My name is Kato. I'll talk about the overview of the financial results, as well as the outlook for the March end of 2027. First of all, the consolidated financial results. This is the three points in the financial results digest highlights. EPS has increased by 11% to JPY 158.4. ROE is 11.6%. ROIC is 4%. Three indices have been all achieved its targets. In a consolidated operating profit, 13% increase to become JPY 50.2 billion. It is an increase in five consecutive quarters and achieved its target. In segment retail, JPY 2.3 billion increase of the profit. Fintech, JPY 3 billion increase and achieved the targets. Also the 7% increase in JPY 28.5 billion in the current profits and achieved by JPY 500 million to achieve its set plan targets. Financial, 11.6% in ROIC and ROE is 11.6%, exceeding the shareholder equity cost, ROIC exceeding the WACC.
This is the final group, and total sales has a record high, JPY 5.7 billion increase by the previous quarter, JPY 52.2 billion in operating profits, and also JPY 1.9 billion exceeded to become JPY 28.5 billion. The operating profits, current profits also achieved its targets, and the JPY 3 billion increase due to the non-operating expenses, however, the current profits increased by 7%. Extraordinary profits in accordance with the impairment of equity, as well as some of the loss due to the closure of the store. This current profits are 7% increase to achieve JPY 28.5 billion. In the FinTech preference, this is the revenue profit and operating expense profits. Retail operating profits has increased to become JPY 11.2 billion. FinTech operating profits is a record high, JPY 47 billion, for both segments achieved increase the profits.
The retail plus JPY 2.6 billion in FinTech plus JPY 6.8 billion in total expenses plus JPY 100 million, excluding special factors, that is a JPY 9.5 billion increase of profits. Tenant revenue has increased, and as increased, the expense has increased. That is the achieved the JPY 11.2 billion for the rents and the expenses that those proportional rent has increased. This is the transaction volume in the 44 months has increased the previous year, and it is a higher level than the total region department store. In the 111% compared to the previous year. In the tenant revenue segments, the minus JPY 500 million. Due to the variable rents, JPY 2.3 billion increase in the tenant revenue.
This is the card, this is due to the sales increase at the area, non-operating area has decreased, declined to 4,700 stores due to some of the withdrawal of our own store base. Compared 5% increase and now became 70%. As planned, the category has been increasing. The next is the fintech situations. In the fintech, this is the breakdown of the operating profits. This is due to the change of the revolving and installment payments, the JPY 6.8 billion increase in fintech, this is including the special factors, it is a JPY 3 billion increase. The card credit. This is the card and credit card, in the 10% increase, 1.2, this is a JPY 1.2 trillion. This is a record high. This is the merchant commission rate.
This merchant commission rate, due to the revision of the foreign exchange rate fees, they have increased by 32%. This is the revolving and installment payments in that March ending, and the JPY 473.2 billion expanded. This increase, this is if looking at the industry compared to the March, the 1.1 times in 2020 March, but now it is 1.7 times that we are the case compared to the other peers in the industry. This is the commission fee revenue due to the revision of the fees since October, has expanded to JPY 69 billion, which is a JPY 9.4 billion increase. Next is the new memberships in the 2026 March in the entire new card issuance is still not going, but then card supporting the Suica has increased, and increased by 50,000 to achieve the 870,000 peoplemembers.
These are card numbers of membership is the record high JPY 8.3 million. The Suki supporting card members are 1.38 million people. The Platinum Card and Gold Card, the added percentage including that is a ratio is 64%. This is the decline in the repayment of the profits, the repayment of the yield and interest, and so the JPY 1.5 billion has been placed as a provisions for the loss of the repayment of that.
This is the total asset with the account receivable increase compared to last year end, JPY 87.9 billion increase of JPY 1.1413 trillion. Equity ratio compared to last year end, less by 2%, so 21.4%. In terms of the capital allocation, the basic cash flow will be 2.6, borrowing 4.5, 1.8 for growth, and then dividend 21.4, and then the share buyback 7.7. Also, in terms of the human resource investment, 9.7. Total investment is 27.7. ESG situation. The main external valuation, METI Nadeshiko Brand, we were the first nine years in a row selection. Other health-related management, we are the first for retail. We are selected for the last nine years consecutively. In terms of the renewable energy 100%, we have our own solar generation from 2027. We will be improving by 97% for this year, and then we didn't have our own generator during the Ukraine crisis.
