TOKYO, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor ( TM ) cut its

full-year operating profit forecast by 16% on Thursday,

expecting a nearly $10 billion hit from U.S. tariffs on imported

cars and grappling with higher material prices and a stronger

yen.

The world's biggest automaker cut its operating profit

forecast for the financial year to end-March 2026 to 3.2

trillion yen ($21.7 billion), down from a previous outlook of

3.8 trillion yen.

Toyota ( TM ) said it expects the U.S. levies to reduce its profit

by 1.4 trillion yen ($9.50 billion) for the entire year. It had

previously estimated a hit of 180 billion yen for April and May,

but it had not issued a full-year projection until now.

For the April to June first quarter, Toyota ( TM ) reported an

operating profit of 1.17 trillion yen, down from 1.31 trillion

yen a year earlier, but above the 902 billion yen average of

seven analyst estimates compiled by LSEG.

Toyota's ( TM ) first-quarter results highlight the pressure U.S.

import tariffs are placing on Japanese automakers, even as a

trade agreement between Tokyo and Washington offers potential

relief.

Under the bilateral deal agreed last month, Japanese auto

exports into the U.S. would face a 15% tariff, down from levies

totalling 27.5% previously. But a timeframe for the change to go

into effect has yet to be announced.

Last week, Toyota ( TM ) reported record global output and sales

for the first half of the year, driven by strong demand in North

America, Japan and China.

($1 = 147.2300 yen)