Nissan reports first full-year net profit in three years

TOKYO: Nissan reported a positive full-year net profit for the first time in three years on Thursday, citing cost-saving efforts and a stronger US market, but issued cautious forecasts.

The Japanese auto giant was on a rollercoaster even before the disruption caused by the pandemic and, more recently, the conflict in Ukraine. It had battled slowing demand and the fallout from the arrest of its former chief Carlos Ghosn and is currently implementing a plan involving slashing models, cutting costs and restructuring operations.

It cited some of those efforts in reporting an annual net profit of 215.5 billion yen ($1.67 billion) — its first net profit since fiscal year 2018-19 — which surpassed its forecast of 205 billion yen.

But looking ahead, it warned of a market environment “more severe than in fiscal year 2021, due to semiconductor supply shortages, higher raw material prices and logistics costs, the crisis in Ukraine as well as the impact of lockdowns on parts supplies in China.”

It projects a net profit for the current fiscal year of 150 billion yen, following the conservative lead of other automakers facing headwinds caused by supply disruption.

“It is clear that our industry and therefore our performance was impacted by intensifying headwinds in the last fiscal year,” said chief operating officer Ashwani Gupta.

“These challenges, magnified in the fourth quarter with rising energy prices, continued supply chain shortages and ongoing Covid disruptions,” he said.