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Toyota FY 2023 operating profit tops 5 tril. yen, 1st for Japanese firm Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday its operating profit for the year ended March almost doubled from a year earlier to a record 5.35 trillion yen ($34.5 billion), making it the first Japanese company to top the 5 trillion yen mark thanks to robust post-pandemic demand and a weaker yen. Its net profit for the year ended March 31 doubled to an all-time high of 4.94 trillion yen on its highest-ever sales of 45.10 trillion yen, up 21.4 percent, the automaker said. But Toyota projects its net profit will fall 27.8 percent to 3.57 trillion yen for the current business year, as it will boost investment to strengthen its technology development for electric vehicles and artificial intelligence by about 40 percent to 1.7 trillion yen. The record earnings for the last fiscal year reflect a 5.0 percent rise in its global sales volume to 11.09 million vehicles, driven by increasing demand for its hybrid vehicles. Toyota and Lexus brands boosted their combined sales of gasoline-electric powered vehicles 32.1 percent to 3.59 million vehicles. By region, North America saw the biggest growth in vehicle sales, rising 17.0 percent to 2.82 million units, followed by Europe, which saw a 15.7 percent increase to 1.19 million cars. Still, its domestic sales fell 3.7 percent to 1.99 million during the 12-month period due in part to a halt in shipments of some models after data rigging in vehicle tests were found at its subsidiary Daihatsu Motor Co. and affiliate Toyota Industries Corp. "We will spend time and money necessary" for addressing issues related to the group firms' misconduct, which resulted in temporary shipment halt, Toyota President Koji Sato said at a press conference. The automaker also benefited from the yen's depreciation, which boosted its operating profit by 685 billion yen, with the dollar's rate at 145 yen, stronger than 135 yen the year before. A weaker yen inflates overseas profits when repatriated. Price hikes and solid sales of models with higher profit margins such as hybrid vehicles also contributed to profit growth. "Hybrid cars have gained traction gradually in the U.S. market since the launch of the Prius," Executive Vice President Yoichi Miyazaki said at the press conference. "Now they are recognized as a main player." For fiscal 2024, sales are projected to climb 2.0 percent to 46 trillion yen, while operating profit will fall 19.7 percent to 4.3 trillion yen. Apart from heftier investment, the company's profits are also expected to be squeezed by higher labor costs as a result of its largest pay hike since 1999 agreed during this year's wage negotiations and human resources investment of 380 billion yen to address the issue of data rigging that led to the quality scandal. The company's earnings outlook is based on an average U.S. dollar rate of 145 yen, unchanged from its assumption for the past year, while the projected euro rate is 160 yen, compared with 157 yen for the previous year. The automaker group plans to sell 10.95 million vehicles worldwide for the year, down 1.3 percent from the previous year, it said. https://english.kyodonews.net/ne ... for-japan-firm.html 【共同社5月8日电】丰田汽车公司8日公布2023财年（2023年4月至2024年3月）合并财报，反映主营业务盈利情况的营业利润达到创纪录的5.3529万亿日元（约合人民币2490亿元），约为上财年2倍。据SMBC日兴证券称，日企营业利润站上5万亿日元大关尚属首次。混合动力车（HV）的销量增加、涨价和日元贬值推升了利润。销售额增长21.4%至45.0953万亿日元，净利润增长约一倍至4.9449万亿日元，均创新高。 同时公布的2024财年业绩预期显示，销售额将比上财年增长2.0%至46万亿日元，营业利润下滑19.7%至4.3万亿日元，净利润下滑27.8%至3.57万亿日元。利润下滑是由于为纯电动汽车（EV）、人工智能（AI）和改善员工工作环境等投资约2万亿日元。 2023财年营业利润不仅得益于高盈利的HV销售势头良好，还因为伴随性能提升的涨价等带来的利润增加达到2万亿日元。日元贬值的影响也很大，使利润增加6850亿日元。丰田作为出口企业，盈利换算成日元后被放大。 丰田此前营业利润的最高纪录是2021财年的2.9956万亿日元，此次高出了逾2万亿日元。 合并财报的销量数据显示，在海外各地增加，在日本国内则受集团接连曝出认证违规问题的影响而减少。在东京召开记者会的社长佐藤恒治回顾称2023财年的良好业绩“是众多相关人士努力的结果”，强调2024财年“将直面违规问题等，努力夯实基础”。 对2024财年包括雷克萨斯品牌在内的丰田单体，全球产量计划为1000万辆，全球销量预期为1040万辆。在EV需求被指增长放缓的情况下，丰田计划2026年全球销量达到1500万辆，佐藤就此表示“基本上节奏没变”。 （完） |
