In the current consolidated fiscal year, the business environment surrounding our group has been on a moderate recovery trend, with improvements in employment and income conditions and the effects of various policies. On the other hand, the situation remains uncertain, with concerns about further increases in energy prices due to the tense situation in the Middle East and the depreciation of the yen.

　Under such circumstances, our group announced the "Medium-Term Management Plan 2025" in May 2023. In this medium-term management plan, we have set three key messages for the sustainable growth of our group: ① growth of business profitability, ② strengthening of the foundation for sustainable growth, and ③ maximization of human resources and organizational vitality.

　As for the performance in the current consolidated fiscal year, the number of our group's ongoing transaction customers increased by 59,000 (an increase of 106,000 in the previous consolidated fiscal year), reaching 3,358,000. The number of TLC members increased by 56,000 (an increase of 71,000 in the previous consolidated fiscal year), reaching 1,214,000. As a result of the increase in the number of group customers, sales reached a record high of 231,513 million yen (an increase of 0.6% compared to the previous consolidated fiscal year), marking the seventh consecutive year of sales growth. Operating profit was 15,511 million yen (an increase of 4.0%). In addition, ordinary profit was 15,531 million yen (an increase of 16.9%) due to a decrease in the burden of equity-method investment losses, and net profit attributable to owners of the parent company was 8,481 million yen (an increase of 31.2%).

　As for the topics in the current consolidated fiscal year, in July 2023, as part of our efforts to achieve carbon neutrality, we invested in REPOWER ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, a subsidiary of the Pure Energy Holdings Corporation group, which operates a renewable energy generation business in the Republic of the Philippines. In addition, we made an additional investment in the company in February 2024 and made it an equity-method affiliate. In August 2023, we established a new business base for LP gas sales in Ise City, Mie Prefecture, and have been steadily achieving results in expanding our business foundation. In October of the same year, we were promoted to the highest level of "AWS Premier Tier Service Partner" in the AWS Partner Network, a partner certification program of Amazon Web Services (AWS)*, becoming the 14th company in Japan to do so. In December of the same year, we invested in Albatross Technology Co., Ltd. (Chuo-ku, Tokyo), which is working on the development of floating offshore wind power generation, and will use it to promote our group's GX (Green Transformation). In addition, in January 2024, we made UIS Co., Ltd. (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo), which is engaged in contract development of systems and application development for medical institutions, a consolidated subsidiary. Furthermore, in March of the same year, we signed a stock transfer agreement to acquire the shares of Fuji Pro Co., Ltd. (Chigasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture), which operates an LP gas business, and will make it a consolidated subsidiary from April of the same year.

　We will continue to actively pursue business investments such as expanding our share and M&A, and strive for sustainable growth.

　*Amazon Web Services (AWS): A cloud service provided by Amazon Web Services, Inc.

　Our group has formulated the TOKAI Group "Medium-Term Management Plan 2025" for the three years from fiscal 2023 to 2025. In this medium-term plan, we have set the themes of ① growth of business profitability, ② strengthening of the foundation for sustainable growth, and ③ maximization of human resources and organizational vitality as the issues to be addressed for the sustainable growth of our group.

　For the fiscal year 2024, we plan to increase sales by increasing the number of customers and expanding the area mainly in our main businesses, and we expect to increase operating profit, ordinary profit, and net profit attributable to owners of the parent company, while incorporating appropriate business strategy costs and other expenses.

The consolidated earnings forecast for FY2024 is as follows.