FoodNarrow moat

ITOCHU (8001) — moat facet

Food is ITOCHU's largest line of revenue and one of its thinnest margins.

Food earned ¥66.3 billion in the year to March 2024, ¥85.1 billion in 2025 and ¥92.1 billion in 202612. Its revenue of ¥5,134.2 billion is the largest of any division3, at a margin of about 1.8%4, and its assets of ¥2,403.4 billion earned about 3.8%5.

Food net profit (¥ bn, years to March)66.3202485.1202592.12026115.52027 plan (withFamilyMart share)ITOCHU results, FIR 2025 and first-quarter summary
Growth, and a plan boosted by the FamilyMart reallocation.

It has three parts: provisions, which earned ¥41.8 billion; fresh food, ¥16.6 billion; and food products marketing and distribution, ¥33.6 billion6. NIPPON ACCESS contributed ¥23.8 billion, FUJI OIL ¥4.5 billion, HYLIFE ¥3.9 billion and Dole ¥2.8 billion7.

From the year to March 2027 the division carries 30% of FamilyMart's profit8; restated on that basis the latest year would have been ¥106.5 billion9. The plan for the current year is ¥115.5 billion10. The first quarter fell to ¥30.7 billion from ¥33.8 billion11.

The measure is the margin. Below 2% on the largest revenue line, small improvements matter; the first quarter's fall is the risk.

Moat trajectory: Holding steady

Profit grew for two years; the first quarter fell.

The number that tests this moat
Moat Explorer calc
Food division net margin
about 1.8% (¥92.1bn on ¥5,134.2bn)

The thinnest-margin, largest-revenue division.

