Yamaha Motor Co. said Wednesday it returned to the black in the January-March period for the first time in six quarters due chiefly to increased motorcycle sales in Southeast Asia, particularly in Vietnam and Indonesia.
The major motorcycle manufacturer posted a group net profit of ¥7.51 billion for the first three months of the current business year, compared with a loss of ¥15.76 billion a year earlier.
It also reported an operating profit of ¥9.61 billion, a turnaround from a loss of ¥15.53 billion.
Personal expense cutbacks also helped the company return to the black, it said.
Sales in the three-month period shot up 16.3 percent to ¥309.90 billion due partly to higher sales of engines used for ships in the United States.