Mercedes-Benz Girds for Quarterly Update With China and Labor Costs in the Spotlight
Published on 10/07/2026 at 13:50 | Editorial boerse-global.de
Mercedes-Benz is giving the market an early read on its third quarter, scheduling a pre-close call for Thursday that will walk investors and analysts through already-published trends and conditions shaping the period. The detailed third-quarter 2026 figures won't land until October 28, leaving the Stuttgart automaker's cost base and sales momentum as the two themes likely to dominate the conversation in the meantime.
Trading reflected the cautious mood. The stock changed hands at EUR 41.28 on Wednesday, up 1.8%, a modest rebound after heavier selling pressure weighed on the shares earlier in the week. A separate reading put the price at EUR 40.78. Since the start of the year, the equity has shed 32%.
Deutsche Bank Trims Its Target
Analyst Tim Rokossa of Deutsche Bank Research cut his price target on Mercedes-Benz to EUR 70 from EUR 73 on September 29, keeping a "Buy" rating on the stock. Rokossa singled out structural difficulties in the Chinese market as the manufacturer's biggest challenge, and said he expects the third-quarter reporting round to leave the broader narrative for the European sector largely intact.
Should investors sell immediately? Or is it worth buying Mercedes-Benz?
The subdued backdrop extends across the industry. The ifo business climate index for Germany's auto sector fell 13 points in September to minus 35, with gloomy sentiment and fierce competition from Chinese manufacturers keeping the stock under close scrutiny.
Labor Talks Take Center Stage at Home
While investors watch overseas demand, the company's cost structure in Germany is drawing just as much attention. According to WirtschaftsWoche, management is weighing reductions of as much as EUR 800 million in domestic labor costs. Among the options reportedly on the table: longer working hours without extra pay and adjustments to collectively bargained bonus payments. At a works meeting in Stuttgart, company leadership stressed the need for employee concessions, with media reports pointing to a possible extension of the workweek from 35 to 38 hours at unchanged pay. Mercedes-Benz declined to confirm any specific figure, citing ongoing negotiations.
Product and Buyback Moves Continue
On the operational front, Mercedes-Benz is pressing ahead with technological differentiation. The company introduced a steer-by-wire system for its electric EQS luxury sedan, eliminating the mechanical link between the steering wheel and the front axle. It also repurchased 875,000 of its own shares between September 28 and October 2 under its existing buyback program.
Thursday's pre-close call gives market participants their next window into the company's operating position ahead of the final quarterly numbers on October 28, when cost structure and sales performance will face their real test.
Ad
Mercedes-Benz Stock: New Analysis - 7 October
Fresh Mercedes-Benz information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends.
