FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Shares of German automakers were among the weakest performers on the DAX on Tuesday, posting mostly moderate losses after the release of European sales figures. Volkswagen's preferred shares were down one percent by early afternoon, making them the DAX's worst performer, while BMW dropped 0.6 percent. Mercedes-Benz shares slipped 0.4 percent, and Porsche AG shed 0.2 percent.
The automotive market in the European Union recorded 2.1 percent more new registrations in November compared to the same month last year. This brought the increase for the first eleven months of the year to 1.4 percent. However, total sales remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels. The share of pure electric cars rose to nearly 17 percent.
Volkswagen Group remains the undisputed market leader in the EU, with its brands posting a 3.5 percent increase in November. However, sports car manufacturer Porsche AG, part of the VW Group, saw a decline of just over 28 percent. Registrations of BMW Group brands rose by 4 percent. In contrast, Mercedes-Benz recorded a 3.8 percent drop in new registrations.
The crisis in the automotive sector is also reflected in dividend payments for the 2025 fiscal year: Of the seven DAX companies expected to reduce payouts according to an overview by Dekabank, five are automakers or suppliers: BMW, Mercedes-Benz, VW, Porsche Holding, and Continental.
According to Dekabank, this continues the negative trend from the previous year: The "declining significance of the German automotive industry" is now "hitting company profits and dividend payouts with full force." Deka capital markets expert Joachim Schallmayer predicts: "A swift return to dividend strength in the sector is not to be expected."/edh/mis/jha/
