Published

Volvo Deepens Cost-Cutting as Profits Plunge

Volvo Car Corp. reports higher unit sales and revenue in the second quarter, but tariffs and pricing pressure caused profits to plunge.
#economics

Share

Volvo Car Corp. reports higher unit sales and revenue in the second quarter, but tariffs and pricing pressure caused profits to plunge.

Unit sales in April-June rose 5% to 179,500 cars. Revenue advanced 2% to 67.2 billion kronor ($7.2 billion). But operating profit plummeted 38% to 2.6 billion kronor ($278 million), and net income dropped 54% to 1.4 billion kronor ($150 million).

Volvo says it is responding with new but unspecified measures which, combined with previously planned actions, will lower its fixed costs by 2 billion kronor ($214 million) by the middle of next year.

Through the first half of 2019, the company’s revenue grew 6% to 130 billion kronor ($13.9 billion). Unit sales rose 7% to 340,800 cars.

But operating profit in January-June fell 29% to 5.5 billion kronor ($588 million). Volvo’s operating margin shrank to 4.2% from 6.4%, including 3.9% in the second quarter.

RELATED CONTENT

  • On Lincoln-Shinola, Euro EV Sales, Engineered Carbon, and more

    On a Lincoln-Shinola concept, Euro EV sales, engineered carbon for fuel cells, a thermal sensor for ADAS, battery analytics, and measuring vehicle performance in use with big data

  • China and U.S. OEMs

    When Ford announced its 3rd quarter earning on October 24, the official announcement said, in part, “Company revenue was up 3 percent year over year, with net income and company adjusted EBIT both down year over year, primarily driven by continued challenges in China.” The previous day, perhaps as a preemptive move to answer the question “If things are going poorly in China, what are you doing about it?, Ford announced that it was establishing Ford China as a stand-alone business unit.

  • Enterprise Edges into Self-Driving Car Market

    U.S. rental car giant Enterprise Holdings Inc. is the latest company to venture into the world of self-driving vehicles.

Gardner Business Media - Strategic Business Solutions