Z HOLDINGS CORPORATION 
By
To whom it may concern
November 8, 2012
Yahoo Japan Corporation
Manabu Miyasaka, President & CEO Stock code: 4689
Yahoo Japan Corporation(hereinafter Yahoo! JAPAN) and GREE, Inc. (Head office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Founder and CEO: Yoshikazu Tanaka; Stock code: 3632, First Section TSE, hereinafter GREE) today announced that they have signed an agreement to form a business partnership, which takes effect from today. Details are as follows.
1. Reasons for business partnership
Through the business partnership, Yahoo! JAPAN, operator of Yahoo! JAPAN, one of Japan's largest Internet media portals with a 78% share of Japan's smartphone user base,1 and GREE, operator of GREE, one of Japan's largest social networking services, aim to collaborate to help expand and improve their user bases and content, develop their respective businesses and strengthen competitiveness. The two companies aim to create new value by generating synergies in Internet entertainment through a combination of the media reach and payment capabilities of Yahoo! JAPAN with GREE content such as social games and original IP.2
Notes:
1. Source: Video Research Interactive, SmartPhoneContents Report February 2012
2. IP: intellectual property
2. Overview of business partnership
(1) Collaboration in social gaming
• Directing traffic from the top and other pages of the smartphone version of Yahoo! JAPAN
to social games on GREE
• Use of Yahoo! Wallet for payments on GREE Platform
• Discussing collaboration involving Yahoo! Points
• Bringing new developers to GREE Platform
• Discussing co-development of social games and the establishment of a joint venture for the purpose of such development
(2) Collaboration on mutual use of, support in content
• Discussing use of original GREE entertainment content and original IP on Yahoo! JAPAN Group services
• Discussing collaboration between Yahoo! JAPAN entertainment content and GREE social networking service, as well as global initiatives through GREE Platform
• Discussing establishment of a joint venture for investment in digital movie content
• Discussing start of new joint entertainment business
(3) CSR activities
• Discussing co-sponsorship of social contribution activities in Japan
• Joint initiatives to support the advancement of Internet technology in Japan, and to foster the engineers and creators that are key to the growth of that technology
3. Outline of Business Alliance Partner
(1) Name | GREE, Inc. | |
(2) Head office | 6-10-1 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo | |
(3) Representative | Yoshikazu Tanaka, Founder and CEO | |
(4) Main business | Social Media Business, Social Application Business, Platform Business, Advertising and Ad Network Business, Licensing and Merchandising Business, and Venture Capital Business | |
(5) Paid-in capital | ¥2,179 million (at June 30, 2012) | |
(6) Establishment | December 7, 2004 | |
(7) Major shareholders and shareholding ratio | Yoshikazu Tanaka: 47.98% KDDI CORPORATION: 6.84% (at June 30, 2012) | |
(8) GREE's relationship with Yahoo Japan Corporation | Capital ties | There are no capital ties that should be noted between the Company and GREE. |
(8) GREE's relationship with Yahoo Japan Corporation | Personnel ties | There are no personnel ties that should be noted between the Company and GREE. |
(8) GREE's relationship with Yahoo Japan Corporation | Business ties | The Company provides GREE with paid search advertising services. |
9) GREE's Performance and Financial Position in the Past Three Years
(millions of yen, yen)
Fiscal year ended June 30, 2010 | Fiscal year ended June 30, 2011 | Fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 | |
Net assets | 20,552 | 37,462 | 83,985 |
Total assets | 32,170 | 62,855 | 165,297 |
Net assets per share (yen) | 452.47 | 163.10 | 358.65 |
Net sales | 35,231 | 64,178 | 158,231 |
Operating income | 19,578 | 31,135 | 82,729 |
Ordinary income | 19,595 | 30,828 | 81,935 |
Net income | 11,505 | 18,239 | 47,967 |
Net income per share (yen) | 255.77 | 79.92 | 206.74 |
Dividends per share (yen) | 25.00 | 9.00 | 30.00 |
Note: The figures for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010 are non-consolidated figures, while the figures for the fiscal years ended June 30, 2011 and June 30, 2012 are consolidated figures.
4. Schedule
Signing of agreement: November 8, 2012
Start of business: November 8, 2012
5. Outlook
The impact of this comprehensive business alliance on the Company's consolidated performance in the current fiscal year is expected to be minor.
Reference: Comparison of FY2012 Consolidated Performance Forecast (Announced on
October 24, 2012) and Actual Consolidated Performance in FY2011.
