Honda cycle sales up 13.9%

Japan’s Honda Motor Co. says consolidated net income for the year ended March 31, 2004 totaled JPY 464.3 billion (USD 4,393 million), an increase of 8.8% from the previous year. Basic net income per Common Share for the year amounted to JPY 486.91 (USD 4.61), compared to JPY 439.43 for the previous year. Two of Honda’s American Depositary Shares represent one Common Share.
Consolidated net sales and other operating revenue for the year amounted to JPY 8,162.6 billion (USD 77,232 million), an increase of 2.4% from last year. Revenue included a negative effect of currency translation caused by translation of foreign currency denominated revenue from overseas subsidiaries into yen. Honda estimates that if the exchange rate of yen had remained unchanged from that in the previous year, revenue for the year would have increased by approximately 6.4%.
Consolidated operating income for the year totaled JPY 600.1 billion (USD 5,678 million), a decrease of 17.2% compared to the previous year. This decrease in operating income was primarily due to negative impacts of depreciation of U.S. dollar and an increase in selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses, which offset positive impacts of increased revenue from increased unit sales and ongoing cost reduction effects.
Consolidated income before income taxes for the year totaled JPY 641.9 billion (USD 6,074 million), an increase of 5.3% compared to the previous year.
With respect to Honda’s sales for the year by business category, motorcycle unit sales increased 13.9% to 9,206 thousand units. In Japan, unit sales of motorcycles decreased 6.7% to 403 thousand units, while overseas unit sales increased 15.1% to 8,803 thousand units. Revenue from motorcycle business increased 1.9% to JPY 996.2 billion (USD 9,427 million) due primarily to increased sales. Operating income decreased 25.9% to JPY 42.4 billion (USD 401 million).
In North America, revenue decreased by 0.8% from the previous year to JPY 4,673.0 billion (USD 44,214 million), due to negative impact of appreciation of yen against U.S. dollar, although unit sales in motorcycles, automobiles and power products increased. Operating income in North America decreased by 30.2% to JPY 310.1 billion (USD 2,935 million) from the previous year.
Fourth Quarter Results
Honda’s consolidated net income for the fiscal fourth quarter ended March 31, 2004 totaled JPY 74.1 billion (USD 701 million), a decrease of 36.5% from the corresponding period in 2003. Basic net income per Common Share for the quarter amounted to JPY 78.47 (USD 0.74), compared to JPY 120.86 for the same period in 2003.
Honda says unit sales for all of its products, namely motorcycles, automobiles and power products, increased during the fiscal fourth quarter and consolidated net sales and other operating revenue for the quarter amounted to JPY 2,144.9 billion (USD 20,294 million), increased by 0.8% over the corresponding period in 2003. Revenue included a negative effect of currency translation, caused by translation of foreign currency denominated revenue from Honda’s overseas subsidiaries into yen. Honda estimates that if the exchange rate of yen had remained unchanged from that in the corresponding period in 2003, revenue for the quarter would have increased by approximately 5.5%.
Consolidated operating income for the fiscal fourth quarter totaled JPY 137.1 billion (USD 1,298 million), a decrease of 43.3% compared to the corresponding period in 2003. This decrease in operating income was primarily due to the negative impacts of depreciation of U.S. dollar and an increase in selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses, which offset positive impacts of ongoing cost reduction effects, the company said.
Consolidated income before income taxes for the quarter totaled JPY 106.4 billion (USD 1,007 million), a decrease of 40.0% from the corresponding period in 2003.
With respect to Honda’s sales in the fiscal fourth quarter by business category, motorcycle unit sales increased by 26.7% to 2,620 thousand units, and revenue increased 12.1%, to JPY 294.8 billion (USD 2,790 million).
Revenue from financial services for the quarter decreased 4.1% to JPY 58.6 billion (USD 555 million).
Unit sales of power products for the quarter totaled 1,788 thousand units, an increase of 4.2% compared to the corresponding period in 2003. Revenue from power products and other businesses increased by 4.0% to JPY 99.8 billion (USD 945 million). psb