Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values (2026) of Kakaku.com, Inc.

Founded in 1997, Kakaku.com, Inc. has grown from a price-comparison pioneer into a multi-service digital group-home to platforms like Tabelog and Kyujin Box-serving consumers with a relentless focus on usability and trust; with a recorded 52.77 million monthly users as of March 2017 and a financial performance that saw revenue rise 17.2% and operating profit climb 13.5% in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, the company is executing organizational changes effective April 1, 2025 and pursuing its Medium-Term Management Plan (FY26/3-FY30/3) to drive double-digit growth through aggressive investment and M&A while staying true to its mission of 'User-First to Create New Norms' and a vision to continuously create valuable, user-oriented services-backed by core values like curiosity, courage, collaboration, determination and shaping the future that together steer its strategy and daily operations.

Kakaku.com, Inc. (2371.T) - Intro

• Founded: 1997
• Primary markets: Japan - e-commerce discovery, restaurant reviews, recruitment listings
• Key services: Price comparison, Tabelog, Kyujin Box
• Monthly users (Mar 2017): 52.77 million

• Provide comprehensive, accurate product and service price information.
• Connect consumers with quality merchants and service providers.
• Leverage data to improve decision-making for users and advertisers.

• User-first transparency: prioritize accuracy and clarity in information presented.
• Data-driven innovation: use behavioral and transactional data to refine services.
• Service integrity: maintain trust in user reviews and listings (especially Tabelog).
• Collaboration with partners: create shared value for merchants, advertisers, and consumers.

• Accelerate cross-service integration (price comparison ↔ Tabelog ↔ recruitment) to increase lifetime value.
• Monetize high-intent traffic via targeted advertising and premium merchant services.
• Invest in UX and mobile-first capabilities to capture mobile commerce growth.
• Organizational realignment to shorten decision cycles and foster innovation.

• FY ending Mar 31, 2025: revenue increased 17.2% YoY, operating profit up 13.5% YoY-indicating margin expansion alongside top-line growth.
• Cash flow focus on platform development and strategic M&A or partnerships to broaden service offerings.
• Restructuring on Apr 1, 2025 designed to reallocate resources to high-growth segments and accelerate product commercialization.

• Price comparison platform: core discovery engine, affiliate and merchant listing fees, CPC/CPA advertising.
• Tabelog: review-driven restaurant discovery, premium listings, reservation and ad monetization.
• Kyujin Box: job listings monetized via employer postings and recruitment solutions.
• Cross-selling opportunities: advertising packages, data products, and merchant tools spanning services.

• Board and executive adjustments tied to the April 1, 2025 reorganization to align product, engineering, and commercial functions.
• Emphasis on measurable KPIs (traffic monetization, conversion rates, ARPU by service) to guide investments.

Kakaku.com, Inc. (2371.T) - Overview

• Mission core: design services that 'become new common sense' by solving everyday problems from the user's perspective.
• Strategic priority: achieve double-digit CAGR in revenue and profits across FY26/3-FY30/3 through aggressive investment and M&A.
• Operational stance: continuous product innovation and iterative improvement guided by user feedback and usage data.

• User-first product development - metrics-driven feature rollout, A/B testing and UX research to prioritize what matters to users.
• Platform expansion - moving beyond price comparison to create integrated services (e.g., payments, loyalty, financing) that embed Kakaku.com into daily consumer decisions.
• Data & personalization - leveraging large user panels and transaction data to deliver contextual recommendations that can become new market norms.
• Strategic M&A - acquiring capabilities and businesses that accelerate entry into adjacent markets and complement core comparison services.

• Profit-growth balance - pursue double-digit profit growth while investing for scale; target to improve operating margins through higher ARPU and platform monetization.
• Capital allocation - prioritize high-return growth investments, reserve funds for tuck-in acquisitions, and maintain a healthy balance sheet to support opportunistic M&A.

• Enhanced comparison tools - improved product information and reviews increased conversion rates and time-on-site for key categories.
• Integrated services - piloting payments/loyalty programs to raise repeat usage and lifetime value (LTV) per user.
• Localized commerce expansions - targeting niche verticals where user needs are underserved to create new norms and category leadership.

Kakaku.com, Inc. (2371.T) - Mission Statement

• Commit to user-centric service creation that simplifies decision-making and enhances daily life for consumers and businesses.
• Invest aggressively in high-growth segments and pursue strategic M&A to accelerate scale and capability.
• Expand existing businesses and incubate new pillars to diversify revenue streams and reduce concentration risk.
• Build long-term customer trust through transparent information, reliable platforms, and continuous UX improvement.

• Double-digit revenue and profit growth target across FY26/3-FY30/3 (Medium-Term Management Plan).
• Expand core services (price comparison, review platforms, e-commerce listings) while incubating new service pillars.
• Enhance value per user via data-driven personalization, premium listings, and ancillary services.
• Use M&A selectively to acquire capabilities, increase market share, and enter adjacent markets.

• Product-led growth: prioritize features that increase time-on-site, conversion, and repeat usage (e.g., enhanced personalization, integrated checkout experiences).
• Data monetization: leverage first-party data to improve ad relevancy and premium analytics offerings for merchants.
• Platform expansion: integrate adjacent services (reviews, reservations, finance) to create multi-touch user journeys and cross-sell opportunities.
• M&A to accelerate capability: target acquisitions that bring technology, user bases, or distribution synergies.

• Commitment to double-digit CAGR signals an aggressive growth orientation and willingness to reallocate capital to higher-return growth areas.
• Clear allocation to M&A indicates management expects consolidation and capability gaps to be bridged via acquisitions.
• Focus on trust and user experience is consistent with long-term monetization through higher ARPU and lower churn.

Kakaku.com, Inc. (2371.T) Vision Statement

• Explore with Curiosity - Proactively identify shifting user needs through data, testing, and user research.
• Engage with Courage - Foster open communication, cross-functional collaboration, and rapid iteration.
• Collaborate with Passion - Build shared commitment across teams and partners to deliver meaningful products.
• Lead with Determination - Pursue goals with focus, resilience, and data-informed discipline.
• Shape the Future - Invest in innovation and strategic initiatives to lead industry trends.

• Explore with Curiosity - Investment in data & analytics: increased R&D and data-platform spending to improve personalization and conversion rates; A/B test velocity targets (monthly experiment cadence).
• Engage with Courage - Cross-functional KPIs: product, editorial and merchant teams share SLA-based onboarding and complaint-resolution targets to shorten time-to-market.
• Collaborate with Passion - Partner metrics: merchant retention and marketplace fill rates tied to collaborative account-management programs.
• Lead with Determination - Financial discipline: maintain operating margin targets (mid-teens % range) and ROE improvement initiatives.
• Shape the Future - Strategic allocation: M&A, platform expansion and fintech pilots prioritized to grow adjacencies (travel, insurance, financial services) and diversify revenue streams.

• Platform modernization - consolidate search, recommendation, and payment flows to increase average revenue per user (ARPU) and conversion.
• Service diversification - expand comparison, fintech, and subscription offerings to reduce reliance on advertising and listing fees.
• Data productization - monetize anonymized insights for retailers and manufacturers while preserving user trust and compliance.
• International & partner expansion - selectively partner or integrate with regional platforms to scale reach beyond Japan.

• Steady profitability and cash generation enable sustained investment in platform and M&A.
• Audience scale and brand trust remain core competitive moats against pure e-commerce entrants.
• Execution on diversification and data monetization will drive medium-term growth and valuation expansion.