Mixi Inc Aktie

[Interpreted]

Thank you very much for joining today's financial results briefing despite your busy schedules. I am Shimamura, the CFO. Today, I will go over our financial results following the agenda shown on Page 2. Please see Page 3. This page shows the executive summary. I will explain this summary in detail in this briefing.

Please see Page 4. First, I will explain the financial status. Page 5, this page shows the quarterly consolidated income statement. For the first quarter, we had net sales of JPY 47.0 billion, EBITDA of JPY 8.6 billion, operating income of JPY 5.4 billion, ordinary income of JPY 5.6 billion and profit attributable to owners of parent of JPY 5.8 billion. Both sales and profit increased compared to the same period last year.

The consolidation of PointsBet and strong performance in the Digital Entertainment segment resulted in a net sales increase of 50.3% compared to the same period last year. EBITDA increased by 125.0% year-over-year, driven by the Digital Entertainment segment. In addition, the recognition of deferred tax assets following the decision to transfer Bitibank shares resulted in a decrease in deferred income taxes and an increase in net income for the current fiscal year. The profit from the sale of BitBank shares is expected to be recognized in the third quarter.

Please see Page 6. This page shows the quarterly trend of consolidated performance. Page 7, I will now explain the business status of each segment. Page 8, this page shows the Sports segment. Net sales increased 94.5% year-over-year to JPY 21.6 billion. The main factors behind this increase were the recent consolidation of PointsBet as well as growth in both the betting and Spectator Sports businesses.

Please note that because FC Tokyo has changed its fiscal year-end, quarter 1 includes results for the 5-month period from February through June. Excluding this impact, net sales increased by 82.7% year-over-year. Driven by the domestic betting business, EBITDA rose 108% year-over-year to JPY 1.2 billion.

Please see Page 9. This page shows the net sales trends for the main services in our betting businesses. Net sales increased significantly, rising 117.9% year-over-year, driven by the addition of PointsBet. Excluding the impact of the consolidation, net sales show an increase of 26.9% year-over-year. Thanks to the growth of Chariloto's comprehensive Keirin stadium management business and Net Dreamers Keirin ticket sales business, we continue to maintain a high growth rate. While the Keirin market from April to June saw growth of only about 3% year-over-year due to factors such as stricter regulations. TIPSTAR achieved 12.8% year-over-year sales growth and continues to expand its market share.

Page 10. I will now explain the status of our betting businesses. Urban Sickle Parks Hiroshima for which Chariloto has been entrusted with comprehensive management celebrated its grand opening in April following a renovation. A G1 race has been scheduled for February 2027. The facility has attracted attention within the industry, serving as a model example of redevelopment and hosting study tours for many local governments. Net Dreamers, who launched the Keirin Media platform, netkeirin in 2020 after joining MIXI Group, added a betting feature to the platform in July last year. This service provides seamless coverage from predictions to bets while also driving mutual user referral with netkeirin user base of 14 million. As a result, we are attracting new Keirin fans and increasing the LTV of our betting business as a whole.

Please see Page 11. I'll now explain the status of the Lifestyle segment. Page 12. Net sales increased by 24.5% year-over-year to JPY 4.3 billion. The main factors behind this increase were FamilyAlbum's highly profitable focus areas and the strong performance of minimo, EBITDA became positive, thanks to increased sales and profitability improvements.

Page 13. I will now explain the status of FamilyAlbum. Net sales in FamilyAlbum's focus areas increased by 31% year-over-year. In addition, FamilyAlbum launched its family partner program in July. A partnership has been launched with Rakuten Travevelwell as the first initiative. FamilyAlbum supports all kinds of families in creating lasting memories together. By expanding opportunities for taking photos while on vacation, we hope to provide valuable experiences to even more families.

Please see Page 14. I'll now explain the status of the Digital Entertainment segment. Page 15. Net sales increased by 21.5% year-over-year to JPY 19.5 billion. Although Monster Strike's MAU fell below that of the same period last year, net sales increased as collaborations with popular IPs contributed to higher ARPU. EBITDA increased by 39.5% year-over-year to JPY 10.8 billion. In addition to increased sales, profits increased as cost efficiency for the domestic version of Monster Strike continued to improve.

Page 16. This page shows the status of Monster Strike. The monetization rate and ARPPU both increased due to collaborations with popular IPs and other factors, leading to higher ARPU compared to the same period last year. Although MAU continues to decline, collaborations with popular IPs and half anniversary promotions have been successful and the rate of decline narrowed compared to the previous period. Going forward, we aim to reach even higher levels through initiatives such as for new user acquisition.

Page 17. The off-line event, Dream Days 4 was held in July. Admission tickets sold out on the first day of sale, prompting additional standing room tickets to be offered. Over 10,000 visitors attended the 2-day event. During the second day Monster Strike News broadcast, Monster Strike News trended to #1 on social media, generating a significant buzz both inside and outside the venue. Updates to the UI/UX were also announced during the event. These updates will help make the service more user-friendly for new users. We will continue to roll out updates gradually to increase our MAU.

