Mercedes hit by tariff costs as 2025 earnings more than halve

German luxury car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz Group on Thursday reported a steep drop in full-year profit and warned of challenging times ahead, following a year marred by intense competition from Chinese rivals and global tariff costs.

The automaker posted full-year operating profit of 5.8 billion euros ($6.9 billion) in 2025, reflecting a 57% drop from a year ago. The result was significantly lower than analyst expectations of 6.6 billion euros.

Mercedes-Benz Group said its earnings were shaped by foreign exchange headwinds and competition in China, alongside a reported 1 billion euro ($1.2 billion) hit in tariff costs.

“Amid a dynamic market environment, our financial results remained within our guidance, thanks to our sharp focus on efficiency, speed, and flexibility,” Ola Källenius, chairman of the board of management at Mercedes-Benz Group, said in a statement.

The results come as European car giants face a multitude of challenges, from rising production costs and supply chain disruptions to regulatory pressures and a bumpy electric vehicle transition.

Shares of the Munich-listed company were off around 1% during afternoon deals, paring some of its earlier losses. The stock is down roughly 7% so far this year.

Looking ahead, Mercedes-Benz Group said it planned further cost cuts in 2026 as well as a flurry of product launches, targeting an adjusted return on sales for Mercedes-Benz Cars of 3% to 5%, down from the 5% growth it reported in 2025.

The company also said it expects revenues to come in at the prior-year level, after reporting revenues of 132.2 billion euros in 2025, while group earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) is expected to be “significantly above” the previous year’s level.

Group free cash flow of the firm’s industrial business is seen slightly below the 2025 level of 5.4 billion euros.