TOKYO, Nov 5 (Reuters) – Toyota on Thursday posted its first profit gain in six quarters and lifted its annual outlook by 15%, as a weaker yen and robust demand for hybrid vehicles offset a slide in sales in China and the Middle East.
The world’s largest automaker now expects operating profit of 3.9 trillion yen ($24.6 billion) for the year ending March, up from its previous forecast of 3.4 trillion yen.
Operating profit for the July-September quarter jumped 34% to 1.13 trillion yen. That compares with a median forecast of 992 billion yen in a poll of nine analysts surveyed by LSEG.
($1 = 158.4300 yen)
(Reporting by Daniel Leussink; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