How it's calculated: Arithmetic on figures reported in ITOCHU's financial statements, results decks and market data; operands shown in the source line.
Source: Moat Explorer calculation from ITOCHU's filings ↗
References
  1. ReportedFood earned ¥66.3 billion in the year to March 2024, ¥85.1 billion in 2025 and ¥92.1 billion in 2026.
    ITOCHU Corporation, Financial Information Report 2025 - segment information for the years to March 2025 and 2024, and the DESCENTE tender offer. — FY to March 2025 · publ. 2025 · source ↗
  2. ReportedFood earned ¥66.3 billion in the year to March 2024, ¥85.1 billion in 2025 and ¥92.1 billion in 2026.
    ITOCHU Corporation, Consolidated Financial Results for the year ended March 31, 2026 (IFRS) - statements of comprehensive income, financial position and cash flows, the segment information by eight division companies, the share split, dividends, the buyback plan and the forecast for the year to March 2027. — FY to March 2026 · publ. 1 May 2026 · source ↗
  3. ReportedIts revenue of ¥5,134.2 billion is the largest of any division, at a margin of about 1.8%, and its assets of ¥2,403.4 billion earned about 3.8%.
    ITOCHU Corporation, Consolidated Financial Results for the year ended March 31, 2026 (IFRS) - statements of comprehensive income, financial position and cash flows, the segment information by eight division companies, the share split, dividends, the buyback plan and the forecast for the year to March 2027. — FY to March 2026 · publ. 1 May 2026 · source ↗
  4. Moat Explorer calcIts revenue of ¥5,134.2 billion is the largest of any division, at a margin of about 1.8%, and its assets of ¥2,403.4 billion earned about 3.8%.
    Moat Explorer calculation from ITOCHU's reported figures. Trailing twelve months to June 2026: net profit 900.3 - 283.9 + 293.8 = 910.1; revenue 14,823.1 - 3,558.9 + 3,875.9 = 15,140.1; EPS 128.00 - 40.10 + 42.02 = 129.92. Market value at 24 September 2026: 6,993,053,267 shares x ¥2,220.5 = ¥15.53 trillion. P/E at March year-end: market value over net profit, e.g. 13,802 / 900.3 = 15.3 (2026), 6,090 / 820.3 = 7.4 (2022), 3,046 / 500.5 = 6.1 (2019). Non-resource share of profit: 774.7 / (774.7 + 133.3) = 85%. Segment net profit over segment assets, year to March 2026: Machinery 155.6 / 2,603.5 = 6.0%; Metals & Minerals 143.5 / 1,793.4 = 8.0%; ICT & Financial 93.0 / 1,577.2 = 5.9%; Food 92.1 / 2,403.4 = 3.8%; Energy & Chemicals 69.3 / 1,819.4 = 3.8%; General Products & Realty 60.8 / 1,628.7 = 3.7%; The 8th 45.0 / 2,197.3 = 2.0%; Textile 43.3 / 751.9 = 5.8%. Segment net margin on revenue: Food 92.1 / 5,134.2 = 1.8%; Energy & Chemicals 69.3 / 3,069.6 = 2.3%; Machinery 155.6 / 1,500.6 = 10.4%; Metals & Minerals 143.5 / 1,231.5 = 11.7%. Berkshire's market value over cost: 8,886 / 4,165 = 2.13 times; dividend on cost 181 / 4,165 = 4.3%. Self-tender: 82,735,750 x ¥1,813 = about ¥150.0 billion. Net profit growth since the year to March 2016: 900.3 / 240.4 = 3.7 times. Dividend growth: 42.0 / 10.0 = 4.2 times (split-adjusted). ROE spread over the company's cost of capital: 14.6 - 8 = 6.6 points. Equity growth: 6,590.0 / 5,755.1 = 1.15. Stake in DENTSU SOKEN at the tender price: ¥215.2 billion for 38%. ACG profit target over investment: ¥50 billion is the aerospace target, about ¥310 billion the ACG investment. Berkshire's stake at ¥2,220.5: 704,799,500 x 2,220.5 = about ¥1.565 trillion. ITOCHU over Marubeni net profit: 900.3 / 543.9 = 1.66. 8% hurdle on the CSN Mineração additional investment: 0.08 x 119.2 = 9.5. 8% hurdle on ¥215.2 billion: about ¥17.2 billion. — FY to March 2026 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in ITOCHU's financial statements, results decks and market data; operands shown in the source line.
  5. Moat Explorer calcIts revenue of ¥5,134.2 billion is the largest of any division, at a margin of about 1.8%, and its assets of ¥2,403.4 billion earned about 3.8%.
    Moat Explorer calculation from ITOCHU's reported figures. Trailing twelve months to June 2026: net profit 900.3 - 283.9 + 293.8 = 910.1; revenue 14,823.1 - 3,558.9 + 3,875.9 = 15,140.1; EPS 128.00 - 40.10 + 42.02 = 129.92. Market value at 24 September 2026: 6,993,053,267 shares x ¥2,220.5 = ¥15.53 trillion. P/E at March year-end: market value over net profit, e.g. 13,802 / 900.3 = 15.3 (2026), 6,090 / 820.3 = 7.4 (2022), 3,046 / 500.5 = 6.1 (2019). Non-resource share of profit: 774.7 / (774.7 + 133.3) = 85%. Segment net profit over segment assets, year to March 2026: Machinery 155.6 / 2,603.5 = 6.0%; Metals & Minerals 143.5 / 1,793.4 = 8.0%; ICT & Financial 93.0 / 1,577.2 = 5.9%; Food 92.1 / 2,403.4 = 3.8%; Energy & Chemicals 69.3 / 1,819.4 = 3.8%; General Products & Realty 60.8 / 1,628.7 = 3.7%; The 8th 45.0 / 2,197.3 = 2.0%; Textile 43.3 / 751.9 = 5.8%. Segment net margin on revenue: Food 92.1 / 5,134.2 = 1.8%; Energy & Chemicals 69.3 / 3,069.6 = 2.3%; Machinery 155.6 / 1,500.6 = 10.4%; Metals & Minerals 143.5 / 1,231.5 = 11.7%. Berkshire's market value over cost: 8,886 / 4,165 = 2.13 times; dividend on cost 181 / 4,165 = 4.3%. Self-tender: 82,735,750 x ¥1,813 = about ¥150.0 billion. Net profit growth since the year to March 2016: 900.3 / 240.4 = 3.7 times. Dividend growth: 42.0 / 10.0 = 4.2 times (split-adjusted). ROE spread over the company's cost of capital: 14.6 - 8 = 6.6 points. Equity growth: 6,590.0 / 5,755.1 = 1.15. Stake in DENTSU SOKEN at the tender price: ¥215.2 billion for 38%. ACG profit target over investment: ¥50 billion is the aerospace target, about ¥310 billion the ACG investment. Berkshire's stake at ¥2,220.5: 704,799,500 x 2,220.5 = about ¥1.565 trillion. ITOCHU over Marubeni net profit: 900.3 / 543.9 = 1.66. 8% hurdle on the CSN Mineração additional investment: 0.08 x 119.2 = 9.5. 8% hurdle on ¥215.2 billion: about ¥17.2 billion. — FY to March 2026 · publ. September 2026 · source ↗
    Method: Arithmetic on figures reported in ITOCHU's financial statements, results decks and market data; operands shown in the source line.
  6. ReportedIt has three parts: provisions, which earned ¥41.8 billion; fresh food, ¥16.6 billion; and food products marketing and distribution, ¥33.6 billion.
    ITOCHU Corporation, FY2025 Business Results and FY2026 Management Plan - net profit, core profit and extraordinary items by segment, investment and exit, and the management plan for the year to March 2027. — FY to March 2026 · publ. 14 May 2026 · source ↗
  7. ReportedNIPPON ACCESS contributed ¥23.8 billion, FUJI OIL ¥4.5 billion, HYLIFE ¥3.9 billion and Dole ¥2.8 billion.
    ITOCHU Corporation, FY2025 Business Results and FY2026 Management Plan - results of major group companies by segment, with ownership, including FamilyMart, CTC, DESCENTE, NIPPON ACCESS, IMEA and Orchid (CITIC). — FY to March 2026 · publ. 14 May 2026 · source ↗
  8. ReportedFrom the year to March 2027 the division carries 30% of FamilyMart's profit; restated on that basis the latest year would have been ¥106.5 billion.
    ITOCHU Corporation, Consolidated Financial Results for the three months ended June 30, 2026 (IFRS) - revenues, trading income, equity earnings, net profit, segment results, the balance sheet and the ¥300 billion buyback. — April-June 2026 · publ. 6 August 2026 · source ↗
  9. ReportedFrom the year to March 2027 the division carries 30% of FamilyMart's profit; restated on that basis the latest year would have been ¥106.5 billion.
    ITOCHU Corporation, FY2025 Business Results and FY2026 Management Plan - results of major group companies by segment, with ownership, including FamilyMart, CTC, DESCENTE, NIPPON ACCESS, IMEA and Orchid (CITIC). — FY to March 2026 · publ. 14 May 2026 · source ↗
  10. ReportedThe plan for the current year is ¥115.5 billion.
    ITOCHU Corporation, FY2026 first-quarter business results summary - core profit, extraordinary items, group-company results, investments, the Aviation Capital Group agreement and the revised segment plan. — April-June 2026 · publ. 7 August 2026 · source ↗
  11. ReportedThe first quarter fell to ¥30.7 billion from ¥33.8 billion.
    ITOCHU Corporation, Consolidated Financial Results for the three months ended June 30, 2026 (IFRS) - revenues, trading income, equity earnings, net profit, segment results, the balance sheet and the ¥300 billion buyback. — April-June 2026 · publ. 6 August 2026 · source ↗
Sources
Generated September 24, 2026