Fast Retailing (9983) Forecast Lifts Annual Profit to $4.4 Billion

Fast Retailing Co. (9983) shares surged more than 9% to a record high after raising its annual operating profit forecast from 650 billion yen to 700 billion yen ($4.4 billion). For the six months ended February 28, 2026, revenue increased 14.8% year on year to 2.06 trillion yen, while operating profit grew 31.7% to 400.6 billion yen. Uniqlo International led the growth with revenue up 22.4% and profit climbing 37.4%, driven by strong demand in various regions. The company noted rising transportation costs due to the Middle East conflict but stated it would not majorly affect production and distribution.