Hyundai Motor Q2 profit slumps due to weak international demand

[SEOUL] South Korea's Hyundai Motor said on Thursday second-quarter profit fell 75 per cent on year, the steepest in seven quarters and missing analyst estimates, as weak global demand due to the pandemic overshadowed sales of high-end models at home.

Hyundai's global retail sales fell 33 per cent from the same period a year earlier whereas sales at home in South Korea - at 200,000 vehicles, exceeding all other markets - rose 13 per cent, company data showed.

Other markets including the United States, China, Europe and India suffered double-digit percentage sales falls.

Domestic sales have been led by large cars and sport-utility vehicles (SUVs) such as the G80 sedan and GV80 SUV from premium brand Genesis as well as Hyundai sedan Grandeur, analysts said.

Even so, sales of such higher-margin cars were not enough to offset a plunge in demand in Europe and especially in the United States, which is reeling from daily surges in Covid-19 cases.

Hyundai shares were up 3.3 per cent versus a 0.6 per cent fall in the broader market.

Net profit for April-June fell to 227 billion won (S$262.2 million) from 919 billion won a year earlier. That compared with the 275 billion won average of 16 analyst estimates compiled by Refinitiv.

Revenue fell 19 per cent to 21.9 trillion won.

REUTERS