Please see Page 18. I'll now explain the status of the Investment segment. Page 19, we have acquired the investment fund management business from GRE Holdings and assumed a portion of the LP interest in the managed funds. The purpose of this succession is to bring on board individuals with advanced expertise and accomplishments in the investment business, thereby further enhancing our group's investment management framework.

Page 20. This page shows the status of the Investment segment. Due to factors such as the recognition of gains and losses from investee funds and the sale of shareholdings, net sales were JPY 1.5 billion and EBITDA was JPY 800 million. To enhance transparency in the Investment segment, we have begun including explanations of net invested capital and net asset value, NAV. We will control net invested capital to remain within 10% of total assets. As of the end of the first quarter, net invested capital was 8.4% of total assets.

In addition, NAV stood at JPY 59.7 billion, which is approximately 2.5x the net invested capital. In addition, along with the change in accounting standards, we have recognized an additional JPY 5.18 billion in operational investment securities starting in the first quarter as a result of valuing the shares held by minority funds at market value.

Please see Page 21. I'll now explain the status of AI utilization. Page 22, we have entered into a strategic partnership with Runway, a global leader in video generation AI. We are already utilizing Runway's technology in our creative production. As a result, we were able to reduce the production time for video content related to a Monster strike event from approximately 21 days to 3 days. Additionally, the production period for MIXI's corporate branding movie was shortened from approximately 20 days to 7 days. In addition, our Director, Tatsuma Murase, has been appointed CAIO, and we are strengthening our framework for promoting AI utilization company-wide. Going forward, we will combine AI with the expertise we have cultivated in the social areas and our large user base to create new experiences. Through these initiatives, we will accelerate our transformation into an AI company at the application layer.

Page 23, I will explain the revision to our results forecast. Page 24, for our fiscal year 2027 full year results forecast, we have left our initial forecast unchanged for net sales through ordinary income and have revised upward only our forecast for profit attributable to owners of parent from JPY 13.5 billion to JPY 25.0 billion. In connection with the sale of BitBank Inc. shares, we have reflected the extraordinary income we expect to record in the third quarter in our full year results forecast.

Page 25. I will explain the revision to our dividend forecast. While focusing on investments for business growth, our policy is to target a consolidated dividend payout ratio of 40% or a dividend on equity DOE of 5% and continuously provide stable shareholder returns. In our initial forecast, we set the annual dividend at JPY 125 based on a DOE of 5%. As a result of the upward revision to our forecast for profit attributable to owners of parent, the annual dividend amount calculated using a 40% payout ratio is now expected to exceed the initial forecast. Accordingly, we will increase our annual dividend forecast by JPY 30 to JPY 155. Given that the sale of BitBank Inc. shares is scheduled for the third quarter, we plan to keep the interim dividend unchanged at JPY 60 and raise the year-end dividend to JPY 95.

Page 26. This page shows the progress toward our results forecast. Each business, including PointsBet, is progressing as planned, and performance is in line with our full year results forecast. By continuing to build on the growth of each business, we're aiming for upside to this year's results forecast while also working to achieve our medium-term vision. Thank you for your time today.

Thank you very much for taking the time to join us for the financial results briefing despite your busy schedules. Our explanation will follow the agenda outlined on Page 2. Please turn to Page 3 for the executive summary. We are going to provide more details now. Please turn to Page 4. First, our CFO, Shimamura, will explain the financial status.

I am Shimamura, CFO of MIXI. Please turn to Page 5 for the quarterly consolidated income. For Q4, net sales was JPY 54.9 billion. EBITDA was JPY 13.2 billion. Operating income was JPY 9 billion, ordinary income was JPY 9.6 billion, and profit attributable to owners of parent was JPY 6.7 billion. Net sales increased by 23.5% year-on-year and EBITDA increased by 19.6% due to favorable performance of betting business and the recent consolidation of PointsBet. On the other hand, operating income decreased by 5% year-on-year. This was mainly due to increased amortization expenses such as goodwill associated with the consolidation of PointsBet and the completion of the purchase price allocation or PPA process, which was reflected in the results.

I will explain the details later. Please turn to Page 6 for the full year consolidated income. Net sales was JPY 171.3 billion. EBITDA was JPY 31.1 billion. Operating income was JPY 22.2 billion. Ordinary income was JPY 24.7 billion, and profit attributable to owners of parent was JPY 17.2 billion. The primary driver of the net sales increase was the significant growth in the betting business, including the consolidation of PointsBet. On the other hand, EBITDA decreased by 1.6% year-on-year, affected by the lower sales from Monster Strike and the absence of the large gain on sale recorded in the investment business in the previous fiscal year. Operating income decreased by 16.3% year-on-year due to the recognition of goodwill amortization related to the acquisition of PointsBet.

However, profit attributable to owners of parent remained on par with the previous year due to foreign exchange gains and adjustments for noncontrolling interest in PointsBet's amortization expenses. Please turn to Page 7. This is the quarterly consolidated performance trend. Please turn to Page 8. I will now explain the business status by segment. Please turn to Page 9 for a review of the Sports segment. Net sales increased 98.7% year-on-year to JPY 23.4 billion. The main factors for the sales growth were the recent consolidation of PointsBet as well as increased betting ticket sales. EBITDA increased by 258.1% year-on-year to JPY 3.1 billion. This was due to growth in betting ticket sales for Chariloto and comprehensive outsourcing fees for keirin stadiums as well as decreased costs related to the acquisition of PointsBet. In the Spectator Sports business, net sales grew for both the Chiba Jets and FC Tokyo and profitability is improving. Please turn to Page 10 for the goodwill and amortization expenses related to the acquisition of PointsBet.

