Mitsui & Co stock outlook rises after first-half profit jump
Published on 11/06/2026 at 09:36 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSEarnings outlook and cash flow
- First-half revenue rose to 8.322 trillion yen, while profit attributable to owners reached 574.862 billion yen.
- Mitsui lifted its full-year profit forecast to 1.05 trillion yen from 920 billion yen.
- The company kept its annual dividend forecast at 140 yen per share and targets more than 1.1 trillion yen in fiscal 2028 profit.
Mitsui & Co raised its earnings outlook after reporting stronger first-half results on Wednesday, November 4. The Japanese trading house increased its full-year profit forecast, but weaker operating cash flow adds a counterweight for investors. Reuters reported the revised outlook and management's longer-term targets in a report carried by Reuters.
Stronger first-half earnings
Profit attributable to owners reached 574.862 billion yen for the six months ended September 30, 2026, compared with 423.733 billion yen a year earlier. Revenue increased to 8.322 trillion yen from 6.759 trillion yen, while profit before income taxes rose to 709.539 billion yen from 546.636 billion yen.
Mitsui now expects full-year profit attributable to owners of 1.05 trillion yen for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2027. The target is up from the previous forecast of 920 billion yen. The company also raised its full-year profit-before-tax forecast to 1.37 trillion yen from 1.22 trillion yen.
Cash flow remains the counterweight
Operating cash flow fell to 223.4 billion yen from 428.7 billion yen in the comparable period. Mitsui attributed the decline mainly to higher working capital, including an increase in trade receivables. Free cash flow dropped to 23.4 billion yen from 187.6 billion yen, while core operating cash flow increased to 511.6 billion yen from 448.5 billion yen.
Investment-related gains also supported the earnings profile. Gains on securities and other investments increased to 118.6 billion yen from 27.5 billion yen. The company cited a valuation gain on its remaining equity in the CIM Group real estate business and profit related to a Brazilian passenger railway subsidiary leaving the consolidation scope.
Forecast and shareholder returns
The revised outlook reflects higher expectations for gross profit and equity-method earnings. Mitsui lifted its gross-profit forecast by 110 billion yen to 1.56 trillion yen and its forecast for profit from equity-method investments by 70 billion yen to 590 billion yen.
The company maintained its full-year dividend forecast at 140 yen per share, including an interim dividend of 70 yen and a planned year-end dividend of 70 yen. President and Chief Executive Officer Kenichi Hori said Mitsui aims to generate more than 1.1 trillion yen in profit and achieve a return on equity above 12% in fiscal 2028. Reuters also reported that LNG handling volume of 12 million metric tons a year could increase by 3 million tons by 2030, with total volumes including spot transactions potentially reaching 20 million tons.
Mitsui's real-time quote of Mitsui & Co stock was 26.16 euros on Lang & Schwarz at 09:32 CET on Friday, November 6, 2026.
Mitsui & Co stock at a glance
- Company: Mitsui & Co., Ltd.
- ISIN: JP3893600001
- Ticker: 8031.T
- Home exchange: Tokyo Stock Exchange
- Lang & Schwarz quote: 26.16 euros at 09:32 CET on November 6, 2026
Japan's broader equity market can be followed through the Nikkei 225 market reports.
Further earnings information and company developments are available in more news and analyses on Mitsui & Co stock.