Our electricity bill went up by 30%, 27 March. Even with the Middle East crisis, with the tenants included, we will be +17% rise. It's half of the Ukraine crisis. In terms of the outlook for March 27, EPS 4% growth, JPY 16.4 billion ROE 11.8% will be higher than previous year. Group total will be 9% increase, JPY 5.9 trillion, operating profit 10% increase to JPY 55 billion, net income will be 4% increase to JPY 9.5 billion. In terms of the ordinary profit, with the interest rate going, we have -JPY 34, we have the operating profit, some 3% increase of the ordinary profit, JPY 44 billion. By segment, this is the operating profit. Retail 3% increase, JPY 11.5 billion. FinTech 8% increase, JPY 51 billion. The retail segment operating profit, plus and minuses, tenant income and event will be expanding.
In terms of the other utility costs, we have increase of JPY 800 million. Lessening of the real estate increase, they will be down of JPY 500 billion, still we will have a JPY 300 million or so operating profit. For FinTech, with the expansion, the merchant fees and the installment and repayment fee changes, actual operating profit will be JPY 3.5 billion. Because of the interest repayment loss that we accounted for last year, there will be JPY 4 billion for the operating profit. Per head dividend. DOE 10%, we will maintain for March 27. It will increase by JPY 300 to JPY 134. We are increasing for the last 15 terms. That's all from me. Thank you so much. We would like to have direction for SUKI business. Our CEO, Mr. Aoi, will present.
This is Aoi.
I would like to talk about the business supporting SUKI and going forward. We have the vision of the economy that is driven by SUKI, so we have the business that is supporting SUKI. The business that supports SUKI through SUKI, it's consuming something for somebody and society through SUKI is what we want to do the impact to society. We are using our benefit to launch into new businesses and evolve into the new businesses. First, we will do the businesses to support SUKI. We, up to now, Retail FinTech, we have the co-creation investment with the trilogy. We will putting SUKI in the center, we would evolve all of the three aspects. First, retail. In retail, we have event goods, cards, SUKI support unit will be the main ones.
Store management operation, we have events to support EV, then our own private brand expertise goods will be utilized. Our unique feature, we will continue to draw more card membership through our services. The unit that supports SUKI, we are able to change our way of managing stores as well as opening our policies. Yokohama, where we closed in February, we have a unit specializing in SUKI to reopen. Yokohama membership, 70% are coming to the SUKI events. Through this change, 1/45th of the area then 1/10th of the staff, we are able to make sure that we are drawing more membership, it's much more efficient sales. Especially efficient operation, we have other different types of outlets. In Osaka, after Namba Marui, we have our second store that is supporting SUKI.
If the operation unit succeeds, then we can make the asset of the store efficient so that we will be more of an asset-like business. Next, we will talk about fintech. Up to now, Gold Card was drawing the growth and driving growth. By adding the Suki Supporting Card, we can grow in new areas. Up to now, becoming a general card to Gold Card, we are seeing more usage, and then people are using their Gold Card as their main card, and there will be more usage. It's a 2-stage approach for our royal customer. Royal customer is simple for the Gold Card, but it's very effective. The last 20 years, we have had 19% increase every year, which is a very high growth. March 26th, also, in terms of how it be traded, 75% increase was from the Gold Card. As you can see, absolute Gold Card.
EPOS Card, we think there is potential that we can draw from. This diagram I would like to use. This is the royal customer outline by Gold Card in numbers. The new member, 100. Of that, 45% of our customers' invitations are sent out for a Gold Card. Of that, 20% of the customers switch to Gold Card. Of that, 15% of them make it our main card, so therefore they become a true royal customer. Those customers who do not apply to the invitation, or even if they become a Gold Card, they don't use it as a main card, there are 5% of those. Total, 30% of those. Meaning that the loyal customers, 15%, double that, 30% is still left behind. That's our great potential.
Utilizing the Suki Supporting Card mission, we would like to take all of these 30% customers into our royal customer path. To do so, the core competence, we would like to co-create trust.
For that purpose, we will practice co-creation of the trust, which is a core competence. The founder expressed the trust is something not given to the customer, but rather, trust is to be co-created with the customer. Gold Card is relatively closer to the trust that we give to the customer, but the Suki Supporting Card is the co-creating the trust and loyal customer creation will be proceeded. Here, the important point is the customers, the self-confidence, and self-positive attitude to other oneself in regards to the management of money. Japanese people, in general, has the less knowledge about the finances, and their self-confidence is quite low in terms of financial management. Therefore, some customers feel, "I'm not really good enough to have the Gold Card." Therefore, they would hesitate to switch to the Gold Card, and they would not use Gold Card.
