Core Insights - Honda Motor Company reported a 2.2% decline in global revenues to JPY 15,975.6 billion (US$104.4 billion) for the first three quarters of FY26, with significant drops in operating profit and net profit attributed to US import tariffs and costs related to its US battery electric vehicle (BEV) program [1][5] Financial Performance - Operating profit fell by 48% to JPY 591.5 billion (US$3.9 billion) and net profit decreased by 42% to JPY 465.4 billion (US$304.2 billion) [1] - Global vehicle sales decreased by 9.1% to 2.561 million units, with North America sales down 4.7% to 1.211 million units, Asia (excluding Japan) down 18.2% to 739,000 units, and Japan down 6.3% to 439,000 units [2] - Revenues from vehicle sales dropped by 4.3% to JPY 10,435 billion, and the automotive division reported an operating loss of JPY 166.4 billion compared to an operating profit of JPY 402.6 billion previously [2] Other Business Segments - Global motorcycle sales increased by 6% to 16.44 million units, while power products sales slightly declined to 2.5 million units [3] - The combined operating profit from motorcycles and financial services was JPY 758 billion, which offset the losses from the automotive division [3] Future Outlook - Honda maintained its global revenue forecast for the full fiscal year at JPY 21.1 trillion, a 2.7% decline from the previous year, but reduced its operating profit forecast to JPY 550 billion from JPY 700 billion [4] - The company kept its global vehicle sales forecast unchanged at 3.34 million units [4] - Honda plans to focus on enhancing the profitability of its internal combustion engine (ICE) and hybrid vehicle operations while reducing losses from its US battery BEV operations [5]

Group 1: Global Market Trends - China's NEV slowdown has caused global BEV growth to drop below 20%, with a growth rate of 17% in November compared to an average of 30% in the previous three months [1] - Global BEV sales reached a record 1.4 million units in November, despite a poor performance in the US market [1][4] - The US BEV market saw a significant decline, with November sales down 36% year-over-year, totaling 76,000 units, compared to an average of 140,000 units from July to September [6] Group 2: Regional Market Insights - China's passenger BEV market experienced a year-over-year growth of just over 10% in November, indicating a shift to a more sustainable growth rate after a previous price-war fueled boom [2] - Europe maintained steady growth in BEV sales, reflecting mid-30s percentage growth for much of 2025 and nearing record sales figures [2] - The US is entering a phase of reduced support for plug-in vehicles, while Europe is re-implementing some plug-in grants, particularly in Germany starting January 2026 [3] Group 3: Technology and Consumer Behavior - PHEV growth has stalled in November, particularly in China, as BEVs remain attractive due to new technology and expanding charging networks [5] - OEMs are increasingly shifting their focus from BEVs to combustion-based technologies, anticipating low growth in the plug-in sector for the foreseeable future [7]

Core Insights - BYD Auto is intensifying its expansion in Europe by enhancing its sales network and increasing local production [1] - The company reported a threefold increase in sales in Europe, reaching 84,400 units in the first eight months of 2025 [2] - Despite significant overseas sales growth, BYD faces challenges from rising market protectionism, particularly in North America and Europe [3] Sales and Production Expansion - BYD's overseas sales grew by 128% to 464,266 units in the first half of 2025 [3] - The company plans to double its sales outlets in Europe to 2,000 by 2026, up from a projected 1,000 by the end of 2025 [3] - A new passenger vehicle plant in Szeged, Hungary, is set to be completed in October 2025, with plans for rapid local production scaling [4] Local Manufacturing and Supply Chain - BYD is constructing a new passenger vehicle plant in Turkey, expected to be operational in 2026, to supply the European market [5] - The automaker currently offers 13 passenger vehicle models in Europe, an increase from six models two years ago, with plans to produce all models locally by 2028 [5] - Discussions are ongoing with local component manufacturers to establish a complete supply chain in Europe, aiming to build a local ecosystem for production [6]