FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Auto stocks are expected to put a damper on the Dax's gains on Thursday, weighed down by Mercedes-Benz. Following the release of its quarterly figures and outlook, shares of the Stuttgart-based automaker are threatening to break through their previous Xetra year low of €54.89, as they traded five percent lower in pre-market activity. The Tradegate low even briefly dipped below that, at €54.81.
Shares of other automakers BMW, VW, and Porsche AG also dropped, falling by as much as 2.4 percent.
The Stuttgart company has announced a significant profit slump for 2025. The adjusted operating profit (Ebit) missed consensus estimates by 29 percent, noted analyst Stephen Reitman of Bernstein Research, though he said the revenue side looked better.
The performance of the automotive division and statements regarding its profitability in the 2026 financial year were seen as disappointments in initial commentary. The upper end of the margin target range is at 5 percent, below the consensus of 5.7 percent, Reitman wrote.
The dividend is also set to decrease; however, not as drastically as initially feared, according to traders./tih/men
