This is Fukumoto, Director and Executive Officer, General Manager of Finance and Accounting of IHI Group. I will explain IHI Group's financial results for the fiscal year 2023 and forecast for fiscal year 2024. This page shows the contents of today's presentation. Please turn to page four. This slide shows a summary of the results for FY 2023, which were broadly in line with the revised forecast that we announced on April 26, 2024. Compared against the forecast as of February 9, 2024 at the time of the third quarter earnings announcement, operating profit increased by about JPY 10 billion due to recording gain on sale of real estate, further upside achieved in each business, including improvement in civil aero engines, expansion of lifecycle businesses centered on carbon solutions, and sales price revisions in vehicular turbochargers, among other factors.
The impact of the additional inspection program for shipped PW1100G-JM engines, for which losses were recorded in the second quarter, was reflected in the results as shown in the middle of the left-hand side of this page. Assumptions for the estimated amount in the fourth quarter remained unchanged, except for foreign exchange rates. Please turn to page five. This slide shows main points of the fiscal year 2023. Excluding the special factors, which were just explained, the IHI Group steadily achieved profits in the first year of the Group Management Policies 2023. Factors of change in operating profit is explained on page seven. Orders received increased due to recovery in passenger demand for civil aero engines and expansion of demand in the defense systems.
Revenue increased on higher sales of civil aero engines, and also due to achieving steady results of our efforts to expand lifecycle businesses as set forth in the Group Management Policies 2023. Cash flows from operating activities increased from the previous fiscal year, despite the impact of increasing the working capital, among other factors, to expand capacity for the civil aero engines business with strong prospects, while unstable supply chain situation persists. Please turn to page six for an overview of the financial results, including orders received, the income statement, and main indicators, for reference. Please turn to page seven, showing factors of change in operating profit from the previous fiscal year using the waterfall chart. The table showing factors of change in operating profit by segment is on page 19.
First, regarding changes in business environment in aero engine, sales of spare parts increased substantially in line with recovery in passenger demand, while there was an increase in sales of new engines with lower profitability in its initial phase of mass productions. On the other hand, changes in business environment in our core businesses, including decline in large new construction projects and carbon solutions, among others, was a negative factor on operating profit. In our core businesses, we are promoting to expand lifecycle businesses, which resulted in JPY 10.7 billion positive factor on operating profit centered on carbon solutions. Reinforcement of the cost structure increased operating profit by JPY 9.5 billion as a result of cost reductions in civil aero engines and carbon solutions. Reformation of business structure reflects losses in light of review of the fixed assets at the European production base of the vehicular turbochargers business.
Please turn to page 8. Financial position. Starting from the asset, trade receivables and inventories increased. Moving on to the liabilities, refund liabilities increased due to additional inspection program for PW1100G-JM engines. In addition, interest-bearing liabilities increased as well. D/E ratio increased to 1.43% since the loss of the current period caused damage in the capital. Ratio of equity attributable to owners of parent decreased to 17.9%. In fiscal 2023, IHI Group sold part of the real estate to recover financial ratio to fiscal year 2022 level as early as possible. The group will continuously strengthen its earning power and effectively utilize the assets in a planned manner. Please turn to page 9. Cash flows. There's a graph showing the cash flows and cash conversion cycle trends for the latest five years.
If we look at the EBITDA trend, which is shown in the left end out of the three bars, you will find that cash earning ability has been strengthening approaching fiscal year 2023. On the other hand, cash flow from operating activities has been much smaller than the EBITDA over the past two years. Cash conversion cycle has worsened to 134 days since working capital, including inventory, has been increasing. We will manage the balance sheet, including working capital, more strictly. As for cash flow from investing activities, while selling assets in a well-planned manner, the IHI Group is executing focused investments in accordance with the Group Management Policies 2023. Page 11, please. Forecast of the consolidated results for fiscal year 2024. Each business earnings will trend steadily, and IHI Group is on track to achieve the business targets under the Group Management Policies 2023.