That is about 30% of the customers, as I just explained. By the Suki Supporting Card, for them to become our loyal customers. More specifically, until 1970s, since inception in Marui store, we had the communication with the customers face-to-face, which we have done in our stores. In application, AI technology we utilized to be reproduced again, such customer interaction. Based on that, to support the customers' self-confidence by providing the appropriate feedback at the appropriate timing. This communication with the customers, that is the trust, is something that is not just given, but also the customers themselves would grow that confidence and to gain the trust. That they, as a result of the one's trust to be grown and credit to be grown, each customer, they would eventually become a loyal customer. That is a business to be supported.
The Suki Supporting Card, the co-creation of the trust in the volume of JPY 1.5 trillion-JPY 2 trillion will be the increase of the revenue. If the invitation standard is not reached in those 55%, those are the other company's credit cards are used as a main card. By recommending Suki Supporting Card, we would promote the switching and churning to the main card to become use ours. In the pet card, 10% of the members are EPOS Gold Card are switch from EPOS Gold Card. Among new members, the other company's main card, there are certain numbers of customers who will switch from other company's main card to our card. Those Suki Supporting Card, other than just a status that you can buy paying money, but also represented in the love for their pets.
This is the priceless SUKI, or like, or love, is valued as very important for the customer. Through this card, supporting SUKI, or their individual interests, that has been those 55% of the customers now are recommending them to switch to our cards for them to become our loyal customers. In 2031, 15% of the customers will become loyal customers by 2031. Therefore, the transaction volume should reach an increase of the JPY 300 billion to JPY 500 billion. By March ending in 2031, in main card ratio increase from 23% to 35%. The group transaction volume to reach JPY 10 trillion is our target. This is the fusion of retail and fintech, and now the card membership to be collected, and the loyal customers will be combining retail and fintech so that we can support the long-lasting customer journey.
Not just the event for to get our members, but also the Suki Supporting Card. We provide the experiences. This is linked with the lifestyle application. The event can be reserved, and this is a service for the members, and this is implemented. The customers like SUKI-based event announcement as well as the preferred reservation and invitation can be used at their benefits. These goods are sales in charge of the retails. The goods provided for the members are differently resourced from the person in charge. Now we're going to merge the two by having the more unique own goods as well as through the sales is also monetize our sales, and also to the original benefits provided to our card members as well, and as a cost. The retail and card will be combined to be fused.
Initial cost will be hedged by the revenues in retails, and also the initial red ink can be recovered to achieve over the lifetime, achieving the business model and the profits. The need and co-sales and FinTech to be fused together so that we can achieve this effect by the joint cost sharing, and so that we can increase our profit ratio. Startup collaboration to be increased, and co-creation has been reduced in the recent years due to the review on collaboration policy. In the future from now on, we'll be supporting the business, supporting the SUKI, and also conversion IP and contents. Those non-tangible assets investment will be done to promote further collaboration. Next is the DX strategy, digital transformation strategy supporting SUKI.
This is a communication, a more tailored, personalized communication to promote the creation of the trust, and also data to be utilized and AI to be utilized, and so that they can achieve marketing. Events and goods are linked. The online and offline experiences can be combined together through the suki or likes, to support each individual happiness. This strategy is a professional resources in the DX area.
We didn't have much of the tech image before in Marui Group. Now thanks to the efforts by Mr. Tsuchiya, our CDXO, former Goodpatch, Marui Group Goodpatch president, and from April, University of Tokyo, Yutaka Matsuo, a research ex coming from that research lab, AI, Mr. Sugiyama, Executive Chief Technology Officer and Goodpatch also a joint venture, Muture, a UX design, special software development can be internally done in Marui in it, product development specialist, as well as key supporting unit, data utilization expert as well. The DX strategy will be further promoted by supporting the team. This is for the co-creation, as well as also how we should work in the future business development to be made. Most physically, since 2024, employees' own likes SUKI can be developed into business development and SUKI supporting business concours has been done.
240 employees in the past two years have applied in 152 plans, and their likes in the museums and art museums, the Museum Card, and support animal card has been commercialized. We have been expanding the participants to outside or to the public from 2026. Broadly idea has been collected first try, but out of 170 application, about 130 of them are from outside.
