Kobe Steel’s Aluminum and Copper Company Aims ROA 8% in FY2008

Kobe Steel’s aluminum and copper company aims above 8% of ROA (return on asset) toward fiscal 2008 ended March 2009, said Hiroyuki Nakayama, executive managing director of Kobe Steel, to Japan Metal Bulletin. The company aims 5% of ROA as the goal of the mid-term plan for fiscal 2003-2005 ended March 2006 and seems to achieve the target. The company will raise the goal by 3% to 8% and improve the profitability more. The company also plans to invest 40 billion yen during 3 years toward fiscal 2008. Mr. Nakayama said the aluminum and copper company estimates 10 billion yen of consolidated recurring profit through fiscal 2005. He indicated the company expects more recurring profit in fiscal 2006, though concerned about high material prices including copper and crude oil. Mr. Nakayama showed the plan to strengthen the investment for business fields such as automobiles and information technologies in next 3 years from fiscal 2006. Kobe Steel has the advantage in such the business fields and will reinforce them more in the future. As for the escalating prices of copper and aluminum, he pointed out the main issue is whether they could raise their selling prices of copper and aluminum products to cover the cost increase.