Kao, JP3205800000

Morgan Stanley keeps JPY 4,050 target for Kao stock

Published on 10/20/2026 at 20:22 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

First-half profit rose 38.50 percent to JPY 95.80 billion. Kao stock costs EUR 21.48 on October 20, 2026, with Tokyo at JPY 3,789.00.

Analyst view and operating progress

Morgan Stanley maintained a Buy rating and a JPY 4,050.00 target for Kao on October 9, 2026.
Kao's first-half fiscal year 2026 operating profit rose 38.50 percent to JPY 95.80 billion.
Kao stock costs EUR 21.48 at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026 at 8:14 p.m. CEST.
Kao's next earnings release is scheduled for November 5, 2026.

Kao, JP3205800000, Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Kao stock (ISIN JP3205800000) is backed by Morgan Stanley's JPY 4,050.00 price target, set with a Buy rating in a report dated October 9, 2026. The target stands 6.89 percent above Kao's Tokyo closing price of JPY 3,789.00 on October 20, 2026. Kao stock was trading at EUR 21.48 at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026 at 8:14 p.m. CEST.

Analyst target leaves measured upside

According to Markets Insider, Morgan Stanley maintained its Buy rating and JPY 4,050.00 target on October 9, 2026. The same report said Jefferies maintained a Buy rating and a JPY 3,930.00 target on September 25, 2026.

The target comparison keeps the analyst debate focused on execution rather than a sharp price reset. Kao's current Tokyo price of JPY 3,789.00 is also 0.16 percent below the JPY 3,795.00 52-week high.

First-half profit improved sharply

Kao's first-half fiscal year 2026 revenue increased 7.80 percent year over year to JPY 871.90 billion, while operating profit rose 38.50 percent to JPY 95.80 billion. The operating margin reached 11.00 percent, according to Note on October 4, 2026.

The profit figure included a JPY 11.50 billion land-sale gain recorded in the first quarter. Excluding that item, operating profit was JPY 84.30 billion, which Kao described as its highest level since 2019.

November results are next

Kao's investor-relations calendar schedules the fiscal year 2026 first nine months earnings release for November 5, 2026. The date follows the company's first six months earnings release on August 5, 2026, which covered the period ended June 30, 2026.

For investors, the next report should clarify how much of the profit improvement came from underlying operations after the land-sale gain. It may also show whether the company is maintaining the operating margin achieved in the first half.

Stock price and trading frame

Kao closed at JPY 3,789.00 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on October 20, 2026 at 3:30 p.m. JST. The price was JPY 38.00 above the prior Tokyo close of JPY 3,751.00. The company's market capitalization was JPY 3.4 trillion, while its price-to-earnings ratio was 25.46.

Kao operates in household and personal products, including hygiene, beauty, cosmetics and chemicals. Its next scheduled earnings date is November 5, 2026, according to the Kao investor-relations calendar.

What the next report must show

The key comparison is operating profit after the JPY 11.50 billion one-off gain. A first-half result of JPY 84.30 billion excluding that item gives investors a concrete benchmark for the November update.

Kao stock was trading at EUR 21.48 at Lang & Schwarz on October 20, 2026 at 8:14 p.m. CEST. The further course of trading is shown by the continuously updated real-time quote of Kao stock.