PPA has been finalized and the breakdown of goodwill and intangible assets is shown on the slide. With recognition of software expenses to be amortized over 4 years as an intangible asset, the current amortization expenses was higher than initially anticipated at the time of the acquisition. In Q4, we made retroactive adjustments for Q3. From the fifth consolidated fiscal year onward, when the amortization of the software is complete, the impact on PL will significantly decrease. Therefore, we expect PointsBet's contribution to operating income will be materialized sooner. Please note that while the total of goodwill and intangible assets exceeds the acquisition cost, goodwill is recognized on the balance sheet in proportion to our ownership interest, whereas intangible assets are recognized in full and the noncontrolling interests are adjusted under net assets in the consolidated financial statements. Also, for amortization expenses, amortization of intangible assets is recognized entirely as SG&A expenses and noncontrolling interests are adjusted downward under income tax expense and other items. Please turn to Page 11 for the status of Spectator Sports business.

The Chiba Jets have further enhanced their ability to attract fans, setting a new club record for the number of spectators. FC Tokyo has reached a basic agreement to merge with SFIDA SETAGAYA FC, a women's soccer club based in Tokyo. We aim to enhance our presence as a club representing Tokyo by expanding our efforts to include women's soccer in addition to the men's top team and academy. Please turn to Page 12. This page shows the trend in net sales from major services in the betting business. Net sales increased significantly by 126.1% year-on-year with the addition of PointsBet. Even excluding this consolidation, net sales maintained robust growth with an increase of 55.7% year-on-year. Net sales for Chariloto increased 71.4% year-on-year due to growth in betting ticket sales as well as the recognition of onetime revenue from outsourcing contracts for keirin stadium renovation.

Net sales for TIPSTAR increased by 55.8% year-on-year with continued increase in MAU from Q3. Please turn to Page 13. I'll explain MAU and social action rate of TIPSTAR as well as the status of net sales portfolio of Chariloto. They are the key KPIs for the betting business. For TIPSTAR, we view MAU and social action rate as key indicators that lead to improved user engagement and retention rates. MAU exceeded 200,000 this quarter. Also, the social action rate has been on the rise due to increased use of features that allow users to interact with each other, such as the chat function. We will continue to expand our user base by strengthening the unique social experience of TIPSTAR. Net sales of Chariloto has been growing steadily, driven by comprehensive outsourcing revenue. We will continue to expand its scale of business by growing comprehensive outsourcing revenue, which serves as a stable revenue source together with betting ticket sales.

Please turn to Page 14 for the annual profit and loss trend for the Sports segment. Net sales has achieved significant growth with CAGR of 37% over the 5 years. EBITDA has exceeded JPY 5 billion, establishing this segment as our second pillar following digital entertainment. We will continue to accelerate upfront investments in businesses such as TIPSTAR while aiming for steady profit growth in the entire segment. Please turn to Page 15. Next, I will explain the Lifestyle segment. Please turn to Page 16. Net sales increased by 31.4% year-on-year to JPY 4.4 billion. The primary driver of the growth was the strong sales in focus areas of FamilyAlbum, including GPS. EBITDA deficit reduced year-on-year. Typically, in Q4, our cost structure deteriorates due to discounted sales of GPS, but earnings improved in this Q4, thanks to increased net sales in the focus areas.

Please turn to Page 17 for key KPIs for FamilyAlbum. I'll explain the trend in sales composition by product, MAU and engagement. We have included advertisements in our focus areas for family album this time in addition to the existing items of GPS, photoprint and premium plans. Net sales from these focus areas increased by 37.5% year-over-year. The number of users has reached 30 million and MAU has reached 12 million, indicating that the service is growing steadily. In this briefing, we have started to disclose the number of comments and stickers posted in FamilyAlbum for the first time. The number of posts is increasing. And in addition to sharing photos and videos, the service is steadily growing as a platform of communication among family members. Please turn to Page 18 for the annual profit and loss trend for the Lifestyle segment. Net sales has grown steadily with a 5-year CAGR of 20%. This is due to growth in our focus areas despite shrinking sales related to New Year's cards of FamilyAlbum. EBITDA turned profitable as initially expected due to the growing number of families using FamilyAlbum premium plan, GPS Guardian and Photoprints.

Please turn to Page 19. I will now explain the Digital Entertainment segment. Please turn to Page 20. Net sales decreased 8.5% year-on-year to JPY 26.2 billion. Although MAU of Monster Strike decreased year-on-year, ARPU increased due to the new year sales of Character Goods. TV broadcasting of anime in Q3 and collaborations with popular IPs, mitigating the downward trend seen through Q3 to a certain extent. EBITDA increased by 1.2% year-on-year to JPY 16 billion. This was due to the progress in cost optimization driven by the increased utilization rate of the Monster Strike webshop to over 50%. Please turn to Page 21 for the status of Monster Strike. As a new initiative to recover MAU, we held our first half anniversary event in late March. We are also implementing UI/UX improvements to increase the retention rate of new users in stages, and that is planned to be completed by the end of this fiscal year. We will continue to work on recovering MAU through various measures.

