Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd

This is Mitsui OSK Lines Fiscal Year 2023, Business Performance, and Fiscal Year 2024, Outlook Briefing. I am Takashi Hashimoto, President of Mitsui OSK Lines. Let me start with a general overview. Looking at our fiscal year 2023 results, the historical strong performance of the container ships business, recorded the previous fiscal year, gave way to a sharp year-on-year decline in profit, due to a slump in container freight rates, caused by a flood of new vessel deliveries. Despite normalization of supply chains and increased liftings. However, profit before tax reached 295.4 billion yen. We had set 240 billion yen as our target for fiscal year 2025. The final fiscal year of phase 1 of our management plan, Blue Action 2035, and we far exceeded the target in the first fiscal year of this phase. As a result, our balance sheet shows a strong financial position, with total assets of 4.1 trillion yen, shareholders' equity of 2.3 trillion yen, and a shareholders' equity ratio, including estimated lease obligations of 0.9 trillion yen, reaching 47%. As for progress on the investment plan, under Blue Action 2035, we have placed orders for LNG carriers in the energy business, and are notching up MNA deals with a chemical tanker owner and wind farm maintenance provider, and have built up investments of 1.1 trillion yen against the investment plan of 1.2 trillion yen by the end of fiscal year 2025. In addition, as part of our regional strategy, we signed an agreement on an FSRU new build, with Polish operator, GazSystem, as announced in a press release last week. The action we took in fiscal year 2023 is steadily paying off. In our forecasts for fiscal year 2024, based on the exchange rate assumption of ¥140 to the US dollars, we forecast profit before tax of ¥245.0 billion and net income of ¥215.0 billion. While this represents a year-on-year decline in profit, if foreign currency effects and extraordinary items in fiscal year 2023 are deducted, then profit is expected to be mostly unchanged from fiscal year 2023. Meanwhile, business profit, which demonstrates the performance of our business, calculated as operating profit plus equity in earnings of affiliates, is expected to increase by 41.0 billion yen year on year, which indicates our business is growing steadily. As for dividends, in accordance with our policy of maintaining a dividend payout ratio of 30%, we will pay a full-year dividend of 220 yen per share for fiscal year 2023. This represents an increase of 20 yen. Our full-year dividend forecast for fiscal year 2024 is 180 yen. I will now hand over to CFO, Kazuya Hamazaki, to give further details of financial results in fiscal year 2023 and forecasts for fiscal year 2024.

I am Kazuya Hamazaki, CFO of Mitsui OSK Lines.