The breakdown, other companies and overseas people, university graduate students, and long-term intern people. The topic was space, Wajima lacquer, and philosophy. This is the day of the contest. Various types of SUKI is presented and support from the audience. It was very much a big hype. Through this place of co-create, Marui Group strength and the SUKI of individuals can be merged together to have very diversified SUKI. For this business, we will have various employment as well as mid-term hire, as well as contracts, as well as long-term internship. We will have a work style based on project. In that case, company will not be a box where they will split the external, internal. It will be a more free place where people can come and go as well as utilizing their expertise.
Using this co-create place, we would like to create a way of working so that we can get excellent talent from around the globe so that we can evolve into a company that supports SUKI. The new structure for our board for the last 12 years, External Director Okajima-san is going to be retiring this year. The new External Director, Mitarai-san, is from the McKinsey & Company, as well as has been a fellow for the Kingdom of Bhutan, and right now is the President for the Kesennuma Knitting. A management that has both impact and profit at its core. Also our director is changing. Kato and Kojima are retiring, and the new candidate for the director is the Senior Managing Executive Officer, EPOS President Aida, and also the Senior Manager Corporate Planning, Endo.
We have a director that we will increase from Goodpatch President, the CDXO Senior Officer Tsuchiya will be recommended. In the June general meeting of shareholders needs to approve these new members. We would like to expand as well as make sure we can have a switch of generations for March 2031. We will make sure we all achieve our target. That's all I had for you. Thank you. Thank you for your time.
Let's move on to Q&A. The first question, SBI, Otsuka-san, please.
This is Otsuka from SBI. Do you hear me? Yes. Thank you. Two questions to Mr. Aoi. One by one. Is that okay? Yes, that's fine. First question. Today, you talked about in terms of the trust, page 56. After 56, you have mentioned some of these engagements, which is very interesting for me.
You want to elaborate on this for 56? Of course, as you mentioned, especially financial services in terms of credit is providing for, so the financial institutions normally think in that approach. In terms of co-create idea, it's a differentiator for you, I'm sure. The question is, for the differentiation, how would you like to bring it into more solid? For instance, as you said, Suki support, Suki support card, then that will be something that you can benefit. Like you commented, the 30% of the people who are still not necessarily have no Suki support card or no plan that they can relate to the digital communication that you will be using as a tool. Not necessarily, you are not able to hook these audiences, and they may not feel the attraction to what you are providing. Strategy going forward. That's first question.
One by one. Thank you. Thank you for the question. In terms of trust co-creation, to be more specific and how to make it more possible. If I make it very short, thus before, from starting of our business late 1970s, we said, especially 1960s or '70s, it's hard to imagine from today. At the very top of the floor of our store, we had a payment counter. Every month, customers would come to make their payment to us, our employees face-to-face would receive that payment for the repayment. Actually, there is a lot of dialogue going on. For instance, every time when they make payment, we say, "Thank you," and there's a conversation.
For instance, after they finish their 10-time payment, you're done with 10-time, not just saying thank you and expressing appreciation, we say, "This is just a token of our appreciation." We will give them a gift. We used to then. Those customers still treasure those gifts today. It's putting our appreciation into the gift from the customer. Limited income, whether they were able to pay the whole 10 times, they are so relieved that they were able to pay up all the installments and to be thanked for that. Having it in the form of a gift, it means that they were able to build up their credit, their trust. It's a psychological benefit that they can be positive about what they've done later, we analyzed. Those customers, there's quite a lot who are happy with themselves. Our trust co-creation credit cards business.
Customers, we want to be very sympathetic to how they feel. These are the expertise we have in our company. Unfortunately, in terms of the storefront communication going away, but our idea, our communication with customer is getting less. We want to revive that kind of relationship, is what I explained to you. For instance, today, lifestyle app, we have to engage with customer or communicate with customer every month, the closing date. What kind of communication today? We will close soon. Are you okay? If you want to do a change to the revolving type of payment, you can tell us when, and we can change it to a lesser amount and then make it in a new revolving.
The new payment date, we don't have any comment, but just if they are late to pay, there's a telephone or there's a short mail sent, and we ask them, "You need to pay us soon." For instance, we want to put our minds in the shoes of the customer. We should say thank you on the day they made the payment for that installment. We start there. If it's a 10-time payment installment, then we say, "This is done. You completed, so this is just our appreciation. If you don't mind, we can give them a Suki target gift," like a little stuffed animal or digital something, is the way so that we can recreate what was there in our history. Sorry, I'm getting long-winded, but how we can make this possible based on our history, the expertise. This is our core competence, actually. Others cannot copy.
