Leifras Anticipates Benefit from Expanded Trading Access as Nasdaq Plans 23-Hour Weekday Trading

Rhea-AI Summary

Leifras (Nasdaq: LFS) announced that its Nasdaq-listed American Depositary Shares are expected to gain from Nasdaq’s planned extension of trading hours to 23 hours per weekday, scheduled to launch on December 6, 2026 following SEC approval of the new 23/5 schedule.

Leifras highlighted that this expansion, combined with broader extended-hours access at Japanese online brokerages, may let Japan-based investors trade its ADSs during a larger portion of local daytime. Rakuten Securities already offers pre-market and after-hours U.S. equity trading and, according to cited media, is expected to support 23-hour trading from Nasdaq’s launch. SBI Securities plans to introduce pre-market and after-hours U.S. equity trading in 2026, targeting up to 23 hours of trading per day. Leifras believes these infrastructure developments could improve accessibility to its shares, support engagement with a more diverse investor base, and align with its long-term goal of enhancing corporate value and sustainable growth.

News Explained

Nasdaq has received SEC approval for its 23-hour weekday schedule, but the change remains prospective: Leifras ADSs are expected to gain access beginning December 6, 2026, rather than trading under the expanded schedule now.

Market Context

Leifras' recent record included +4.91% after a service contract announcement and -5.24% after an amb...

Analysis

Leifras' recent record included +4.91% after a service contract announcement and -5.24% after an ambassador appointment. That range adds context; low short positioning was recorded, while no insider activity was reported.

Key Figures

Nasdaq trading schedule: 23 hours per weekday Trading frequency: 5 days a week Launch date: December 6, 2026 +4 more

7 metrics

Nasdaq trading schedule 23 hours per weekday Planned expanded schedule

Trading frequency 5 days a week Planned Nasdaq schedule

Launch date December 6, 2026 Planned Nasdaq 23/5 trading launch

Rakuten pre-market hours 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Japan time Since June 22, 2026 during U.S. daylight saving time

Rakuten after-hours 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Japan time Since January 26, 2026 during U.S. daylight saving time

Current daily access Up to 16 hours per day Rakuten pre-market, after-hours, and regular sessions

Planned SBI access Up to 23 hours of trading per day Planned pre-market and after-hours trading during 2026

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Aug 25 (Neutral)

Pattern 5 events

Date	Event	Sentiment	24h Move	Catalyst
Aug 25	Auditor appointment	Neutral	+1.8%	New independent registered public accounting firm appointment preceded a 1.76% gain.
Aug 20	Service contract award	Positive	+4.9%	Nagakute City awarded Leifras a three-school weekend and holiday activity management contract.
Aug 19	Anniversary event	Neutral	+0.0%	Family Day anniversary event was followed by a flat 24-hour share-price reaction.
Aug 13	Ambassador appointment	Positive	-5.2%	Former Japan national team player appointment preceded a 5.24% decline.
Aug 12	Industry symposium	Neutral	+1.3%	School sports development symposium drew approximately 600 registrations and preceded a 1.32% gain.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Pattern Detected

Positive operational and promotional announcements in the selected history produced mixed 24-hour reactions, ranging from +4.91% to -5.24%.

Key Terms

american depositary shares, pre-market trading, after-hours trading, 23/5 trading schedule

4 terms

american depositary shares financial

"Nasdaq-listed American Depositary Shares ("ADSs")"

American depositary shares (ADSs) are a way for investors in the United States to buy shares of foreign companies without dealing with international markets directly. They represent ownership in a foreign company's stock and are traded on U.S. stock exchanges, making it easier for American investors to buy, sell, and own parts of companies from around the world.

pre-market trading financial

"Rakuten Securities has been offering pre-market trading from 5:00 p.m."

Trading that occurs on an exchange or alternative trading system before the official market opening time, when buyers and sellers can place and execute orders outside regular hours. It matters to investors because it can move a security's price ahead of the regular session—like an early preview or quiet auction—often with thinner trading and wider price swings, which can signal how the market may react once normal trading begins.

View in glossary

after-hours trading financial

"It has also been offering after-hours trading from 5:00 a.m."

After-hours trading is buying and selling stocks outside the regular market session, like a store that stays open later for a few customers. It matters because fewer participants trade then, so prices can move more sharply and spreads between buyers and sellers can widen; that can change the value of holdings quickly after news and affect how easily you can execute trades.

