■Shareholder return policy

E-Guardian ＜6050＞ changed its dividend policy in 2024/5. Conventionally, priority allocation was given to business investment to comprehensively determine the balance between return of profits to shareholders and enhancement of internal reserves, but in the future, the direction is to increase dividend payout ratio with the aim of strengthening profit returns to shareholders. Under the new basic policy, profits were distributed according to business results after considering investments for sustainable growth and improvement of corporate value, balance with financial soundness to prepare for various risks, forecasts of management results, etc., and a consolidated dividend ratio of around 30% was used as a guide. The dividend for the fiscal year ending 2024/9 was 31.0 yen (dividend increase of 5.0 yen), and the dividend payout ratio was 33.7%. For the fiscal year ending 2025/9, dividends of 35.0 yen (same 4.0 yen increase) and dividend payout ratio of 33.2% are expected against the backdrop of profit recovery.

The company has newly established a shareholder benefit system for the purpose of promoting medium- to long-term shareholding. Shareholders as of the end of September every year are targeted, and shareholders who hold 100 shares or more for less than 1 year will receive 5,000 yen worth of QUO cards, and 8,000 yen QUO cards will be given to shareholders who have held 100 shares or more for 1 year or more. Shareholder benefits were introduced along with the rise in dividend payout ratio, so the attractiveness of stock investment increased.

(Written by FISCO Visiting Analyst Hideo Kakuta)