Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, Japanese auto giant Toyota Motor
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Toyota's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.
Toyota facts
| Headquarters (founded) | Toyota City, Japan (1933) |
| Market Cap | $258.7 billion |
| Industry | Automobile manufacturing |
| Trailing-12-Month Revenue | $262.9 billion |
| Management | President/Director Akio Toyoda Executive Vice President/Director Takeshi Uchiyamada |
| Return on Equity (average, past 3 years) | 4.5% |
| Cash/Debt | $39.0 billion / $149.3 billion |
| Dividend Yield | 1.2% |
| Competitors |
Ford General Motors Honda Motor |
Sources: S&P Capital IQ and Motley Fool CAPS.
On CAPS, 91% of the 3,703 members who have rated Toyota believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward.
Just last month, one of those Fools, All-Star TMFBoomer, summed up the Toyota bull case for our community:
Toyota suffered setback after setback due to the tsunami, the earthquake, and the strength of the yen recently. As they shift manufacturing to different locations around the world, including the US, the cost competitiveness will once again be a key advantage. Operationally, Ford and other players have caught up to an extent, but Toyota's vehicles are far more popular around the world, including 3 in the top 10 best-sellers. No one thought the Prius would become as mainstream as it has, and it shows the company's still a step ahead of the rest in pushing the envelope in fuel efficiency. ... Overall, I think there could be global overcapacity and the auto sector is going to have some losers, much like we've seen in Europe, but Toyota's probably the best-positioned.
If you want market-beating returns, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future. Of course, despite a strong four-star rating, Toyota may not be your top choice.
We've found another stock we are incredibly excited about -- excited enough to dub it "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2012." We have compiled a special free report for investors to uncover this stock today. The report is 100% free, but it won't be here forever, so click here to access it now.
Want to see how well (or not so well) the stocks in this series are performing? Follow the TrackPoisedTo CAPS account.
