February 8, 2006
Japan - Celebrating its fifth straight year of record earnings, Japan's Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. said net income for the 12 months ended December 31, 2005, totaled 64 billion yen ($537 million), up from net income of 60 billion yen the company originally had forecast. Yamaha's operating profit for the 12-month period was 103.3 billion yen ($868 million), up from an earlier estimate of 101 billion yen, and sales were 1.38 trillion yen, up from a forecast of 1.32 trillion yen.
No year-on-year comparisons are available. The figures shown above represent the first time Yamaha has reported earnings based on the calendar year. Previously, the company's fiscal year began in April.
Yamaha derives about 56 percent of sales from its motorcycle business, and said company revenue was buoyed by increased motorcycle interest in Asia and Latin America and higher sales of ATVs and marine product in the U.S.
The company sold 3.85 million motorcycles in 2005, of which 2.73 million were sold in Asia and 223,000 units were sold in the U.S. It sold approximately 285,000 ATVs, 4 percent more than in 2004.
For 2006, Yamaha plans worldwide sales of 4.55 million motorcycles and 274,000 ATVs. The company said it expects sales of 1.45 trillion yen, operating profit of 115 billion yen and net income of 65 billion yen.