Please turn to Page 22 for Strike World. We launched full-scale operations of Strike World in India in April, and we are improving the network performance, promoting gameplay and enhancing the multiplayer experience while monitoring market reactions. The local event in May was a great success, attracting a large number of attendees. We have also announced the collaboration with Shangri-La Frontier. Going forward, we will continue to strive for growth in the Indian market as we expand our touch points with users through initiatives like these. Please turn to Page 23. I'll explain the annual profit and loss trend for the Digital Entertainment segment. The 5-year CAGR for net sales remained at minus 2%, maintaining a high level. EBITDA grew to a 5-year CAGR of 3% with improved cost efficiency. We will continue to make solid investments, including various initiatives and collaborations with attractive IPs, aiming to further extend the lifespan of Monster Strike.

Please turn to Page 24 for our investments. Please turn to Page 25. We recorded JPY 800 million in net sales and a loss of JPY 400 million in EBITDA due to the consolidation of gains and losses from our investment funds. However, full year EBITDA remained in the black at JPY 1 billion. Please turn to Page 26 for utilization of AI. Please turn to Page 27. We have worked to embed AI not as a tool used only by a select few specialists, but as a business infrastructure utilized daily by all employees. As a result, in FY '26, our company-wide AI utilization rate exceeded 99%, reducing monthly workloads by approximately 17,600 hours and achieving annual cost reductions of approximately JPY 1 billion. Furthermore, we share the insights gained from these initiatives externally through events we host, contributing to the broader adoption of AI, including among our partners. We will continue to pursue efficiency improvements based on AI and allocate the freed up resources to the development of new services and the improvement of service quality.

Please turn to Page 28. From this page, Mr. Kimura will explain the medium-term vision of our company.

Please turn to Page 29. Since its founding, MIXI has operated businesses in areas where communication with family and friends takes place, such as social networking, games and sports. We have redefined this economic sphere as We-Time economy. Today, I will explain the future vision of how MIXI intends to grow its business centered on this We-Time economy. Please turn to Page 30. First, let me explain We-Time economy. Advances in AI and digital technology are driving greater efficiency in society and creating more leisure time for people than ever before. We believe this shift will function as a tailwind for the entire leisure market. On the other hand, as AI expands the range of content options, the time and energy spent on each content are more scattered.

That is why what will become increasingly important is not just what we enjoy, but with whom we enjoy it. For example, don't you think photos taken with family and friends feel more precious than beautiful photos generated by AI. It is not just the content itself that creates value, but who you spend that time with. In sports, sharing with your friends creates excitement, leading to increased live attendance and merchandise sales. In gaming, excitement with friends leads to longer play times and higher spending. For anime and IPs, having friends to discuss your favorite characters with drives greater consumption of merchandise and event tickets. The more AI evolves, the greater the value of the time people spend together becomes.

And we believe that these connections will generate significant consumption. We have long operated our business in this economic sphere as a primary arena. We have now redefined this economic sphere as We-Time economy. In this massive market exceeding $10 trillion, we will accelerate value creation by leveraging our strengths. Please turn to Page 31. I'll explain our path to success in the We-Time economy. MIXI has achieved strong unit economics by combining compelling content with social human networks since the service spreads naturally through word of mouth. It is easier to keep user acquisition costs low and user retention rates increase as they use them with family and friends. Furthermore, the excitement generated by shared experiences drives usage and consumption. In fact, at its peak, the social networking service MIXI achieved a profit margin of approximately 40% and Monster Strike exceeded 60% -- this structure is MIXI's competitive advantage in the We-Time economy.

Please turn to Page 32. From here, I'll explain our business portfolio and growth strategy in the We-Time economy. Please turn to Page 33. First, in the Sports segment, we aim to achieve sales of over JPY 120 billion. Sports is currently our fastest-growing segment. In Japan, we are increasingly differentiating ourselves through the social features of TIPSTAR. Going forward, we will strengthen our marketing investments to expand our user base and business scale. Overseas, we will accelerate the growth of PointsBet. We will combine the social betting expertise cultivated through TIPSTAR with PointsBet technology to tap into Australia's largest sports betting market. To unlock further growth potential, we will pursue M&A opportunities aimed at expanding social betting as well as business opportunities arising from changes in the market environment.

We will expand We-Time enjoying time with friends through sports. Please turn to Page 34 for the Lifestyle segment. We will expand We-Time experience centered on family album and target sales of over JPY 40 billion. In family album, we will improve profitability by increasing the proportion of net sales from digital products such as subscriptions and advertising. Overseas, we will continue to acquire users while strengthening monetization strategies tailored to each country, aiming for sales growth and early profitability. To unlock further growth potential, we will also promote new business development and M&A.

