Kuraray grows first-half sales 7.80 percent: what it means for Kuraray stock

Published on 10/07/2026 at 06:37 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

First-half sales rose 7.80 percent year over year to JPY 431.0 billion. For Kuraray stock, operating profit reached JPY 28.8 billion.

Kuraray, JP3269600007, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Kuraray grew first-half 2026 sales 7.80 percent year over year to JPY 431.0 billion, while operating profit reached JPY 28.8 billion. The figures and the company's fiscal 2026 forecast were detailed by Corporate Visit on September 30, 2026, giving Kuraray stock a results-driven earnings frame.

Sales rise while profit targets hold

Kuraray raised its fiscal 2026 sales forecast from JPY 850.0 billion to JPY 880.0 billion, a 3.53 percent increase, according to Corporate Visit. The company retained its operating profit target of JPY 70.0 billion, its ordinary profit target of JPY 64.0 billion and its net income target of JPY 40.0 billion for fiscal 2026.

The first-half sales result was accompanied by operating profit of JPY 28.8 billion, ordinary profit of JPY 26.0 billion and interim net income of JPY 14.2 billion. For the full-year operating profit target, the second half therefore carries JPY 41.2 billion, compared with JPY 28.8 billion in the first half, according to the same September 30 analysis.

Core materials remain the swing factor

Vinyl Acetate remains Kuraray's largest profit contributor, but first-half operating profit in the segment fell to JPY 25.4 billion from JPY 29.9 billion in the comparable period, according to Corporate Visit. Improvements elsewhere partly offset that decline: Functional Materials produced JPY 4.9 billion, Fibers JPY 4.2 billion and Isoprene JPY 1.8 billion in the first half of 2026.

That mix makes the unchanged profit target more demanding than the higher sales forecast suggests. Revenue benefits from price increases and currency effects, while volume and competitive pressure in selected film businesses remain important variables for the second half.

Analysts keep a neutral stance

Investing.com lists a Neutral consensus based on eight analysts, with one Buy, five Hold and two Sell ratings. The average 12-month target is JPY 1,750.00, while Nomura/Instinet maintained a Hold view with a JPY 1,650.00 target dated August 27, 2026, according to the same analyst overview.

Kuraray traded at JPY 1,832.00 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on October 7, 2026 at 1:21 p.m. JST. The finance quote showed a JPY 1,490.50 to JPY 2,088.00 52-week range, placing the price 12.26 percent below the high, while market capitalization stood at JPY 552.0 billion.

Stock stays below its yearly high

Lang & Schwarz showed a prior close of EUR 10.20 for October 5, 2026; its quote timestamp was October 6, 2026 at 10:58 p.m. CEST. The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of Kuraray stock.