Greetings from President
Greetings
We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continuous patronage to the Group.
For the fiscal year ended March 2024, Japanese socio-economic activities are returning to normal against a backdrop of COVID-19 being classified as a Category V Infectious Disease. The initiatives we put in place to effectively capture customers' loan demand helped new customer acquisition and additional borrowing among existing customers in our business in Japan. In addition, the weak yen helped to boost receivables in the overseas financial business, consolidated outstanding balance increased by 7.5% yoy to 2,531.0 billion yen.
In the loan and credit card business, with strong loan demand, we have invested in advertisements efficiently and gained new accounts while keeping per customer acquisition cost low. On top of that, we have revisited credit screening among existing borrowers by trying aggressively to get their income certificate. In the guarantee business, we have striven to deepen communication with existing partners and continued and develop new partners. MU Credit Guarantee Co., LTD., which is the Company's subsidiary, started a new business alliance with Minna Bank Co. Ltd. in February 2024.In the overseas financial business, EASY BUY Public Company Limited, which is the Company's subsidiary making up most of the business, enhanced attracting new customers and improve the quality of loans. ACOM(M)SDN.BHD., which is the Company's subsidiary established in Malaysia, started its business in September 2023.
Consolidated operating revenue increased by 7.6% yoy to 294.7 billion yen, and operating profit decreased by 1.1% yoy to 86.3 billion yen. On the other hand, profit attributable to owners of the parent fell by 3.3% yoy to 53.0 billion yen due to an increase in income taxes.
Our dividend policy is to improve shareholder return supported by high profitability and appropriate capital adequacy. Although operating profit, ordinary profit and profit attributable to owners of parent all declined, the equity to asset is on track to get to the target of 25%. Considering the strong growth of receivables outstanding and acquisition of new customers, we have kept a 6 yen per share for year-end dividend with an annual dividend of 12 yen.
For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, the final year of the medium-term management plan, we are targeting consolidated receivables of 2.69 trillion yen, operating revenue of 313.5 billion yen, and operating income of 87.1 billion yen. We plan to pay 7 yen for each half or 14 yen annually per share.
To meet the expectations of our shareholders, we will continue to work closely with the MUFG Group to maximize our corporate value through sustainable growth and to become a corporate group that contributes broadly to society.
I humbly ask for your ongoing support as we embrace the challenges for the future.