AEON Co., Ltd.

Aeon announced on the 30th that it is assessing the impact on consolidated results from the earthquake that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on the 28th. Damage has occurred at group stores and other facilities, and the company is continuing its investigation. In the earthquake on the 28th, an explosion occurred at Aeon Mall Kumamoto in Kashima Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, some time after the quake, causing the second floor of the building to collapse and resulting in multiple fatalities.

Aeon President Akio Yoshida choked up on the 29th, saying, 'We could not have anticipated the explosion,' his voice betraying regret. The company had completed temporary evacuations, but indicated it would have taken countermeasures had it been foreseeable.

In the earthquake on the afternoon of the 28th that registered a seismic intensity of 7 in Kumamoto Prefecture, a chimney collapsed at Nippon Paper's Yatsushiro plant, and the company is checking for casualties. Aeon has received reports of an explosion at Aeon Mall Kumamoto and is urgently assessing the damage. TSMC, the world's largest semiconductor foundry, temporarily suspended operations at its Kumamoto plant and evacuated employees outdoors. The disaster is causing widespread economic impact, including factory shutdowns and delivery delays in the affected areas.

Aeon took the top spot in the August 2026 shareholder benefit popularity ranking compiled by Rakuten Securities. Create Restaurants Holdings came in second, followed by Bic Camera in third, Ryohin Keikaku in fourth, and Komeda Holdings in fifth. August benefit stocks often feature shopping and dining perks directly tied to household savings, such as those from supermarkets, restaurants, and electronics retailers. The last day to secure rights for all 130 eligible issues is August 27. Among the top ten, Aeon offers a shareholder benefit card that refunds 1 percent of shopping amounts every six months for holders of 100 shares, while Bic Camera provides 1,000 yen in shopping vouchers in August for 100 shares. With prices remaining high, individual investor interest in such benefit stocks is strong, but Aeon's share price has plunged 41.3 percent from the end of last year in 2026, weighed down by concerns over its high price-to-earnings ratio.