Please turn to Page 35 for the Digital Entertainment segment. In Japan, we will enhance the value of the Monster Strike IP through investments in anime and other media. This will help us maintain and strengthen our business foundation over the medium to long term. Overseas, we will continue to develop new markets through the expansion of Strike World in India. By combining the know-how we have cultivated in Japan with collaborations featuring Japanese IPs, we will provide real time that local users can enjoy with family and friends. While maintaining a domestic Monster Strike business and implementing new initiatives such as Strike World, we aim for sales of over JPY 90 billion from existing businesses. As for further growth potential, we aim to generate hit titles with the industry-leading team of creators who have joined MIXI since FY '26.

Please turn to Page 36. From this page, Mr. Shimamura will explain our financial targets and financial and governance strategies that will support growth of the We-Time economy.

Please turn to Page 37. I'll explain the financial targets in our medium-term vision. First, we aim to double net sales achieved in FY '26. In particular, we will focus on achieving an average annual net sales growth of 10% in key investment areas such as social betting and family album. Next, for profits, we aim to improve profitability in the Sports and Lifestyle businesses. In addition, we will further streamline operations using AI and review our business portfolio to achieve an EBITDA margin of 20% and significantly transform our profit composition. Furthermore, by improving margins and financial leverage, we aim to achieve ROE of 15%.

Please turn to Page 38. Next, I will explain our capital allocation policy. There are no major changes to our basic policy, and we will continue with the approach outlined in our FY '24 full year financial results. By prioritizing growth investments to increase profits, we aim to provide greater returns to shareholders. If there are a few investment opportunities that meet our criteria, we will allocate those funds to shareholder returns to balance growth orientation and capital efficiency. Please turn to Page 39 for our approach to business portfolio management. We manage each business based on 2 axes, growth potential and excess return on capital and classify them into 4 stages. Based on this classification, we clarify investment priorities and aim for high rates of return through efficient capital allocation. As a general rule, we seek returns that exceed WACC and make decisions with discipline.

Please turn to Page 40. Next is about shareholder return policy. To date, in order to provide stable returns that are not dependent on profit levels, we have maintained or increased dividends with a target DOE of 5%. Furthermore, recognizing the improvement of ROE as a key priority recently, we have implemented shareholder returns, targeting a total payout ratio of 100% to achieve an appropriate capital level. As a result, in FY '26, the 3-year average ROE reached a level that exceeds the cost of shareholders' equity. Therefore, considering the transition to a profit growth phase in the future, we will place greater emphasis on the dividend payout ratio. Specifically, while maintaining our dividend criteria based on DOE, we will raise the target dividend payout ratio from 20% to 40%, making it easier to reflect profit growth and shareholder returns.

Please turn to Page 41. Finally, I will explain about strengthening corporate governance. To achieve our medium-term vision with discipline, we are enhancing the effectiveness of governance related to the nomination and compensation of directors. First, we have appointed an independent outside director as Chair of the Nomination and Compensation Committee to enhance objectivity in the evaluation and selection of directors. We also have strengthened our director evaluation mechanisms by introducing a peer review system that involves outside directors.

In the compensation system, we are revising it to be linked more closely to the medium-term vision for more alignment of interest with shareholders. This system is scheduled to be submitted for approval at the General Meeting of Shareholders in June. This concludes the explanation of our medium-term vision. Please turn to Page 42. I will explain our financial results forecast for FY '27. Please turn to Page 43. Our forecast for FY '27 is as follows: net sales of JPY 185 billion, EBITDA of JPY 31.5 billion, operating income of JPY 19.5 billion, ordinary income of JPY 20 billion and profit attributable to owners of parent of JPY 13.5 billion. We expect both net sales and EBITDA to increase year-on-year due to the full year consolidation of PointsBet as well as growth in the Sports and Lifestyle segments. Operating income is expected to decline due to upfront investments in digital entertainment and increased amortization expenses associated with the consolidation of PointsBet.

However, excluding those upfront investments, it is expected to exceed the previous fiscal year based on the performance of existing businesses. Ordinary income and profit attributable to owners of parent are expected to decline due to the absence of onetime positive effects from the previous fiscal year, such as foreign exchange gains. While the plan indicates decline in profit on the surface, the profitability of our existing businesses is steadily improving with sufficient growth investments. Please turn to Page 44. I will now explain the details of our results forecast. Both sales and profit for the Sports segment are expected to increase substantially with net sales of JPY 86 billion and EBITDA of JPY 9 billion.

Net sales for the Sports Betting business is expected to increase due to the full year consolidation of PointsBet and the strong performance of TIPSTAR and other businesses. EBITDA is expected to increase due to the full year consolidation of PointsBet and the growth of the existing sports betting business. The Spectator Sports business is estimated to decrease both sales and profit with a conservative plan, excluding such as transfer fee income. Please turn to Page 45. For the Lifestyle segment, sales is expected to increase driven by user base expansion and stable monetization rate in FamilyAlbum. EBITDA is expected to increase significantly as profitability improves due to growth in the focus areas. In the Digital Entertainment segment, based on the recent performance of Monster Strike, we anticipate a decline in both sales and profits.

