Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Reports Consolidated Financial Results For The Fiscal Second Quarter Ended September 30, 2010

TOKYO, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (NYSE: HMC) today announced its consolidated financial results for the fiscal second quarter ended September 30, 2010.

Second Quarter Results

Honda's consolidated net income attributable to Honda Motor Co., Ltd. for the fiscal second quarter ended September 30, 2010 totaled JPY 135.9 billion (USD 1,622 million), an increase of JPY 81.8 billion from the same period in 2009. Basic net income attributable to Honda Motor Co., Ltd. per common share for the quarter amounted to JPY 75.24 (USD 0.90), an increase of JPY 45.46 from JPY 29.78 for the corresponding period last year. One Honda American Depository Share represents one common share.

Consolidated operating income for the quarter totaled JPY 163.4 billion (USD 1,950 million), an increase of JPY 97.9 billion, due primarily to increased sales volume and model mix, reduction in vehicle costs as a result of increased production, and continuing cost reduction efforts, despite increased R&D expenses and the unfavorable currency effects.

Consolidated net sales and other operating for the quarter amounted to JPY 2,251.9 billion (USD 26,866 million), an increase of 9.5% from the same period in 2009, due primarily to increased revenue in the automobile business, despite unfavorable currency translation effects. Honda estimates that if calculated at the same exchange rate as the corresponding period in 2009, revenue for the quarter would have increased by approximately 14.4%.

-United States dollar amounts have been translated from yen solely for the convenience of the reader at the rate of JPY 83.82=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 September 30, 2010.

With respect to Honda's sales for the fiscal second quarter by business segment, motorcycle unit sales totaled 2,729 thousand units, an increase of 13.4% from the same period last year. Unit sales in Japan totaled 47 thousand units, a decrease of 9.6% from the same period last year. Outside of Japan, total unit sales was 2,682 thousand units, an increase of 13.9% from the same period in 2009, due mainly to increased unit sales in Asia and Other regions including South America.

-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 1,950 thousand units for the period.

Honda's automobile unit sales totaled 898 thousand units, an increase of 7.2% from the same period last year. In Japan, unit sales amounted to 177 thousand units, an increase of 12.0% from the same period last year. Unit sales outside of Japan increased 6.0% to 721 thousand units from the corresponding period last year, due mainly to increased unit sales in North America, more than offsetting decreased unit sales in Europe.

-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.

Honda's power product unit sales totaled 1,166 thousand units, an increase of 23.6% from the same period in 2009. In Japan, unit sales totaled 96 thousand units, an increase of 28.0% from the same period last year. Unit sales outside of Japan increased 23.3% from the corresponding period last year, to 1,070 thousand units, due to an increase of unit sales in all the regions.

Forecasts for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 2011

In regard to the forecasts of the financial results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, Honda projects consolidated results to be as shown below:

The forecasts are based on the assumption that the average exchange rates for the Japanese yen to the U.S. dollar and the Euro will be JPY 84 and JPY 113, respectively, for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011.

Dividend per Share of Common Stock

The Board of Directors of Honda Motor Co., Ltd., at its meeting held on October 29, 2010, resolved to make the quarterly dividend JPY 12 per share of common stock, the record date of which is September 30, 2010. The total expected annual dividend per share of common stock for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2011, is JPY 48 per share.

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.

SOURCE Honda Motor Co., Ltd.