Bandai Namco 1H Operating Profit Hits Record 134.3 Billion Yen...'Naruto' Card Game Set for Release Next June
Toys and Hobby profit surges 55%, prompting raised full-year guidance... Standalone card business sales not disclosed
Bandai Namco Holdings announced its financial results for the first half of the fiscal year ending March 2027 (April–September 2026) on the 10th. Net sales reached 728.4 billion yen, up 13.1% year-on-year, while operating profit rose 27.3% to 134.3 billion yen. The company stated in its earnings presentation materials that both net sales and all profit metrics marked record highs for a first-half period. The same materials also noted that a 'NARUTO' trading card game is scheduled for release in June 2027.
First Half Lifted by Toys and Hobby
Ordinary profit stood at 142.6 billion yen (up 29.5%), and interim net profit attributable to owners of the parent was 99.5 billion yen (up 26.1%). The actual figures outperformed the company's previously announced first-half guidance of 690.0 billion yen in net sales and 124.0 billion yen in operating profit by 38.4 billion yen and 10.3 billion yen, respectively.
Most of the growth stemmed from the Toys and Hobby segment. Toys and Hobby net sales rose 29.6% to 412.0 billion yen, while segment profit surged 55.4% to 101.0 billion yen. In contrast, the Digital (gaming) segment saw both metrics decline, recording net sales of 217.4 billion yen and profit of 27.8 billion yen. The company explained that this was due to differences in title lineups compared to the previous year, which had featured major releases.
| Segment | 1H Net Sales (100 million yen) | Previous Year 1H | Segment Profit (100 million yen) | Previous Year 1H | |---|---|---|---|---| | Toys and Hobby | 4,120 | 3,178 | 1,010 | 650 | | Digital | 2,174 | 2,315 | 278 | 373 | | Visual and Music | 418 | 410 | 36 | 53 | | Amusement | 835 | 753 | 77 | 70 |
(Figures before elimination of intersegment transactions)
Regarding Toys and Hobby, the company noted continued favorable momentum across various categories, including high-target collector items such as plastic models and Ichibankuji, as well as trading cards, capsule toys, confectionery, and stationery. In terms of intellectual property (IP), the Gundam series, Dragon Ball series, and ONE PIECE performed well, alongside Tamagotchi. The company also stated that it recorded a refund related to U.S. additional customs tariffs in North America.
However, standalone sales for the card business alone were not broken down in the report. Trading cards were merely mentioned as one of the performing categories, and the company did not disclose sales figures exclusively for cards.
IP Sales: ONE PIECE and Dragon Ball Rise, Gundam Dips Slightly
Looking at sales by IP (across the entire group) in the supplementary materials, ONE PIECE generated 78.8 billion yen in the first half, up from 69.5 billion yen in the same period last year. Dragon Ball increased from 65.1 billion yen to 70.0 billion yen. Mobile Suit Gundam saw a slight decline from 127.2 billion yen to 122.3 billion yen. NARUTO moved from 13.1 billion yen to 13.8 billion yen.
Looking only at domestic Toys and Hobby, ONE PIECE increased from 48.2 billion yen to 58.3 billion yen, Dragon Ball rose from 13.6 billion yen to 17.0 billion yen, and Gundam grew from 49.3 billion yen to 58.9 billion yen. Because these figures represent overall IP sales rather than card sales specifically, they should not be read as card game revenues.
Full-year forecasts were revised upward. Net sales expectations were raised from the initial plan of 1.35 trillion yen to 1.48 trillion yen, and operating profit guidance went from 185.0 billion yen to 226.0 billion yen. The Toys and Hobby sales projection increased by 150.0 billion yen, moving from 690.0 billion yen to 840.0 billion yen, accounting for the bulk of the upward revision. The Digital segment sales projection was lowered from 460.0 billion yen to 440.0 billion yen. The company stated that the revisions reflect its first-half performance and recent trends.
'Naruto' Card Game Set for Release in June 2027
In the Toys and Hobby business trends section of the presentation materials, the text "Decision to release trading card game of 'NARUTO', which is highly popular overseas, in June 2027" was published alongside the 'NARUTO CARD GAME' logo.
The materials disclosed only the launch timing. Product lineup, pricing, release regions, and languages were not stated. There was also no mention of a Korean-language edition. Whether and when the game will be released in Korea cannot be determined from this document alone.
For regional sales that may serve as a reference, external net sales in the Asian region excluding Japan totaled approximately 69.8 billion yen in the first half, an 11.0% increase year-on-year, with a full-year forecast of 142.0 billion yen. As this figure is not broken down by country, standalone sales for Korea cannot be confirmed.
Sources
- Bandai Namco Holdings · Financial Highlights for the Second Quarter of the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2027 (Presentation) (2026-11-10)
- Bandai Namco Holdings · Consolidated Financial Results for the Second Quarter of the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2027 (Supplementary Material) (2026-11-10)
- Bandai Namco Holdings · IR Library Financial Statements and Presentation Materials (2026-11-10)
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