Orders received in defense systems is expected to expand further. Both civil aero engine and lifecycle businesses will continue to expand. Next is revenue. Lifecycle businesses are in a transitional period in terms of the timing of constructions taking place in carbon solution, nuclear energy, etc., but revenue is expected to be high level following the increase in defense systems and civil aero engine orders. Operating profit will be explained on page 13. IHI Group will secure the level of cash flows from operating activities to be higher than the previous fiscal year, even when the group is expecting expenses associated with the additional inspection program for PW1100G engines by strengthening the company-wide efforts to reduce working capital. Please turn to page 12. Forecast for fiscal year 2024. Foreign currency assumption for the guidance is 140 yen for one US dollar.
Operating profit is expected to be a record high JPY 110 billion. Foreign currency exchange sensitivity is 1 yen move will have JPY 1.4 billion impact on the operating profit, excluding the special factor. In the middle of the chart, you will find dividends per share. Based on our stable dividend policy, dividends per share is expected to be 100 JPY. Page 13, and the dividend will be 110 JPY. Operating profit, factors of changes in operating profit between fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2024. Factors of change in operating profit by segment is available on page 22. Again, IHI Group is aiming to achieve a record high operating profit in fiscal 2024. The greatest factor is the growth in civil aero engine spare parts business and increase in defense system demand. These factors will boost the profit by JPY 13 billion.
On the other hand, lifecycle business will be tentatively affected by the decrease in work volume of some of the businesses, but is expected to expand again in fiscal year 2025 and beyond. As for the reinforcement of cost structure, IHI Group will improve sales price in each business and work on cost reduction, etc., and cultivate the fruit. Foreign currency exchange will have JPY 7 billion negative impact on the operating profit. SG&A is expected to increase following the wage hike, etc. As for the reformation of business structure, the cost for the vehicular turbocharger business IHI Group spent in fiscal 2023 will be going away. However, the group will continue business portfolio discussion in fiscal 2024 by allocating JPY 10 billion budget for the initiative. Moving on to the asset sales, IHI Group is planning to sell JPY 10 billion equivalent or so in fiscal year 2024.
Page 14, please. You will find breakdowns for orders received, revenue, and operating profit by segment. Please take a look for your reference. On page 15, we have status of civil aero engine business. In fiscal year 2024, engine main unit shipment volume is expected to grow again, and spare parts transaction volume will increase as shown in the line graph, which will make the shift from recovery phase to growth phase even clearer. By the way, following the voices we've been receiving, now we are adding specific breakdown of main units and spare parts for each fiscal year at the bottom of the page. Please refer to them. Finally, in fiscal year 2023, IHI Group could feel the steady business growth, excluding one factor, which was the situation PW1100G-JM engine additional inspection program damaged its financial base.
IHI Group will further accelerate its initiatives under the Group Management Policies 2023 to generate profit in fiscal year 2024, which will lead us to fiscal year 2025. IHI Group will continuously improve its balance sheet to secure its investment fund for the future and will generate cash by improving the efficiency. The following slides are for your references. Please take a look at them later. This will conclude my presentation.
This is Ide. Let me provide management overview of the fiscal year 2023. Please turn to page two for the contents. Please turn to page four. Although there may be some overlaps with what had already been explained by General Manager of Finance and Accounting, let me start by explaining progress with Group Management Policies 2023. In the fiscal year 2023, we steadily advanced initiatives in each business.
First, in the clean energy area, which is in the development-focused businesses, the world's first demonstration testing of 20% fuel ammonia substitution at JERA's Hekinan Thermal Power Station was started on April 1st. Including this example, we believe we are making steady progress in fuel ammonia value chain initiatives with prospects for the future. In gross businesses centered on aero engine and space, there was an impact of the additional inspection program for PW1100G engines, for which costs were fully accounted in fiscal year 2023, and there will neither be any additional cost nor changes in the estimated amount. On the other hand, civil aero engine business has now entered a growth phase, while defense space and civil aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul work expanded steadily.
