Yamaha’s full-year financial results to 31 December 2013 show a considerable improvement in the company’s position, with its core motorcycle division in particular finally achieving a satisfactory turnaround.
Total revenue for the 12 months was up by 16.8 per cent to £8.29bn. Operating profit rose by 196.5 per cent to £324.2m. Net profit increased by 488.3 per cent to £259m. Significantly, global revenue from motorcycles climbed by 16.2 per cent to £5.46bn, accounting for 65.8 per cent of Yamaha’s total sales.Â
The European bike market’s contribution grew by 12.4 per cent to £532.2m. Motorcycle sales volume in Europe was actually down by 1.8 per cent to 162,000 units but, according to Yamaha, reflected a better model mix thanks to the successful introduction of its new three-cylinder MT-09. Favourable foreign currency translation also played a part, as it also did in all other overseas markets.
North America improved revenue by 20.9 per cent to £295.8m. Bike sales volume was up by seven per cent to 76,000 units. In this case, a new 950cc Bolt cruiser got some of the credit.
Worldwide sales volume declined marginally by 1.25 per cent to 6.014 million units. Yamaha attributed this to slight reversals in Thailand and Vietnam, although other emerging markets — most notably India and Indonesia — delivered annual growth.
Yamaha’s power products division, which is dominated by quadbike and side-by-side ATV manufacturing, also recovered. Revenue was up by 22.3 per cent to £745m.   Â
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