York Holdings to Set Up IPO Preparation Office in July, Eyes Listing Within Two Years

York Holdings, the operator of Ito-Yokado and Loft stores, announced on June 18 that it will establish an IPO preparation office in July as it moves forward with plans for an initial public offering. The company, formed last year after separating from Seven & I Holdings along with about 30 supermarket-related businesses, is owned by Bain Capital.

During a business progress briefing, York Holdings revealed that its operating profit for the fiscal year ending February 2026 surged 3.2-fold to 50.3 billion yen, driven by cost-cutting measures and store renovations. The company’s CEO, Seiichiro Ishibashi, stated that while an IPO will likely take about two years, the exact timing will be determined based on performance in the current and next fiscal years. He emphasized that the company remains committed to achieving the fastest possible IPO.

To support its growth strategy, York Holdings has set an investment framework of 150 billion yen by fiscal 2028, allocating 85% of that to store improvements. Same-store growth will be a key performance indicator for the IPO, so the company plans to focus on renovations to attract more customers and increase sales by more than 10% in that fiscal year.

Ito-Yokado, which had long struggled with weak performance, contributed 28.4 billion yen in operating profit in the previous fiscal year, accounting for over half of York Holdings’ total profit. By reducing fixed costs such as cleaning and security, the company redirected funds into store upgrades, which helped drive sales growth.