Keyence Approves 5-for-1 Stock Split and Raises Expected Annual Dividend to ¥650
Key Facts
On October 29, 2026, Keyence approved a 5-for-1 split of each common share, saying the move aims to lower the investment unit value, improve share liquidity and broaden its investor base. The company set November 21 as the effective date, following approval of November 20 as the record date for shareholders. The announcement coincided with half-year results showing increases in sales, operating income and net income, and the company also revised its dividend outlook. Tokyo trading on the morning of October 30 showed buying interest in the stock after the announcement. In the U.S. market, KYCCF closed at $505.51 on October 29, according to EL7 data.
Keyence will announce the split’s record date, November 20, on November 5, with the split taking effect on November 21. According to the company’s statement, the number of shares issued will increase by 972,830,736 from 243,207,684 before the split, bringing the total to 1,216,038,420 afterward. The company also raised the maximum number of authorized shares from 600,000,000 to 3,000,000,000 as part of an amendment to its articles of incorporation. It said the split will not change the amount of capital. These figures set out the legal changes and share count resulting from the decision, while its stated aim remains to make investing in the stock easier and broaden its shareholder base.
In the six months ended September 20, 2026, Keyence sales rose 34.9% to ¥735,399 million from the same period in 2025. Operating income increased 50.0% to ¥408,262 million, while net income attributable to owners of the parent rose 49.4% to ¥298,675 million. In the second quarter of fiscal 2026, sales increased 36.8% year over year and 12.2% quarter over quarter. The gross profit margin was 86.2%, compared with 85.0% in the first quarter, an increase of 1.2 percentage points. The results place the split in the context of a period in which the company recorded strong growth in sales, operating profit and net income.
Asia was Keyence’s fastest-growing region in the second quarter, with sales there rising 45.2% on a local-currency basis from the same quarter a year earlier. Sales increased 24.9% in the Americas, 22.8% in Japan and 12.1% in Europe and other regions. The share of overseas sales in total sales widened to 68.1% in the first half of fiscal 2026, from 64.4% in the same period of fiscal 2025. Asia’s share of overseas sales rose to 46.1%, from 41.3% a year earlier. In selected sectors, sales to the semiconductor and liquid-crystal display industries increased 45% in Japan and 65% overseas, while food and pharmaceutical sales rose 20% domestically and 25% overseas on a local-currency basis.
Keyence also revised its dividend outlook for the fiscal year ending in March 2027, setting a year-end dividend of ¥65 per share after the split, equivalent to ¥325 on a pre-split basis. This brings expected total annual dividends to ¥650 per share before the split, compared with a previous forecast of ¥550. The company said it decided to increase the dividend after considering its performance and financial position, while continuing its stable dividend policy and retaining what is needed to support its business and strengthen its management base. Financial results also showed an equity-to-assets ratio of 93.7% on September 20, 2026, compared with 94.6% on March 20, 2026. The company plans to begin dividend payments on November 26.
On trading, a Traders Web report via Yahoo! Finance Japan said Keyence shares in Tokyo showed buying interest on the morning of October 30, after the split announcement the previous day. In session data available at 13:09 Japan time, the price was ¥77,950, up 2.08% from the previous close, within a daily range of ¥76,750 to ¥79,520. KYCCF closed at $505.51 on October 29; the data provided do not include its trading range for that day. Upcoming company dates include the presentation of its half-year report on November 2, followed by the announcement of the split’s record date on November 5, ahead of the November 20 record date and the split taking effect the following day.