Who Owns Acura?

Acura is a luxury and performance car brand headquartered in Minato City, Tokyo, Japan. It was launched in 1986 by Japanese automaker Honda. Acura’s first models were the Legend and the Integra. In Jun 2022, Acura launched an all-new 2023 Integra at a starting price of $30,800.

The car has a turbocharged 5-door liftback, the Integra A-Spec with Technology Package, and a 6-speed manual transmission. [1]

Acura delivers precision-crafted performance, stylish design, and innovative engineering. The Acura lineup includes the Integra sport compact, TLX sports sedan, RDX and MDX sport-utility vehicles (SUVs), and high-performance Type S variants. In Jan 2023, the 2023 Acura Integra won the North American Car of the Year award.

The model was praised for its sporty design, engaging driving experience, versatile package, and premium features. [2]

Acura sells cars in the US, Canada, Mexico, Panama, and Kuwait. Since its launch, Integra has been the best-selling Acura model in the luxury gateway segment. In 2023, Acura sold 32,090 Integra cars, 57,000 MDXs, and 39,000 RDXs.

The brand posted its best passenger vehicle sales since 2016 and closed the year up 42% after selling 145,655 units. [3]

Acura is strengthening and accelerating its electrification plan. The brand’s LA-based Acura Design Studio created an electrifying design to showcase its transition to a zero-emissions future at the Monterey Car Week.

In Aug 2023, Acura unveiled the 2024 ZDX and ZDX Type S. The ZDX Type S is the first all-electric Acura performance SUV and the quickest-accelerating SUV in Acura history. But who owns Acura? [4]

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Who is Acura’s Parent Company?

Acura based in Tokyo, Japan is owned by Honda Motor Co. Ltd., founded in 1946. It is Honda’s luxury and performance division under the American Honda branch. American Honda offers Honda and Acura models.

Hondas cater to all consumers, while Acura cars target enthusiasts seeking more connection, luxury, and performance on the road. [5]

Honda is the world’s leading motorcycle producer and one of the largest car makers. The parent company serves consumers globally, while the Acura brand focuses on the North American market.

In 2023, American Honda’s sales increased 33% to over 1.3 million units. Acura cars sold in America are made in the US using locally and globally sourced parts. [6]

American Honda sold 1,162,531 Hondas and 145,655 Acura cars in 2023. Honda CR-V has been America’s best-selling crossover for over 25 years. In Aug 2023, Acura sales surpassed 12,000 units for the 6^th straight month. The brand sold over 2,500 Integra cars, with the new Integra Type S contributing 11% of the sales mix. [7]

Honda created Acura to compete against premium brands from Japanese rivals Nissan and Toyota. Acura was launched around the same time as Nissan’s Infiniti and Toyota’s Lexus. In Aug 2023, Honda announced plans to launch 30 EV models by 2030.

The list includes two electric sportscars – the Acura NSX for North America and a new GT. The parent company will introduce its new e:Architecture EV platform in 2026 to underpin Acura EVs. [8]

Honda’s corporate transformation initiatives support Acura’s electrification plan. By 2040 the parent company is procuring and developing batteries to increase the ratio of EV and FCEV sales to 100%.

Honda also partnered with Taiwan’s TSMC to secure semiconductor supply. In Apr 2023, Honda announced its plan to produce over 2 million EVs annually by 2030. The parent company collaborated with General Motors to develop the new all-electric Honda Prologue and Acura ZDX models. [9]

Acura’s Ownership History

Honda launched Acura in 1986 to serve as its luxury division. The automaker opened 60 dealerships to showcase Acura’s first cars, including the NSX, Legend, and Integra. In its first year of business, Acura sold 52,869 vehicles globally. Acura increased its dealerships from 60 to 150 within a year. Acura’s success encouraged Toyota and Nissan to create high-end luxury divisions. [10]

The NSX was the first Acura to be sold in North America. This mid-engine sportscar stood out for its aluminum body and reliability. In Nov 2022, Honda built the final Acura NSX. The automaker sold only five Acura NSXs in 2023 from leftover dealership inventories. [11]

Honda developed the Acura Integra Type R in the late 1990s. The parent company introduced new models in the 2000s, including the Acura MDX SUV, RSX, TSX, and Type-S versions of the RSX, CL, and TL.

The RSX and TSX replaced the Integra coupé and sedan. In 2007, Honda launched the RDX crossover SUV powered by a turbocharged Honda engine. A 2^nd Gen NSX was introduced in 2016 with a twin-turbocharged mid-engine.

The brand refined the RDX concept by dropping the 4-cylinder turbo for a 3.5L V6 to create the 2013 Acura RDX. In Dec 2013, Acura unveiled the RLX Sport Hybrid sedan. This car was followed by a 2014 Acura MDX, a 2015 TLX sports sedan, and a redesigned 2016 RDX. In Aug 2023, the brand introduced its first all-electric model – the new 2024 Acura ZDX and ZDX Type S. The company offers the ZDX A-Spec for $60,000 and the ZDX Type S for $70,000. [12]

Image Credit Komorebi Photo — Image Credit: Komorebi Photo

Acura’s Shareholder Structure

Acura is a wholly-owned luxury and performance division of Honda Motor Co., Ltd, a public company listed on the Tokyo and New York stock exchanges. In Aug 2023, Honda announced plans to split one share of common stock into three shares. The 1:3 split was executed in Oct 2023, reducing its stock price per investment unit 3 times. This move will help Honda expand its investor base. [13]

Honda had 7,086,000,000 authorized shares and 5,434,285,290 issued shares as of Dec 2023. The Master Trust Bank of Japan holds 763,416 shares (15.7%), and the Custody Bank of Japan has 289,159 shares (6%). Both are trust accounts linked to Honda. Moxley & Co. has 287,330 shares, or a 5.9% stake in Honda.

This institution is an official stockholder of JPMorgan Chase Bank, a depositary agent for American Depositary Receipts (ADRs).

Honda shareholders include Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance at 2.9%, SSBTC at 2.2%, State Street Bank at 2%, TMNF Insurance at 1.9%, Government of Norway at 1.8%, and Nippon Life Insurance at 1.8%.

In Feb 2024, Honda’s Board of Directors canceled 154,285,290 shares held by its members. The cancellation reduced issued shares to 5,280,000,000. [14]

Honda’s shareholder structure includes governments, institutions, insiders, and public investors. As of Dec 2023, the company owned 4,496,891,366 shares or 85.17% of the Stock A share class. Public shareholders hold 5,280,000,000 free-float shares as of Feb 2024. [15]

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