Margins varied 3.5% around their average (limit 35%), and no loss years were recorded (limit 2).
- 10y median
- 52.8%
- Worst year
- 50.3%
- Latest · 2026
- 51.0%
# Keyence (6861.JP) Canonical: https://gigainvestors.com/s/6861.JP Analysis as of: 2026-10-15T07:11:08.091Z. Financial observations: FY2013–FY2026. Listing currency: JPY. Reporting currency: JPY. ## Verdict A wonderful business at too high a price Quality tests for Buy: pass (profit record: pass; earnings resilience is evidence only). Published buy qualification: no. Share price: JPY 78,970.00 per share; close as of 2026-10-15. Estimated value: low JPY 32,498.89 per share, central JPY 44,626.87 per share, high JPY 51,391.09 per share. Buy at or below the central value JPY 44,626.87 per share. Valuation as of 2026-10-15T07:11:08.091Z; scenarios are not confidence intervals. Expected annual return: 6.8% at the stated quote. About 6.8% a year at today's price (required return 10.0%). required return 10.0% a year (10% floor; JP 10-year bond 2.9% + 4 points). ## Checklist ### understandable: pass - 2 revenue declines in the last 10 years (informational) - Financial history: 10 years - Years with declining revenue: 2 - Years with a net loss: 0 - Operating margin variation: 0.03× Chart: Operating margin; fiscal year observations. - FY2017: 0.54× - FY2018: 0.56× - FY2019: 0.54× - FY2020: 0.50× - FY2021: 0.51× - FY2022: 0.55× - FY2023: 0.54× - FY2024: 0.51× - FY2025: 0.52× - FY2026: 0.51× ### moat: pass - ROIC, median of available years: 23.0% - ROIC, second-lowest year: 20.7% - Typical minus recent gross margin: -0.8 pp - Typical gross margin (annual median): 82.2% - Recent gross margin (lower of latest and 3-year median): 83.0% - Years with nonpositive capital: 0 - Capital spending / revenue: 1.3% - ROIC including acquisitions, ten-year median: 22.8% Chart: ROIC excluding acquisitions; fiscal year observations. - FY2017: 23.3% - FY2018: 36.0% - FY2019: 31.0% - FY2020: 24.1% - FY2021: 19.4% - FY2022: 25.2% - FY2023: 22.8% - FY2024: 21.1% - FY2025: 20.7% - FY2026: 21.1% ### economics: pass - Owner earnings / net income, 5-yr: 0.99× - Cash conversion uses consolidated totals: No - Owner earnings, five-year total: JPY 1.86T - Net income, five-year total: JPY 1.88T - Return on incremental invested capital: 106.2% - Working capital / revenue, annual change: -0.1 pp - Working capital / revenue, change between three-year averages: -0.6 pp - Working capital / revenue, final three-year average: 37.8% Chart: Annual owner cash / profit; fiscal year observations. - FY2022: 1.01× - FY2023: 0.95× - FY2024: 1.00× - FY2025: 1.00× - FY2026: 0.99× ### management: pass - Historical market-dollar context (not the management verdict): 2017 to 2026 (9 years) - buybacks unrelated to price (informational) - ROIC first 3 years vs last 3 years: 31.0% vs 21.1% - Per-share earnings: 497.56 to 1643.77 (three-year endpoint medians) - Management verdict uses per-share economic progress: Yes - Ordinary dilution, 10-year annual growth: -0.0% - Ordinary dilution, 5-year annual growth: -0.0% - Market cap gain: JPY 7.90T - Cumulative retained earnings: JPY 2.24T - Diluted shares, 10-year annual growth: -0.0% - Diluted shares, 5-year annual growth: -0.0% - $1 test, starting fiscal year: FY2017 - $1 test, ending fiscal year: FY2026 - Per-share value growth: 16.1% - Per-share value change: JPY 1K - Per-share value, starting three-year median: JPY 497.56 - Per-share value, ending three-year median: JPY 2K - Buyback history: 0 years - Debt-funded buybacks: No - Acquisition spending: JPY 30B - Cumulative net income, 10 years: JPY 2.83T - ROIC, first three-year median: 31.0% - ROIC, last three-year median: 21.1% Chart: Earnings per share; fiscal year observations. - FY2017: JPY 497.56 - FY2018: JPY 868.33 - FY2019: JPY 932.46 - FY2020: JPY 816.91 - FY2021: JPY 813.47 - FY2022: JPY 1K - FY2023: JPY 1K - FY2024: JPY 2K - FY2025: JPY 2K - FY2026: JPY 2K ### accounting: pass - Sloan accruals: 0.4% - Receivables to sales index (DSRI): 1.07× - Restructuring years, last five: 0 - Stock compensation / operating cash flow: 0.0% - Earnings