View in glossary

23/5 trading schedule financial

"formally launch its 23/5 trading schedule on December 6, 2026"

A 23/5 trading schedule is a market operating model in which trading is available for 23 hours each day on five days of the week, with a single one-hour daily window when the market is closed for system maintenance, clearing, or settlement. It matters to investors because it provides near-continuous access to buy or sell assets across many time zones, affecting how quickly prices adjust to news, the timing of order execution, and the availability of buyers and sellers—like a store open almost all day but closed for a short nightly break.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

See more from StockTitan in Google Search and AI answers. Adds StockTitan as a preferred source · opens Google

Add on Google Not now

Leifras ADSs to Become More Accessible for Trading, Including During Daytime Hours in Japan

TOKYO, Aug. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- LEIFRAS Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq: LFS) (the "Company" or "Leifras"), a sports and social business company dedicated to youth sports and community engagement and Japan's leading operator of children's sports schools and school club activity support businesses, today announced that its Nasdaq-listed American Depositary Shares ("ADSs") are expected to benefit from the planned expansion of Nasdaq trading hours to 23 hours per weekday starting December 6, 2026.

In parallel, certain Japanese online brokerages are expanding access to extended-hours trading in U.S. equities, including pre-market and after-hours sessions. These developments are expected to provide investors in Japan with greater flexibility in trading the Company's Nasdaq-listed ADSs.

Nasdaq Expected to Launch 23-Hour Trading on December 6, 2026

According to Nasdaq's press release^[1], Nasdaq has received approval from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") to extend trading hours to 23 hours per weekday, five days a week, and is expected to formally launch its 23/5 trading schedule on December 6, 2026.

The expanded schedule is expected to allow investors in Japan to trade the Company's shares in real time during a broader portion of Japan's daytime hours, providing additional flexibility to participate in the U.S. equity market.

Growing Access to Extended-Hours Trading in Japan

Certain Japanese online brokerages are also expanding extended-hours trading for U.S. equities, including ADSs of Leifras. Current and planned developments include the following:

• Rakuten Securities: According to Rakuten Securities' announcement^[2], since June 22, 2026, Rakuten Securities has been offering pre-market trading from 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Japan time during U.S. daylight saving time. It has also been offering after-hours trading from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Japan time during U.S. daylight saving time since January 26, 2026^[3]. Together with regular market hours, these sessions currently allow up to 16 hours of U.S. equity trading per day. According to Nihon Keizai Shimbun^[4], Rakuten Securities will support 23-hour trading from the launch of Nasdaq's expanded trading schedule.
  
  
• SBI Securities: According to SBI Securities' announcement^[5], in connection with the planned expansion of U.S. equity trading hours beginning December 6, 2026, SBI Securities plans to launch pre-market and after-hours trading for U.S. equities during 2026, which is expected to enable up to 23 hours of trading per day.

Investors should refer to the official websites of Rakuten Securities and SBI Securities for the latest information regarding service availability, trading rules, eligible securities and implementation schedules.

Future Outlook

Leifras welcomes the enhanced accessibility of its Nasdaq-listed ADSs and remains committed to broadening engagement with a diverse and growing investor base. The Company believes that the continued development of the financial market infrastructure in both the United States and Japan may improve accessibility to its shares and support its ongoing efforts to enhance corporate value and its pursuit of sustainable business growth.

Important Notice

This announcement is provided solely for informational purposes and is not intended to recommend or solicit the use of any particular brokerage firm or the purchase, sale or holding of any securities.

About LEIFRAS Co., Ltd.

Headquartered in Tokyo, Leifras is a sports and social business company dedicated to youth sports and community engagement. The Company primarily provides services related to the organization and operations of sports schools and sports events for children. As of December 31, 2025, Leifras was recognized as one of Japan's largest operators of children's sports schools in terms of both membership and facilities by Tokyo Shoko Research. The Company's approach to sports education emphasizes the development of non-cognitive skills, following the teaching principle "acknowledge, praise, encourage, and motivate." The holistic approach that integrates physical and mental development sets Leifras apart in the industry. Building upon deep experience and know-how in sports education, Leifras also operates a robust social business sector, dispatching sports coaches to meet various community needs with the aim to promote physical health, social inclusion, and community well-being across different demographics.

