Toyota is the Japanese company that became the world’s largest automaker by vehicle sales and remains one of Japan’s most valuable public companies.
Toyota Motor Corporation was founded in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda, after growing out of the automobile division of Toyoda Automatic Loom Works. Its headquarters are in Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture, and its shares trade on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
The company is known for the Toyota Production System, a manufacturing approach emphasizing just-in-time production, continuous improvement, and efficient use of resources. Toyota also owns the Lexus luxury brand and has produced hybrid vehicles through the Prius line, which became one of the best-known mass-market hybrids.
Toyota’s size is measured in several different ways. Vehicle sales, revenue, profits, employees, and market capitalization can produce different rankings. Market capitalization reflects investor expectations and share prices, rather than simply the number of cars sold. That distinction explains why Toyota can be both an automotive sales leader and a prominent company in global market-cap comparisons.