NTN Corporation

NTN Corporation is one of the world's largest manufacturers of bearings, driveshafts, and precision machinery components, headquartered in Osaka, Japan. Founded in 1918 and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market (code 6472), NTN supplies bearings and constant velocity joints to automotive and industrial customers across more than 30 countries. The company reports roughly 21,000 employees globally as of March 2026 and has held a leading market position in driveshafts and hub bearings for decades.

What NTN makes

NTN's product portfolio covers three main categories that the company describes as its contribution areas: bearings for industrial and automotive machinery, driveshafts (constant velocity joints, or CVJ), and precision components for newer applications including robotics and renewable energy.

On the bearing side, NTN produces ball bearings, roller bearings, tapered roller bearings, needle bearings, and hub bearing units. Hub bearings -- which support vehicle wheel loads while allowing rotation -- are among NTN's highest-volume automotive products. The company claims a leading global market share in both driveshafts and hub bearings, a position it has held since commercializing the constant velocity joint in Japan.

For electric vehicles, NTN has developed several purpose-built product families. A low-friction hub bearing series introduced in 2026 reduces rotational friction by approximately 66% compared to conventional designs, improving BEV energy efficiency by 0.76% -- roughly 2.2 km of additional cruising range per charge cycle. NTN also produces electrical pitting-resistant bearings, which protect drivetrain components from damage caused by stray electrical currents in EV motors, and is expanding manufacturing capacity for these in China for a targeted 2027 production start. A separate 2026 development program addresses ball screws for electromechanical brakes (EMB), extending NTN's existing position in electro-hydraulic braking.

Beyond automotive, NTN produces bearings for aircraft, rolling stock, and industrial machinery. The company's aftermarket business -- replacement bearings and services sold independently of OEM supply -- represented approximately JPY 34 billion across the first nine months of FY2024, a scale large enough to operate as its own segment.

NTN also markets the "Talking Bearing," a sensor-integrated bearing that supports vibration-based anomaly detection, and a wrist joint robot module called i-WRIST, reflecting the company's gradual expansion into precision mechatronics.

Financial performance

NTN reported consolidated net sales of JPY 826.3 billion for FY2025 (the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026), essentially flat with JPY 825.6 billion the prior year. Operating income recovered to JPY 31.0 billion, an operating margin of 3.8%, up from JPY 23.0 billion and 2.8% in FY2024. The company returned to net profit at JPY 12.9 billion in FY2025, reversing a JPY 23.8 billion net loss in FY2024. That FY2024 loss reflected a multi-year restructuring program in which NTN booked approximately JPY 35 billion in special charges over three years to close or consolidate plants in Europe, China, and Canada. Per the company's FY2025 integrated report, those closures were completed ahead of schedule.

The Berylls by AlixPartners Top-100 study (2026 edition) estimates NTN's automotive-sector revenues at approximately EUR 4.0 billion for FY2025, down 5.1% from EUR 4.3 billion the prior year. This figure covers NTN's automotive perimeter only; the total group includes industrial machinery, aftermarket, and newer-area revenues not captured in that estimate. Profitability data was not published in the Berylls table for NTN; the 3.8% operating margin above comes from NTN's own investor materials.

For procurement teams evaluating NTN as a tier-1 supplier, the trajectory matters as much as the level: margins contracted sharply through FY2024 as restructuring charges landed, and the FY2025 recovery is the first clean post-restructuring year. NTN's own FY2026 guidance (issued May 2025) projected net sales of JPY 790 billion with a 4.5% operating margin, though those forecasts predate the NSK merger announcement and subsequent US trade policy changes referenced in the company's FY2025 report.

Ownership and history

NTN was founded in 1918 in Kuwana, Japan, as a bearing manufacturer. The company has remained an independent listed entity throughout its history and trades on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market under code 6472, with a market capitalization of approximately USD 1.5 billion as of August 2026.

In May 2026, NTN and NSK Ltd. (TSE 6471) signed a basic agreement for business integration through a jointly established holding company, using a share transfer structure. The two companies plan to establish the holding company in October 2027. NSK, like NTN, is a major Japanese bearing and precision machinery manufacturer; together the two companies would form one of the largest bearing groups globally. The transaction remains subject to regulatory review and shareholder approvals.

