TOKYO -- Nissan Motor's profit dropped below that of French partner Renault for the first time in a decade last fiscal year, a development that risks weakening the Japanese automaker's position in their alliance.
Nissan's operating profit sank 45% to 318.2 billion yen ($2.91 billion) for the year ended in March, earnings released Tuesday show -- less than the 3.61 billion euros ($4.06 billion) reported by Renault for 2018. It also logged the smallest operating margin of the alliance's three members, at 2.7% to Renault's 6.3% and Mitsubishi Motors' 4.4%.
