Core Insights - Kia Corporation reported a significant 37% year-on-year decline in net profits to KRW 1.42 trillion (US$ 997 million) in Q3 2025, primarily due to a 25% import tariff imposed by the US government earlier this year [1] - The company's operating profit fell by 49% to KRW 1.46 trillion, with the operating margin decreasing to 5.1%, influenced by higher incentive payments and unfavorable currency exchange rates [2] Financial Performance - Global revenues increased by 8.2% year-on-year to KRW 28.69 trillion in Q3 2025, driven by a better product mix and a 32% rise in hybrid and electric vehicle sales to 204,000 units, while overall sales volumes grew by only 2.8% to 785,137 vehicles [2] - For the first nine months of 2025, global revenues rose over 7.2% year-on-year to KRW 86.05 trillion, but operating profit decreased by 27% to KRW 7.24 trillion, and net income fell by 24% to KRW 6.08 trillion [4] Market Dynamics - Despite strong electric vehicle sales, deliveries in Europe declined due to model discontinuations and temporary production adjustments in Slovakia, while sales in India decreased due to deferred demand ahead of a Goods and Services Tax reduction [3] - In the US, Kia achieved record sales of 219,637 units during the quarter [3] Strategic Outlook - Kia anticipates ongoing global trade uncertainties, including tariffs, will continue to impact profitability, but remains committed to expanding its global presence through more hybrid models and a full electric vehicle lineup [5] - The company plans to leverage its flexible production system in the US to adapt to market demand and regulatory changes, while expanding its hybrid offerings [5] - In Europe, Kia aims to enhance its EV lineup with models such as EV4, EV5, and PV5, and in India, it will focus on maintaining sales momentum with the Syros SUV and launching a redesigned Seltos SUV [5]

Core Viewpoint - A recent court ruling has significantly narrowed the scope of trade dress protection for widely used product features, particularly in the case of Deckers Outdoor Corp. against Last Brand Inc. (Quince), which sells lower-priced replicas of designer footwear [1] Group 1: Lawsuit Details - Deckers filed a lawsuit in 2023 alleging trade dress infringement on three Ugg shoe designs and one patent claim against Quince, which markets products similar to Uggs [2] - The specific infringements cited include Quince's Australian Shearling Mini Boot, which allegedly infringes on the Ugg Classic Ultra Mini trade dress, and other products that infringe on Deckers' Bailey Button Boot and Tasman trade dresses [2] Group 2: Court Rulings - Deckers sought summary judgment on its trade dress claims, arguing that its designs are "nonfunctional" and do not provide utilitarian advantages over other designs [3] - The federal district court ruled that trade dress with either utilitarian or aesthetic functionality cannot be protected under trademark law, leading to the failure of Deckers' summary judgment motion [4] Group 3: Genericness and Trademark Law - The court found that trademark law does not protect generic trade dress, and Deckers failed to prove that its designs were non-generic [5] - Quince successfully demonstrated that other brands offer similar ankle-high sheepskin boots, which contributed to the court granting summary judgment in favor of Quince regarding the genericness of Deckers' trade dress claims [5]