Hobonichi Co., Ltd.

Business Details

Originating from the website "Hobonichi," launched in 1998, the company operates a diverse range of "places," including planning and sales of its flagship product, the Hobonichi Techo, the video learning service Hobonichi no Gakko, the event Seikatsu no Tanoshimi Ten, and physical stores such as "TOBICHI" and "Hobo Nichiyoubi." Centered on its proprietary e-commerce site, the Hobonichi Online Store, the company delivers content and products to users in Japan and overseas through external e-commerce channels such as Amazon and Rakuten Ichiba as well as wholesale sales. Cumulative net sales for the first nine months of FY2026 (ending August 2026) were ¥8,028 million (up 16.9% year on year).

Recent Overview

Cumulative Q3 net sales up 16.9% and operating profit up 64.1%, marking a sharp increase in profit, with 1.10 million Techo units sold

For the cumulative first nine months of FY2026 (ending August 2026) (September 2025 to May 2026), net sales were ¥8,028 million (up 16.9% year on year) and operating profit was ¥1,189 million (up 64.1% year on year), representing a substantial increase in profit. Domestic sales of the Hobonichi Techo rose 18.7% year on year, while overseas sales rose 36.0% year on year, bringing combined domestic and overseas sales to ¥6,019 million (up 28.3% year on year). Unit sales reached 1.10 million copies. The cost of sales ratio was 35.1% (an improvement of 4.2 points year on year). As a subsequent event, a capital increase of approximately ¥52 million was completed on June 30, 2026, for the U.S. subsidiary Hobonichi Inc., and consolidated financial statements are planned to be prepared from the end of the current fiscal year. The full-year earnings forecast (net sales of ¥9,500 million, operating profit of ¥680 million) remains unchanged, with performance tracking slightly ahead of plan.

Key Products

Growth Drivers

• Expansion of overseas sales channels for the Hobonichi Techo (overseas sales ratio of 58.9% for the cumulative first nine months of FY2026 ending August 2026, up 3.3 points year on year, with overseas sales up 36.0% year on year)
• Acquisition of new users and expansion of unit sales through diverse IP collaborations (ONE PIECE, Tamagotchi, Moomin, Detective Conan, etc.)
• Expansion of purchasing touchpoints through the enhancement of external e-commerce channels such as Amazon and Rakuten Ichiba and domestic and overseas wholesale channels
• Expansion into the digital domain and acquisition of new users through the Hobonichi Techo App (released October 2025)
• Strengthening of the business foundation in the North American region through the establishment and capital increase of the U.S. subsidiary Hobonichi Inc.
• Expansion of brand experiences through new physical locations, such as the grand opening of "Hobono Eki AKAGI" (April 2026)

Risks

• Rising fuel and raw material costs due to international instability and increased trade costs resulting from U.S. tariff policy
• Foreign exchange rate fluctuations (increasing impact from currency movements as the overseas sales ratio expands to approximately 59%)
• Uneven distribution of sales across quarters due to shifts in the timing of events such as Seikatsu no Tanoshimi Ten (in FY2026 ending August 2026, the event is held in Q4, resulting in a 27.2% year-on-year decline in non-Techo sales for the cumulative first nine months)
• Increasing information security risks and costs associated with compliance with personal information protection regulations
• Risk of sales concentration in the flagship Hobonichi Techo product (Techo-related sales account for approximately 75% of cumulative net sales through Q3)
• Increased costs of preparing and managing consolidated financial statements and risks associated with operating overseas subsidiaries following the consolidation of the U.S. subsidiary