Thank you very much for joining Azbil Corporation's Fiscal Year 2025 financial results briefing today. Although this session is being held online, I will strive to provide clear and thorough explanations. I appreciate your attention. Let me begin with today's agenda. First, I will explain our consolidated financial results for fiscal 2025, followed by our consolidated financial plan for fiscal 2026. After that, I will cover shareholder returns, the progress of our medium-term plan, and finally introduce our Azbil Group's new purpose and vision.
Please note that the impact of the situation in the Middle East on our financial performance has been incorporated to the extent currently identifiable. Additionally, starting from fiscal 2026, we will voluntarily adopt the International Financial Reporting Standards, or IFRS and therefore, our consolidated financial plan for fiscal 2026 in this presentation is based on IFRS. Let me highlight the key points for this briefing.
For fiscal 2025, both the Building Automation and Advanced Automation businesses captured favorable market conditions, resulting in year-on-year increases from orders received through to segment profit. On the other hand, in the Life Automation business, results decreased year-on-year due to the impact of the transfer of Azbil Telstar the previous year. As a result, at the group level, orders received and net sales decreased.
However, operating income increased compared to the previous year, driven by profitability enhancement measures e xcluding the impact of the transfer, both orders received and net sales effectively increased. Net income attributable to owners of the parent decreased year-on-year, mainly because in the previous year, a gain on the sale of Azbil Telstar amounting to JPY 7.6 billion had been recorded as extraordinary income.
Turning to our fiscal 2026 plan, we expect revenue growth across all businesses, with the Building Automation business leading the growth, supported by a strong order backlog. On the profit side, although an increase in expenses is anticipated, we aim to achieve growth in business profit through the effects of profitability enhancement measures. Regarding shareholder returns, based on strengthened profitability of our business foundation achieved through fiscal 2025 and more efficient balance sheet management.
We plan to increase the year-end dividend for fiscal 2025. For fiscal 2026, we plan not only a further dividend increase, but also a commemorative dividend to mark our 120th Anniversary. We will expand the scale of share buybacks in fiscal 2026. As for the progress of our medium-term plan, although there are differences in progress among businesses, overall, we have exceeded our initial targets.
While the business environment remains uncertain due to factors such as the situation in the Middle East, we will respond swiftly and appropriately and continue to steadily implement our initiatives. At this stage, we are not revising our fiscal 2027 targets, which represent the final year of the plan. However, we will consider a review once we gain clearer visibility on the current uncertainties, taking the progress of our medium-term plan into account.
Furthermore, as the Azbil Group celebrates its 120th Anniversary this year, we have newly defined our purpose and vision for further growth, which I will introduce later. I will now explain our consolidated financial results for fiscal 2025. These are our financial results for fiscal 2025. Orders received increased in the Building Automation business.
However, due to the impact of the transfer of Azbil Telstar in the Life Automation business in the previous fiscal year, total orders received amounted to JPY 302.3 billion, representing a decrease of JPY 2.3 billion, or 0.8% year-on-year. Sales increased in the Building Automation and Advanced Automation businesses, but decreased overall to JPY 298.9 billion, down JPY 1.4 billion, or 0.5% year-on-year, for the same reason as orders received.
As mentioned earlier, excluding the impact of the transfer, both orders received and net sales increased effectively, and we achieved our plan. Operating income improved significantly to JPY 47.3 billion, despite higher personnel and other expenses because of profitability enhancement measures, including cost passthrough. This represents an increase of JPY 5.8 billion, or 14.0% year-on-year, exceeding our plan.
Net income attributable to owners of the parent decreased to JPY 38.5 billion, down JPY 2.3 billion, or 4.5% year-on-year, mainly due to the absence of the extraordinary gain from the Azbil Telstar sale recorded in the previous year. It still significantly exceeded our plan. This is a summary of our results by segment. From here, I will explain each business in more detail. First, the Building Automation business.
Market conditions remained favorable, with continued robust demand in domestic urban redevelopment, renovation and services, as well as energy saving solutions. Under these conditions, orders received increased year-on-year, supported by solid market demand and contributions from large-scale projects. Sales increased year-on-year and exceeded our plan, w hile sales for new buildings decreased, efforts to level workload led to growth in existing buildings and services, and overseas business also expanded.
Segment profit increased significantly year-on-year, exceeding the plan, as higher sales and profitability improvements more than offset cost increases. Next, the Advanced Automation business. The process automation market remained healthy, particularly in Japan. Meanwhile, the factory automation market has shown signs of recovery recently, although overall recovery has been gradual.
