Mercedes-Benz stock falls 3.87 percent as Q3 sales drop

Published on 10/07/2026 at 13:25 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS

Mercedes-Benz stock delivered 407,200 cars in Q3 2026, while battery-electric sales rose 52 percent. China deliveries fell 31 percent to 86,800 units.

Makrofoto eines Wassertropfens auf gebürsteter Aluminiumoberfläche — Makroaufnahme einer gebürsteten Metalloberfläche veranschaulicht die Materialqualität der Mercedes-Benz Group AG (DE0007100000), Illustration mit AI erstellt.

Mercedes-Benz stock (ISIN DE0007100000) was trading at EUR 39.12 on Xetra on October 7, 2026 at 1:08 p.m. CEST, down 3.87 percent from the prior close. The immediate pressure point is the company's third-quarter delivery report, which shows weaker China demand alongside faster electric-vehicle growth.

China drives the sales decline

According to Reuters on October 7, 2026, Mercedes-Benz delivered 407,200 cars in the July to September period, 8 percent fewer than a year earlier. China deliveries fell 31 percent to 86,800 vehicles, while Top-End sales declined 21 percent to 53,900 units.

The regional split is sharp. Car sales rose 6 percent in the United States and 5 percent in Europe, but those gains did not offset the China contraction. Battery-electric vehicle sales across cars and vans rose 52 percent to 78,100 units, giving the report a clear growth counterweight.

Profitability remains the key test

Mercedes-Benz entered the sales update with a mixed second-quarter picture. In the Q2 2026 earnings call, Yahoo Finance reported group revenue of EUR 32 billion and EBIT of EUR 1.5 billion, which was 22 percent above the prior-year quarter. The company also confirmed a full-year adjusted return-on-sales range of 3 percent to 5 percent while expecting the lower half.

For investors, the issue is the composition of earnings rather than group EBIT alone. China weakness, model changeovers and pricing pressure weigh on Cars, while electric-vehicle volume and Financial Services provide offsets.

Analyst targets point higher

On October 5, 2026, Investing.com reported that Citi cut its Mercedes-Benz target from EUR 51 to EUR 42 and projected a 2026 Cars EBIT margin below 3 percent. A separate consensus published by MarketScreener listed an Outperform mean rating from 23 analysts and an average target of EUR 57.02.

Stock trades near its yearly low

Mercedes-Benz stock was trading at EUR 39.12 on Xetra on October 7, 2026 at 1:08 p.m. CEST. The session range was EUR 38.91 to EUR 41.53, against a 52-week range of EUR 38.91 to EUR 62.34, while volume stood at 2,102,891 shares.