Owing to the lower interest rates in the banking sector, Pakistan’s local car assemblers Tuesday showed 29 per cent year-on-year growth in July-April 2015-16. The local vehicle sales stood at 184,099 units versus 142,814 units during the same period last year.
An analyst of a brokerage house said that the main reason behind the rising sales of cars is auto financing as well as overall improvement in the country’s economic situation. The interest rates are at a 42-year low and below six per cent. The banks, investment companies and others are providing auto financing to use their excess liquidity.
PAK SUZUKI MOTORS COMPANY:
Pak Suzuki Motor Company (PSMC) sales increased by 41 per cent year on year to 109,628 units during the last 10 months of 2015-16 primarily due to Punjab government’s taxi scheme.
Volumes decreased by 18 per cent YoY (1 per cent MoM) in April 2016 (second month after the completion of the Taxi Scheme) to 8,965 units primarily due to completion of Taxi Scheme.
INDUS MOTORS:
Indus Motors (INDU) sold 52,987 units during the last 10 months of 2015-16 versus 45,978 units during the same period of last year. In April 2016, sales fell 6 per cent YoY to 5,483 units. On MoM basis, sales declined 5 per cent due to fewer working days in April 2016 compared to March 2016.
It is important to note that delivery time for the new Corolla model is still hovering in the range of 2-4 months depending on the variant.
HONDA:
The Honda Company is going to launch its New Honda Civic model, which is expected to hit the market in the 2nd half of this year. Volumes of Honda Civic are expected to dry out in the coming months in anticipation of the new model launch in the 2nd half of 2016.
Honda Cars sold 21,293 units in the first 10 months of 2015-16 compared to 18,781 units during the same period of last year. In April 2016, Honda sold 2,751 units, up 16 per cent YoY (flat MoM).
The analyst said that Honda City remained the major contributor in this growth during the said period.
MILLAT TRACTORS (MTL) & AL GHAZI (AGTL):
Pakistan’s tractor segment posted a decline of 31 per cent YoY during July-April 2015-16 to reach at 26,586 units. This decline is because of the delay in the launch of provincial tractor subsidy scheme of 25,000 to 29,000 per tractor which was announced by Punjab and Sindh governments in the budget for the fiscal year 2015-16.
Millat tractors (MTL) and Al-Ghazi tractors (AGTL) both witnessed a decline in their sales volumes during the last ten months as farmers were waiting for the execution of announced subsidy schemes by Punjab and Sindh governments. Tractor manufacturers demanded of the governments to either execute or shelve the announced scheme so that farmers may resume their normal purchasing.
MTL sold 15,974 units in July-April 2015-16 compared to 23,426 units during the same period last year. The company’s sales decreased by 29 per cent YoY to 2,440 units in April 2016 (down 4 per cent MoM).
During the current fiscal year, AGTL witnessed a decline of 30 per cent YoY in sales to 9,882 units. The company sold 1,935 units in April 2016, up 23 per cent YoY (7 per cent MoM). Farmers seem to have resumed regular purchases due to uncertainty in the subsidy scheme.
Trucks and buses segment of Pakistan’s automobile sector has posted an increase of 42 per cent YoY to reach at 5,076 units during the first 10 months of FY16. This surge in demand is because of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and improving law and order situation in the country, the analyst said.