Orders received remained at the same level as the previous year. Overseas process automation decreased due to large orders booked at the end of the previous year, but domestic process automation and factory automation increased. Sales increased year-on-year in domestic and overseas process automation market as well as factory automation market, although slightly below the plan.
Segment profit increased significantly year-on-year and met the plan driven by higher sales, profitability enhancement measures, and factors such as favorable product mix despite rising costs. Turning to the Life Automation business, m arket conditions include steady replacement demand for gas and water meters required by law, with expected growth in demand for smart meters. On the other hand, in the residential central air conditioning systems field, rising construction costs have affected demand for detached housing.
Both orders received and sales decreased significantly year-on-year due to the transfer of Azbil Telstar in the previous year, w hile sales fell short of the plan, excluding the transfer impact, both orders received and sales effectively increased year-on-year. Segment profit decreased year-on-year and fell short of the plan due to the transfer impact, as well as rising material costs and higher personnel expenses. This slide shows overseas sales by region.
Although overall sales decreased year-on-year due to the impact of the Azbil Telstar transfer, the Building Automation business grew mainly in Southeast Asia, and the Advanced Automation business expanded primarily in North America. Next, I will explain our financial position. Regarding assets, total assets increased, mainly due to increases in cash and deposits as well as investment securities.
On the liabilities side, current liabilities decreased, primarily because the first grant under the revised restricted stock-based compensation plan for employees was made to those in service. However, long-term borrowings increased as we raised funds from external financial institutions through a trust scheme to acquire our shares in connection with the reintroduction of the employee stock ownership incentive plan. As a result, total liabilities increased. Net assets decreased due to share buybacks and dividend payments.
However, overall net assets increased, supported by the recording of net income attributable to owners of the parent and an increase in valuation differences on available for sale securities. This slide shows our cash flow situation. Free cash flow decreased year-over-year. This was due to a decrease in cash flow from operating activities, mainly reflecting higher income tax payments, as well as the cash used in investing activities becoming JPY 6.4 billion.
While the previous fiscal year included proceeds from the sale of equity interests in affiliates such as Azbil Telstar, this fiscal year saw continuous capital investment. Cash flow from financing activities remained at roughly the same level as the previous year. Although the previous fiscal year included cash outflows from the repayment of short-term borrowings at some overseas subsidiaries, this fiscal year saw an increase in dividend payments.
From here, I will explain our consolidated financial plan for fiscal 2026. As mentioned earlier, this plan reflects the currently identifiable impacts of the situation in the Middle East and is based on IFRS. For details on the impact of IFRS adoption, please refer to page 36 of this presentation material. First, our fiscal 2026 financial plan is shown here. We expect the business environment surrounding the Building Automation business to remain strong.
In the Advanced Automation business, we anticipate a continued recovery in the factory automation market from the end of the previous fiscal year. Against this backdrop, we plan revenue growth across all business segments. We project revenue of JPY 315.0 billion, an increase of JPY 16.0 billion compared to fiscal 2025. On the profit side, although further inflation and increases in costs such as labor costs are expected.
We will work on profitability enhancement measures, including cost passthrough, as well as operational efficiency improvements through digital transformation. As a result, we aim to increase business profit by JPY 1.9 billion to JPY 48.2 billion, w hile uncertainty is rising, our view of future business opportunities in the automation sector remains unchanged.
We will continue to steadily execute our medium-term plan, including investments in human capital development, strengthening product competitiveness, and promoting DX to achieve sustainable growth. These are our plans by segment. First, for the Building Automation business, we expect revenue growth, supported by a strong market environment and a large order backlog.
Although increases in outsourcing costs and personnel expenses are anticipated, we plan profit growth driven by higher revenue, improved margin at the point of order receipt, and cost passthrough. Next, the Advanced Automation business. We expect revenue growth based on the recovery of the factory automation market. Due to factors such as rising material costs, increased personnel expenses, and a rebound from the favorable product mix in the previous year.
Profit is expected to remain at roughly the same level as the previous fiscal year. For the Life Automation business, we plan revenue growth, mainly driven by expansion in the lifeline field. Expenses such as personnel expenses are expected to rise, we anticipate profit growth through price revisions and other profitability enhancement measures. Here are further details of the plan by segment.