Our own unique capability is how we appreciate this. We are able to sympathize with this kind of method. This inevitably is going to be the source of how we can deploy. What we said, the top-tier DX talent. DX/UX to recreate, we need dedicated professionals. Fortunately, we have some very capable people here who are working together with us. Together with these people, our staff are working with these talented people, professionals, to create the experience that other companies are not able to match. This is a new business that we work together with our customers, is the differentiation that we're looking for.
With the financial money lending agreement was contract was made, however, the customer received being told the thank you, by being able to do that is the very good factor to evolve further communication. If we have some data, I will let you know as well. More specifically, in the current Suki supporting business, what is the progress or any impact, effect that you're able to achieve from that business? From Miss Aoi's viewpoint, are there any favorable results? For example, Is there many situation where the employees themselves will be encouraged from that? Are there any positive achievement and positive aspect that you are able to achieve? In addition, what are the negative or somewhat not achieving expected results from the Suki supporting business?
In terms of positive things, as you just mentioned, with this Suki likes to be the good trigger. The employees who about 65%, very high percentage, and now that percentage is increasing. In addition to that, I'm very pleased with the fact that Suki Supporting Business Contest was held this March. For the first time, we have also opened it to outside the company as well. About close to 140 ideas, or close to 130 ideas come from outside the company. These ideas were proposed. Very good proposals were given, or very passionate proposals were given to us from outside the company. Those who have received, we want to commercialize and to put that into business as well.
These ideas can be collected from outside and can be used in our event and goods and cards by Marui, and combining with the existing business and Suki supporting business can be started one after another. That is what we are actually happening. That was the thing we have thought about, even though it was just started, but it is now seemed to provide better results. On the other hand, what is somewhat negative or not achieving yet was as your second question, the Suki supporting card to create that trust. The experts who can support this are participating, the Suki supporting card and business. The members are now there, players are now there, but then we further need to implement this and to realize such business. I think there is still some room for growth and there is still some conceptual stage.
We will need to make more efforts in this area to further make it grow. That's all. Thank you. Thank you very much for answering my question. Thank you very much for your good question. Thank you.
Thank you very much. We'd like to go into the next question. From Mizuho Securities, Takai-san, please.
This is Takai from Mizuho. Thank you very much for a very easy-to-understand presentation. Two questions. Number one, same with the first question, the Suki Supporting Card, how to expand that? You previously told us your card, your operating cost is very low, even that is very difficult for other peers to copy. One possibility, this sort of Suki Supporting Card, having this, it's not communicated properly, but people don't know the content very well. They're very vague. It's very, very difficult for them to use that card. People who are non-users, you want to expand it to non-users, you need to have more recognition, awareness. One of them is the Umeda, the new store that you are opening in Umeda, in Osaka.
So that you're more positive about your own self, kind of. Those message, you need to expand it to people who don't know you, or how would you like to go about expanding this? It's number 1. Thank you.
Thank you for the question. Yes. Suica support card, compared to before, has great opportunity. The opportunity lies in large way to improve awareness for many people to understand what we did before. Until we communicated, people didn't understand us. For instance, Suica support card, the original source. Before we had the engagement, the anime business that we used to be working, anime events, we would work together with in the card. Those sorts of credit cards working with anime. From 10 years back, we have been doing. Through that operation, we understood those anime contents fans, normally in social media, X, every day, they have frequent communications within the community. Within the community, we would send a message to this community, then that becomes a big hype within the community. It gets transmitted by them also, by the community.
Communicating to the fan community, the speed, the scope, compared to before, it's easier for us to get in touch with this group. Using social media, the fan community is already established. We can notify them. The fans actually can communicate to their peers, is how we are able to communicate. Using SUKI as the core, we are getting a big benefit advantage through this. Of course, we will continue to communicate and introduce people to these sorts of cards aggressively.
cost and without us putting too much effort. The fan themselves are able to communicate. That structure already exists for us. That is our businesses that we are very appreciative of in the nature of it.
Thank you. That is why the business concours that is also open to the public, that is very good, including those aspects. Those ideas can be collected more broadly from the audience, you can increase and you can grow the community. This will be naturally expanding from those efforts. Is that correct? Yes, that is correct. That is what we are thinking. Yes. Thank you.
