Autoliv Surges Despite Mixed Q3 Results: Chinese Market Mix Drags Performance

Autoliv, Inc. ALV shares are trading higher on Friday.

The company reported third-quarter adjusted earnings per share of $1.84, missing the analyst consensus of $1.95. Quarterly revenues of $2.56 billion topped the street view of $2.53 billion.

In the third quarter, sales fell by 0.8% organically. The firm performed well in Europe and Asia (excluding China) due to numerous product launches and favorable pricing.

Sales to domestic Chinese OEMs increased by 18%, outpacing their LVP growth of 8.5%.

However, the firm struggled in China because of a negative mix, with sales of lower-safety models rising while higher-end models declined.

The company’s adjusted operating margin decreased to 9.3% from 9.4%.

Also Read: Apple iPhone 16 Sees 20% Sales Surge in China, But AI Absence Prompts Early Price Cuts

“Light vehicle production was weak in the third quarter, declining by close to 5% globally. This was driven by a combination of inventory reductions, especially in the Americas and a high comparison base, especially in China,” said Mikael Bratt, President & CEO.

The CEO indicated that, given recent sales trends and order intake, the company anticipates gaining more market share with domestic Chinese OEMs in the coming years.

Bratt also noted that negotiations for excess inflation compensation with customers have progressed as expected, although a few are still pending.

Outlook: Autoliv now expects full-year 2024 organic sales growth to be 1%, down from the previously anticipated 2%, due to unfavorable market mix developments.

With the seasonally strong fourth quarter remaining of the year, the company reaffirmed its guidance of around 9.5-10.0% adjusted operating margin for 2024, but to be at the low end of this range.

Price Action: ALV shares are trading higher by 5.69% to $99.24 at last check Friday.

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