Nissan Motor has updated its earnings guidance for the financial year ending 31 March 2026, now expecting an operating profit of Y50bn ($313.5m) instead of the Y60bn operating loss it had forecast earlier.

The Japanese carmaker said the change was driven by a one-off positive effect linked to revisions in US emissions rules, alongside continued cost-cutting measures and supportive foreign exchange movements.

It now expects net revenue of Y12tn for the year, compared with its previous estimate of Y11.9tn.

Its projected net loss has also been reduced, with the company now forecasting a loss of Y550bn rather than Y650bn.

Nissan said automotive free cash flow is still expected to turn positive in the second half of the financial year, in line with earlier plans.

Automotive net cash at the end of the year is also expected to come in at more than Y1tn.

The revised outlook follows weaker third-quarter performance in FY25.

In the quarter, Nissan posted global revenue of Y2.99tn, down 5% from a year earlier, amid intensifying competition worldwide and the rollout of US import tariffs.

Operating profit for the quarter dropped 44% year-on-year to Y17.5bn, while net loss increased to Y28.3bn from Y14.1bn.

For the first nine months of the fiscal year, covering April to December 2025, revenue fell by more than 6% year on year to Y8.57tn.

Over the same period, Nissan recorded an operating loss of Y10.1bn, compared with an operating profit of Y64bn a year before.

Its net result for the nine-month period was a loss of Y250.2bn, versus a net profit of Y5.1bn in the corresponding period last year.

Nissan sold 2.26 million vehicles globally in the first nine months, with the US and China accounting for much of that volume.

The company is due to release its full-year FY25 results on 13 May.