I'll explain the outline of fiscal year 2023 financial results. Revenue increased 1% year-on-year to 1,627.9 billion yen. Strong market conditions in the energy and car carrier markets, plus the effect of a weaker yen during the period, led to higher revenue. Business profit, which is operating profit plus equity in earnings of affiliated companies, came to 195.0 billion yen, and ordinary profit reached 258.9 billion yen. As a result, profit before tax was 295.4 billion yen, exceeding the forecast at the end of January. Net income also amounted to 261.6 billion yen. I will now explain the financial results by segment. Dry bulk business The dry bulk business posted ordinary profit of 37.2 billion yen, a decrease of 20.4 billion yen from the previous year, despite the contribution of reversal of an allowance, for doubtful accounts recorded in the past. The profitability of cape-sized bulkers, which are used mainly to transport iron ore, was propped up by profit from long-term charters. During the first half, market rates continued to lack buoyancy due to the global economic uncertainty that has persisted since the previous fiscal year and pessimism on China's economy. In the second half, tighter vessel supply and demand caused by the Panama Canal drought and the rerouting of ships to avoid the Suez Canal and firmer-than-anticipated Brazilian iron ore shipments led to stronger market conditions. However, market rates remained below the level a year earlier, resulting in profit decline. The small and medium-sized bulkers operated by MOL Dry Bulk were less profitable, reflecting exposure to market volatility and losses incurred in some short-term chartering. The profitability of wood-chip carriers and multipurpose vessels, which transport mainly steel materials and palm kernel shells used as biomass fuel, was propped up by long-term charters but fell year-on-year. Meanwhile, market rates for open-hatch bulkers operated by GearBulk, an Equity Method affiliate, deteriorated in the absence of cargo inflow from container ships, resulting in a year-on-year decline in profit. Energy Business The energy business posted ordinary profit of ¥66.9 billion, rising ¥27.3 billion year on year. Results in almost all subsegments exceeded expectations, pushing up our business results. Tankers and Offshore Business In the tanker's business, very large crude oil carriers or VLCCs, product tankers, and chemical tankers, all benefited from strong market rates, reflecting tighter vessel demand, due to the shift in trade patterns, resulting from sanctions against Russia, and the rerouting of vessels, to avoid the Suez Canal. And the tanker's business posted a sharp increase in profit, year on year. In the offshore business, the FPSO business reported higher profit due to the new projects that became operational during the fiscal year, in addition to existing long-term charter contracts. Liquefied gas business LNG carriers achieved year-on-year profit growth due to the commencement of new charters contracts, in addition to existing long-term charter contracts. However, the FSRU business reported a decrease in profit due to one-off expenses associated with a change in deployment. The LNG to Powership business secured stable profit. product transport business the product transport business posted ordinary profit of 125.5 billion yen down by 578.0 billion yen from the previous year due to 51.5 billion yen in profit in the container ships business and a sharp drop in equity in earnings of affiliated companies attributable to one in the container ships business which offset higher profit in the car carrier business container ships for details of the container ship's business shown on once-magenta-colored materials. During the first three quarters of 2023, spot freight rates continued to stagnate due to slow growth in shipments and supply pressure stemming from new vessel deliveries. During the fourth quarter, a rise in the level of freight raids was seen amid uncertainty surrounding the Middle East situation. However, one posted a profit before tax of $974 million, representing a drop of $14,024 million from the previous year. MOL converted its 31% share of these earnings into yen based on the exchange rate at the end of March and integrated this amount into segment profit as equity in earnings of affiliated companies. Car carriers The car carrier business benefited from strong market rates, reflecting tighter vessel supply and demand, in face of strong shipping demand for completed cars, as well as firm demand for the export of electric vehicles from China to Europe. however congestion at ports in australia latin america and elsewhere and the panama canals drought caused deterioration in the vessel operation efficiency furthermore due to the rerouting of vessels to avoid the red sea from december the duration of voyages increased and transportation capacity decreased However, decil allocation plans were reviewed accordingly, and, on a full-year basis, transportation volume increased year-on-year, resulting in higher profit than a year earlier. Terminal and Logistics Business Container handling volumes in the terminal business decreased due to a slowdown in cargo movements at overseas terminals, while there were firm cargo movements at domestic terminals. In the logistics business, Utah Corporation's profit contribution was offset by weak air and sea freight rates. The terminal and logistics business reported a year-on-year decline in profit. Wellbeing and Lifestyle Business The well-being and lifestyle business posted ordinary profit of 9.0 billion yen, up 2.3 billion yen, year on year, thanks to the profit contributions of the real property business, with Diburu as the core company, and the ferries and coastal Roro ships business. Real Property Business The real property business reported profit of 8.6 billion yen, an increase of 0.5 billion yen from the previous year, reflecting occupancy of newly acquired Otemon Tower and higher occupancy at other properties, despite increased interest payments, as a result of Diberu's property acquisitions and costs associated with the rebuilding of existing properties. Ferries and Coastal Roroships Business The ferries and coastal Roro ships business achieved higher profit than a year earlier, reflecting a sharp increase in passenger transportation since the entry into service of new LNG-fueled ferries, which offset a decrease in cargo transportation. Cruise business The cruise business achieved improved profitability year-on-year due to a recovery in traveling demand following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. Associated businesses Associated businesses, which include the tugboat business and trading company business, achieved ordinary profit of 2.9 billion yen, an increase of 0.3 billion yen year-on-year. Dividend We plan to pay a year-end dividend per share of 110 yen, which represents an increase of 20 yen, to reflect our strong performance in fiscal year 2023. Together with the interim dividend of 110 yen, this will bring the full year dividend up to 220 yen. This concludes the summary of the financial results for fiscal year 2023. Next, I would like to explain our fiscal year 2024 full year forecast. We forecast business profit of 236.0 billion yen and ordinary profit of 230.0 billion yen. Based on the above, we forecast net income of 215.0 billion yen. Our exchange rate assumption is 140 yen to the US dollars. And our bunker VLSFO price assumption is US $660 per metric tonne. I will now explain the forecasts for each segment. Dry Bulk Business The dry bulk business is expected to post ordinary profit of 20.0 billion yen, which represents a year-on-year decline of 17.2 billion yen. This mainly reflects the absence of special factors arising from the reversal of an allowance for doubtful accounts posted the previous year. Capesize Bulkers Capesize bulkers are expected to be more profitable than in the previous year due to a boost from new favorable contracts finalized in fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023 and a tendency for improvement in market rates compared with the second half of the previous year. MOL Dry Bulk Small and medium-sized bulkers operated by MOL Dry Bulk are expected to be more profitable, with the improvement in market rates seen since fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023 expected to continue. Other Bulkers Meanwhile, open-hatch bulkers operated by GearBulk, an equity method affiliate, are likely to be less profitable, on the assumption of less inflow of cargo, from container ships in response to elevated container ship rates, as container ship rates return to normal levels. Energy Business The energy business is expected to post ordinary profit of 77.0 billion yen, which represents a year-on-year increase, due to a strong performance in the tankers and offshore business. Tankers and Offshore Business In the tanker business, profits are expected to increase as the market rates of crude oil tankers, product tankers, chemical tankers, and LPG and ammonia tankers are all expected to remain firm as a result of a shift in trade patterns continued from previous year. In addition, the effect of the acquisition of Fairfield chemical tankers, completed in the previous fiscal year, is expected to make a positive contribution. In the offshore business, the FPSO business will be more profitable and generate further stable profit due to the full-year contribution of two offshore projects in Brazil in fiscal year 2023. Liquefied gas business The LNG carrier business is expected to report higher profit, year-on-year, due to newly delivered carriers, in addition to existing long-term charter contracts. Moreover, successive deliveries of approximately 30 new builds are planned from FY 2024 through FY 2028. The LNG infrastructure business is likely to be more profitable than in fiscal year 2024 thanks to progress in the FSRU business, with an FSRU beginning commercial operation in Hong Kong from fiscal year 2023 and commercial operations also beginning in Indonesia from April 2024.