同社は、開発投資の基本方針として売上高の10%程度を基準に、毎期、開発投資を継続して行い、自社製品のさらなる高機能化を目指している。今後の展開としては、組込みソフトウェア事業では、自動車向け自社製品の開発投資の効果による自動車向け売上の拡大に加えて、そこで培った製品・サービスを主力セクター軸に幅広い業種へ展開し業績拡大を目指すようだ。さらに、昨今の自動化・電動化とともに、ソフトウェア化が著しい自動車向けにおいて、事業領域は広がっているという。また、センシングソリューション事業でも、既存の車載プリンタおよびハンディターミナルビジネスの利益率の向上や新たなセンサネットワークビジネスの拡大、キャッシュレス決済ビジネスへの参入などを計画している。今期営業黒字転換を見据える中、更なる業績の拡大が続くか注目しておきたい。E-SOL (4420) consists of two main segments: the embedded software business (93.4% of sales for the fiscal year ended 23/12) and the sensing solution business (same 6.6%).
The embedded software business is divided into “embedded software products,” which develop and sell RTOS (real-time operating systems), and “engineering services,” which perform contract work and consulting for embedded software, etc., and in the embedded software business, “embedded software products” account for 26.3% and “engineering services” account for 73.7%. The sales ratio by customer sector is 47.9% for automobiles such as Denso (6902), and 23.1% for consumer devices such as the Sony Group (6758) (both cumulative total for the first half of the fiscal year ending 2014/12). Meanwhile, the sensing solutions business provides logistics-related businesses that develop and sell in-vehicle printers for issuing designated slips, environmentally resistant handy terminals, and sales support software, and disaster prevention/mitigation solutions that propose sensor network systems.
Cumulative sales for the first half of the fiscal year ending 24/12 were 6030 million yen, up 29.2% from the same period last year, and operating profit and loss landed with a surplus of 7.25 million yen (deficit of 24 million yen in the same period last year). Sales of basic automotive software carried out by Obus, which was an equity method application related company, have continued since 4/1, and sales increased in both the embedded software business and the sensing solution business. The cumulative operating surplus was mainly due to an increase in profit due to increased sales of embedded software products. Full-year sales are expected to increase 25.7% from the previous fiscal year to 12099 million yen, and operating profit and loss are expected to turn into surplus of 988 million yen (deficit of 82 million yen in the same period last year). It seems that development investments will continue to respond to “CASE,” which is progressing in the automobile market, which is positioned as the main target, and to adopt products.
As a basic development investment policy, the company continues to invest in development every fiscal year, based on about 10% of sales, and aims to further enhance the functionality of its products. As for future developments, in the embedded software business, in addition to the expansion of sales for automobiles due to the effects of development investments for in-house products for automobiles, it seems that products and services cultivated there will be developed to a wide range of industries based on the main sector axis, aiming to expand business performance. Furthermore, along with recent automation and electrification, it is said that the business area is expanding for automobiles, where software conversion is remarkable. Also, in the sensing solution business, they are planning to improve the profit margins of the existing in-vehicle printer and handheld terminal business, expand the new sensor network business, and enter the cashless payment business. As we look ahead to a shift in operating surpluses this fiscal year, I would like to keep an eye on whether further expansion in business results will continue.
