Honda Motor Co. President Takanobu Ito forecast that business results at Japan’s third-biggest carmaker will climb to the highest in at least five years, led by sales of Accord sedans and Civic compacts in North America. Business results in the year ending March 2013 will recover to levels achieved before the failure of Lehman Brothers … Read More »

Ford Motor Co. posted fourth-quarter profit that fell short of analysts’ estimates as overseas operations dragged down results while a one-time tax gain resulted in the company’s biggest annual profit since 1998. Ford reported its 11th consecutive profitable quarter, with net income of $13.6 billion, or $3.40 a share, compared with $190 million, or 5 … Read More »

SEOUL—Kia Motors Corp. said Friday it expects sales growth to decelerate this year due to tougher competition overseas and weak domestic sales after it posted a 3.5 percent decline in fourth-quarter net profit. The South Korea auto maker, in which Hyundai Motor Co. owns a nearly 40 percent stake, expects overall sales for 2012 to … Read More »

TOKYO—Japan’s top three car makers Friday reported solid increases in domestic production for December, in a sign that the worst is over after natural disasters both at home and abroad disrupted their supply chain networks most of last year. Toyota Motor Corp., Japan’s biggest car maker by volume, said that its domestic output rose 17 … Read More »

AutoNation Inc., the largest chain of auto dealerships in the U.S., on Thursday reported a surge in fourth-quarter revenue as American consumers streamed back into showrooms and the U.S. economy strengthened. The Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., company said its fourth-quarter income rose to $69.4 million, or 49 cents a share, from $67.3 million, or 45 cents … Read More »

SEOUL—South Korean car maker Hyundai Motor Co. on Thursday posted a 38 percent increase in its fourth-quarter profit as higher overseas sales, gains from shareholdings in its affiliates and a weaker local currency that helped exports buoyed its bottom line despite a fall in domestic sales. Consolidated net profit for the three months ended Dec. … Read More »