My second question, in the new organization you mentioned, could you please let me know. There are new members, are also wonderful. You're also including the young employees and as well as the external directors. Compared to before, I think you have the younger generation working more, and those who are knowledgeable in the business has been the new members of the board of directors meeting.
How do you want to evolve your board of director meeting? That is my second question.
Thank you for your question. Okajima-san has been working for a long time to increase our corporate value, company value. Okajima-san has joined 12 years ago. At that time, the share price was JPY 1,000. Now our equity price is three times more, JPY 3,000 level today. After 12 years of his assignment, now he is retiring from that position, and the successor is Mitarai-san. Mitarai-san also had been introduced from Okajima-san. Mitarai-san, they have worked in McKinsey & Company before. Both of them have worked in the company before. Mitarai-san, and also in the Great East Japan earthquake, Mitarai-san was the Bhutan Royal Government Prime Minister fellow. Then she is doing the social business, quite successful, called Kesennuma Knitting. This is a social enterprise she's been working.
Now she's be joining us, as an external representative director, that is a director, that we can increase our corporate value. In case our internal director, we have increasing internal directors. This is from Goodpatch, our representative director, Mr. Tsuchiya. He is already Executive Officer, CDXO, and digital transformation officer. Mr. Tsuchiya had been the non-permanent officer. Now thinking about the future directors within the board, we do need a person knowledgeable about digital and technology. That is what we felt we need such an individual talent. That is why, as we have discussed internally in a board meeting, we decided to invite, this timing, we want to ask Mr. Tsuchiya to become our internal director at this time. The other person is currently the President of Epos Card, Mr. Aida. He is the Managing Executive Officer and CDO.
He had worked in the corporate planning, as well as in putting the new stores in Hakata. He was also the founding member of that store. Both in the credit card, as well as the retail. Mr. Ida is very knowledgeable about business. He has done the operation of the company as well as for the business. As Mr. Ida, we like to ask Ida-san to become the internal director. Ms. Endo, she would be the youngest, but she is in charge of the IR, and also she is a corporate planning director, so FP&A. She is very knowledgeable about figures and numbers, and also she is very experienced and knowledgeable in the business management area as well.
Mr. Kato is the CFO, but Ms. Endo is a future potential human resource to succeed Mr. Kato in the future. Mitarai-san, Endo-san are females. With these two individuals, the average age of the board of director members would become younger, which is toward the 2030. We will be trying to get more younger members included in our business management as well as the board of director meeting members, and that is what we are trying to do.
Thank you. Thank you for your answer
Thank you very much. Next question, please. Okasan Securities. Kanamori-san, please.
Do you hear me?
Yes, we hear you fine.
Kato-san, FinTech business, I need to confirm. That's the reason for my question. Up to now, in the material you used to put in terms of the loss, and then changes in the fee commission impact. Usually, you would put it into the material. I was not able to find it myself in terms of 26 March, the original Q3. At the end of the day, the actual, what is the situation? I would like to know. 27 March. For the first part, the positive of the fee change, commission change. The original plan, raising the fee, the operating profit benefit 26 March, JPY 4.8 billion. 27 March, JPY 12 billion would be the number. 26, three. It's going to be a plus JPY 7 billion.
However, in terms of you have a lot of the depreciation by quarter, you are trying to fatten out. In terms of the plan, 27 March, the number outlook. How do you have the plan laid out? Yes. I would like to respond to that. First, the 26 March results. Up to now, in terms of installment change fee, JPY 4.8 billion. They assumed that transaction is not going to change to. It went by JPY 0.2 billion, so it's JPY 5 billion instead of JPY 4.8 billion. 27 March, what we said, no change in the numbers. It will be all benefit of the fee. We won't do this in this fiscal year, going forward, all the expense costs structurally will be readdressed. Annually, in terms of the credit liquidation, we want to make it negative. Asset securitization, we want to make it negative for the quarter.
We want to make sure it doesn't go up and down too much. That's a specific area that we want to be more specific about. Kato-san, by quarter, this chart I used to receive. You're not going to make that available? Previously, when we closed for the Q1 this year also, after Q1, we should be able to give you a better plan outline that we can share. Okay, understand. Another confirmation is the year that closed, Q3 cumulative performance. It was an upside with FinTech? Yes. Q4, the upside is getting more extra. Strategic cost is going to be put into Q4, I believe. In reality, value, how much did you account for here? 27 March, the strategic cost expense. What's your direction? Please comment to the extent that you can comment today.
