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Volkswagen Group profit falls one-third as China sales slump and job cuts loom
Volkswagen Group reported its second‑quarter 2026 results with net profit plunging 32.9% year‑on‑year to €1.54 billion and operating margin slipping to 3.8%. Vehicle deliveries fell almost 9% to 2.08 million, driven by a steep 33% decline in China where shipments dropped to 424 300 units. The company trimmed its full‑year revenue outlook from a +3% growth forecast to a range of –3% to 0%.
To address the downturn, Volkswagen unveiled a sweeping cost‑reduction programme that could affect up to 100 000 jobs worldwide – 50 000 already slated for 2030 and an additional 50 000 under review – and is evaluating the closure of four German plants. Porsche, a VW Group brand, also approved a further 5 000 job cuts in Germany, raising total Porsche redundancies since 2025 to roughly 8 900. The cuts are driven by intense competition from Chinese manufacturers and broader economic pressures.