TOKYO, April 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (NYSE: HMC) today announced its consolidated financial results for the fiscal fourth quarter and the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011.

Fourth Quarter Results

Honda's consolidated net income attributable to Honda Motor Co., Ltd. for the fiscal fourth quarter ended March 31, 2011 totaled JPY 44.5 billion (USD 536 million), a decrease of 38.3% from the same period last year.  Basic net income attributable to Honda Motor Co., Ltd. per common share for the quarter amounted to JPY 24.72 (USD 0.30), a decrease of JPY 15.06 from JPY 39.78 for the corresponding period last year.  One Honda American Depository Share represents one common share.

Consolidated net sales and other operating revenue (herein referred to as "revenue") for the quarter amounted to JPY 2,213.0 billion (USD 26,616 million), a decrease of 2.9% from the same period last year, due primarily to the unfavorable currency translation effects, despite increased revenue in the motorcycle business together with revenue related to licensing agreements.  Honda estimates that if calculated at the same exchange rate as the corresponding period last year, revenue for the quarter would have increased by approximately 3.3%.

Consolidated operating income for the quarter amounted to JPY 46.2 billion (USD 556 million), a decrease of 51.9% from the same period last year, due primarily to increased SG&A expenses, unfavorable foreign currency effects, and impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred on March 11, 2011 (the "Earthquake") despite continuing cost reduction efforts, decreased R&D expenses, increased sales volume and model mix and operating income related to licensing agreements.

Consolidated income before income taxes and equity in income of affiliates for the quarter totaled JPY 76.6 billion (USD 921 million), a decrease of 18.1% from the same period last year, despite non-operating income related to dissolution of the joint venture.

Equity in income of affiliates amounted to JPY 25.0 billion (USD 301 million) for the quarter, an increase of 4.7 % from the corresponding period last year.

-- United States dollar amounts have been translated from yen solely for the convenience of the reader at the rate of JPY 83.15=U.S.$1, the mean of the telegraphic transfer selling exchange rate and the telegraphic transfer buying exchange rate prevailing on the Tokyo foreign exchange market on March 31, 2011.

-- Impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred on March 11, 2011 on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations;

On March 11, 2011, Japan experienced a large earthquake commonly referred to as the Great East Japan Earthquake, which caused damage to certain of property, plant and equipment and inventory, and temporary suspension of production of the Company's plants and research and development activities of the Company and its domestic consolidated subsidiaries.

As a result, the Company and its domestic consolidated subsidiaries recognized JPY 45,720 million of losses, of which JPY 17,450 million is included in cost of sales and JPY 28,270 million is included in selling, general and administrative in the accompanying consolidated statement of income for the year ended March 31, 2011.  The losses mainly consist of unallocated fixed production overhead of JPY 15,062 million which is included in cost of sales, and loss on damaged property, plant and equipment of JPY 15,647 million which is included in selling, general and administrative.

The Company and its domestic consolidated subsidiaries did not recognize the costs of future restoration activities expected to be incurred in the next fiscal year in the current year consolidated financial statements.

-- Dissolution of the joint venture and licensing agreements;

On March 22, 2011, Honda sold all of its investments in Hero Honda Motors Ltd. (HHML) with book value of JPY 34,275 million, which represented 26.0% of HHML's total outstanding shares, to its joint venture partner at JPY 71,073 million for the dissolution of the joint venture.  In addition, Honda and HHML have signed a new licensing agreement which enables HHML to continue producing, selling and servicing its current products. Consideration for the licensing agreement was JPY 45,000 million, and becomes due through 2014.

Total consideration received less interest portion, including the fair value attributable to the termination of certain obligations under the joint venture agreement, is allocated to each element using the relative selling price method in accordance with FASB ASC 605 "Revenue Recognition".  As a result, the Company recognized revenue of JPY 32,015 million related to the licensing agreement in Net sales and other operating revenue, and gain on sale of the investments of JPY 46,756 million in Other income (expense) – Other, net.

Transaction prices were determined through negotiation based on the estimate by management of Honda after considering economic rationality.

With respect to Honda's sales for the fiscal fourth quarter by business segment, motorcycle unit sales totaled 2,934 thousand units, an increase of 12.8% from the same period last year* due mainly to increased unit sales in Asia and Other regions including South America.  Revenue from sales to external customers increased 5.4%, to JPY 353.1 billion (USD 4,247 million), from the same period last year, due mainly to increased unit sales and revenue related to licensing agreements, despite the unfavorable currency translation effects.  Operating income totaled to JPY 48.1 billion (USD 579 million), an increase of 71.8% from the same period last year, due primarily to increased unit sales and model mix and operating income related to licensing agreements, despite increased SG&A expenses and unfavorable foreign currency effects.

*Of the net sales of Honda-brand motorcycle products that are manufactured and sold by overseas affiliates accounted for under the equity method, those with respect to which parts for manufacturing were not supplied from Honda or its subsidiaries are not included in net sales and other operating revenue, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.  Accordingly, these unit sales are not included in the financial results.  Sales of such products amounted to approximately 1,810 thousand units for the period.

Honda's automobile unit sales totaled 860 thousand units**, a decrease of 1.6% from the same period last year due mainly to decreased unit sales in Japan, despite increased unit sales in North America.  Revenue from sales to external customers decreased 4.4%, to JPY 1,645.3 billion (USD 19,788 million), from the same period last year, due mainly to unfavorable currency translation effects.  Honda reported an operating loss of JPY 39.1 billion (USD 471 million), a deterioration of JPY 63.1 billion from the same period last year, due primarily to increased SG&A expenses, unfavorable foreign currency effects and the impact of the Earthquake, despite continuing cost reduction efforts and decreased R&D expenses.