Strategic expense, we wanted to use. As we said, interest repayment that we had account for was more than expected. As a result, we couldn't build on it. Rather, we accounted for some of the loss, so we put JPY 1.5 for the interest repayment. We were able to, for this year, the revolving changes in the fees for digitalization. For the app development cost, we want to account for more so that we didn't have any bad debt. We want to have a database build-up. We want to spend more, is what we wanted to do. We wanted to lessen ourself with the bad debt.
Thank you very much. Now we'd like to invite the next question from Daiwa Securities. Shigeoka, please.
From there. My name is Shigeoka from Daiwa Securities. Thank you for explanation. I have three questions. First question is on the fintech, also relates to that fintech issue. You mentioned about the expense increase in fintech, in the slide of the factors of increase, JPY 16.1 billion expense has increased compared to the previous year. That is some of the factor for the reduced profits. Compared to the last year's situation, the sales linked, the point expense portion seem to be quite large. What do you think? Sales promotion expense, are you planning to maybe increasing the sales promotion expenses? I'd like to know the background. Thank you for your question. For the March ending 2026, we have the points. That is, we have provided more.
The service has been reduced from the previous year, therefore, not that much difference in the last year. This year, this go back to the usual situation. This is the expense increase. The March 2026 is actually smaller. In the sales promotion expense, as I mentioned before, the future application enhancement and data to build more databases, we would need more expenses for the future investment. That is why we have increased expenses. What about the system expense? Is also JPY 700 million increase. Is that also that is related to that? That is for the renewal of the servers we plan to do. I see, understand. Thank you. My second question is about loyal customers. For the Gold Card to be promoted, I understand that you're promoting the Gold Card and Suica supporting cards, it's been added as well.
In which one do you focus on the two? Is that the customer is going to choose as a main card, as a Gold Card? If it's not both of the Gold Card and Suica supporting card, when there's a customer change from Suica supporting cards to switching to Gold Card, the card phase will become changed as well. What do you think?
Let me answer that question. For the Gold Card and Suica supporting card, those two, in the past, we only had Gold, but now we have the new card. The Suica supporting card is newer, and we have done discussion, how do we support, how do we subsidize these two cards? The difference from the Gold Card, they can become loyal customer. That is the difference from the Gold Card.
For example, of course, there are some contrasting idea, concept will be Suica Gold Card, we don't have that now, that idea. I do remember the numbers in those table. Those who have not been able to get them as our loyal customers, because they feel more anxious, and they have less self-confidence. Now these cards can also address those type of individuals to become loyal customers. As today, Gold Card plus alpha is this Suica supporting cards. In both, this is like a two wheels of a vehicle that promote more and more numbers of the loyal customers. In case of loyal card, the number had to be changed due to the Visa guidelines and rules. The Suica Gold Card, they can use the same number in the card.
That improvement is also can be done in the Suica support card so that you can co-create the trust together. We provide the benefits as well as experiences for the Suica support card members, and there's a bonus point for the Gold Card and the lounge use at the airport for the Gold Card. That's the difference from such general one, like a Gold Card benefits. That is the Suica supporting cards has a unique benefits and reward and benefits. We made our own, Marui's own unique rewards and benefits for Suica support card, so that this can further also link to these retail sales and combined with the credit cards. In that sense, profit ratio margin can be further increased to achieve more loyal customers. That is our future stance. Thank you very much. Not everybody Gold Card, Suica support card.
Hopefully, they become main card is how you want to drive them. Yes. The 10% people who receive Gold Card are very happy, and they would use it as their main card. People are very happy. I met with many people who said so, but some of them feel that Gold Card is too much for them. Both customers, the 20% are happy, we want both of them also to be happy. Thank you very much. Last, number three. In terms of the share buyback in your material, after 26 for the capital appropriate, JPY 30 billion. The timing you didn't say. After 26 was what was written. No change in your idea? If there's any update, please. I should answer, that idea has not changed.
In terms of the capital allocation, 31 March, if we can build on the profit, the retail capital will be too large, JPY 30 billion or so we want to do share buyback was the plan. However, retail FinTech, only when the profit rises, we will have too much capital. As of today, not yet. In the midterm plan, second better half of the midterm plan, we would do it. That itself, no change in the direction. Thank you very much. That's all from me.
