<2914> JT 4094 -156

Significant decline. It has been reported that the company, along with American Philip Morris and British American, have been presented with a settlement proposal of approximately 3.5 trillion yen in a lawsuit regarding tobacco health risks in Canada. The allocation of the burden among the three companies is yet to be determined. While the risk factor of the lawsuit is being clarified, which can be considered a positive, there is a prevailing view that the settlement burden may exceed expectations.

<8614> Toyo Securities 483 -49

Sharp decline leading the rate of decline. The company announced the interim financial results during the last weekend trading hours. Subsequently, the stock price rose significantly, but today profit-taking sales are predominant. The expected first-half net loss is projected to expand from 0.47 billion yen in the same period last year to 1.42 billion yen due to the recognition of gains on sale of investment securities. However, the operating profit based on the core business is expected to decrease by 37.0% from the same period last year to 0.23 billion yen. The decrease is attributed to the reduced sales commission of investment trusts, with the slowdown from the significant increase in the first quarter being viewed negatively.

<6196> Strike 4655 +170

Significant advance. Okasan Securities has newly rated the investment as 'bullish' with a target stock price of 6200 yen. With an anticipated increase in M&A brokerage demand due to business succession issues, the company plans to increase the number of consultants by approximately 20% each term. It is expected that the increase in the number of concluded deals will lead to double-digit revenue and profit growth in the medium term. Concerns about the industry have been dispelled, and with attention to the company's growth rate and stability, the stock price is expected to be reevaluated.

<5393> Nippon Sheet 5660 +200

Significant increase. Tokai Tokyo Intelligence Lab has upgraded its investment rating from 'neutral' to 'outperform' and raised the target stock price from 3400 yen to 6300 yen. Benefiting from the robust demand for safety measures in nuclear-related plant construction, it seems to be anticipating a deviation above the planned performance. For the fiscal year ending March 2025, an operating profit of 42.5 billion yen is forecasted, exceeding the company's plan of 39.5 billion yen. For the fiscal year ending March 2026, the forecast has been raised from the previous 36.5 billion yen to 44.5 billion yen.

<3064> MRO 2457.5 +133.5

Marked rebound. SMBC Nikko Securities continues its investment recommendation of "1" and has raised the target stock price from 2200 yen to 2800 yen. Although the pessimistic view has been revised after the worst period, it seems that expectations for further recovery have not yet been fully reflected in the stock price. Expectations continue for an increase in consensus as the effects of various measures become apparent. The operating profit for December 2025 is expected to be 46.2 billion yen, which is expected to exceed the market consensus of 42.3 billion yen.

<6101> Tsugami 1446 -15

Decline. Last weekend, an upward revision of the first half performance and dividend forecast was announced. The operating profit has been raised from the previous forecast of 8 billion yen to 9.9 billion yen, as resilient orders beyond expectations are being maintained. The interim dividend has also been raised from the previous plan of 24 yen to 27 yen, with plans to announce the full-year forecast and year-end dividend in the future. While the dividend increase is positive, the impact of the earnings upside from 5.79 billion yen in the first quarter seems limited.

<4755> Rakuten Group 952.1 +30.7

Significant rebound. Rakuten Mobile announced that the number of contracts exceeded 8 million lines last weekend. This achievement was reached in about 4 and a half years since the official service launch. In addition, in the latest survey conducted by a third-party organization, it was announced that the usage of Rakuten Mobile's main MNO line has increased the most compared to other carriers. As of August 7, the number of contract lines was 7.7 million lines. A further improvement in the mobile business is expected.

<2268> Thirty-One Ice Cream 4295 -350

Significant decline. Last weekend, the third quarter financial results were announced, with cumulative operating profit reaching 2.69 billion yen, a 39.0% increase from the same period last year. The full-year forecast has been revised upwards from the previous 1.93 billion yen to 2.2 billion yen. Improvement and remodeling of store operations, reinforcement of digital initiatives, enhancement of collaborative projects and product lineups have sustained the growth in foot traffic. However, considering the high progress up to the first half of the year, the performance upside is seen as expected, with a somewhat limited upside potential leading to a sense of exhaustion prevailing.

<3997> Tradeworks 1270 +20

Significant gains. It seems to have been viewed as a buying opportunity after announcing the introduction of a shareholder benefit system last weekend. Shareholders holding 600 shares or more as of the end of December each year are eligible. Points will be awarded according to the number of shares held, and shareholders can choose their favorite items from over 5,000 products on the special website 'Tradeworks Premium Benefit Club'. Shareholders holding 600 shares will receive 3,000 points, while shareholders holding over 1,000 shares will receive 15,000 points.

<5929> Sanwa HD 3674 +56

Substantial rebound. The company announced an upward revision of its first-half performance forecast last weekend. The operating profit is expected to increase from the previous forecast of 26.5 billion yen to 32 billion yen, with a sudden turnaround to double-digit growth. The strong performance of its operations in the Americas and domestically, along with the positive impact of exchange rate fluctuations, contributed to this. Following a 14.5% increase in the first quarter, the July-September period has also continued to show a smooth progression. While the full-year performance forecast is currently under review, the prevailing trend seems to be a focus on an upward revision.