Step

Basic Information

Stock Code
9795
Industry
Service Industry
Category Detail
Education
Prefecture
Kanagawa Prefecture
Establishment Year
September 1979
Listing Year
June 1995
Official Website
https://www.stepnet.co.jp/
TSE Information
TSE Information
Yahoo! Finance
Yahoo! Finance
Other Companies
Seigakusha, Meiko Network Japan, Shuei, Riso Education, Waseda Academy, Tokyo Individual Tutoring College, S Science, Sprix, Ainabo HD, FCE, Wizas, Nagase, Gakkyusha

Overview

Step is a tutoring school chain centered in Kanagawa Prefecture, founded in 1975. It is a community-oriented company whose main businesses are entrance exam preparation for elementary, junior high, and high school students, as well as after-school childcare and nursery school operations.

Current Situation

Step recorded net sales of approximately 13.6 billion yen and operating profit of approximately 3.6 billion yen in the fiscal year ended September 2022, establishing a solid financial foundation. It operates 144 tutoring schools mainly in Kanagawa Prefecture, with strengths in high school entrance exam preparation for elementary and junior high school students, and also offers university entrance exam courses for high school students. It is expanding individual instruction through K-STEP, as well as after-school childcare and nursery school businesses, providing multifaceted regional education services. It strives to improve customer satisfaction by utilizing ICT for e-STEP lesson video delivery and Step Pass IC card entry/exit management. While maintaining community-based management, it introduces unique curricula such as characteristic inspection countermeasures and Eiken test preparation to enhance competitiveness in exams. Moving forward, it aims for sustainable growth by addressing educational needs in Kanagawa Prefecture, promoting human resource development and labor environment improvements. In the past, it has experienced defamation lawsuits and excessive workload issues, but it is now focusing on sound corporate activities. While keeping an eye on trends in the regional education market, medium- to long-term challenges include enhancing corporate-led nursery facilities and improving education efficiency through digitalization.

Trivia

Interesting Facts

  • Founded in 1975, one of the established tutoring schools in the prefecture
  • Step Pass is an IC card that notifies parents of entry/exit times
  • Eiken preparation classes support from primary to secondary exams
  • Characteristic inspection mock exams correspond to changes in prefectural high school admissions
  • High-density tutoring school network centered in Fujisawa City
  • K-STEP is 1 teacher to 1-2 students individual instruction
  • Hi-STEP is a course for the prefecture's top exam aspirants
  • Began after-school childcare and nursery operations in 2016
  • Has experienced defamation lawsuits and excessive labor issues in the past
  • Listed on the First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in October 2012

Hidden Connections

  • Close collaboration with Fujisawa City's regional education network
  • Numerous collaborative projects with local companies' education support programs
  • Information sharing with education committees through provision of entrance exam information in Kanagawa Prefecture
  • Strengthened close communication between parents and classrooms via ICT systems

Future Outlook

Growth Drivers

  • Stable demand for cram schools due to intensifying entrance exam competition in Kanagawa Prefecture
  • Efficiency gains from expanded utilization of ICT education technology
  • Expansion of community-based childcare and after-school businesses
  • K-STEP growth driven by rising demand for individual instruction
  • Curriculum differentiation amid diversifying entrance exams including characteristic inspections

Strategic Goals

  • Maintain and strengthen position as Kanagawa Prefecture's largest tutoring school group
  • Expand community-based childcare and after-school businesses
  • Optimize education efficiency and safety management through ICT
  • Improve staff work-life balance and secure talent
  • Thoroughly strengthen contributions to regional society and corporate social responsibility

Business Segments

Tutoring School Operation Support

Overview
Provides operation support services and teaching material development for educational institutions.
Competitiveness
Accumulated practical knowledge in entrance exam instruction
Customers
  • Local Education Committees
  • Tutoring School Operators
  • School Corporations
  • Education Consultants
Products
  • Curriculum Development Support
  • Mock Exam Provision
  • Teacher Training Services
  • Learning Management System

ICT Education Solutions

Overview
Learning management and safety support systems utilizing ICT technology.
Competitiveness
Integrated information platform linking entry/exit management to mock exam notifications
Customers
  • Tutoring Schools
  • Schools
  • Education Committees
  • Parents
Products
  • e-STEP Lesson Video Delivery
  • Step Pass IC Card System
  • Online Learning Platform

Nursery Operation Support

Overview
Comprehensive support services for nursery operations.
Competitiveness
Community-based nursery operation expertise
Customers
  • Local Governments
  • Nursery Operators
  • Corporate-Led Childcare Businesses
  • Parents
Products
  • Nursery Curriculum Provision
  • Staff Recruitment Consulting
  • Operation Management Support

Mock Exams and Entrance Exam Materials Provision

Overview
Provides regionally specialized entrance mock exams along with materials.
Competitiveness
Content aligned with Kanagawa Prefecture public high school entrance exams
Customers
  • Tutoring Schools
  • School Sites
  • Individual Instruction Cram Schools
  • Educational Institutions
Products
  • Step Mock Exam
  • Open Mock Exam
  • Characteristic Inspection Countermeasures Mock Exam Materials

Competitive Advantage

Strengths

  • Overwhelming foundation in Kanagawa Prefecture through deep regional integration
  • Diverse educational courses and grade coverage
  • Customer satisfaction improvement through ICT utilization
  • Flexible entrance exam countermeasures curriculum
  • Long history since founding and stable management base
  • Diversification into after-school childcare and nursery businesses
  • Abundant number of school locations and broad student base

Competitive Advantages

  • Largest-scale school network in the prefecture specialized in high school entrance exams
  • Hi-STEP provides advanced instruction for top schools
  • K-STEP individual instruction for personalized student support
  • Step Pass IC card enables safety management and parent communication
  • Rich lineup of mock exams to strengthen entrance exam preparation
  • Comprehensive child-rearing support through after-school childcare and nursery operations
  • Strong regional brand recognition and awareness

Threats

  • Growth limitations due to regional-only expansion
  • Intensifying competition with major national cram school chains
  • Risk of declining examinee numbers due to falling birthrates
  • Image risk from past labor environment issues
  • Potential lag in adopting new educational technologies

Innovations

2022: e-STEP Lesson Video Delivery System Enhancement

Overview
Equipped all schools with online lesson viewing environments to improve learning efficiency.
Impact
Increased review opportunities for students and improved attendance rates

2021: Introduction of Step Pass IC Card

Overview
Automated entry/exit management and parent notifications to ensure peace of mind and safety.
Impact
Improved parent satisfaction and operational efficiency

2020: Enhanced Introduction of Characteristic Inspection Countermeasures Mock Exams

Overview
Expanded entrance exam countermeasures with mock exams tailored to prefecture-specific inspections.
Impact
Contributed to improved student pass rates

Sustainability

  • Workstyle reforms to improve excessive workloads for teaching staff
  • Active participation in regional education events
  • Promotion of paperless operations through ICT utilization
  • Expansion of corporate-led childcare business to strengthen child-rearing support
  • Continuous improvements to safety management systems