Ajinomoto Co. Inc. said its normalized net income for the fiscal fourth quarter ended March 31 came to ¥9.27 per share, an increase of 6.6% from ¥8.70 per share in the prior-year period.

Normalized net income, which excludes unusual gains or losses on a pre- and after-tax basis, was ¥5.28 billion, a gain from ¥5.06 billion in the year-earlier period.

The normalized profit margin rose to 1.9% from 1.8% in the year-earlier period.

Total revenue fell on an annual basis to ¥279.42 billion from ¥282.73 billion, and total operating expenses decreased on an annual basis to ¥263.34 billion from ¥271.85 billion.

Reported net income came to ¥7.71 billion, or ¥13.54 per share, compared with a loss of ¥17.28 billion, or a loss of ¥29.70 per share, in the prior-year period.

For the year, the company's normalized net income totaled ¥77.19 per share, compared to EPS of ¥83.80 in the prior year.

Normalized net income was ¥44.13 billion, a fall from ¥49.28 billion in the prior year.

Full-year total revenue decreased from the prior-year period to ¥1.091 trillion from ¥1.186 trillion, and total operating expenses decreased on an annual basis to ¥1.006 trillion from ¥1.095 trillion.

The company said reported net income decreased year over year to ¥53.06 billion, or ¥92.81 per share, in the full year, from ¥63.59 billion, or ¥108.14 per share.

As of June 27, US$1 was equivalent to ¥112.23.