TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co (T:7267) on Tuesday posted an 11.2 percent rise in operating profit for the first quarter on higher automobile sales in North America and a rise in motorcycle sales in Asia.
Operating profit at Japan's No.3 automaker was 299.3 billion yen (£2.04 billion) for April-June, versus 269.2 billion yen a year ago. This was above an average estimate of 250 billion yen from six analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Honda upgraded its forecast for full-year operating profit to 710 billion yen from an earlier view for 700 billion yen, as it expects to take a smaller hit from a stronger domestic currency. The revised forecast represents a 15 percent decrease on the year.