Continental swings to €823m profit in first nine months and raises 2026 guidance

Profit back in the black

Continental reported a net profit of €823 million for January to September, compared with a loss of €182 million in the same period a year earlier. The Hannover-based tyre maker published the figures on Wednesday, 4 November 2026, and raised its forecasts for the year. Sales over the nine months fell 11.4% to €10,137 million, following the separation of several businesses, including the automotive components division.

January to September 2025-182

January to September 2026823

January to September 2025

-182 €m

January to September 2026

823 €m

Data from the article text

Operating profit climbs on tyres

Operating profit (EBIT), before exceptional items and including the agreed sale of the ContiTech plastics technology unit, rose 17.8% to €1,441 million. Europe drove the gain. Asia again posted very positive results, while North and South America were held back by weak replacement markets. Sales of ultra-high-performance tyres measuring 18 inches or more increased, and favourable currency effects, a smaller impact from tariffs and commercial measures offset higher raw material costs. The operating margin before exceptional items reached 14.2%, up from 11.9% a year earlier.

January to September 202511.9%

January to September 202614.2%

January to September 2025

11.9 %

January to September 2026

14.2 %

Data from the article text

Raw material costs keep rising

Tyre segment sales in the third quarter fell 1.5% to €3.5 billion, while the adjusted operating result improved nearly 7% to €514 million, lifting the adjusted EBIT margin to 14.9% from 13.9%. Continental buys raw materials three to six months in advance, so the higher oil and rubber prices linked to the wars in the Middle East are now reaching the income statement. Finance chief Roland Welzbacher told Reuters that the company does not expect relief on that front.

“We do not expect any relief on the raw materials side.”

Rising material prices cost the company a mid double-digit million euro sum in the third quarter, and a similar effect is expected in the fourth quarter. Welzbacher said Continental is now talking to customers about higher selling prices. Compared with the start of the year, when the company had expected positive conditions, it now has to absorb additional burdens in the low to mid triple-digit million euro range.

Guidance raised, portfolio reshaped

Chief executive Christian Kötz said the company is heading into the final stretch of the year in a stronger position, and the outlook has been lifted accordingly.

“Continental goes into a challenging year-end sprint strengthened.”

For 2026, tyre segment sales are now expected at 13.5 to 13.9 billion euros, narrowed from the previous range of 13.2 to 14.2 billion. The adjusted EBIT margin is forecast at 13.4 to 14.0%, up from 12.0 to 13.5%. Shares of the company, which sit in the DAX index, rose more than 6% on the day. Continental sold its OESL original-parts business in the spring and separated from the rest of ContiTech in the summer. The ContiTech unit is set to go to financial investor Lone Star for four billion euros, but that sale has not yet been completed.