Mizuno Corp. reported that consolidated net sales increased 6.2% for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2006 to ¥161.70 billion ($1.38 bn) from ¥152.29 billion ($1.35 bn) last year. Operating income for the year increased 11.0% to ¥6.90 billion ($59.1 mm) from ¥6.22 billion ($59.1 mm) one year ago. Consolidated net income after taxes decreased 63.5% for the year, down to ¥2.84 billion ($24.3 mm) from ¥7.77 billion ($68.8 mm) last year.

In the Americas, sales rose 24.5% to ¥23.8 billion ($203.4 mm) from ¥19.1 bn ($169.0 mm) last year. Operating profit for the region jumped 61.8% to ¥1.7 billion ($14.7 mm) from ¥1.1 billion ($9.4 mm) for the previous fiscal year.

In the EU, sales increased 21.4% to ¥11.2 billion ($96.0 mm), but operating profit slipped 2.0% to ¥725 million ($6.2 mm). Sales in Japan increased 1.3% to ¥115.5 billion ($988.5 mm), but like Europe, operating profit was down 2.3% to ¥3.2 billion ($27.2 mm).

Looking ahead, the company expects consolidated net sales for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008 to amount to ¥168.00 billion, with ¥84.50 billion coming during the first half. The company sees net income after tax totaling ¥4.20 billion with ¥2.30 billion coming during the first six months of the fiscal year.