Yamaha Driven to Join Corporate Exodus Out of California

Craig Bannister
March 11th, 2026 5:13 PM

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Yamaha Motor Corp. is moving its U.S. headquarters to Georgia, joining the exodus of companies out of the Golden State to more business-friendly climates.

After 47 years in California, the company best known for its motorcycles, motorboats and outboard motors, is relocating its headquarters to Kennesaw, Georgia and selling its California assets, Yamaha announced in a press release. The move will ultimately affect approximately 250 employees by the time it is completed in 2028.

“This initiative is positioned as one of the Company's key measures aimed at improving asset efficiency and enhancing profitability in the United States,” the company explains.

"After many years of great partnership, we are honored and proud to welcome Yamaha's American headquarters to the No. 1 state for business," Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said in a statement Tuesday:

"This is another loud and clear testament to what we offer job creators from around the world. To any other California-based companies looking for a better home, we'll give you plenty of reasons to keep Georgia on your mind."

Mitsubishi Motors North America, another Japanese company, moved its headquarters out of California after 31 years in order to cut costs in 2019, resettling about 200 jobs in Franklin, Tennessee.

Yamaha is the latest high-profile company to flee California, where steep taxes and onerous regulations have made the state’s business climate one of the worst in the country.

Other notable relocations include:

  • Chevron: Moved to Houston, Texas.
  • Tesla: Moved to Austin, Texas.
  • X.com (formerly, Twitter): Moved to Austin, Texas.
  • Oracle: Moved to Austin, Texas.
  • McKesson: Moved to Irving, Texas.
  • Charles Schwab: Moved to Westlake, Texas.
  • Public Storage: Relocating to Frisco, Texas.
  • Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE): Moved to Spring, Texas (near Houston).
  • SpaceX: Moving operations to Texas.
  • FICO (Fair Isaac Corporation): Moved to Bozeman, Montana.
  • Toyota Motor North America: Moved to Plano, Texas.
  • Kubota Tractor Corporation: Moved to Grapevine, Texas.
  • Jamba Juice: Moved to Frisco, Texas.
  • AECOM: Moved to Dallas, Texas.
  • CBRE Group: Moved to Dallas, Texas.
  • NortonLifeLock (formerly Symantec): Moved to Tempe, Arizona.

Ironically, Realtor.com also moved its home from California to Texas last year.

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