For more information, please visit the Company's website: https://ir.leifras.co.jp/.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on the Company's current expectations and projections about future events that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy, and financial needs. Investors can find many (but not all) of these statements by the use of words such as "approximates," "believes," "hopes," "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," "projects," "intends," "plans," "will," "would," "should," "could," "may," or other similar expressions in this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks, including, but not limited to, the uncertainties related to market conditions, and other factors discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results and encourages investors to review other factors that may affect its future results in the annual report and other filings with the SEC. Additional factors are discussed in the Company's filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov.

For more information, please contact:

LEIFRAS Co., Ltd.
Investor Relations Department
Email: IR@leifras.co.jp

Ascent Investor Relations LLC
Tina Xiao
Phone: +1-646-932-7242
Email: investors@ascent-ir.com

[1] Source: Nasdaq, Nasdaq Reports First Quarter 2026 Results; Strong Execution Drives Double-Digit Net Revenue Growth Across All Divisions. Available at: https://ir.nasdaq.com/news-releases/news-release-details/nasdaq-reports-first-quarter-2026-results-strong-execution

[2] Source: Rakuten Securities, U.S. equity pre-market trading announcement. Available at: https://www.rakuten-sec.co.jp/web/info/info20260113-01.html

[3] Source: Rakuten Securities, U.S. equity after-market trading announcement. Available at: https://www.rakuten-sec.co.jp/web/info/info20260608-01.html

[4] Source: Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Five Major Online Brokerages to Enable Daytime Trading of U.S. Stocks in Japan in Response to the Launch of 23-Hour Trading. Available at: https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQOUB31B9X0R30C26A7000000/

[5] Source: SBI Securities, Support for U.S. equity pre-market/after-hours trading planned for 2026. Available at: https://www.sbisec.co.jp/ETGate/?OutSide=on&_ActionID=DefaultAID&_ControlID=WPLETmgR001Control&_DataStoreID=DSWPLETmgR001Control&_PageID=WPLETmgR001Mdtl30&burl=search_foreign&cat1=foreign&cat2=info&dir=info&file=foreign_info260625_us-stocks.html&getFlg=on

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leifras-anticipates-benefit-from-expanded-trading-access-as-nasdaq-plans-23-hour-weekday-trading-302859568.html

SOURCE LEIFRAS Co., Ltd.

FAQ

What Nasdaq trading change on December 6, 2026 could affect Leifras (LFS) investors?

Nasdaq plans to introduce a 23-hour, five-day trading schedule on December 6, 2026. According to Leifras, this longer session may let Japan-based investors trade the company’s ADSs in real time during more of Japan’s daytime, increasing flexibility and accessibility.

How might Nasdaq’s 23-hour weekday trading improve access to Leifras (LFS) shares in Japan?

Nasdaq’s 23-hour weekday trading is expected to align more closely with Japan’s daytime hours. According to Leifras, this could allow Japanese investors to trade its ADSs across a broader local time window, complementing regular and extended-hours sessions at participating online brokerages.

What extended-hours U.S. equity trading does Rakuten Securities offer for Leifras (LFS) ADSs?

Rakuten Securities offers U.S. equity pre-market trading from 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and after-hours trading from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Japan time during U.S. daylight saving time. According to Leifras, these sessions currently provide up to 16 hours of daily U.S. equity trading access.

What are SBI Securities’ plans for extended-hours trading of U.S. stocks like Leifras (LFS) in 2026?

SBI Securities plans to launch pre-market and after-hours trading for U.S. equities during 2026. According to Leifras, these initiatives, tied to Nasdaq’s expanded hours, are expected to enable up to 23 hours of trading per day for eligible U.S. securities, including its ADSs.

How does Leifras expect expanded trading access to affect its investor base and corporate value (LFS)?

Leifras expects that broader trading hours and infrastructure in the United States and Japan may improve access to its ADSs. According to Leifras, this could support engagement with a more diverse investor base and align with efforts to enhance corporate value and sustainable growth.

Is Leifras (LFS) recommending specific brokerages or trading U.S. stocks due to Nasdaq’s 23-hour schedule?

Leifras is not recommending any brokerage or specific trading actions in connection with Nasdaq’s expanded hours. According to Leifras, the announcement is for informational purposes only and is not a solicitation to use particular firms or buy, sell, or hold any securities.