TOKYO, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Japan's corporate pretax profits for the fourth quarter of 2024 totaled 28.69 trillion yen (about 192.5 billion U.S. dollars), marking a 13.5-percent increase year-on-year and turning positive for the first time in two quarters, data from the Ministry of Finance showed Tuesday.
Corporate sales revenue reached 398 trillion yen during the period, the highest since records began in 1954, reflecting strong business performance across multiple sectors, the ministry's survey showed.
The steady growth in sales is attributed to successful price pass-through strategies, indicating that companies have been able to offset rising costs by adjusting their prices.
The manufacturing sector saw a 26.7-percent increase in profits, supported by strong domestic and international demand for electrical machinery and information and communication equipment.
The non-manufacturing sector recorded a 6.4-percent profit increase, with wholesale and retail businesses performing well and transportation industries benefiting from rising passenger numbers.
Despite the strong earnings, corporate capital investment fell 0.2 percent to 14.45 trillion yen, largely due to a slowdown following a previous surge in semiconductor-related investments.
The Ministry of Finance noted that corporate investment sentiment remains high, suggesting that companies are still willing to expand their operations. (1 U.S. dollar equals 149.2 Japanese yen) ■
