OREANDA-NEWS. Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) posted a consolidated net sales of 1,815.1 billion yen for the fiscal year 2012 (April 1, 2012 through March 31, 2013), a 0% or 7.8 billion yen increase over the previous fiscal year. The increase was mainly due to an increase in wholesale volume.

MMC posted an operating income of 67.4 billion yen, a 6% or 3.7 billion yen increase over the last fiscal year. The increase was due mainly to higher sales volume, improvements in the model mix and reductions in materials and other costs which together overcame such negative factors as increases in new model advertising and other selling costs as well as costs related to the minicar recall issued in December last year.

MMC posted an ordinary income of 93.9 billion yen, a 54% or 33.0 billion yen increase, and posted a net income for the term of 38.0 billion yen, a 59% or 14.1 billion yen increase over the previous fiscal year.

Global retail sales volume for the fiscal year 2012 totaled 987,000 units, a 1% or 14,000 units decrease over the last fiscal year. Sales volumes by region were as follows:

In Japan, MMC posted a cumulative sales volume of 134,000 units, a 12% or 18,000 units decrease year-on-year. Despite registered vehicles maintaining a sales volume at about the same level as the last fiscal year, minicar sales lagged, including the eK Wagon which is coming to the end of its current model life cycle.

In North America, MMC posted a cumulative sales volume of 85,000 units, a 20% or 21,000 units decrease over the last fiscal year. Although United States sales of the Outlander Sport (RVR or ASX in other markets), which went into local production last July increased over the previous year, the decrease was due mainly to a drop in sales in the United States of the Eclipse, Eclipse Spyder, and the Endeavor following the termination of these U.S. market models in August 2011.

In Europe, MMC posted a cumulative sales volume of 181,000 units, a 17% or 37,000 units decrease over the previous fiscal year. Brisk sales in the Russian market helped by factors such as the introduction of the new Outlander model last July were not sufficient to counter a significant decrease in year-on-year sales in western Europe where overall demand remained sluggish.

In Asia & Other Regions, MMC posted a cumulative sales volume of 587,000 units, a 12% or 62,000 units increase over the last fiscal year. Although sales volume decreased in regions such as North Asia, the overall volume increase stemmed mainly from strong sales in ASEAN bloc countries led by Thailand where the Mirage has fuelled a major increase in sales since its March 2012 release, in addition to increased sales in regions such as Central and South America, the Middle East, and Africa.