Thank you indeed for your precious time. Let us now start TDK FY on the 2023 ending March 31st. This is going to be the explanation for the results and for the 3Q. We have Mr. Tetsuji Yamanishi, Executive Vice President, and also Executive Officer Fumio Sashida, Executive Officer Taro Ikushima, and Executive Officer Takao Tsutsui, the participants for this meeting. Thank you. This is Tetsuji Yamanishi, Executive Vice President. We do appreciate your precious time despite your busy schedule to attend our financial results briefing for the 3Q, FY March 2023. We are so happy to have so many of you. I am now pleased to go through this overview of the consolidated financial results. First, key points for the earnings for Q3 FY March 2023.
The global economy has become increasingly stagnant. As a result of the continued price hikes in energy and certain materials due to the heightened geopolitical risks, including Russia's prolonged invasion of Ukraine, as well as in high interest rates and due to the policy rate hikes in the U.S. and European countries aiming at quelling the inflation. As a result, the financial demand remained sluggish in the electronics and market as well. Supported by the demand for EVs such as an xEV and automobiles, sales increased 17.5% year-on-year basis, and operating profit rose 14.5% year-on-year basis. In addition to the first half results, the 3Q was also firm, resulting in the required sales and operating profit on a cumulative nine-month basis.
In the ICT market, demand for the PCs and tablets, which had been rather strong due to the corona and the pandemic, declined further. The sales of HDD-related components fell sharply as demand for the data centers remained sluggish. While our smartphone production remained sluggish, sales of rechargeable batteries and the sensors expanded for new models from major customers. In the automotive market, despite the ongoing supply chain constraints, such as a semiconductor supply and a shortage, a gradual recovery was seen in overall, and the sales of Passive Components and the sensors expanded as a result of continued strong demand for the components, especially with an increasing ratio of xEVs and in shifting to ADAS. The rising geopolitical risks have caused energy supply and instability and price hikes worldwide.
The demand for renewable energy-saving equipment, and energy storage systems for home use has continued to grow. I'm so happy to be able to report these positive points. I will give an overview of our business performance. The nine-month cumulative results shows an increase in the net sales of JPY 251.4 billion and an increase in operating profit of approximately JPY 60.9 billion due to exchange rates fluctuations against the US dollar in particular. Net sales amounted to JPY 1,079 billion, up JPY 315.1 billion or 22.6% year-on-year, and operating profit amounted to JPY 188.7 billion, up JPY 47.4 billion or 33.5% year-on-year, with profit before tax totaling JPY 188.7 billion.
Profit before tax was JPY 181.1 billion, up JPY 47.4 billion year-on-year basis or 33.5%. The net profit was JPY 136.9 billion. Earnings per share was JPY 361.46. As for the sensitivity to exchange rates, we estimated that, and as the last time, one yen change in the yen dollar exchange rate would result in annual change of approximately JPY 2 billion, and one change in the yen euro exchange rate would result in annual change of approximately JPY 600 million. Next, the 3Q results, including the impact of change rate fluctuations. Net sales increased JPY 87.3 billion or 17.5% year-on-year to JPY 587 billion.
Operating profit increased JPY 8.7 billion or 14.5% year-on-year to JPY 68.4 billion. Profit before tax was JPY 68.2 billion. Net profit was JPY 49.9 billion, and net income was JPY 49.9 billion, down 1.7% from the same period last year. Profit before tax was JPY 68.2 billion. Net profit was JPY 49.9 billion, and earnings per share was JPY 131.64. The following is an overview of the 3Q results by segment. Sales of Passive Components was JPY 144.6 billion, up 11.2% from the same period last year. Demand for the components for the automotive market, especially for the xEVs and ADAS, remained strong.
And demand for the capacitors and inductive devices for the industrial equipment market remained rather strong as the demand for the capacitors for renewable energy and the production equipment. On the other hand, high-frequency components, of which account for a large proportion of sales for smartphones, suffered a large decrease in both sales and profit due to a decline in the demand for smartphones, while piezoelectric market components and circuit protection components suffered a decrease in the profits due to a decline in the sales volume for smartphones and home appliances. Next, the Sensor Application Products business. Net sales were JPY 45.6 billion, a significant increase of 26.3% year-on-year.
Operating on a profit increased 1.8 x due to a significant improvement in profitability, partly reflecting the effect of increased sales and operating income, margin reached double digits for the first time. Sales of temperature and pressure sensors increased for automotive applications. Hall sensors for automotive applications and new products for smartphone applications expanded. TMR sensors for automotive applications remained rather strong, while sales for the smartphone applications expanded due to the increase in adoption. Profitability has also improved. In the MEMS sensors, sales to the ICT market, where demand has been rather sluggish, declined. Sales to the automotive industry now expanded, and the sales to mobile and game consoles also grew steadily, ensuring an increase in revenue.
Next, as for the Magnetic Application Products, net sales was JPY 47.5 billion, down 25.8% year-on-year, operating profit was a loss of JPY 13.9 billion. In the HDD heads and HDD suspension assemblies, sales volume of both HDD heads and suspension for the PCs and the nearline HDDs dropped by more than 40% year-on-year basis due to a further decline in overall demand for HDDs from the Q2 as a result of the lower data center investment due to the economic slowdown and HDD inventory adjust in addition to the impact of the PC market. As a result, the sales volumes of the both heads and suspensions for HDDs fell by more than half year-on-year basis, resulting in a significant decrease in sales and posting a loss.
In addition, that it will take some time for overall HDD demand to recover. Structural reform of HDD heads was implemented in the 3Q, resulting in about expense of about JPY 1 billion. Sales of magnets increased due to the higher sales for the xEVs, but earnings declined due to the soaring material costs and delay in the productivity improvement.
