Tokyo Stock Exchange · Consumer Defensive
Invest in Kao stock from India
Indian and foreign residents can buy Kao (4452) shares directly through Paasa.
By Paasa · Updated
Kao at a glance
- Price
- ¥3,513.00+¥28.00 (0.80%)
- Market cap
- ¥3.18T
- Day range
- ¥3,494.00 – ¥3,547.00
- P/E
- 23.61
- Dividend yield
- 2.21%
- Volume
- 3.14M
- 1 month
- -2.23%
- 6 months
- +16.52%
- YTD
- +12.33%
- 1 year
- +7.79%
- 5 years
- +4.48%
Kao statements, FY2021–FY2025
| Fiscal year | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | ¥1.7T | ¥1.6T | ¥1.5T | ¥1.6T | ¥1.4T |
| Gross profit | ¥641.0B | ¥638.4B | ¥560.4B | ¥548.3B | ¥573.2B |
| Operating income | ¥163.0B | ¥140.3B | ¥93.7B | ¥107.4B | ¥146.1B |
| Net income | ¥120.1B | ¥107.8B | ¥43.9B | ¥86.0B | ¥109.6B |
| Earnings per share | ¥130.15 | ¥115.97 | ¥47.19 | ¥91.64 | ¥115.30 |
| EBITDA | ¥256.1B | ¥233.4B | ¥189.8B | ¥203.5B | ¥240.1B |
| Total assets | ¥1.9T | ¥1.9T | ¥1.8T | ¥1.7T | ¥1.7T |
| Total debt | ¥243.1B | ¥245.3B | ¥261.1B | ¥262.9B | ¥268.7B |
| Cash and short-term investments | ¥323.3B | ¥357.7B | ¥291.7B | ¥268.2B | ¥336.1B |
| Shareholders' equity | ¥1.1T | ¥1.1T | ¥983.7B | ¥972.1B | ¥965.1B |
| Operating cash flow | ¥199.7B | ¥201.6B | ¥202.5B | ¥130.9B | ¥175.5B |
| Free cash flow | ¥138.5B | ¥144.2B | ¥148.3B | ¥65.4B | ¥115.6B |
| Capital expenditure | −¥61.2B | −¥57.4B | −¥54.2B | −¥65.5B | −¥60.0B |
Fiscal years as reported, the latest ending 31 Dec 2025. Figures in JPY; a dash means the provider reported nothing for that line.
Peer comparison
| Company | Ticker | Price | Market cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asahi | 2502.T | ¥1,614.00 | ¥2.36T |
| Kirin | 2503.T | ¥2,867.50 | ¥2.29T |
| Pan Pacific International | 7532.T | ¥712.00 | ¥2.13T |
| Unicharm | 8113.T | ¥956.70 | ¥1.65T |
| Rohto Pharmaceutical | 4527.T | ¥2,822.00 | ¥637.67B |
| Kobayashi Pharmaceutical | 4967.T | ¥6,885.00 | ¥511.82B |
| Lion | 4912.T | ¥1,730.50 | ¥478.77B |
| Pigeon | 7956.T | ¥2,040.00 | ¥244.07B |
Peers as grouped by the data provider. This is not an investment recommendation.
How to invest in Kao from India
Step 1
Open your Paasa account
KYC takes a few minutes: PAN, Aadhaar and address proof. Your brokerage account is opened in your own name with Interactive Brokers.
Step 2
Add funds from your Indian bank account
Remit up to $250,000 a year under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme. Your bank converts the rupees to US dollars at its rate on the day you remit, and Interactive Brokers converts the dollars to JPY when you buy.
Step 3
Search 4452 and buy
Find Kao by name or by its ticker, 4452, and place your order. The Tokyo Stock Exchange typically trades in units of 100 shares.
Why invest in Kao from India
What Kao does
Kao Corporation is a multifaceted enterprise engaged in the development and sale of a broad spectrum of products, encompassing cosmetics, skin and hair care items, human health solutions, household cleaning and fabric care goods, and various chemical products. The company's operations are strategically divided into five core business segments: Hygiene and Living Care, Health and Beauty Care, Life Care, Cosmetics, and Chemicals. Kao operates in the Household & Personal Products industry within the Consumer Defensive sector.
Paasa handles the paperwork
Investing abroad brings paperwork with it: remittance filings, capital gains reporting, foreign asset disclosure. Paasa prepares all of it for you. Your India-ready tax reports arrive at year end, ready to file.
Here's what inheritance rules in Japan mean for your Kao shares.
Japan levies inheritance tax on Japan-located assets such as direct stocks, with an exemption of ¥30 million plus ¥6 million per statutory heir.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy Kao stock from India?
Yes. Indian residents and NRIs can buy Kao (4452) shares directly through Paasa. Kao is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, in the Household & Personal Products industry. Your money leaves India under the RBI's Liberalised Remittance Scheme and the shares are held in your own name at Interactive Brokers.
Do I need to buy a full Kao share?
Usually more than one, and not a fraction: the Tokyo Stock Exchange typically trades in units of 100 shares. At ¥3,513.00 a share, size the order by the lot, not by the share.
How are Kao dividends taxed for Indian investors?
Japan withholds a preferential 10% on dividends for Indian residents under the India–Japan DTAA rather than the higher domestic rate, and the tax withheld can be claimed as a foreign tax credit in India. Dividends are taxed at your slab rate in India. Kao’s current yield is 2.21%. Paasa's dividend report lists the gross dividend and any tax withheld for each payment, which is what you need when you file.
What tax do I pay in India when I sell Kao shares?
Japan generally does not levy capital gains tax on non-resident individual investors. In India, gains on shares held for more than 24 months are long-term and taxed at 12.5%, and gains on shares held for 24 months or less are short-term and taxed at your income-tax slab rate. Both are worked out in rupees at the JPY/INR rate on the day you bought and the day you sold, so the currency move is part of the gain. Paasa's capital-gains statement gives you the figures for your return.
What happens to my Kao shares if I pass away?
Japan levies inheritance tax on Japan-located assets such as direct stocks, with an exemption of ¥30 million plus ¥6 million per statutory heir. The rule looks at everything you hold there, not at Kao alone.