Toyota is once more the biggest-selling brand in the world, according to six-month company results, with the financial services operation of the Japanese carmaker contributing a quarter of operating profit, despite generating only 5% of revenue.

The brand’s financial services operating income for the first half of the financial year, April – September, stood at ¥147.8bn (£1.15bn), down 9.49% on the same period for 2011/12. Toyota attributed the loss to "reduced reversal of provisions" in its half-year report.

Including gains from interest rate swaps, however, operating income was ¥174.5, a year-on-year rise of 1.99%.

Operating income for FY Q2, July – September, was ¥77.7bn, or ¥87.7bn when including gains from interest rate swaps; a year-on-year rise of over 11% in both cases, for which the company cited an increased lending balance.

Biggest brand in the world

Toyota has revised its net profit forecast for the 2012/13 financial year to ¥780bn, up 2.6% from its previous estimate, with operating profit of ¥1.05trn, up 5%.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Globally, the brand sold 7.4m vehicles in the first nine months of 2012, returning it to the world’s biggest-selling brand ahead of GM and Volkswagen, with FY second-quarter net profit more than trebled to ¥257.9bn following resurgent sales in North America and Southeast Asia.

These results come despite the brand and its two Chinese joint ventures experiencing a sink in registrations in China – the biggest car market in the world, where Toyota typically records 12% of global sales – on the back of anti-Japanese sentiment.

The Toyota forecast for FY12/13 European sales of the brand was 790,000 units, down 4.82% on its previous projection and also down on the FY11/12 result of 798,000 registrations.

Further comment and analysis of Toyota’s half-year results will be published in the November issue of Motor Finance magazine.

richard.brown@vrlfinancialnews.com