Mercari, Inc.

Mercari reported record full-year results for fiscal 2026, with revenue of 229.2 billion yen and operating profit of 43.9 billion yen. Revenue rose 19.0% from the previous year, operating profit climbed 57.7%, and net profit came to 35.4 billion yen, up 35.6%. Gross merchandise value in its core Marketplace business grew 14.7% year on year to 1.2856 trillion yen, returning to double-digit growth for the first time since fiscal 2023. At the same time, the company issued guidance for fiscal 2027, projecting revenue of 275 billion yen, up 20.0%, while operating profit is expected to be 45 billion yen, up just 1.9% and roughly flat. The stock rose to 5,030 yen immediately after the earnings release, then fell to 4,473 yen on August 18 before rebounding to 4,750 yen on August 19.

After the close on the 5th, multiple companies announced share buybacks or cancellations. DeNA will cancel 19,109,700 shares, representing 15.6% of its outstanding shares, effective August 31. Mercari will conduct a share buyback of up to 4 million shares, or 2.4% of outstanding shares excluding treasury stock, with a maximum value of 10 billion yen, from August 6 to October 30, and will cancel all acquired shares on November 12. Epson will acquire up to 17 million shares, or 5.31% of outstanding shares, with a cap of 30 billion yen, from August 7 through March 31, 2027. Sanyo Chemical will buy back up to 500,000 shares for a maximum of 2.5 billion yen, and will also cancel 1 million shares. In addition, Arc Core, Ryobi, Techno Medica, Yokohama FG, Sanshin Electronics, Toyo Tec, and Fuji Kyuko also announced share buybacks or cancellations.

On the 9th, Japan's National Police Agency signed an agreement on information sharing with three companies — Mercari, LINE Yahoo, and Rakuten Group — to prevent fraudulent transaction damage on e-commerce sites. The companies will provide police with fraudulently used credit card numbers and malicious seller account information, which police will cross-reference with their own data for cross-sectional analysis. When police determine there is a strong risk of expanding damage, such as suspected organized activity, they will provide all three companies with the information needed to prevent further harm. The businesses will then take measures such as alerting users, suspending related accounts, and halting product shipments.

Japan's alternative lending market is forecast to grow to US$53.67 billion by 2029, according to a new report from ResearchAndMarkets.com. The market is expected to reach an estimated US$35.74 billion in 2026, expanding at a compound annual growth rate of 14.5% from 2026 to 2029. This follows a 14.1% CAGR from 2020 to 2025, with the market valued at US$31.64 billion in 2025. Key drivers include the evolution of pay-later models integrated into payment apps, alignment of buy-now-pay-later services with regulatory frameworks such as the Installment Sales Act, and the embedding of SME finance into software platforms through partnerships like MUFG and freee. The competitive landscape is consolidating around major payment and commerce ecosystems, with notable players including PayPay Card, Mercari and Merpay, and Money Forward.

Mercari Japan has launched a new standalone app in the United States, giving American shoppers a dedicated platform to buy items directly from Japan's Mercari and Mercari Shops marketplaces. The Mercari Japan app replaces the Mercari x Japan feature that was previously available within the existing U.S. marketplace, which will be phased out. The cross-border e-commerce market for Japanese products purchased from the U.S. is expected to reach approximately JPY 1.6 trillion in 2024, up 8.0% from the prior year, and Mercari Japan's cross-border GMV has grown more than 15-fold over three years to exceed JPY 90 billion annually. The app offers direct access to over 4 billion total listings, AI-powered real-time translation, payment in USD, and shipping protection on all purchases. A launch promotion from June 18 to July 5, 2026, offers new customers up to 30% off their first purchase, with additional coupons for trading cards and sitewide discounts.