In core businesses, both revenue and orders received of lifecycle businesses centered on services that we have been focusing on for the last few years increased successfully. Revenue of lifecycle businesses in fiscal year 2022 increased more than 30% from the fiscal 2019 level and 50% in fiscal year 2023 from the fiscal year 2019 level, as you can see on the page. Lifecycle businesses in our core businesses are expanding smoothly as an earnings driver of the IHI Group. Please turn to page five. This page shows cash flows and cash allocation. Left-hand side of the page shows sources for cash flows. In 2024, we are undertaking company-wide initiatives to bolster operating cash flows while, at the same time, engaging in overhaul of the business portfolio. We will divest assets to the tune of JPY 50 billion to generate cash flows.
Right-hand side of the page shows use of cash. Originally, in Group Management Policies 2023, the investment budget was set at JPY 500 billion, which was revised down to JPY 450 billion. The plans remain unchanged in terms of making investment with priority in development-focused businesses and gross businesses while maintaining financial discipline by reviewing priorities for investment, assessing returns on investment over medium to long term, and also by reviewing the timing for investment. As for shareholder returns, in light of the current financial standing, our basic policy is to pay out stable dividend with an eye on realizing the payout ratio at 30% over a medium term. Please turn to page six. This page shows the trend of total assets and the debt-to-equity ratio from FY 2019. We recognize our financial standing, or the balance sheet, to be one of the challenges of the IHI Group.
We will strengthen the balance sheet by generating cash flows from operating activities and by selling assets, as I explained earlier. We will strictly control and streamline the balance sheet, although we expect to see expansion of civil aero engines and increase in investment. As for the debt-to-equity ratio, as explained earlier by General Manager of Finance and Accounting, we are targeting to bring it down to 1.1 times recorded at the end of fiscal year 2022. Please turn to the next page. This page shows an image of our view on the business portfolio, which I went through when we presented the medium-term management policies. Over a medium to long term, we believe IHI's growth, IHI Group's growth is supported by gross businesses and development-focused businesses described on the page.
By allocating cash generated in core businesses and by boldly shifting management resources, such as human resources, to growth and development-focused businesses, we will strive to achieve sustainable growth. In fact, already from fiscal year 2023, we have started to shift human resources from core businesses to growth businesses, such as aero engine, space, and defense. In the meantime, our stance in core businesses remains unchanged. We will continue to work on improving profitability by deepening and evolving lifecycle businesses. So far, we have successfully expanded lifecycle businesses in our core businesses, achieving increase in sales, as I explained earlier. On the other hand, I think there needs to be qualitative changes in lifecycle businesses by providing new services and establishing new value chain in response to changes in customers' business environment by fully understanding challenges faced by customers. These are what we intend to do in our core businesses.
Please turn to page nine. This is an image showing a trend of the composition of businesses that will create corporate value. As I just said, over a medium to long term, we aim at generating corporate value centered on development-focused businesses and growth businesses. In growth businesses, civil aero engines and defense will be a major driver for the growth of the IHI Group, and we expect space business to start expanding from around 2030, as shown using gradation of color on the chart. As for development-focused businesses, we will continue to be in the investment phase for some time to come. We think development-focused businesses will start to make revenue and profit contributions from 2030 and beyond. What's important here is the portfolio of core businesses, which we are currently reviewing.
We started discussions about this issue from the last fiscal year, and we plan to accelerate discussions in this fiscal year. As shown on the page, core businesses are classified into three: growth candidates, stable revenue-based, and restructured businesses. We are not able to share any specific plans as yet, but even in our core businesses, there are businesses like lifecycle businesses that could lead to future growth by entering a new phase, or phase two, by changing the way we undertake businesses and existing cash cow businesses that will continue to generate stable revenue and profit. There are businesses that we will continue to hold on and proceed. At the same time, we also look into reviewing whether we are the best owner for the business or not. As for restructured businesses, we will undertake in-depth review with an eye on exit from such businesses.