backed by cash: Yes - Operating cash / earnings: 0.97× - Accounting red flags: 0 - Goodwill and intangibles / equity: 0.01× Chart: Sloan accruals; fiscal year observations. - FY2017: -0.1% - FY2018: 0.5% - FY2019: 1.0% - FY2020: -0.3% - FY2021: 0.2% - FY2022: 1.4% - FY2023: 2.3% - FY2024: -0.6% - FY2025: -0.3% - FY2026: 0.4% ## Holders ## Price story Price needs cash profits to grow 15.5% a year for ten years · sales +10.4% Story as of 2026-10-16T10:00:14.532Z; price observation 2026-10-15. Price needs cash profits to grow 15.5% a year for ten years ### Sales · FY2025–2026 sales +10.4%; source https://disclosure2dl.edinet-fsa.go.jp/searchdocument/pdf/S100YAHE.pdf; observed 2026-06-15. - FY2017: JPY 316B - FY2018: JPY 527B - FY2019: JPY 587B - FY2020: JPY 552B - FY2021: JPY 538B - FY2022: JPY 755B - FY2023: JPY 922B - FY2024: JPY 967B - FY2025: JPY 1.06T - FY2026: JPY 1.17T ### Gross margin · FY2026 gross margin 83%; source https://disclosure2dl.edinet-fsa.go.jp/searchdocument/pdf/S100YAHE.pdf; observed 2026-06-15. - FY2017: 80.9% - FY2018: 82.1% - FY2019: 82.3% - FY2020: 81.8% - FY2021: 81.9% - FY2022: 82.3% - FY2023: 81.8% - FY2024: 83.0% - FY2025: 83.8% - FY2026: 83.0% ## Owner memo Memo as of 2026-10-16T08:06:05.509Z. ### How it makes money Annual sales are JPY 1.2 trillion. - Source: https://disclosure2dl.edinet-fsa.go.jp/searchdocument/pdf/S100YAHE.pdf (filed 2026-06-15); FY2026: revenue 1169289000000; grossProfit 970737000000; margin = grossProfit / revenue. ### Why customers stay Margins ranged from 83% to 83.8% during 2024–26; it earns 23% on its capital. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); FY2024: grossProfit / revenue = 83%. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); FY2025: grossProfit / revenue = 83.8%. - Source: https://disclosure2dl.edinet-fsa.go.jp/searchdocument/pdf/S100YAHE.pdf (filed 2026-06-15); FY2026: grossProfit / revenue = 83%. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); 10-year return on capital observations [[2017,0.2328086041915214],[2018,0.359985058411025],[2019,0.3099398413995878],[2020,0.24113499839126334],[2021,0.1938431624753307],[2022,0.25156123258552926],[2023,0.22764323230562325],[2024,0.21056223200920232],[2025,0.2067800883880326],[2026,0.21095359098446925]]; median 0.23022591824857233. ROIC follows the displayed moat series; financial companies use return on tangible equity. ### Can it raise prices Kept about a 82% gross margin through 2022 cost inflation. - Source: https://disclosure2dl.edinet-fsa.go.jp/searchdocument/pdf/S100YAHE.pdf (filed 2026-06-15); Gross margin observations: [[2021,0.819282929530563],[2022,0.8225786375060582],[2023,0.8182068510941847]]; range within 2 percentage points. ### Where the cash goes Spends 1.7% of cash earnings on expansion; earns over 100% on new investment. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); FY2017: growth capex 836000000; upkeep 2754000000; owner earnings 120680000000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.006927411335764004. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); FY2018: growth capex 2193000000; upkeep 4577000000; owner earnings 210595000000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.010413352643699993. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); FY2019: growth capex 1073000000; upkeep 6288000000; owner earnings 226147000000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.004744701455248135. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); FY2020: growth capex 0; upkeep 8243000000; owner earnings 197876000000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); FY2021: growth capex 0; upkeep 4358000000; owner earnings 200486000000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); FY2022: growth capex 0; upkeep 6162000000; owner earnings 305819000000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); FY2023: growth capex 8030547265.272255; upkeep 31314452734.727745; owner earnings 343171547265.2723. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.023400970532864794. