Yamaha’s bike shipments hit record high

Nearly 7 million units shipped in 2011

Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. saw an increase in fiscal 2011 in the global shipment of motorcycles and outboard motors, but the effects of the appreciation of the yen on foreign exchange and the decrease in production due to the Great East Japan Earthquake and floods in Thailand pushed net sales down slightly by 1.4 percent from the previous fiscal year to ¥1.27 trillion ($15.7 billion).

In the motorcycles segment, shipments increased in emerging markets such as Vietnam, India and Central and South America, but decreased in markets such as Indonesia and Thailand due to the impact of the floods in Thailand. As for developed markets, there were increases in the U.S., where distribution inventories had been adjusted the previous year, and in Japan, where there was demand from post-quake reconstruction, but there was a decrease in Europe due to a drop in demand.

As a result, the number of units shipped globally increased slightly by 0.3 percent from the previous fiscal year to a record high 6.98 million units. The impact of the appreciation of the yen pushed net sales down by 2.9 percent from the previous fiscal year to ¥887.6 billion ($10.9 billion). The appreciation of the yen, the impact of the floods in Thailand and the increase in research and development expenses pushed operating income down by 43.2 percent from the previous fiscal year to ¥27.6 billion ($347.1 million).

In the marine products segment, shipments of outboard motors increased in Central and South America and Russia due to an increase in demand, and despite bottomed out demand in the U.S. market, the number of units shipped globally increased 11.4 percent from the previous fiscal year to 300,000 units. Shipments of PWC also increased thanks to a recovery in demand in the U.S. As a result, net sales increased 7.1 percent from the previous fiscal year to ¥178.9 billion ($2.2 billion) and operating income increased 846.1 percent to ¥7.1 billion ($87.5 million).

In the power products segment, shipments of ATVs decreased in North America where demand continues to slide. As a result, net sales decreased 2.6 percent from the previous fiscal year to ¥100.3 billion ($1.2 billion).