We do not include sales for Strike World in this forecast as it has just started full-scale operation. And we anticipate upfront investments of JPY 3.5 billion, including costs for other business development initiatives. Finally, while there will be increased costs associated with strengthening our organizational structure for globalization, adjustments are expected to remain flat as we factor in cost reductions resulting from the utilization of AI and other measures. Please turn to Page 46. Our policy is to focus on investments for business growth while continuing to provide stable shareholder returns. In accordance with our policy, we plan to pay an annual dividend of JPY 120 per share for FY '26, and we anticipate increasing the dividend to JPY 125 per share for FY '27.

Finally, Mr. Kimura will provide a summary.

I believe that MIXI is currently in its third founding phase. The first funding phase was the launch of the social networking service, MIXI, and the second was the debut of Monster Strike. In this upcoming third founding phase, the businesses we have nurtured using cash generated by Monster Strike will become profitable and will be deployed globally. We believe this will significantly increase the scale of sales and profit of MIXI. We would appreciate your continued support.

[Statements in English on this transcript were

spoken by an interpreter present on the live call.]

Thank you very much for joining today's financial results briefing despite your busy schedules. I am Shimamura, the CFO. Today, I will explain following the agenda on Page 2.

Please turn to Page 3. This is the executive summary. I will explain the details after this. Please turn to Page 4. First, let me explain the financial status. Page 5, this shows the quarterly consolidated income statement. For the third quarter, we had net sales of JPY 48.9 billion, EBITDA of JPY 8.3 billion, operating income of JPY 5.9 billion, ordinary income of JPY 7.8 billion and profit attributable to owners of parent of JPY 5.6 billion.

The main driver for net sales growth was the consolidation of PointsBet in the Sports segment betting business as well as the continued strong performance of TIPSTAR and the other services. The main reason for the lower EBITDA was lower revenue in the Digital Entertainment segment. Also, the decline in operating income was larger than EBITDA due mainly to increased amortization of goodwill following the consolidation of PointsBet. Ordinary income and below increased due to foreign exchange gains and other factors.

Please turn to Page 6. This shows the quarterly trend of consolidated performance. Page 7, I will now explain the business status of each segment.

Please turn to Page 8. This is a review of the Sports segment. Net sales increased 100.8% year-on-year to JPY 20.4 billion. The main factors were the impact of consolidating PointsBet and the continued strong performance of TIPSTAR. EBITDA increased 273.4% year-on-year to JPY 1.4 billion. This was driven by growth in betting ticket sales and comprehensive outsourcing fees for Keirin stadium in the bedding business.

EBITDA increased significantly from the previous quarter because JPY 0.8 billion in onetime expense for the acquisition of PointsBet were recorded in the second quarter.

Page 9. This shows trends in the sales for our major services in the betting businesses. Overall, net sales increased significantly by 149.3% year-on-year. In addition to the consolidation of PointsBet, existing businesses also continued to perform well. Net sales for existing businesses, excluding PointsBet increased 47.5% year-on-year. This indicates that growth is coming not only from M&A expansion, but also from underlying business growth. By services, TIPSTAR MAU continues to grow and with 87.2% year-on-year increase in net sales maintained strong growth.

Chariloto saw 40.7% year-on-year net sales growth, driven by increased betting ticket sales and comprehensive outsourcing fees following the resumption of users at the Hiroshima Keirin Stadium. With the consolidation of PointsBet, the ratio of overseas sales has also increased.

Amid uncertainty in foreign exchange outlook, we aim to grow overseas businesses for a business portfolio that is not overly dependent on the yen.

Please turn to Page 10. This shows the status of the betting businesses. We continue to strengthen user acquisition measures for TIPSTAR and with MAU up 80% year-on-year, it is maintaining strength. At the year-end, we held the viewer participation event, TIPSTAR Awards 2025, and we will continue to aim for services that users can enjoy together with their friends. Hiroshima Keirin Stadium, which outsources comprehensive operation to Chariloto, continues renovations and resumed racing. At the G3 race, Hiroshima Peace Cup, held in December, 10,000 people attended, which is double the number prior to renovation and betting ticket sales over 4 days totaled 6.9 million, marking a strong start.

Page 11, I will now explain the Lifestyle segment. Page 12. Net sales fell 5.8% year-on-year to JPY 5.5 billion. While the New Year card service saw a decrease in sales due to market contraction, sales of FamilyAlbum, other major products continued to grow. EBITDA increased 7% year-on-year to JPY 1 billion. This was driven by cost reductions in anticipation of the contraction of the New Year card service as well as revenue growth in FamilyAlbum's key products other than New Year cards.

Please turn to Page 13. This shows the status of FamilyAlbum. While the New Year card service recorded a 30% year-on-year decline in sales, major products achieved about 20% growth. Also, we began selling digital photo frames in December. Sales volumes have exceeded expectations and performance has been strong.

Page 14. I will now explain the Digital Entertainment segment. Page 15. Net sales decreased 13.1% year-on-year to JPY 21.9 billion due to lower MAU for Monster Strike. However, net sales for December has recovered to the year before level and the progress in various measures for January is narrowing the year-on-year difference.

EBITDA decreased 14.8% year-on-year to JPY 10.4 billion. This was due to lower sales as well as a temporary increase in advertising and promotional expenses associated with terrestrial TV anime broadcasts.

