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Fast Retailing, the Japanese retail giant behind the global Uniqlo brand, posted stronger-than-expected third-quarter earnings on Thursday, driven by robust sales growth and improving profitability. The results prompted the company to raise its full-year financial outlook, putting it on track for a fifth straight year of record earnings.
Operating profit for the three months ended May surged 45.7% year over year to 213.79 billion yen ($1.32 billion), comfortably exceeding the 177.73 billion yen consensus forecast compiled by LSEG. The figure also marked a sharp increase from 146.74 billion yen reported during the same period last year.
Quarterly revenue climbed 22% to 1.01 trillion yen, reflecting strong demand across several key markets and continued momentum in the company’s global expansion strategy.
Following the better-than-expected performance, Fast Retailing lifted its full-year operating profit forecast to 730 billion yen from its previous estimate of 700 billion yen. The company also now expects annual revenue for the fiscal year ending in August to reach 3.97 trillion yen, representing 17% growth, while net profit is projected to increase 15% to 500 billion yen.
Fast Retailing has continued to strengthen its international presence beyond its core Japanese business. While the company has been reducing its store footprint in mainland China, it has accelerated expansion in North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia, where demand for the Uniqlo brand has remained resilient.
The retailer, often viewed as a key indicator of consumer spending trends in Japan and China, currently operates nearly 900 stores across mainland China. Management has also outlined ambitious long-term growth plans, aiming to generate approximately 1 trillion yen in annual revenue from both North America and Europe within the next five years.
The latest earnings underscore Fast Retailing’s ability to sustain global growth despite shifting consumer trends and regional market adjustments, reinforcing investor confidence in the company’s long-term expansion strategy.
