Inside the collapse of Nissan and Honda's $60 billion mega deal By Reuters
Nissan and Honda Merger Talks: Nissan faced significant challenges, including declining sales and management issues, leading to a proposed $60 billion merger with Honda that ultimately collapsed due to Nissan's reluctance to accept subsidiary status and make necessary cuts.
Future Prospects for Nissan: Following the failed merger, Nissan is exploring partnerships with new companies like Foxconn while grappling with internal management problems and the need for a realistic strategy in the evolving automotive industry.
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- Earnings Performance: Honda reported earnings of $997.2 million in its fiscal third quarter, translating to a per-share profit of 76 cents, indicating the company's stability and profitability in a competitive market.
- Revenue Growth: The automaker achieved total revenue of $34.69 billion during the quarter, reflecting strong performance in the global automotive market, particularly driven by sustained demand for electric and hybrid vehicles.
- Market Reaction: Despite facing global supply chain challenges, Honda's financial results exceeded market expectations, potentially boosting investor confidence in its future growth prospects.
- Strategic Implications: Honda's profitability and revenue growth provide financial backing for future R&D and market expansion, especially in investments related to electrification and smart driving technologies.
- Earnings Highlights: Honda Motor reported GAAP EPS of ¥115.53 for the nine months ending December 31, 2025, with revenue of ¥15,975.66 billion reflecting a 2.2% year-over-year decline, indicating resilience amid market fluctuations.
- Sales Forecast Upgrade: American Honda anticipates a 4% increase in vehicle sales for 2026, reflecting a recovery in market demand that could drive future revenue growth and enhance market share.
- EV Prototype Unveiling: Sony Honda Mobility unveiled a new electric vehicle prototype at CES, marking Honda's innovative efforts in the EV sector, aimed at strengthening its competitive position in the rapidly evolving electric vehicle market.
- Rating Upgrade: Analysts have upgraded Honda Motor's rating, signaling increased market confidence in the company's future prospects, which may attract more investor attention and positively impact stock prices.
- Significant Profit Decline: Honda reported a profit of 465.44 billion yen for the first nine months ending March 31, down 42.2% from 805.26 billion yen last year, indicating severe impacts from weak sales revenue.
- Earnings Per Share Drop: The earnings per share fell to 115.53 yen, compared to 169.69 yen last year, reflecting a notable decrease in the company's profitability.
- Operating Profit Plummets: Operating profit dropped 48.1% to 591.51 billion yen from last year's 1.14 trillion yen, highlighting pressures on cost control and market competition.
- Sales Revenue Forecast Adjustment: While maintaining its full-year profit outlook, Honda raised its sales revenue forecast to 21.10 trillion yen from the previous 20.70 trillion yen, indicating cautious optimism about future market conditions.
- Declining Ad Spend: According to iSpot, automakers' share of Super Bowl ad minutes has plummeted from 40% in 2012 to just 7% by 2025, reflecting tightening budgets and uncertainty in the automotive sector, which diminishes brand visibility and competitive edge.
- Super Bowl Advertising Strategy: With only General Motors, Toyota, and Volkswagen expected to air ads totaling around two minutes, this indicates that the automotive industry is still seeking effective advertising strategies amidst high costs and market volatility to ensure a return on investment.
- Cost Pressure on Ads: The average cost for a 30-second Super Bowl ad is $8 million, leading many automakers to opt out of participation, reallocating their advertising budgets to other channels, which impacts their overall market promotion strategies.
- Future Advertising Directions: Automakers are shifting towards more sports and streaming advertisements; despite the reduction in Super Bowl ads, they still account for 60% of spending on live sports, demonstrating adaptability and innovation in their advertising approaches.
Energy Transition Partnership: A strategic partnership has been formed to facilitate a $600 million investment in energy transition initiatives.
Collaboration with HMC: The partnership involves collaboration with HMC, aiming to enhance energy sustainability and innovation.

Investment Overview: A deal involving up to $603 million in preferred equity investment by KKR has been announced.
Funding Breakdown: The investment includes a $355 million upfront funding component, among other financial arrangements.









