KUALA LUMPUR: Bermaz Auto Bhd said the two-month closure of its showrooms due to the full lock down imposed by the government has impacted its results in the first quarter ended July 31.

       While the restrictions have been eased, the Mazda distributor is cautious about its outlook for the rest of the year, the company said in a filing today.

       "Although the economy is gradually reopening and there is more relaxation on the containment measures, the outlook for the automotive industry remains volatile and uncertain in view of the resurgence of Covid-19 cases and is very much dependent on the ability to contain the pandemic and the continued progress and effectiveness of the country's national vaccination programme in curbing it," Bermaz said.

       The company on Monday posted a net profit of RM10.27mil on revenue of RM321mil.

       Bermaz turnover declined by more than a quarter due to lower sales volume registered from the domestic operations.

       This was attributed to the full lock down under Phase 1 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) where all showrooms were not allowed to operate for 2 months since the beginning of June 2021.

       Bermaz local dealership contributed RM270mil in sales, while its business in the Philippine generated RM50mil.

       The company has declared an interim dividend of half-a-sen per share.

       The Malaysian Automotive Association (MAA) in August said that the local automotive industry had suffered huge losses since June 2021 when the motor vehicle production plants and distribution and sales centres, especially in the Klang Valley, were halted.

       The shutdown affected not only the automotive companies but also the entire automotive ecosystem nationwide.