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); FY2024: growth capex 0; upkeep 12492000000; owner earnings 370917000000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); FY2025: growth capex 0; upkeep 14342000000; owner earnings 399507000000. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0. - Source: https://disclosure2dl.edinet-fsa.go.jp/searchdocument/pdf/S100YAHE.pdf (filed 2026-06-15); FY2026: growth capex 7489119702.174198; upkeep 20881880297.8258; owner earnings 441530119702.1742. Growth capex / owner earnings = 0.01696174138069186. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); Incremental return on capital 1.0622936085776817, from the economics test's unchanged annual inputs. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); Dividend observations: [[2017,3031000000],[2018,15158000000],[2019,18189000000],[2020,24252000000],[2021,48505000000],[2022,48505000000],[2023,60631000000],[2024,72757000000],[2025,78820000000],[2026,109136000000]]. Zero only counted when supported by a complete cash-flow statement. ### What the price says The price assumes cash profits grow 15.5% yearly over ten years; actual growth was 29.8%. - Source: https://eodhd.com/financial-apis/stock-etfs-fundamental-data-feeds/ (filed 2026-06-15); Ten-year compound average after fade. Initial solved rate 0.2851363126994595. Price 78970; FX 1; discount 0.1; same compounder ten-year fade to terminal 0.03. FY2016 owner earnings/share 133.81991131639722 → FY2026 1820.5598428269193. Closing-price date 2026-10-15. ## Monthly share-price history (JPY per share) - 2016-11: JPY 19,557.50 per share - 2016-12: JPY 20,050.00 per share - 2017-01: JPY 21,935.00 per share - 2017-02: JPY 21,730.00 per share - 2017-03: JPY 22,290.00 per share - 2017-04: JPY 22,400.00 per share - 2017-05: JPY 25,155.00 per share - 2017-06: JPY 24,670.00 per share - 2017-07: JPY 25,510.00 per share - 2017-08: JPY 28,630.00 per share - 2017-09: JPY 29,875.00 per share - 2017-10: JPY 31,415.00 per share - 2017-11: JPY 32,455.00 per share - 2017-12: JPY 31,560.00 per share - 2018-01: JPY 33,215.00 per share - 2018-02: JPY 32,635.00 per share - 2018-03: JPY 33,020.00 per share - 2018-04: JPY 33,485.00 per share - 2018-05: JPY 33,415.00 per share - 2018-06: JPY 31,280.00 per share - 2018-07: JPY 29,455.00 per share - 2018-08: JPY 31,445.00 per share - 2018-09: JPY 32,990.00 per share - 2018-10: JPY 27,650.00 per share - 2018-11: JPY 30,800.00 per share - 2018-12: JPY 27,840.00 per share - 2019-01: JPY 27,930.00 per share - 2019-02: JPY 32,465.00 per share - 2019-03: JPY 34,485.00 per share - 2019-04: JPY 34,560.00 per share - 2019-05: JPY 30,755.00 per share - 2019-06: JPY 33,065.00 per share - 2019-07: JPY 31,565.00 per share - 2019-08: JPY 31,450.00 per share - 2019-09: JPY 33,450.00 per share - 2019-10: JPY 34,410.00 per share - 2019-11: JPY 37,440.00 per share - 2019-12: JPY 38,490.00 per share - 2020-01: JPY 37,370.00 per share - 2020-02: JPY 34,410.00 per share - 2020-03: JPY 34,830.00 per share - 2020-04: JPY 38,770.00 per share - 2020-05: JPY 44,350.00 per share - 2020-06: JPY 45,030.00 per share - 2020-07: JPY 44,220.00 per share - 2020-08: JPY 43,680.00 per share - 2020-09: JPY 48,980.00 per share - 2020-10: JPY 47,250.00 per share - 2020-11: JPY 53,290.00 per share - 2020-12: JPY 58,000.00 per share - 2021-01: JPY 56,140.00 per share - 2021-02: JPY 50,560.00 per share - 2021-03: JPY 50,270.00 per share - 2021-04: JPY 52,520.00 per share - 2021-05: JPY 53,870.00 per share - 2021-06: JPY 56,070.00 per share - 2021-07: JPY 60,740.00 per share - 2021-08: JPY 66,130.00 per share - 2021-09: JPY 67,000.00 per share - 2021-10: JPY 68,510.00 per share - 2021-11: JPY 70,330.00 per share - 2021-12: JPY 72,280.00 per share - 2022-01: JPY 58,230.00 per share - 2022-02: JPY 53,780.00 per share - 2022-03: JPY 57,250.00 per share - 2022-04: JPY 52,850.00 per share - 2022-05: JPY 51,590.00 per share - 2022-06: JPY 46,380.00 per share - 2022-07: JPY 52,430.00 per share - 2022-08: JPY 52,840.00 per share - 2022-09: JPY 47,900.00 per share - 2022-10: JPY 56,320.00 per share - 2022-11: JPY 57,140.00 per share - 2022-12: JPY 51,420.00 per share - 2023-01: JPY 