Toyota Motor Corporation reported disappointing first-quarter earnings, falling short of analyst expectations with earnings per share of $4.38—$0.35 below forecasts. While revenue surpassed projections at $83.13 billion, weaker profitability dampened investor sentiment. The stock remained subdued at $183.99, having declined nearly 2% over the past three months, though it retains an 8% year-to-date gain. Concurrently, Toyota announced plans to build a new production facility in its namesake Japanese city by the early 2030s, marking its first domestic plant expansion since 2012. This move comes despite shrinking demand in Japan’s aging market and political tensions, as U.S. trade policies impose heavy tariffs, slashing Toyota’s annual operating profit forecast by 16% to 3.2 trillion yen.
U.S. Tariffs Wreak Havoc on Margins
The automaker’s North American operations slipped into the red, with 25% tariffs costing $450 billion yen in Q1 alone. Net profit plummeted 37% year-over-year to 841 billion yen, while rising costs eroded margins despite higher sales. A revised U.S.-Japan trade deal may ease some pressure, but exports from Mexico and Canada remain heavily taxed. Toyota maintains its annual sales target of 11.2 million vehicles, but profitability remains under severe strain.
