Half-yearly results to 30 September for the motorcycle division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries (KHI) reveal a reversal of recent recovery, reports BDN financial editor Roger Willis.
Divisional sales revenue fell by 10.1% to £1.007bn — representing 19% of overall KHI turnover, a 1% decline. That delivered an associated operating loss of £19.2m, against a small profit of £4m in the equivalent six-month period last year.
Unusually, the flash statement to investors containing these figures wasn’t accompanied by a more detailed presentation of bike sales performance across global markets. So any explanation, apart from a previously-issued group profit warning based on unanticipated negative foreign exchange impacts, remains a mystery.
A same-day announcement did, however, say that Kawasaki’s motorcycle division president Kenji Tomida had been replaced by Kazuo Ota. Both Tomida and Ota retain ranks as KHI senior vice-presidents and seats on the company’s main board.    Â
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