If you wanted to have a ten minute advantage (for placing those jumbo derivatives order into the mainframe of your hedge fund) before Nissan’s annual results for the last fiscal were announced in the newly redecorated meeting room on the 8th floor of their Yokohama headquarters, all you had to do was read the smiling faces of Nissan’s top lieutenants. Executive VP Andy Palmer was all grins.
U.S. and Canada sales chief José Muñoz was all smiles. Grinning, Nissan EVP Colin Dodge quickly turned away from the camera and tried to mislead this reporter by saying the cheery faces are “because it’s Friday.” Sure.
Minutes later, Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn took the podium, and announced (with a serious face) that Nissan finished the year with an operating profit of $6.31 billion, and a net income of $4.13 billion. All of this contributing to a cash pile of $9 billion, good to have in these unsettled times. Ghosn promised a net profit of $4.23 billion for the year to March 2014. That was the boring part.
What is much more interesting is what Ghosn and his Lieutenants said later while chatting with reporters. We will hear them talk about Europe, China, America, about Leaf sales, about the foreign exchange, and even about Carlos Ghosn’s career. Some of it is good, some bad, some awful. We will cover all this in the course of this Nissan Friday. Because we don’t want Dodge to lie.
When Schmitt leaves, TTAC tanks.
Thanks and eagerly awaiting.
Remarkably, the Leaf was Norway’s #2 best-selling car in April – the highest ranking anywhere. The socialist Scandanavians are going nuts for EVs, installing public chargers all over the place.
Now that’s mighty interesting as it may moot the sux-in-the-cold argument.
I wonder how do the battery energy level holds up in deep winter, esp over a period of time.
Finding out that a country so reliant on oil for its prosperity is embracing electric cars is like finding out that Lynchburg, Tennessee is a dry county and everyone there is addicted to crack.
Which lasts longer, a crack high or an EV charge?
Uh, isn’t Norway big on hydroelectric (and usually inexpensive) power?
He’s smiling because his forehead extension surgery was a complete success?
I know I’m late to the party on this one, but the above comment is FTMFW.
I just looked at his picture and chuckled for a good 5 minutes. Thank God this man was born.
Sad – I have a “Fivehead”, too… I can sympathize.
He may be smiling but he sure could use Crest Whitestrips!