Asahi Sales Drop Worsens as Cyber Hack Disruption Lingers

Core Insights - Asahi Group Holdings Ltd. is facing significant challenges in recovering from a cyberattack that severely impacted its production and distribution capabilities, leading to a notable decline in alcohol sales in Japan [1][2]. Sales Performance - In November, Asahi's alcohol sales in Japan fell over 20% compared to the previous year, worsening from a nearly 10% decline in October [1]. - Soft drink sales showed some recovery, with a decline of around 25% in November, an improvement from a roughly 40% drop in October [2]. - Food product sales decreased by about 10%, which is better than the more than 20% decline experienced the previous month [2]. Cyberattack Impact - The cyberattack in September caused significant disruptions, shutting down key internal systems for order and shipment management, forcing the company to process transactions manually [2]. - Asahi expects its supply chain to be largely restored by February, but the attack has resulted in a projected delay of over 50 days for the company's financial results following the fiscal year-end [3]. - The company acknowledged that a "short-term impact" on earnings in Japan is unavoidable due to the cyberattack [3]. Competitor Performance - In contrast to Asahi, Kirin Holdings Co. reported a 1% increase in beer sales in November, while Sapporo Holdings Ltd. experienced a 12% drop in sales volume for the same period [3]. Data Breach - Asahi disclosed that up to 1.9 million records of private information may have been compromised during the cyberattack, although no ransom was paid [4]. - Additional leaked information was found on the dark web following the attack [4]. Stock Performance - Despite the challenges, Asahi's shares rose by 0.2% on Wednesday, with a total increase of 6.2% for the year [4].