FRANKFURT, July 30 — Premium German carmaker Mercedes-Benz said Wednesday its second-quarter profit plunged nearly 70 per cent due to US tariffs and weak sales in China, prompting it to lower its full-year revenue outlook.

Net profit for the period was €957 million (RM4.69 billion), far below the €1.5 billion analysts polled by financial data firm FactSet had expected.

Without tariffs the firm’s car business would have achieved a profit margin of 6.6 per cent compared to an actual 5.1 per cent, Mercedes-Benz said.

That amounts to a cost of hundreds of millions of euros given overall sales of €24.2 billion at the cars division for the quarter.

Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kaellenius said the results were “robust” considering “the dynamic business environment”.

“We’re adapting to new geopolitical realities by using our global production footprint intelligently,” he added.

Trump in April slapped an additional 25 per cent levy on imported cars as part of an aggressive trade policy he says will help boost US manufacturing.

That hit European carmakers, with Jeep- and Citroen-owner Stellantis as well as auto giant Volkswagen all reporting slumping North American sales at recent results.

Mercedes-Benz’s own sales by volume fell 12 per cent in the United States over the period.

In China they tumbled 19 per cent, underlining the challenge the company faces against local competitors such as BYD.

Mercedes-Benz put out new guidance for the year to take account of tariffs, forecasting groupwide revenue “significantly below” the €146 billion it took in last year. 

Back in February it expected 2025 revenue to be “slightly below” the 2024 level.

Along with other carmakers, Mercedes-Benz then withdrew its guidance in April whilst it digested the impact of Trump’s tariff blitz.

At its key cars division Mercedes-Benz said that it now forecasts a profit margin of between 4 and 6 per cent, including the effects of tariffs.

Excluding tariffs it expects a profit margin of between 6 and 8 per cent. — AFP