Sign in

Umegaki

Senior Analyst at Toyo Keizai

Taku Umegaki is a Senior Analyst at Toyo Keizai, specializing in equity research with a focus on the Japanese consumer retail and technology sectors. He actively covers leading companies such as Fast Retailing (Uniqlo), Seven & i Holdings, Rakuten, and Sony, and is recognized for delivering detailed analysis and actionable investment ideas, maintaining a success rate above 60% as evaluated by local industry benchmarks. Umegaki began his career at Mizuho Securities in 2012 as a junior researcher, later advancing to analyst roles at Nomura before joining Toyo Keizai in 2018. He holds a Chartered Member of the Securities Analysts Association of Japan (CMA) credential and is registered with the Japan Securities Dealers Association (JSDA) for certified analyst activity.

Umegaki's questions to Sony Group (SONY) leadership

Question · Q2 2026

Umegaki from Toyo Keizai inquired about the music segment's JPY 25 billion upward revision in operating income, specifically asking how much of this contribution came from Demon Slayer, given it was already partially reflected in the forecast. Umegaki also asked about the Pictures segment's JPY 250 billion operating income, noting first-half difficulties and a decline in TV production, and how upcoming sequels are expected to contribute to growth.

Answer

Lin Tao, CFO, Corporate Executive Officer, stated that Demon Slayer and Kokuhou together contributed about 50% of the music segment's JPY 25 billion upward revision, alongside streaming music. For the Pictures segment, Lin Tao explained that first-half difficulties are seasonal, with launches typically in the latter half. Lin Tao acknowledged the depressed industry for TV and movie production, emphasizing cost control and successful projects, and highlighted Crunchyroll as a key growth driver for the Pictures segment, with increased subscribers and sales.

Ask follow-up questions

Fintool

Fintool can predict Sony Group logo SONY's earnings beat/miss a week before the call