BM BMW.DE Bayerische Motoren Werke AG Loading... BMW : Bullish and Bearish Analyst Opinions

German automakers Mercedes, BMW and Volkswagen are losing ground in China, once their most important growth market, as Chinese consumers view their own electric vehicles as having better technology and faster development cycles. German companies are forced to cut costs as their huge China profits disappear and they remain in catch-up mode.

German automakers Mercedes, BMW, and Volkswagen are losing ground in their most important growth market, China. All three reported Q2 China sales declines of at least 30%. Chinese consumers now see domestic EVs as superior, with better technology and faster development cycles, leaving German brands with inferior offerings. Mercedes sold only about 2,000 units of its new electric car in H1, versus over 80,000 for a comparable Xiaomi model. The profit pool from China is disappearing, and companies are being forced into cost cuts at home because they cannot slash vehicle prices without hurting margins and stock valuations. Little evidence of a turnaround exists, and the strategy of becoming more Chinese via partnerships is falling short.

The combined market cap of German automakers has shrunk to the level of Hyundai Motor Group, indicating weakness in legacy automakers against Chinese competition.

BMW reported better-than-expected carmaking profits in the second quarter due to lower spending and strong demand for new models.

BMW's second-quarter carmaking profit slightly exceeded expectations due to reduced spending and strong demand for new models.

BMW will cut several thousand jobs in Germany by the end of 2027 under a voluntary redundancy program due to squeezed profits and weak demand.

BMW is targeting 8,000 job cuts through a new voluntary severance package according to the report.

BMW selects Qualcomm as the lead silicon provider for its digital cockpit system in a new partnership announcement.

BMW is offering voluntary severance packages to thousands of its workers in Germany as part of a restructuring effort.

German carmaker BMW announces plans to cut 8,000 jobs worldwide through natural staff turnover and a voluntary redundancy scheme in Germany.

BMW is offering severance packages to thousands of its German staff as part of a cost-cutting initiative.

BMW is withdrawing from the Paris car show as its new CEO implements cost-cutting measures following a major profit warning.

The author notes a shift in German policy rhetoric on China's impact on the auto industry, driven by academics and supply chain rather than major automakers, but expresses no personal position.

German automakers have totally lost the crucial Chinese market to local EV competitors due to pricing and competitiveness. They are closing factories, facing falling EBITDA, and generating negative free cash flow. They are classic value traps and should be avoided.

HSBC upgrades BMW to Buy from Hold, signaling a positive outlook for the German automaker's stock.

BMW appoints a new human resources chief as it advances its cost-cutting initiative to improve operational efficiency.

BMW appoints a new human resources chief as it advances its cost-cutting initiative to improve operational efficiency.

BMW launches Neue Klasse models in China but analysts warn German automakers face headwinds from ageing technology and slower EV development cycles in the market.

BMW is betting on its Neue Klasse electric cars to revive China sales but faces risk that the EV race has already moved on without it.

BMW reported a decline in car sales in the second quarter due to a worsening property crisis in China that is reducing demand for luxury vehicles.

BMW reports second-quarter deliveries fell 4.9 percent to 590,962 units compared to the same period last year.

BMW plans to expand its electric vehicle production at its Spartanburg plant in the United States according to a Handelsblatt report.

European automakers such as BMW, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz face a structural — not cyclical — disadvantage as they lose profit share in China and struggle to innovate in software and electric-drive technology simultaneously.

Watch automotive and industrial suppliers as discretionary softness and energy costs pressure consulting and software spend near-term.

BMW supervisory board chairman states the company has a local strategy for local markets but is manufacturing more than it sells in Europe.