• Carmaker hikes operating profit to ¥227 billion, a new best, with revenue increasing 12%
• Global vehicle sales top 1.5 million units, another record, as Europe, ASEAN lead growth
• Mazda lifts annual dividend to ¥30, forecasts a further rise in car turnover in 2016-17

Leverkusen, Germany: Mazda Motor Corporation broke two significant records during the 2015-16 fiscal year. The Japanese carmaker posted a ¥227 billion (AU$2.74 billion*) operating profit, a 12 per cent year-on-year increase and its third-consecutive record year, while achieving better-than-expected vehicle sales of 1,534,000 units, up 10 per cent. Both figures were the best in Mazda's 96-year history.

Revenue for the 12-month period that ended on 31 March came in at ¥3.41 trillion (AU$41.16 billion), also 12 per cent more than the previous year, while net income was ¥134.4 billion (AU$1.62 billion), down 15 per cent due to one-off charges.

Unit sales grew in all regions. Europe** recorded a substantial 27 per cent increase for the fiscal year to 232,000 vehicles, outpacing overall market demand on the strength of popular models like the Mazda CX-3, a B-SUV, and Mazda 2 supermini. Mazda hiked sales in China, meanwhile, by 10 per cent over the previous fiscal year, growing by 3 per cent in Japan and North America, 15 per cent in Australia, and 32 per cent in ASEAN countries. New records were set in a number of markets, from Chile to New Zealand.

Mazda is continuing with a successful structural reform plan initiated in 2012 and centred around building attractive and highly competitive models featuring KODO designs and SKYACTIV Technology (which now make up 86 per cent of sales), improving cost efficiency, strengthening global production and promoting industry alliances. To strengthen the business during the current year and beyond, Mazda is aiming to continue building the brand, at the same time further reducing costs while enhancing production efficiency as well as the turnover of new and newly updated models.

The carmaker predicts a further increase in global sales to 1,550,000 vehicles during the current 2016-17 fiscal year, with the compact Mazda3 again leading the way among its models in terms of global demand. The company announced a year-end dividend of ¥15, raising the annual total to ¥30.

* Source: Mazda Motor Corporation's "Consolidated Financial Results for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2016"; Australian dollar figures calculated at ¥1 = $0.012 based on exchange rate listed 28 Apr 2016
** Figures exclude Russia but include Turkey