By ZHOU Fangying
Uniqlo's parent company Fast Retailing announced its financial results for the half fiscal year on April 14. Revenue of 1.2 trillion yen (61.8 billion yuan, US$9.4 billion), was up 1.3 percent year-on-year. After-tax profit hit 189 billion yen, up 12.7 percent and net profit attributable to Uniqlo increased 38.7 percent to 146.8 billion yen.
All regions recorded substantial increases in revenue and after-tax profit except Japan and China, its biggest markets. In Japan revenue fell by 10 percent with a similar story in the Chinese mainland while Hong Kong and Taiwan continue to do well.
Revenue started to decline in the region in Q1 which the company put down to Covid restrictions and unseasonably warm weather. Uniqlo also lost sales through shortages in some winter ranges.
Japan and China still accounted for 40 percent of the profit. The Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan brought in 15.8 billion yuan, a quarter of the total.
