Company overview and business contents.
1. Company Overview
Apple International Co., Ltd. <2788> began exporting used cars to Southeast Asian countries as a pioneer in the used car export business in 1996. Since then, they have become a major player in the automobile distribution market, including used car purchase and sales business and auto auction business. Overseas, they are expanding their business by building trust and expanding their network. Currently, the company's group is primarily engaged in the export of used cars from Japan, and its consolidated subsidiaries operate franchise chains for used car purchase and sales business in Japan, as well as directly managed stores as affiliated companies.
Our corporate philosophy is to value building trust and realizing our dreams by expanding our global automobile-related business while sharing joy with people overseas and earning the trust of our customers and society. We aim to continuously create new value for people, society, and contribute to the development of society by challenging ourselves to create new futures and adopting "FORWARD THE FUTURE" as our corporate slogan.
2. History
The company was established in January 1996 in Yokkaichi City, Mie Prefecture, for the purpose of purchasing and selling used cars. In response to the needs of overseas importers in the booming motorization of Southeast Asian countries, they started exporting used cars in Thailand and Hong Kong in December of the same year. Currently, the company itself is mainly engaged in the export of used cars from Japan to countries such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. In November 2016, they established a Tokyo head office in Chuo-ku, Tokyo, and formed a two-headquarters system.
They were listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mothers Market in December 2003 and moved to the Second Section Market in May 2015. They then moved to the Standard Market in April 2022 in accordance with the review of the market classification.
The company is expanding its business scale and areas through M&A. They acquired the shares of Car Consultant Maple Co., Ltd., which purchases and sells automobiles, in November 2001. They also acquired the shares of Apple Auto Network Co., Ltd., the franchise headquarters of Apple franchise, in May 2004. Both companies are now consolidated subsidiaries. In addition, they established Apple Auto Auction (Thailand) as a joint venture company operating auto auction venues in Bangkok in 2007, and started auto auction business in Thailand from 2008. They own 34.4% of the shares in the joint venture company, and it is a related company subject to the equity method. They acquired all shares of Honda Shop Hinaga Co., Ltd. in 2021 and made it a subsidiary, but it is not consolidated.
(Authored by FISCO Guest Analyst Ken Segawa)