Indexes in Japan Fall Ahead of Corporate Earnings

Hiruki Nakamura
17 Apr, 2015
New York City

Stocks in Tokyo struggled as investors awaited corporate earnings next week. Yen firmed up. Nikkei 225 declined to the lowest not seen since April 7 and the broader Topix gained for the third week in a row. Tri-Stage, the advertising company said annual revenues declined 11%.

[R]4:30 PM Tokyo – Stocks in Tokyo struggled as investors awaited corporate earnings next week. Yen firmed up. Nikkei 225 declined to the lowest not seen since April 7 and the broader Topix gained for the third week in a row. Tri-Stage, the advertising company said annual revenues declined 11%.[/R]

Japanese stocks traded lower and the Nikkei 225 trimmed weekly advance and closed at the lowest since April 7.

The consumer confidence index in March increased to 41.7 in March compared to 40.9 in February, the Cabinet Office s said today.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average declined 232.89 or 1.2% to 19,652.88 and the broader Topix index slipped 10.73 to 1,588.69.

For the week, Nikkei 225 slumped 1.3% however, the Topix index truncated third weekly gain in a row.

The yen closed at 118.83 against a dollar.

Stocks in Review

Bronco Billy Co Ltd plunged 11.4% to 4,720 yen after the restaurants chain operator reported net sales in the first-quarter ending in March soared 22.7% to 3.73 billion yen from 3.04 billion yen in a year ago period.

Net income in the period climbed 20.5% to 349 million yen compared to 290 million yen and earnings per share increased to 46.44 yen from 43.78 yen in the same period a year ago.

The company estimated net sales for the first-half to jump 20.9% to 7.50 billion yen and net income to soar 22.7% to 700 million yen.

The company forecasted net sales for the year to surge 22.6% to 16 billion yen and net income to climb 28.4% to 1.59 billion yen.

Daiwa House REIT Investment Corporation rose 0.2% to 544,000 yen after the stated revenues in the first-half ending in February jumped 4.4% to 5.15 billion yen from 4.93 billion yen in a year ago period.

Net income in the period soared 7.9% to 2.55 billion yen compared to 2.36 billion yen and earnings per share advanced to 8,673 yen from 8,188 yen in the same period a year ago.

McDonald''s Holdings Co (Japan) Ltd fell 0.5% to 2,636 yen after the hamburger restaurant chain operator forecasted sales for the year to decline 10% to 200 billion yen and net loss to widen to 38 billion yen compared to 21.8 billion in fiscal 2014.

The fast-food chain plans to close 131 stores this year at a cost of 4 billion yen, and renovate 2,000 stores in the next few years.

Proto Corporation jumped 2.1% to 1,935 yen after the automobile advertising company forecasted net sales for the year ending in March to decline 7.6% to 48.60 billion yen from earlier estimate of 52.60 billion yen and net income to tumble 29.9% to 2.41 billion yen compared to previous guidance of 3.44 billion yen.

Tri-Stage fell 0.5% to 1,462 yen after the advertising company said net sales in the year ending in February declined 10.7% to 32.19 billion yen from 36.02 billion yen in a year ago period.

Net income in the period surged 42.3% to 533 million yen compared to 374 million yen and diluted earnings per share jumped to 71.34 yen from 50.18 yen in the same period a year ago.

The company forecasted net sales for the year to climb 8.2% to 34.82 billion yen and net income to plunge 23.1% to 410 million yen.