Part 9/13:
Despite public assertions of resilience, the company’s outlook was bleak. With debt hitting $50 billion and no profits in sight, bankruptcy seemed imminent. Macroaxis, a financial risk indicator, predicted a 100% likelihood of Nissan going under.
The Failed Merger and the Rise of Honda
Amid this chaos, Nissan’s desperate bid for salvation cranked into high gear. Rumors swirled of a merger with Honda—Japan’s second-largest automaker but markedly different in scope and operation. Honda, with a market cap of roughly $45 billion, was a diverse conglomerate producing everything from motorcycles to jets and cars.