Fast Retailing Co. said Thursday its group net profit in the September-November quarter fell 3.5 percent from a year earlier to 70.91 billion yen ($650 million) due to weak demand in South Korea and Hong Kong as well as warmer-than-usual weather in Japan.

The operator of the Uniqlo casual clothing chain said operating profit dropped 12.4 percent to 91.69 billion yen in the three months ended Nov. 30, on sales of 623.48 billion yen, down 3.3 percent.

Fast Retailing revised down its full-year consolidated net profit to 165 billion yen from its previous estimate of 175 billion yen.

==Kyodo

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