Toyota benefited from a weakening yen, leading to increased profits from overseas sales converting back to more yen. However, Toyota was cautious in its outlook due to uncertainties in emerging markets from currency fluctuations and political instability in key markets like Thailand. While Toyota's sales grew in China and North America in 2014, the company expected a slowdown in global sales going forward.

1. What led to the downfall of the
Toyota brand-name worldwide?
ID: s1200017

2. Outline
● Topic
● The automaker produces
● A robust growth
● Vehicle sales
● Emerging markets
● In China Toyota’s sales
● Toyota’s North American sales
● References

3. Topic
● What led to the downfall of the Toyota brand- name
worldwide?
● Do you think it is bouncing back in 2014?

4. The automaker produces
● Toyota has benefited hugely from a deteriorating yen
since the automaker produces almost 50% of its
vehicles in Japan.
● The overseas profits translate back to more yen when
repatriated.

5. A robust growth
● The automaker also recorded a robust growth in
operating profits from 1.32 trillion yen($13 billion) in
fiscal 2013 to 2.29 trillion yen ($22.5 billion) in fiscal
2014.
● The company attributed this increase to successful
efforts at cost reduction and efficient marketing
strategies.

6. Vehicle sales
● Consolidated vehicle sales for the fiscal year grew from
8.87 million to 9.1 million, implying a growth of nearly
3%.
● The automaker left its unit sales guidance of 10.1 million
units for the calendar year 2014 unchanged. For fiscal
2015, the car maker gave a cautious outlook, projecting
a slowdown in the number of cars sold.

7. Emerging markets
● Despite record profits, the automaker was cautious on
sales in emerging markets.
● The gradual withdrawal of the Fed’s quantitative easing,
or tapering as it is known, is causing currency
fluctuations in developing economies, which is driving
uncertainty in these markets.
● Political turmoil in Thailand, one of Toyota’s key
markets, could also drive down sales in 2014.

8. In China Toyota’s sales
● In China, Toyota’s sales grew 9.2% to
917,500 vehicles in 2013.
● Sales were weak during the first half of the
year, as the automaker battled anti-
Japanese sentiment among the general
public triggered by political reasons.

9. Toyota’s North American sales
● Through the three quarters of the fiscal year, Toyota’s
North American sales rose 5.2% to 1.97 million units.
● However, for the fiscal year 2014, Toyota’s North
American sales increased only to 2.53 million units, due
to a weak presence in the pickup segment and harsh
weather which is affecting the overall automotive
industry.

10. References
● http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/21/toyota-issues-
● http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/02/24/ev
eningnews/main6240051.shtml
● http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/mar/03
● http://www.forbes.
com/sites/greatspeculations/2014/05/13/toyota-motors-
earnings-review-strong-sales-in-japan-weak-yen-propel-
toyota- to-profitability-but-outlook-cautious/