Page 16 shows the status of Monster Strike. Compared with the same period last year, ARPU increased while MAU declined. The main reason was difficulty in retaining new users. We believe one contributing factor is that long-term operation has led to increased complexity in usability. We will promote initiatives to redesign the UI/UX to make it more approachable and easier to use for all users and work to restore MAU.

Please turn to Page 17. I will explain the operation of the Monster Strike Webshop. In addition to in-app purchases, we operate our own sales channel, the Monster Strike Webshop to improve the user payment experience. The usage rate of this channel has now increased to just under 50%. The Monster Strike Webshop offers advanced character sales and promotions and has been well received by users. We will continue to work to expand the usage of the Webshop.

Please turn to Page 18. This is the status of Strike World. The global version of Monster Strike, Strike World is scheduled to soft launch in India in mid-February. We will continue making improvements toward full-scale operation in the first quarter of the next fiscal year.

Please turn to Page 19. I will explain the Investment segment. Page 20. Due to the recognition of the profit and loss from investment funds and other factors, net sales were JPY 0.9 billion and EBITDA was a loss of JPY 0.08 billion.

Page 21, I will explain the status of AI utilization. Page 22. This shows the status of AI utilization. Across the group, we are incorporating AI into daily operations to streamline development and improve businesses. As a company-wide initiative, we have completed more than 1,300 measures this fiscal year. In product development, AI utilization in coding has reached 45%, and we aim to exceed 90% in the future.

In some projects, we will form small elite business development units that will cut development time to about 10% of conventional methods. In addition, development of the AI companions feature, which contributes to improved user experience is progressing in Monster Strike. We are also strengthening back-office functions such as streamlining the patent application process and optimizing personnel allocation.

In closing, third quarter performance progressed in line with the revised earnings forecast announced on November 14. We will continue to steadily build results across each business to achieve our full year earnings forecast. Through the growth of PointsBet in Australia and Canada as well as initiatives such as Strike World in India, we will enhance our global presence. Thank you very much for your attention.

Thank you very much for taking the time out of your busy schedules to join us today for our financial results briefing. I am Kimura, President and Representative Director. Today, we will provide an overview following the agenda on Page 2.

Please turn to Page 3. This is the executive summary. Details will follow. Please turn to Page 4. First, our CFO, Shimamura, will explain the financial status.

I am Shimamura, the CFO, Page 5, quarterly consolidated statement of income. For the second quarter of fiscal '26, we had net sales of JPY 36.1 billion, EBITDA of JPY 5.7 billion, operating income of JPY 4.5 billion and ordinary income of JPY 5.1 billion. Operating income fell mainly because in the same quarter a year ago, we had large gains on the sale of shares in the Investment segment.

By segment, each business has continued to perform well with the Life Science segment achieving its first quarterly profit. Profit attributable to owners of the parent increased due mainly to foreign exchange gains.

Page 6. This shows the quarterly consolidated performance. Please turn to Page 7. From here, I will explain the business status of each segment. Please turn to Page 8. This page reviews the Sports segment. Net sales were JPY 10.8 billion, up 12.2% year-on-year. Although transfer fee income for FC Tokyo fell, net sales were up due to strong growth in TIPSTAR's betting ticket sales. EBITDA was negative. This was due to approximately JPY 0.8 billion in onetime costs from acquiring PointsBet. Excluding that, profit levels remained roughly in line with Q1.

Please turn to Page 9. The CHIBAJETS have entered into a partnership with a global brand, PUMA. We entered the milestone season of the Club's 15th anniversary and the B League's 10 with this new brand partnership as we aim for further growth.

Page 10. This page shows the net sales trends of our main services in the Betting business. Overall, net sales increased 23.9% year-on-year. TIPSTAR grew MAU by about 70% through active marketing initiatives, resulting in a 68.5% year-on-year increase in net sales. Net Dreamers continued its strong performance from Q1 in both premium services and advertising, achieving net sales growth of 21.3%.

Page 11 shows the status of TIPSTAR. We revamped the app design and functionality of TIPSTAR in August, creating a more intuitive and easy-to-use UI/UX. Combined with active marketing, MAU increased further, leading to higher net sales.

Next, on Page 12, I will explain the Lifestyle segment. Page 13. Net sales increased 32% year-on-year to JPY 3.5 billion. Sales for the Lifestyle segment continued to grow, driven by FamilyAlbum's major products. EBITDA turned profitable for the first time in Q2. We will continue to strive for full year profitability.

Page 14. This shows the status of FamilyAlbum. Sales grew 36.9% year-on-year. We had steady growth in major products such as Premium plans, GPS and photo prints. The acrylic stand launched in September attracted attention with a TV program featuring behind the scenes of our development, leading to a strong start in sales. We will continue strengthening our monetization initiatives.

Page 15. I will now explain the Digital Entertainment segment. Page 16. Sales decreased 10.9% year-on-year to JPY 19.6 billion due to a decline in MAU for Monster Strike. Meanwhile, EBITDA increased 5.9% year-on-year to JPY 8.7 billion. Profitability improved significantly due to further cost optimizations.

