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Japan’s Honda reports robust results after its first ever annual loss
Honda said U.S. and India sales lifted first-quarter profit to 456.9 billion yen and raised its full-year forecast to 400 billion yen.
Tokyo-Based Honda Motor Co. reported Wednesday that April-June profit reached 456.9 billion yen , with quarterly sales rising 13.5% to 6.06 trillion yen as vehicles sold well in the U.S. and India.
Chief Financial Officer Masao Kawaguchi attributed the healthy results partly to a favorable exchange rate, while motorcycle operations proved highly lucrative with strong sales in Brazil and India.
While car sales grew in Japan and the U.S., Kawaguchi noted struggles in China, where Honda must better utilize resources to appeal to local buyers; abandoned electric-vehicle plans incurred heavy costs partly due to President Donald Trump's policies.
All Japanese automakers face disruptions from the 7.1 magnitude earthquake in Kumamoto, yet Honda raised its annual profit forecast to 400 billion yen from 260 billion yen .
Like other Japanese companies, Honda plans to take a summer break later this month, with officials hoping operations will return to normal following the recent earthquake and production disruptions.