SEOUL:
South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co (005380.KS) on Thursday missed analyst estimates by posting nearly flat net profit, as lacklustre U.S. performance offset increased sales in Korea and China.
Hyundai, the world's fifth-biggest automaker when combined with affiliate Kia Motors Corp (000270.KS), reported January-March net profit of 1.93 trillion Korean won ($1.86 billion) from 1.95 trillion won a year earlier.
The result compared with the 2.19 trillion won mean estimate of 13 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
Revenue rose 1 percent to 21.6 trillion won.
Sales benefited from a redesigned Genesis sedan in Korea and increased factory capacity in China, analysts said, while in the United States, the automaker was up against rivals with newer models.
