Tokyo, Oct 8 - Japan's second-largest retailer, Aeon Co Ltd, posted a 13.4 percent fall in first-half operating profit on Wednesday as consumers rein in spending due to the slowing economy, but it stuck to its full-year outlook.
Aeon is the first major retailer to report earnings, setting the tone for a sector bearing the brunt of a slowdown in consumer spending in the world's second-largest economy.
Aeon, which operates Jusco and Maxvalu stores, said its operating profit came to 58.7 billion yen ($580 million) for the six months ended in August, down from 67.8 billion yen a year earlier.
For the full year, the firm stuck to its forecast of operating profit between 165-175 billion yen. That compares with a mean forecast of 165.17 billion yen in a poll of 14 analysts by Reuters Estimates.
Bigger rival Seven & I Holdings Co Ltd is scheduled to announce its results on Thursday.