FamilyMart and Lawson post record first-half operating profits

Tokyo – Convenience store operators FamilyMart and Lawson enjoyed record operating profits for March-August, according to their latest earnings reports released by Thursday.

Rival Seven & I Holdings also secured a profit increase in the first half of the business year through next February.

Lawson’s operating profit grew 7.6% from a year earlier to ¥66 billion, partly reflecting lower costs following the introduction of an artificial intelligence-based ordering system. Its sales and net profit also reached record highs.

FamilyMart saw its operating profit climb 5.6% to ¥65.1 billion, thanks to strong sales of popular food products with increased content, as well as new bread products. Meanwhile, per-store sales declined due to a fall in customer traffic and slow ticket sales.

Seven & I, the parent of Seven-Eleven Japan, reported an operating profit of ¥232.2 billion, up 11.5%. However, its domestic convenience store business logged a sales decrease of about 10% as sales of beverages and ice cream dropped amid unfavorable weather. It was also weighed down by advance investments in in-store cooking equipment.