For the Building Automation business, as mentioned earlier, revenue is expected to increase against the backdrop of robust market conditions and a large order backlog. Although there will be increases in outsourcing cost and personnel expenses, the plan anticipates increased profits resulting from revenue growth and such measures as increasing margins at the point of order receipt and cost passthrough.
For the Advanced Automation business, the impact of geopolitical risks is a cause for concern, but we plan for increased revenue, thanks to the factory automation market recovery. We will continue implementing measures to strengthen profitability but anticipate business profit on a par with fiscal 2025 owing to rising costs for parts and materials and increased personnel expenses, and the effect of the fiscal 2025 product mix.
In the Life Automation business, we plan to increase revenue primarily through growth in the lifeline field, and while personnel and other expenses are expected to rise, we anticipate higher profits due to the success of measures to improve profitability, including price adjustments. From here, I will explain shareholder returns. We plan to increase the year-end dividend for fiscal 2025, and for fiscal 2026, we plan both an increase in the ordinary dividend and a commemorative dividend for our 120th Anniversary.
In addition, we plan to expand the share buyback program in fiscal 2026 to a maximum of JPY 20.0 billion. These decisions are based on several factors: the strengthening of our earnings base through the execution of our medium-term plan, which enabled us to achieve results exceeding our initial targets in fiscal 2025.
Our assessment that we will be able to secure the funds necessary for future growth investments and to withstand potential deterioration in the business environment due to geopolitical risks such as those in the Middle East, including through the utilization of debt, and our commitment to enhancing shareholder returns and improving capital efficiency through disciplined capital management.
Here are the details of our dividend plan. For fiscal 2025, net income attributable to owners of the parent significantly exceeded the revised plan announced in October, and our earnings capacity improved steadily. Accordingly, we will increase the year-end dividend by JPY 6, resulting in an annual dividend of JPY 32 per share. For fiscal 2026, we will further enhance shareholder returns and aim to achieve a higher and stable level of dividends.
We plan to increase the ordinary dividend by JPY 6, resulting in an interim dividend of JPY 19 and a year-end dividend of JPY 19, for an annual total of JPY 38 per share. In addition, to commemorate the 120th Anniversary of our founding and express our appreciation to our shareholders, we plan to pay a commemorative dividend of JPY 12 per share at the interim period. This will bring the total annual dividend for fiscal 2026 to JPY 50 per share.
Our dividend on equity, which we use as a key indicator for dividends, is expected to be 6.7% for fiscal 2025 and 10.7% for fiscal 2026, exceeding the 6.0% target set in our medium-term plan. Let me explain our share buyback plan. For fiscal 2026, we plan to conduct share buybacks to a maximum of JPY 20.0 billion or 32 million shares. Based on our ROE targets, we will continue to pursue business expansion and profitability enhancement measures, while implementing disciplined capital management.
Through this, we aim to enhance capital efficiency and further strengthen shareholder returns. Although uncertainty in the business environment is increasing, including geopolitical risks such as the situation in the Middle East, these buybacks, like dividends, will be funded based on the results we have achieved to date.
Given our strengthened earnings base and the potential use of debt, we believe that further growth investments and enhanced shareholder returns will remain possible going forward. Please note that the shares to be acquired will not be immediately canceled. In light of the uncertain business environment, including the oil-related sector, we will retain flexibility and respond appropriately depending on future conditions. This slide shows the trend in shareholder returns.
As I explained earlier, for fiscal 2025, we increased the dividend by JPY 8 compared to fiscal 2024, and for fiscal 2026, we plan a further increase of JPY 18, including the commemorative dividend. From here, I will explain the progress of our medium-term plan to date. This slide outlines our medium-term plan.
Under the theme of evolution and co-creation, based on the Azbil Group's unique business model, we are advancing investments in human capital, strengthening product competitiveness, and promoting digital transformation, with the aim of achieving both revenue growth and improved profitability.
In fiscal 2025, although there were differences among businesses, overall, both net sales and profits exceeded our initial plan, w hile uncertainty in the business environment is increasing, including developments in the Middle East, we will respond appropriately and steadily advance investments for growth, aiming to achieve continuous value creation and sustainable growth. As mentioned earlier, we will not revise our fiscal 2027 targets at this time due to the uncertain outlook.
We will consider revisions once there is greater visibility, taking into account progress under the plan. Let me explain the Azbil Group's unique business model. We define growth businesses as those in which customers make investments to address new challenges. By expanding our customer base through growth businesses, and enhancing sustainability and profitability through our core businesses, we aim to create a continuous cycle, from growth business to core business, and back again.
