Honda cuts profit outlook as sales slip

Honda has become the latest automaker to report weaker earnings as global demand softens.

The company said Friday that its profit in the July-September fell 6.7 per cent from a year earlier to ¥196.5 billion (US$1.8 billion) as vehicle and motorcycle sales slipped.

An unfavourable exchange rate also hurt earnings, the Tokyo-based automaker said.

Honda Motor Company’s quarterly revenue declined 2.9 per cent to ¥3.7 trillion (US$34 billion) as sales declined in the United States, Japan, the rest of Asia and Europe.

Honda, which makes the Odyssey minivan and Asimo robot, said higher tax expenses also hurt results.

The automaker lowered its full-year net profit forecast for the fiscal year through March 2020 to ¥575 billion (US$5.2 billion). That’s down from the ¥645 billion (US$5.9 billion) estimate given in August, and below the ¥610 billion earned in the previous fiscal year.

Honda said its financial services business did well, helping to offset some of the damage from other divisions.

Honda officials acknowledged to reporters that more needed to be done to reduce costs. They said a promised restructuring was under way.

Earlier this week, Honda’s Japanese rival Toyota Motor Corp. reported its sales grew in key global regions, helping Japan’s top automaker post an increase in quarterly net profit despite a strong yen, which hurts the earnings of Japanese exporters.

Nissan Motor Co, a Japanese automaker that has seen its brand power tarnished amid a financial misconduct scandal, reports earnings next week.

AP