Please turn to the next page. From here, I'd like to talk about our core businesses, which are civil aero engines, space, and defense. A range of end products are arranged in the most outer part of the radial pattern. In the second outer part in the radial pattern show IHI's products, including civil aero engines and defense engines, which are used and applied in helicopters, fighter jets, and so forth in the most outer part. IHI's strength in this business domain lies not in a group of products in the outer part, but rather in propulsion, the core technology at the center. For instance, in the space area, turbopumps, which are propulsion for liquid fuel rockets, and solid fuel rockets. In the engine or aero engine area, civil aero engines and defense engines and jet engines for helicopter, which are all based on propulsion technology.
For undersea, we are promoting development of unmanned undersea vehicles. In this respect, IHI is doing businesses comprehensively covering space through undersea, using propulsion at the core technology. We will capitalize on this strength while pursuing growth businesses going forward. Technologies that help to enhance propulsion, such as lightweight technologies, hydrogen propulsion technologies, and material technologies at the center of the radial pattern, are essential and indispensable technologies to further bolster IHI's strengths. Even in a project where IHI is not necessarily a prime contractor, we are able to develop, manufacture, and supply core components, which require high technological capabilities, to prime contractors. That's how I view IHI's role in these growth businesses. Please turn to the next page. You will find an overview of the growth businesses with some specific numbers. The graph on the left is showing sales and OP margin.
The pie chart on the right is showing the sales breakdown of the three gross businesses. As you see, both sales and profit margin are much higher now compared to the pre-pandemic level, which is proving the growth we have been able to achieve, and we believe that the businesses can keep growing even in the future. Here, please be reminded that the expectations we have for fiscal year 2025 are just for your reference. Since these are the expectations we have had under the Group Management Plan 2023, meaning depending on various situations, including foreign currency exchange, we may need to revisit the expectations. Please turn to page 13. Here is the business portfolio image we have for the gross businesses in a mid to longer-term perspective. Till 2030, we believe civil aero engine business and defense businesses are continuously going to be the growth drivers.
We will surely keep growing the civil aero engine business by fully capturing the opportunities when the market keeps growing. I will come back to the defense business later. As for the civil aero engine business, on a long-term perspective, we will promote development, focusing on lighter-weight technologies, higher efficiencies, and electrification technologies. We'd like to make sure that our development activities will lead us to build future civil aero engine business and let us keep expanding the business. As for the defense business, one of the potential opportunities is to expand the business through the transfer of defense equipment overseas. We are also aiming to grow space business significantly in the year 2030 onward. Next page, please. On this page, we are sharing the future direction we have to further grow our business in the future.
If you look at the middle with blue color, you will find IHI Group's business structure. In the center, we have the R&D and engineering in the very middle, which is the point of source and creating the value chain. The flow above represents the supply chain, including material production and parts matching, and the flow below represents the lifecycle businesses, including manufacturing, spare parts, maintenance and repair, and operational support. IHI Group has been promoting our businesses centering around these two flows till now. IHI Group has been leveraging the manufacturing base and engineering base and, by doing so, has been able to expand from the domestic defense business into the civil global business, which has enabled IHI Group to achieve a significant growth in its history. And now, to achieve mid to longer-term growth, IHI Group is aiming to do the same with the opposite direction.
As you can see on the right-hand side, there are global civil aero engine joint businesses IHI Group is promoting, whose experiences can be leveraged to promote the defense business on a global basis, which will enable IHI Group to cooperate with the Japanese government in national security policy. On the left, you will find dual use. As mentioned earlier, IHI Group has been cultivating businesses through dual use in defense and civil sectors. Specific examples should include forest management on the civilian side and multi-domain surveillance systems on the defense side, both supplying satellite data. Another example is satellite launch on the civilian side and rocket motors on the defense side, as you see below. IHI Group is aiming to cultivate business through that dual use in defense and civil sectors continuously in the future. Next page, civil aero engines.