This is the last in the business, in the Energy Application Products, which reported net sales of JPY 331.4 billion and operating income of JPY 59.8 billion, up by 29.4% and 53.4% respectively on a year-on-year basis. In rechargeable batteries, sales volume for mobile applications such as smartphones, tablets, and notebook PCs in China declined. The sales for the new smartphone models increased, sales of the medium-sized batteries, mainly for home energy storage systems, also expanded steadily, resulting in a year-on-year sales growth in real terms, excluding the effect of exchange rates.
Operating income was also up year-on-year in real terms, excluding the impact of foreign exchange rates due to a turnaround in mix, improved efficiency and overall cost, including SG&A expenses, and improved the profitability of medium-sized batteries, despite the negative impacts of a decrease in the volumes of small batteries. Sales and profits of power supplies for industrial equipment increased. It increased due to steady demand for industrial equipment such as semiconductor manufacturing equipment and medical equipment. Next, I will explain the factors behind the increase and the decrease in sales and operating income by segment from the 2Q to the 3Q of the current fiscal year, Q-on-Q basis. The first, in the Passive Components segment, sales decreased by JPY 8 billion or 5.3% from the Q2, and operating income declined by JPY 3.6 billion or 12.1%.
In addition to a decline in sales to the ICT market, mainly for the smartphones, sales to the industrial equipment markets, consumer electronics, and sales to distributors also declined, resulting in lower sales in all businesses. Sales of capacitors for which sales to the xEV market have been strong increased, while other businesses saw a decrease in profits due to the impact of lower sales. In Sensor Application Products, sales remained almost flat, while operating income increased by JPY 1.2 billion over 27.5%. Sales and profits of temperature and pressure sensors decreased due to seasonal factors such as Christmas vacations in the automotive industry, and lower sales in the consumer electronics industry was another negative factor.
For magnetic sensors, both TMR sensors and Hall sensors, sales and profit increased due to the peak season demand for new models from the major customer. Of sales and income of MEMS sensors decreased due to a decline in sales of motion sensors for the smartphones in China and a decrease in the sales of microphones. For the magnetic application products segment, sales decreased by JPY 7.2 billion, or 13.2%, and operating income declined by JPY 12.1 billion. Sales fell sharply with a 29% decline in HDD head sales volume and a 17% drop in the suspension sales volume, mainly as a result of a further decline in overall demand for nearline HDDs and operational losses also had a significant impact, resulting in a sharp decline in the profits and the recognizable loss.
In consideration of future demand trends after this, we have decided to implement structural reforms under the post-process of HDD head with JPY 1 billion recognized in Q3. Sales of magnets increased due to higher sales for HDDs. Next, the Energy Application Products. The sales decreased by JPY 10.9 billion, or 3.2%, while the operating income increased by JPY 6.3 billion or 11.7%. Sales volume of rechargeable batteries for ICT applications increased for new models from big major customer, while overall sales of smaller batteries for ICT applications decreased due to lower sales for wearables such as PCs and tablets, and the sales of medium-sized batteries remained almost flat, mainly for home use energy storage systems and the sales for the rechargeable batteries as a whole declined.
Although operating income was affected by price discounting due to lower material prices, we secured an increase in operating income by improving overall costs, including SG&A, in addition to improving the profitability of medium-sized batteries. Profitability of industrial power supplies has also improved due to increase in sales. Next, breakdown of operating income changes of JPY 8.7 billion. This change shows a significant decrease of JPY 28.6 billion due to decrease in sales volume of HDD heads and suspensions and rechargeable batteries, which are significantly affected by decline in demand in the ICT market. However, JPY 24 billion of which was offset by the incremental income due to the effects of yen depreciation.
In addition, we improved the profits by approximately and from the 15 billion JPY from the previous year by promoting rationalization and cost reduction, mainly in rechargeable batteries and Passive Components, as well as by streamlining SG&A expenses. This is at about we have improvements by 15 billion JPY, so we could secure this, the positive growth. We also implemented a structural reform in the 3Q of this fiscal year in consideration of the drastically changing demand environment for HDD heads and recognized approximately 1 billion JPY as expense for these efforts. Finally, I'd like to explain an outlook for the consolidated business results for the full fiscal year basis ending March 2023.
As I mentioned earlier, the global economy has been suffering from a growing sense of stagnation triggered by continued price hikes in energy and materials caused by geopolitical risks and rising interest rates caused by policy rate hikes in Europe and the United States to curb inflation. The demand and the production volume for major devices related to our businesses are also expected to decline from the previous forecast announcement.
Given this, the demand environments, we have, and including the based on the results through the 3Q and the current order status, now we have revised the forecast downwards to JPY 2.170 billion, JPY 3 billion in the, say, in the sales, and JPY 185 billion in operating incomes, JPY 185 billion in income before income taxes, and JPY 132 billion in net income. This is downward revision. In light of the current pressure on the demands, we decided to revise the forecast downwardly with approximately JPY 20 billion to be recognized for the one-time restructuring cost, aiming at improving asset efficiency. This major reason for this, the downward revision.
On the other hand, we expect the business environments to be difficult to forecast due to the lack of growth in the sales volumes. Therefore, we will do utmost to improve profitability by streamlining fixed costs and improve cash flow by reducing inventories and the like. Consequently, we expect the free cash flow at the end of current fiscal year to be higher than initially projected. The exchange rates assumed in the forecast are JPY 130 to the dollar in the Q4, and JPY 135 for the full year. When it comes to euro, JPY 137 to the euro in Q4, and JPY 140 for the year.
We plan to pay a year-end dividend of JPY 53 per share, or JPY 106 per share for the full year, as we planned at the beginning of the fiscal year. Capital expenditures, depreciation, and R&D expenses remain unchanged from the previous forecast. This is all my presentation. Thank you very much. Thank you.