Automakers' April-September earnings announcements begin today, with surging raw-material costs and the faltering Chinese market expected to weigh on performance. There is also speculation that the weaker yen could provide a tailwind for exported vehicles.
Automakers will begin announcing their April-September 2026 results on the 5th. Attention is focused on the performance of major manufacturers, including Toyota Motor, and the weaker yen is expected to provide some support for exported vehicles.
Meanwhile, surging raw-material costs are widely cited as a factor weighing on profits, with the impact extending beyond crude oil to a wide range of materials, including naphtha-derived resins, aluminum and copper.
The rapid cooling of the Chinese market is accelerating the shift to EVs and intensifying price competition, creating a source of concern for the performance of Japanese OEMs. Some Japanese suppliers are also seeking to offset declining orders with business from companies other than Chinese manufacturers.
Among suppliers, there are many cases in which the pass-through of higher raw-material costs to prices begins with a delay, and some voices say uncertainty over the situation in the Middle East could also affect the outlook for the fiscal year ending March 2027.