically the results reflect strong North American sales responsiveness and global licensing from flagship IPs such as Gundam, Dragon Ball, and One Piece. Methodologically, the figures derive from consolidated financial statements covering all operating segments, with segment‑level data presented for Toys and Hobby, Digital, Visual and Music, Amusement, Other, and Elimination/Corporate units. The presentation also outlines strategic initiatives for FY2027, emphasizing balanced title portfolios in Digital and continued expansion of experiential amusement facilities.