Business Overview 4. DX Regional Collaboration Project Signpost's DX and Regional Collaboration Project started in March 2022 with the establishment of the DX and Regional Collaboration Division. It aims to provide products and services that contribute to regional collaboration by collaborating with local financial institutions nationwide, utilizing its own DX technology and open innovation. In August 2022, it began working with Oita Made Co., Ltd., which was established with the investment of multiple companies in Oita Prefecture, including Oita Bank, to sell original products made in Oita Prefecture to both domestic and overseas markets and to match local companies and Signpost's products and services in order to promote the revitalization of Oita Prefecture's economy. In addition, in April 2024, it started offering DX support services for medium-sized and small businesses. As the first effort, it supports the creation of DX declaration by (The) Fourth Hokuriku Bank, Ltd. (Niigata City, Niigata Prefecture) to deploy DX declaration support services to the market. Furthermore, it will realize new solutions by commercializing its own technology and open innovation and promote regional collaboration through innovation.

3. ESG-related businesses.

Kyobashi Art Residence <5536> aims to create comfortable living spaces and a rich society by working with various trading companies and strengthening its efforts to ESG and SDGs as a business that enriches life. Renewable energy business is the main axis of ESG business. Since the Great East Japan Earthquake, there has been a growing demand for photovoltaic technology, which emits no CO2 and is environmentally friendly, safe, and clean energy source that does not depend on nuclear power. Based on this, the company started operating its first photovoltaic facility in 2013, and owns and operates 27 photovoltaic facilities nationwide, mainly in Chiba and Ibaraki prefectures, aiming to provide stable power supply to society.

In real estate holding business, the company is aware of portfolio management and owns and operates stable assets such as learning schools and child care facilities, children's care facilities, trunk rooms, and coin-operated laundries in addition to housing supply. The company aims to contribute to a comfortable social life, but also intends to use it to stabilize its corporate activities and future business expansion. For this reason, the company also operates a rental property holding business that owns and operates rental properties such as self-developed apartments and detached houses, focusing on especially high-yield properties, and rents out hotels and lifestyle-related facilities. In addition, the company plans to address issues related to aging population and labor shortages, such as elderly support.

(Author: FISCO guest analyst Nobumitsu Miyata)