Volkswagen Group's profit plunged by 40%

Volkswagen Group's profit after taxes in the first quarter of this year amounted to €2.19 billion. This is 40.6% worse than in the same period last year, according to the company's published financial statements.

In the first quarter, Volkswagen Group's sales revenue amounted to €77.6 billion, which is 2.8% more than in the first quarter of 2024. Car sales totaled 2.1 million units (+0.9%). The German concern warned that the 2025 figures could be at the lower end of the company's forecast. Sales revenue growth is expected to exceed the previous year's figure by 5%, with an operating profit from sales of 5.5–5.6%.

The Volkswagen Group cites political uncertainty, increased trade restrictions and geopolitical tensions, increased competition, instability in commodity, energy and currency markets, as well as stricter emissions requirements as the main problems.

Volkswagen Group Finance and Chief Operating Officer Arnaud Antlitz called the start of the financial year "ambiguous" for the company. During a press conference, he said that the forecast for 2025 does not take into account the possible effects on operational performance from duties imposed by the administration of US President Donald Trump, since the actions of the United States in this matter are unpredictable. However, according to Antlitz, the influx of orders for the concern's cars in Western Europe has increased significantly (+29%), and every fifth car sold there is fully electric.

"The operating margin of about four percent clearly shows that we still have a significant amount of work to do. Given the current unstable global economic situation, it is even more important to focus on the levers under our control," he said.

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