Nissan Shares Surge 23% After Reports Of Merger Talks With Honda
ForbesJAN 1
Nissan, Honda Sign Deal to Explore Merger
Above: (L to R) Makoto Uchida, president of Nissan Motor Corporation, Toshihiro Mibe, president of Honda, and Takao Kato, president of Mitsubishi Motors, attend a joint press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 23, 2024. Image copyright: PHILIP FONG/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
Honda and Nissan's potential merger signals the end of an era of independent Japanese automakers. The union would forge a $52B industrial titan — a direct response to BYD's meteoric rise and Foxconn's threatening interest in Nissan. This marriage of necessity could spark an unprecedented realignment in global automotive power dynamics.
Narrative B
Struggling Nissan's possible union with Honda is one destined for disappointment. The alliance faces daunting obstacles — overlapping product lines, clashing corporate cultures, and Honda's potential inheritance of Nissan's troubled US business. The merger's prospects are dim, given the widespread redundancies between the companies.