**Certain sales of automobiles that are financed with residual value type auto loans by our domestic finance subsidiaries are accounted for as operating leases in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. As a result, they are not included in total sales of our automobile segment or in our measure of unit sales.

Revenue from customers in the financial services business decreased 6.8%, to JPY 134.5 billion (USD 1,618 million) from the same period last year.  Operating income decreased 16.1% to JPY 39.6 billion (USD 476 million) from the same period last year due mainly to the unfavorable foreign currency effects, despite the decreased allowance for losses on credit and lease residual values.

Honda's power product unit sales totaled 1,746 thousand units, an increase of 7.1% from the same period last year due to an increase of unit sales in all the regions.  Revenue from sales to external customers in power product and other businesses increased 1.8%, to JPY 80.0 billion (USD 963 million), from the same period last year, due mainly to increased unit sales in power products, despite unfavorable currency translation effects.  Honda reported an operating loss of JPY 2.3 billion (USD 28 million), an improvement of JPY 0.7 billion from the same period last year, primarily due to continuing cost reduction efforts and increased sales volume and model mix of power products, despite increased SG&A expenses.

Fiscal Year Results

Honda's consolidated net income attributable to Honda Motor Co., Ltd. for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011 totaled JPY 534.0 billion (USD 6,423 million), an increase of 99.0% from the previous fiscal year. Basic net income attributable to Honda Motor Co., Ltd. per common share for the fiscal year amounted to JPY 295.67 (USD 3.56), an increase of JPY 147.76 from JPY 147.91 for the previous fiscal year.

Consolidated revenue for the period amounted to JPY 8,936.8 billion (USD 107,479 million), an increase of 4.2% from the previous fiscal year, primarily due to increased revenue in the automobile business and the motorcycle business, despite the unfavorable currency translation effects. Honda estimates that if calculated at the same exchange rate as the previous fiscal year, revenue for the period would have increased by approximately 8.7%.

Consolidated operating income for the period totaled JPY 569.7 billion (USD 6,852 million), an increase of 56.6% from the previous fiscal year, due primarily to increased sales volume and model mix, decrease in fixed costs as volume of production increase and continuing cost reduction efforts, despite increased SG&A expenses and R&D expenses, the unfavorable foreign currency effects, and the impact of the Earthquake.

Consolidated income before income taxes and equity in income of affiliates for the period totaled JPY 630.5 billion (USD 7,583 million), an increase of 87.6% from the previous fiscal year due mainly to increased operating income and the non-operating income related to the dissolution of the joint venture.

Equity in income of affiliates amounted to JPY 139.7 billion (USD 1,681 million) for the period, an increase of 49.8% from the previous fiscal year.

Forecasts for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2011

The Company is currently unable to reasonably calculate forecasts of the consolidated financial results for the fiscal six months ending September 30, 2011, or for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012, due to the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011.

Therefore, the Company will release the forecasts of the consolidated financial results for the fiscal six months ending September 30, 2011 and for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012 as soon as they become available.

Profit Redistribution Policy and Dividend per Share of Common Stock for fiscal years 2011

The Company strives to carry out its operations worldwide from a global perspective and to increase its corporate value.  With respect to the redistribution of profits to our shareholders, which we consider to be one of the most important management issues, the Company's basic policy for dividends is to make distributions after taking into account its long-term consolidated earnings performance.

The Company will also acquire its own shares at the optimal timing with the goal of improving efficiency of the Company's capital structure and implementing a flexible capital policy.  The present goal is to maintain a shareholders return ratio (i.e. the ratio of the total of the dividend payment and the repurchase of the Company's own shares to net income attributable to Honda Motor Co., Ltd.) of approximately 30%.  Retained earnings will be allocated toward financing R&D activities that are essential for the future growth of the Company and capital expenditures and investment programs that will expand its operations for the purpose of improving business results and strengthening the Company's financial condition.

The Company plans to distribute year-end cash dividends of JPY 15 per share for the year ended March 31, 2011.  As a result, total cash dividends for the year ended March 31, 2011, together with the first quarter cash dividends of JPY 12, the second quarter cash dividends of JPY 12 and the third quarter cash dividends of JPY 15, are planned to be JPY 54 per share, an increase of JPY 16 per share from the annual dividends paid for the year ended March 31, 2010.

Also, please note that the year-end cash dividends for the year ended March 31, 2011 is a matter to be resolved at the general meeting of shareholders.

The dividend forecast for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012 is not determined, as the Company is currently unable to reasonably calculate forecasts of the consolidated financial results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2012, due to the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred on March 11, 2011.

This announcement contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such statements are based on management's assumptions and beliefs taking into account information currently available to it. Therefore, please be advised that Honda's actual results could differ materially from those described in these forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors, including general economic conditions in Honda's principal markets and foreign exchange rates between the Japanese yen and the U.S. dollar, the Euro and other major currencies, as well as other factors detailed from time to time. The various factors for increases and decreases in income have been classified in accordance with a method that Honda considers reasonable.

For Additional information, please visit;

http://world.honda.com/investors/library/presentation/

http://world.honda.com/investors/library/financialresult/

where you can download presentation materials and financial results information.

SOURCE Honda Motor Co., Ltd.