Volkswagen stung by nearly $1B tariff hit, projects $5.8B import tax for the year

Core Insights - Volkswagen's financial performance in Q3 was significantly impacted by tariffs, resulting in a nearly $1 billion hit to the bottom line, with total tariff costs for the first nine months reaching $2.44 billion [1][2] - The company has lowered its financial expectations for the year, projecting an operating return on sales of 2% to 3% and a net cash flow of breakeven [2] Financial Performance - Volkswagen reported a Q3 revenue increase of 2.3% year-over-year to 80.3 billion euros, but faced an operating loss of 1.3 billion euros compared to a profit of 2.83 billion euros in the previous year [6] - The group operating margin was reported at 5.4%, but increased trading tariffs are expected to burden the company by up to 5 billion euros on a full-year basis [2] Tariff Impact - The US tariffs on imported vehicles amounted to 800 billion euros ($925 million) in Q3, contributing to a total tariff impact of 2.1 billion euros ($2.44 billion) for the first nine months [1] - The tariff exposure in Q2 was higher at $1.52 billion, prior to a trade deal with the EU that reduced some tariffs to 15% starting in August, while 27.5% tariffs remain for vehicles made in Mexico [4] Production and Deliveries - Total vehicle deliveries increased by 1% in the first nine months, but US deliveries fell by 8%, highlighting the challenges faced in the American market [5] - Volkswagen is in discussions with the US government to potentially expand vehicle production in the US, with an Audi plant being considered [6] Brand and Market Challenges - The Porsche brand faced a significant charge of $5.92 billion related to changes in its electric vehicle rollout and brand goodwill, indicating ongoing challenges within the company [3] - The operating result (EBIT) for Volkswagen last year was 21.7 billion euros, meaning the current tariff-related losses equate to 23% of last year's profit [3]