Page 17 shows the status of Monster Strike. ARPU increased year-on-year, while MAU decreased. We believe it is important to expand everyday touch points and create more attraction on social media so that many users can continue enjoying Monster Strike. In the second half, we aim to boost public interest and expand touch points through our 12th anniversary measures and the first TV broadcast anime for Monster Strike. Through these efforts, we aim to improve MAU and recover sales.

Page 18 shows the status of Global Monster Strike. In preparation for the release in India, we exhibited for the first time at Mela! Mela! Anime Japan 2025, the largest culture event of Japanese anime and entertainment. The event was a great success, attracting many Japanese anime fans and many visitors stopped by our booth. This reaffirmed the strong potential demand in the India market.

We aim to release Global Monster Strike within this fiscal year under the name Strike World. We will continue creating touch points with anime fans while strengthening collaboration with IP holders and local partners.

Page 19. I will now explain the investment segment. Page 20. Net sales were JPY 2 billion and EBITDA was JPY 1.5 billion. The primary driver of sales was about JPY 1.7 billion in fund dividend distributions. Please turn to Page 21. I will now explain the revision to our results forecast. Page 22. Before discussing the forecast revision, I explained the M&A that was the main factor behind the revision. We acquired 66.4% of the shares of PointsBet, an Australian betting company, making it a consolidated subsidiary. We will start consolidating from the 6 months in the second half. We have dispatched 3 executives and are rapidly advancing PMI, including establishing governance structures and strengthening our collaboration framework.

Page 23. Mainly due to the inclusion of PointsBet's half year results, we revised our earnings forecast to net sales JPY 168 billion, EBITDA, JPY 27 billion; operating income, JPY 20 billion; profit attributable to owners of the parent, JPY 13 billion. We revised upward both net sales and EBITDA. Operating income remains unchanged from the initial forecast due to an expected increase in amortization of PointsBet's goodwill. Details are on the next page.

Page 24. This page shows the breakdown of the forecast revision. For the Sports segment, we revised upward both net sales and EBITDA to reflect the consolidation of PointsBet and the strong first half performance of the Spectator and Betting businesses.

For Digital Entertainment, we revised downward both net sales and EBITDA due to the decline in Monster Strike's MAU through the first half and up to the present. However, with improved profitability, the impact on EBITDA will be limited. For investment, we revised upward both net sales and EBITDA based on strong first half results. In addition, cost efficiencies driven by AI are expected to contribute to consolidated profit improvement.

From here, President Kimura will explain 2 key management topics, the PointsBet M&A and AI utilization.

Please turn to Page 25. First, I will explain the PointsBet M&A. Page 26. The M&A was completed in September, and PointsBet has now joined the MIXI Group. I will explain our plans for developing the Betting business, including PointsBet.

Please turn to Page 27. I will explain PointsBet's business and the markets in Australia and Canada. The company has continued to grow both net sales and profit year after year and recently achieved consolidated profitability. In the Australian business, which had positive EBITDA for 6 consecutive periods, racing has matured and is stable, while sports betting continues to drive overall market growth. Leveraging growth in sports betting, we aim to further expand market share. Meanwhile, the Canadian market is expanding rapidly as legal frameworks are established across various provinces.

Page 28. I believe the biggest factor behind the success of this M&A was above all the strong trust built between the 2 companies. Throughout the deal process, the PointsBet Board consistently supported MIXI, stating that MIXI is the most trustworthy partner. Since the start of the PMI in October, we have been working together under the slogan GoTogether moving forward as one team.

Please turn to Page 29. I will now explain our future betting business strategy. PointsBet has strong brand power in the Australian market and is an excellent company that continues to refine user experience through its unique technological capabilities. Meanwhile, MIXI has expertise in social betting operations and expanding services through viral promotion. By applying this knowledge to PointsBet and combining the strengths of both companies, we are confident that we can further grow the business. We aim to establish social betting in Japan, Australia and Canada and become a market leader.

Please turn to Page 30. I will now explain our utilization of AI. Please turn to Page 31. We select and use the optimal generative AI for each type of work and are accelerating company-wide utilization. Being the first company in Japan to implement Gemini Enterprise, our case was featured at Google Cloud Next Tokyo. Also, through the use of ChatGPT Enterprise, we have achieved an estimated reduction of 17,600 labor hours per month. As a result of these and other initiatives, we expect to achieve cost reductions of JPY 1 billion this fiscal year. We achieved 100% AI coding in the development of certain services, marking a fundamental transformation in our development process.

Finally, I'd like to summarize this quarter's financial results. In implementing strategy set at the beginning of the fiscal year, we saw progress made in each of the segments. In Sports, we accelerated our global expansion based on the acquisition of PointsBet. And together with the growth of TIPSTAR, we aim to become a market leader in Australia, Canada and Japan.

In Lifestyle, we achieved profitability for FamilyAlbum. We will continue to steadily enhance profitability going forward. In Digital entertainment, although MAU for Monster Strike declined, profitability improved. Through the TV anime broadcast and various initiatives, we will further strengthen efforts toward longevity of the product. We are also preparing the release in India, and we will pursue business growth globally. Thank you for your attention.