Thereby achieving sustainable business expansion. In today's uncertain business environment, we believe this model is highly effective in delivering value. This slide summarizes the progress of each business and our overseas operations in fiscal 2025, the first year of the medium-term plan. In the Building Automation business, the business remained strong both in Japan and overseas, exceeding our initial plan. We expect favorable conditions to continue and will strive for sustainable long-term growth.
In the Advanced Automation business, recovery in the factory automation market was slower than expected, but the process automation market expanded, and favorable product mix contributed to higher profitability. In fiscal 2026, although there will be some rebound from last year's product mix, we will steadily capture the recovery in factory automation demand and aim to catch up to planned levels.
In the Life Automation business, the expansion of the Smart Metering as a Service business and the rollout of new products have taken longer than expected, and some initiatives have progressed more slowly than planned. Going forward, we will focus on cost passthrough, profitability-oriented sales strategies, and expanding sales of new products to drive growth. For overseas operations, we have been expanding our customer base in both the Building Automation and Advanced Automation businesses.
We have also strengthened our operational structure, including the establishment of a sales base in Malaysia. As noted earlier, we will consider revising the fiscal 2027 plan once the outlook becomes clearer. Let me explain our profitability improvement measures and progress. In fiscal 2025, we made steady progress in various measures aimed at improving business profitability, including improving business mix, reducing costs of products and services, and optimizing pricing levels through measures such as cost passthrough.
In fiscal 2026, although cost increases exceeding initial expectations are anticipated due to the current business environment, we will continue to implement these initiatives, including improving business mix, reducing costs, and optimizing pricing to further enhance profitability. Let me explain the progress of investments to strengthen our business model. We are making focused investments in human capital, product competitiveness, and digital transformation to reinforce the Azbil Group's unique business model.
While investments in human capital and DX are progressing as planned, there has been slight delay in strengthening product competitiveness. We will accelerate this by reorganizing our development structure. We believe that making steady investments at this point is essential for sustainable growth. This slide presents examples of collaborations and investments aimed at strengthening product capabilities and business development.
To strengthen product competitiveness, which is essential for business growth, and to explore new business domains, we have engaged in collaborations with other companies, investments in venture capital, and participation in various projects. In addition to internal investments in human capital, product development, and DX, we will pursue further growth through strategic investments, including M&A. This slide illustrates our future balance sheet approach with an eye on capital efficiency.
Based on our strong financial stability and liquidity supported by solid performance, we will implement proactive shareholder returns under a disciplined capital management, while also making growth investments, including the use of external debt to expand our business. Capital efficiency has steadily improved, with ROE reaching 15.7% in fiscal 2025. We will continue to work toward further improvement in capital efficiency.
As mentioned earlier, we will consider revising our fiscal 2027 ROE target once the market outlook becomes clearer, taking into account progress under the medium-term plan. Finally, I would like to introduce our new corporate brand initiative. As the Azbil Group, we have newly defined our purpose and vision, which we announce today. Our purpose is expanding technological frontiers, unlocking human potential. Our vision is connecting people and society through automation. From efficiency to innovation, f rom impossible to possible.
Becoming a partner that opens up. These are the 2 key elements. This slide illustrates the overall concept, including our purpose and vision. Our purpose, expanding technological frontiers, unlocking human potential, represents the Azbil Group's commitment to unlocking the latent potential of people and society through a wide range of technologies, including automation, and to creating new value at customer sites, from efficiency to innovation, from impossible to possible.
Our vision represents the concrete state we aim to achieve over the next 10 years through the pursuit of this purpose. We have also established a brand statement, Engineering the Impossible, which expresses our determination to realize both our purpose and vision. Finally, I would like to report on the relocation of our headquarters. This year marks the 120th Anniversary of the Azbil Group. In conjunction with establishing our new purpose and vision, we have also been working to create an environment that enables us to realize this vision.
As part of this effort, in May, we will relocate our headquarters to the Marunouchi Park Building, an office building in the same district as our current headquarters. At our new headquarters, we aim to foster a working environment where each employee can take on new challenges, thereby securing further growth. This is the final slide.
It shows the key visual that will serve as the foundation for our brand communications across various media. We will continue to promote this brand going forward, and we appreciate your continued support. This concludes my presentation. Thank you very much for your attention.