NTN operates production plants across Japan, the United States, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. US manufacturing entities include NTN-BOWER Corp. (Macomb and Hamilton plants), American NTN Bearing Mfg. Corp. (Elgin, Illinois), NTN Driveshaft Inc. (Columbus, Indiana), and NTK Precision Axle Corp. (Frankfort, Indiana).

Certifications and quality

NTN's US manufacturing subsidiaries hold current IATF 16949:2016 certification across multiple plants. Per the company's own certification documents, NTN Driveshaft Inc. (Columbus, Indiana) received a current-cycle certificate in December 2024, valid through June 2027, covering the design and manufacture of constant velocity joints and link shafts. American NTN Bearing Mfg. Corp. (Elgin, Illinois) received its current certificate in March 2025, valid through March 2027, covering the design and manufacture of angular, hub, HUR bearings, and steel balls. NTN Manufacturing de Mexico received IATF 16949:2016 certification for its hub bearing and CVJ operations, per a company announcement in 2017.

The company claims multi-site IATF 16949 compliance as a standard operating condition across its automotive supply plants -- typical for a company supplying directly to global OEMs at this scale.

Known customers

NTN supplies bearings and driveshafts to major automotive original equipment manufacturers globally. The company's investor materials and integrated reports consistently identify the automotive sector -- including Japanese domestic OEMs and global vehicle manufacturers -- as the primary customer base. Specific named OEM program disclosures are not published on NTN's public-facing investor pages; the automotive orientation of the business is established through financial segment data, product focus, and the company's own communications.

US import data (ocean freight bill-of-lading records) shows NTN Bearing of America receiving over 12,000 inbound shipments since 2015, most recently in September 2026, with goods sourced from NTN Japan, Shanghai NTN, and Guangzhou NTN Yulon Drivetrain -- consistent with NTN's role as a US-based distributor and manufacturer receiving components from affiliated plants.

Recent news

May 2026 -- NTN Corporation and NSK Ltd. announced a basic agreement to combine through a jointly established holding company, with a target completion date of October 2027. Per the company's announcement, the integration aims to strengthen both companies' competitive position as bearing demand patterns shift toward electrification and industrial automation. NSK and NTN are each listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market; together they represent two of Japan's three major bearing manufacturers.

May 2026 -- NTN announced it will begin mass production of insulated bearings for electric vehicles at a Shanghai facility, targeting a 2027 production start. The company says it plans to quintuple its global EV bearing production capacity by 2035, per coverage in Nikkei Asia. Insulated bearings prevent electrical current damage to drivetrain components, a requirement that is growing as more vehicles use high-voltage drive motors.

May 2026 -- NTN published its FY2025 annual results, showing an operating income recovery to JPY 31.0 billion (3.8% margin) after a restructuring year in which net losses reached JPY 23.8 billion. The company attributed margin improvement to the completion of plant consolidations in Europe, China, and Canada.

Frequently asked questions

What does NTN Corporation make?
NTN Corporation manufactures bearings, driveshafts (constant velocity joints), and hub bearings for automotive and industrial applications. The company also produces precision machinery components for robotics, renewable energy, and aftermarket replacement parts. Its bearing range spans ball, roller, tapered, needle, and sensor-integrated designs.

Who owns NTN Corporation?
NTN is an independently listed company on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market (code 6472). In May 2026, NTN and NSK Ltd. announced a basic agreement to integrate their businesses under a jointly established holding company, with the new structure planned for October 2027. No single controlling shareholder is disclosed in available public materials.

What is NTN's annual revenue?
NTN reported consolidated net sales of approximately JPY 826 billion (roughly EUR 5 billion at 2025-2026 exchange rates) for its FY2025 fiscal year ended March 31, 2026. The Berylls by AlixPartners Top-100 study estimates NTN's automotive-sector revenues at approximately EUR 4.0 billion for the same period.

Where is NTN Corporation headquartered?
NTN Corporation is headquartered in Osaka, Japan. The company operates production plants across Japan, the United States, Mexico, Europe, and Asia, with major US facilities in Illinois and Indiana.

Who are NTN's customers?
NTN supplies bearings and driveshafts to major automotive OEMs globally. The automotive sector is NTN's primary market, as reflected in its financial segment reporting and product portfolio. NTN also serves industrial machinery, aircraft, rolling stock, and construction equipment manufacturers through its industrial bearing line.

Last verified Sep 2026. Is this your company? Request a correction.