Berkshire Hathaway-backed Japan trading house boosts shareholder returns

Itochu to 'expand scope' of investments with up to $6.6bn in spending

Itochu expects net profit to reach an all-time high this fiscal year. (Photo by Yuki Nakao)

SHIN WATANABE and TSUKASA MORIKUNI, Nikkei staff writers

April 4, 2024 05:32 JST

TOKYO -- Japanese trading house Itochu aims to increase shareholder payouts this fiscal year and spend up to 1 trillion yen ($6.6 billion) on acquisitions and other investments, the company said Wednesday.

Itochu will aim for a total payout ratio of 50% in the year ending March 2025, up from an estimated 41% for the just-ended fiscal year. The higher the ratio, the more a company is focusing on shareholder returns.