Nissan Reports First Profit Rise in Five Quarters

Bloomberg.com

"Nissan Motor Co., Japan's third- largest carmaker, said profit rose for the first time in five quarters after new models lured buyers in the U.S. and Europe.

Net income climbed 27 percent to 132.2 billion yen ($1.2 billion), or 32.27 yen a share, in the three months ended Dec. 31 from 104.5 billion yen, or 25.29, a year earlier, Nissan said in a release today. Sales rose 18 percent to 2.77 trillion yen. Both were in line with analyst estimates. "

" The carmaker brought out nine new or revamped models in the nine months ended December, including the X-Trail, the Infiniti G37 Coupe and the GT-R sports car.

``Nissan has benefited from the success of the new products launched during the past 12 months,'' Ghosn, 53, said in the statement. "