HOYA interim operating profit jumps 31.6% to 173.4 billion yen

HOYA's interim results landed after a run-up in its share price. In the week from October 23 to October 29, the stock moved from 26,100 yen to 26,330 yen, and volume on October 29 jumped 63% from the previous day to 2.099 million shares. A golden cross — the 25-day moving average crossing above the 75-day — was detected on October 27, and the price had already stepped up from 25,580 yen to 26,370 yen since October 19. The earnings beat, therefore, arrived into a market that had been waiting for exactly this kind of confirmation.

The profit growth came from a mix of businesses. Higher sales of eyeglass lenses and semiconductor mask blanks drove revenue, while profitability improved in life care and information and communication also grew. At the same time, the report notes that sales of medical endoscopes in the United States were sluggish, leaving a clear split between the businesses pulling results up and those lagging.

Looking ahead, HOYA disclosed a full-year sales forecast of 1.043 trillion yen for the fiscal year ending March 2027, up 10.1% from the prior year, while saying long-term forecasts are difficult. An European brokerage rated the stock neutral with a target price of 27,500 yen on October 29, suggesting the earnings beat may already be reflected in the share price to some extent.