Toyota racks up $18-billion profit

Toyota is looking strong at the end of the fiscal year with its net revenue showing six percent growth to the equivalent of $227 billion. Operating income grew to $23 billion in that period, a 20-percent jump, and net income increased to $18.1 billion, a 19-percent advancement. The company attributes the positive numbers to cost reductions and the weak yen compared to other currencies.

Toyota increased its operating income in every major region, but despite these ballooning figures, total sales globally actually fell slightly to almost 9 million - 144,149 fewer than last year. The automaker's biggest division in terms of units was North America, and it accounted for 2.7-million vehicles during the fiscal year. Operating income amounted to $4.5 billion there.

Meanwhile, Japan ranked as the most lucrative territory. Sales there fell by about 200,000 vehicles to a total of 2.15 million. However, operating income for the fiscal year more than doubled to $13.1 billion.

In its forecasts for the next fiscal year, Toyota predicts global sales to remain roughly the same as this year at 8.9 million vehicles. Net revenue and net income are expected to make slight gains, though.

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Show full PR text TMC Announces Financial Results for Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2015

(All consolidated financial information has been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles)

Toyota City, Japan, May 8, 2015-Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) today announces its financial results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2015.

Consolidated vehicle sales totaled 8,971,864 units, a decrease of 144,169 units compared to the previous fiscal year. On a consolidated basis, net revenues for the period totaled 27.23 trillion yen, an increase of 6.0 percent. Operating income increased from 2.2921 trillion yen to 2.7505 trillion yen, while income before income taxes1 was 2.8928 trillion yen. Net income2 increased from 1.8231 trillion yen to 2.1733 trillion yen.

Operating income increased by 458.4 billion yen. Major factors contributing to the increase included currency fluctuations of 280.0 billion yen and cost reduction efforts of 280.0 billion yen.

Commenting on the results, TMC President Akio Toyoda said: "Operating income improved by 458.4 billion yen to 2.7505 trillion yen due to positive factors such as favorable foreign exchange rates and cost reduction efforts that more than offset negative factors such as decreased vehicle sales and increased expenses including the investments to enhance our future competitiveness."

In Japan, vehicle sales totaled 2,153,694 units, a decrease of 211,716 units. Operating income increased by 61.3 billion yen to 1,571.4 billion yen.

In North America, vehicle sales totaled 2,715,173 units, an increase of 185,775 units. Operating income, excluding the impact of valuation gains/losses from interest rate swaps, increased by 196.4 billion yen to 537.9 billion yen.

In Europe, vehicle sales totaled 859,038 units, an increase of 15,035 units, while operating income increased by 22.8 billion yen to 81.1 billion yen.

In Asia, vehicle sales totaled 1,488,922 units, a decrease of 119,433 units, while operating income increased by 26.0 billion yen to 421.7 billion yen.

In other regions (including Central and South America, Oceania, Africa and the Middle East), vehicle sales totaled 1,755,037 units, a decrease of 13,830 units, while operating income increased by 68.9 billion yen to 111.5 billion yen.

Financial services operating income increased by 66.9 billion yen to 361.8 billion yen, including a gain of 39.8 billion yen in valuation gains/losses from interest rate swaps. Excluding valuation gains/losses, operating income increased by 4.9 billion yen to 321.9 billion yen.

For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016, TMC estimates that consolidated vehicles sales will be 8.9 million units.

In addition, TMC forecasts consolidated net revenue of 27.5 trillion yen, operating income of 2.8 trillion yen and net income of 2.25 trillion yen for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016, based on an exchange rate of 115 yen to the U.S. dollar and 125 yen to the euro.

TMC also announces a year-end dividend of 125 yen per share and the acquisition of own shares for 300 billion yen or upper limit of 40 million shares to be proposed at the general shareholders meeting in June.

1Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of affiliated companies
2Net income attributable to Toyota Motor Corporation
(Please see attached information for details on financial results. Further information is also available at www.toyota-global.com)

Cautionary Statement with Respect to Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements that reflect Toyota's plans and expectations. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Toyota's actual results, performance, achievements or financial position to be materially different from any future results, performance, achievements or financial position expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to: (i) changes in economic conditions, market demand, and the competitive environment affecting, the automotive markets in Japan, North America, Europe, Asia and other markets in which Toyota operates; (ii) fluctuations in currency exchange rates, particularly with respect to the value of the Japanese yen, the U.S. dollar, the euro, the Australian dollar, the Russian ruble, the Canadian dollar and the British pound, and interest rates fluctuations; (iii) changes in funding environment in financial markets and increased competition in the financial services industry; (iv) Toyota's ability to market and distribute effectively; (v) Toyota's ability to realize production efficiencies and to implement capital expenditures at the levels and times planned by management; (vi) changes in the laws, regulations and government policies in the markets in which Toyota operates that affect Toyota's automotive operations, particularly laws, regulations and government policies relating to vehicle safety including remedial measures such as recalls, trade, environmental protection, vehicle emissions and vehicle fuel economy, as well as changes in laws, regulations and government policies that affect Toyota's other operations, including the outcome of current and future litigation and other legal proceedings, government proceedings and investigations; (vii) political and economic instability in the markets in which Toyota operates; (viii) Toyota's ability to timely develop and achieve market acceptance of new products that meet customer demand; (ix) any damage to Toyota's brand image; (x) Toyota's reliance on various suppliers for the provision of supplies; (xi) increases in prices of raw materials; (xii) Toyota's reliance on various digital and information technologies; (xiii) fuel shortages or interruptions in electricity, transportation systems, labor strikes, work stoppages or other interruptions to, or difficulties in, the employment of labor in the major markets where Toyota purchases materials, components and supplies for the production of its products or where its products are produced, distributed or sold; and (xiv) the impact of natural calamities including the negative effect on Toyota's vehicle production and sales.
A discussion of these and other factors which may affect Toyota's actual results, performance, achievements or financial position is contained in Toyota's annual report on Form 20-F, which is on file with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
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