Thank you very much. It's already past our time. We'll have two more questions.
SMBC Nikko Securities, Kanamori-san, please. My name is Kanamori from Nikko Securities. I just want to focus on two questions. First question. In this performance results in this quarter, FinTech KPI, full year results is also included.
Per capita, the loan balance, JPY 1,000 decline on loan balance, and also revolving, and from the second quarter, year-over-year, there's a declining trend on year. In the fourth quarter, revolving payments compared to the first and second quarter, in the first and second quarter, there was a double-digit number. In the fourth quarter, that was reduced to 6.7%. That is some of the concern I have for the FinTech business surrounding environment. That is my first question on your FinTech business.
Let me answer your question. In the fourth quarter, the installment and revolving payments, that is due to the macro factors in December. It has been expanding from December, and also the deduction of the government has been started from the fourth quarter. Similar situation is happening in other companies as well.
That's why from the first quarter, there's some declining trend, but that is just slightly, so that we will not worry about it so much. My second question, in the flowchart, FinTech part, Shigeoka-san has asked, and maybe did not mention, the guarantee, JPY 1.3 billion for the rent guarantee. What is the background of that reduced profits of JPY 1.3 billion? Debt is the JPY 1 billion profit declining, and this will be reduced in future. I think you are also looking at the amortization of that. The sales proceeds, can you divide them into the sales proceeds? Between the difference or gaps between the current profits versus the operating profits, the 11 points has expanded, the profit expanding in the JPY 3.4 billion, this red ink has been expanding in the profits.
Is it due to the payment of the interest rate, or I'd like to know your plan, your ideas. Let me answer your first half of the question you just mentioned. For the guarantee of the rent, this is non-proportional to the volume of transaction. This is for the revenues. This is a part of most of the service revenue of the JPY 1 billion profits should be generated because of that. For the liquidation of the debt, or the credits, that we have seen amortization. Amortization of the credit will be continued. Also sales proceeds should happening in the minus JPY 1 billion, that level that we can control. The operating profit is JPY 3.5 billion, so we can reduce this liquidation portion of that, which I will explain more in detail in the first quarter explanation.
You also mentioned about the current profits is minus JPY 3.4 billion. That is impacted from the interest rate impact, mostly coming from the interest rate. I understand the answer. Thank you very much.
Thank you very much. There will be one more question. Nomura Securities, Kaku-san, please.
This is Kaku from Nomura Securities. Thank you for your time. Since you don't have time, I have two questions. The credit securitization. The level change, interest hike, how is that going to impact? How would that impact your profit? Minus JPY 1 billion year-on-year, you said, is what you said in terms of the liquidation of receivables. JPY 2.7 billion. JPY 10 billion for this year, mid JPY 10 billion after fiscal year, if you're going to reduce. The leverage idea, if you have any, in terms of liquidation with the interest environment. The housing loan liquidation, you would stop. You are doing a lot of the revolving, where you are talking about the revolving. If you can talk about that, please.
I would like to answer that.
First of all, the initial liquidation interest going up. The interest for lending, we are raising, so it's not an issue. Going forward, what do we do? In terms of the interest hike annually, JPY 12 billion we have benefit from last year and this year, interest hike JPY 7.7 billion impact. We have another JPY 3 billion to JPY 4 billion to go. We will hedge to do the liquidation. As a result of that, the total loss, we do not want to impact is what we think. Did that answer the question? Thank you very much. Next question about Suica and Platinum Card is my question. Increase of this card and the breakdown. Unit price going up could impact your financial numbers. Do you have anything that you foresee? Fourth year after membership, fee jumps up high. 2023 March, Suica-centric card is increasing for you.
Going forward, the financial numbers, how will it be impacted? If you have any idea. Yes, I'll answer that. First, from membership. Second, third year, the unit price goes up. As I said before, this year, 870,000 people, 50,000 increase. This year, we will challenge the same level. Industry overall, new membership is lessening. We are able to grow the membership so we can do a good job. Suica support card and Gold Platinum. With the new membership, naturally, the Gold and higher will go up. The Suica card, the unit price is higher. They are young people, so they are using the installation revolving. After next year, the installation revolving will continue to build up, we think from next year onwards.
Thank you very much. Thank you very much. We'd like to close the Q&A.
26 March, we would like to close the presentation for this fiscal year.