This page is illustrating the image of our future growth. As you know, the strengths IHI Group has is the fact IHI Group is participating in development and mass production of all classes of engines, ranging from small-size engines to ultra-large-size engines. As the airline demand keeps growing in the future, engine main unit sales will continuously keep increasing in the future, and accordingly, we believe highly profitable aftermarket-related sales should grow as well. Next page. Talking about the national defense business in the future, following the government's policy to radically strengthen the national defense capability, the government's program to develop defense capability has expanded significantly. As you see on the left, the defense budget has been increased significantly.
As you see in the middle, the government has identified the seven priority programs to fundamental reinforcement of Japan's defense capabilities, out of which the ones IHI Group can leverage its expertise are highlighted in the dotted line box. They are stand-off defense capabilities, integrated air and missile defense capabilities, and unmanned defense capabilities. IHI Group is aiming to expand its businesses by leveraging the technological strengths in these areas. Next page, please. In light of defense budget growth and institutional reforms, IHI Group is aiming to expand its sales and secure appropriate earnings. As briefly mentioned earlier, defense industry policy does include an initiative to improve the margin.
While making sure our quality, cost, and delivery time management, which are the strengths IHI Group has, are going to be highly evaluated by the government as a result of the group's internal effort, we believe they will allow us to enjoy a maximum 10% base margin, and also cost fluctuating impact, which is out of the corporate control, should be taken into consideration, which may add a 1%-5% adjustment rate depending on the contract period. All in all, IHI Group is aiming to generate JPY 250 billion level sales by 2030, growing from the current JPY 100 billion sales, and achieve a 10% margin by that time. Next page, please. Let me finally touch upon the next-generation fighter aircraft. IHI Group will play a vital role in developing engines and contribute to strengthening Japan's defense capability and international cooperation.
Through this business, as briefly mentioned earlier, we are aiming to develop talents who can be successful in the global business market and/or develop engines with advanced technologies. And by doing so, we are aiming to contribute to industry development in Japan, which will enable our dual-use technologies to further develop. And by leveraging the technologies in the private sector, we should be able to expand into new businesses as well. Next page, please. Development-focused businesses. At this moment, the main focus is the ammonia business. Let me briefly explain. On this page, the graph shows the global ammonia demand forecast. Now, I believe, finally, people are aware that ammonia can be used as fuel. The new business is expected to pick up starting from the late 2020s.
The forecast says ammonia demand will be approximately 700,000,000 tons by 2050, which is more than triple compared to what it is today. Next page, please. Under such an environment, IHI Group has been one of the first to focus on ammonia as a carbon-free fuel, as we have been discussing from before. While focusing on its utilization, we have been promoting ammonia receiving and storage and production technology development. While leveraging IHI Group's strengths, we will get involved with the whole value chain, ranging from production to utilization. We will get involved by promoting the businesses. Now, we are already working on these together with various corporations and institutions. We are aiming to make a steady step forward while making investments to commercialize these businesses in 2030 or later. Next page, please.
This page explains a lot about the progress with fuel ammonia value chain businesses, which we have been explaining in various occasions from before. The information includes IHI Group's initiatives related to production, utilization, and storage and shipping of ammonia. For all of these initiatives, global partnerships are necessary, which we would like to maintain in the future. Lastly, let me briefly touch upon looking beyond Group Management Policies 2023. Please turn to page 24. IHI Group, as mentioned earlier, has been working on fuel ammonia value chain. We are aiming to leverage the value chain as a pillar and promote our businesses centering around this pillar. On this page, you will find our future policies beyond the ongoing mid-term management policies. We are aiming to have this kind of view in promoting our business in the future. IHI Group's source of value is technologies.
In our history, we have had various technologies, some of which are technologies you may find anywhere, and some other technologies have strong edges. We have been using technologies not only on a standalone basis but by combining or integrating multiple technologies. Till now, IHI Group tended to provide these technologies into the market in the form of products, but we should focus more on the value itself from now on. In addition, we should be aiming to connect the value provided by IHI Group with the value sought by the customers. We should always pay attention to the value IHI Group is aiming to provide and aim to connect them. That is our view now. Although value chain is just an example, IHI Group is aiming to be a company creating the value chain. This will conclude the presentation on the management overview.