59,280.00 per share - 2023-02: JPY 58,890.00 per share - 2023-03: JPY 64,450.00 per share - 2023-04: JPY 61,100.00 per share - 2023-05: JPY 67,800.00 per share - 2023-06: JPY 67,850.00 per share - 2023-07: JPY 63,760.00 per share - 2023-08: JPY 60,520.00 per share - 2023-09: JPY 55,500.00 per share - 2023-10: JPY 58,150.00 per share - 2023-11: JPY 63,350.00 per share - 2023-12: JPY 62,120.00 per share - 2024-01: JPY 66,580.00 per share - 2024-02: JPY 70,040.00 per share - 2024-03: JPY 69,670.00 per share - 2024-04: JPY 70,300.00 per share - 2024-05: JPY 70,690.00 per share - 2024-06: JPY 70,550.00 per share - 2024-07: JPY 65,890.00 per share - 2024-08: JPY 69,610.00 per share - 2024-09: JPY 68,360.00 per share - 2024-10: JPY 69,780.00 per share - 2024-11: JPY 64,720.00 per share - 2024-12: JPY 64,630.00 per share - 2025-01: JPY 67,250.00 per share - 2025-02: JPY 59,410.00 per share - 2025-03: JPY 58,480.00 per share - 2025-04: JPY 59,840.00 per share - 2025-05: JPY 60,740.00 per share - 2025-06: JPY 57,840.00 per share - 2025-07: JPY 55,200.00 per share - 2025-08: JPY 56,780.00 per share - 2025-09: JPY 55,180.00 per share - 2025-10: JPY 57,370.00 per share - 2025-11: JPY 53,140.00 per share - 2025-12: JPY 56,680.00 per share - 2026-01: JPY 56,440.00 per share - 2026-02: JPY 66,060.00 per share - 2026-03: JPY 54,860.00 per share - 2026-04: JPY 71,300.00 per share - 2026-05: JPY 80,110.00 per share - 2026-06: JPY 81,060.00 per share - 2026-07: JPY 81,150.00 per share - 2026-08: JPY 83,660.00 per share - 2026-09: JPY 80,480.00 per share - 2026-10: JPY 80,270.00 per share ## Annual estimated value (JPY per share) - FY2020: low JPY 13,334.94 per share, central JPY 14,643.07 per share, high JPY 16,384.46 per share - FY2021: low JPY 13,042.12 per share, central JPY 14,317.76 per share, high JPY 16,015.90 per share - FY2022: low JPY 17,189.73 per share, central JPY 18,997.30 per share, high JPY 21,403.56 per share - FY2023: low JPY 20,741.77 per share, central JPY 24,980.67 per share, high JPY 28,520.64 per share - FY2024: low JPY 24,791.98 per share, central JPY 33,448.60 per share, high JPY 38,489.37 per share - FY2025: low JPY 26,243.07 per share, central JPY 33,843.24 per share, high JPY 38,810.66 per share - FY2026: low JPY 32,499.00 per share, central JPY 44,627.01 per share, high JPY 51,391.26 per share Historical values use today's bond yield for every fiscal year Historical values use today's FX rate into trading currency for every fiscal year Historical values use current restated fundamentals and current commodity classification; they are not point-in-time estimates ## Sources [Original EDINET filing](https://disclosure2dl.edinet-fsa.go.jp/searchdocument/pdf/S100YAHE.pdf); period 2026-03-20, filed 2026-06-15. Estimates depend on assumptions and are not guarantees or investment advice. Underlying data remains subject to its source licenses; public reading does not grant bulk redistribution rights.
6861 · JP
Nikkei 225 · TOPIX Core30
A wonderful business at too high a price
Passes the quality tests.
Margins varied 3.5% around their average (limit 35%), and no loss years were recorded (limit 2).
Capital return excluding acquisitions: median 23% (minimum 15%), and the second-worst year 20.7% (minimum 10%).
Each $1 of profit left $0.99 for owners over five years (minimum $0.80).
Per-share value rose from 497.56 to 1643.77, comparing three-year medians at each end (must rise and stay positive).
Profits were backed by cash: accruals were 0.4% of assets (limit 10%).
Profit record · pass 0 loss years in 10 (at most 2), mean operating margin 52.9%, three-year average owner earnings per share 1,665.75 JPY.
| Value range | JPY 32,498.89 – JPY 51,391.09 |
|---|---|
| Buy at or below | Central value JPY 44,626.87 |
| Discount to value | 1 − 78970.00 / 44626.87 = -77.0% |
| Return / year | About 6.8% a year at today's price (required return 10.0%) |
| Cash-flow inputs | Owner cash JPY 1820.55/share; 12.0% growth fades over 10 years to 3.0%; excess cash JPY 6063.30/share today. |
| Required return | 10.0% / year, earned by construction at the central value |