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Continental AG shares climbed more than 5% on Wednesday after the German automotive supplier and tire manufacturer reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter earnings, fueled by improved profitability in its Tires and ContiTech businesses.
The DAX-listed company posted adjusted EBIT of €522 million for the quarter ending March 31, marking a 6.1% increase from €492 million a year earlier. The result also surpassed analyst expectations of €493 million. Investors reacted positively as the company demonstrated resilience despite weaker sales and currency headwinds.
CEO Christian Kötz said Continental delivered a solid operational start to 2026, highlighting stronger margins in both key divisions. The Tires segment remained the main growth driver, generating adjusted EBIT of €467 million, ahead of analyst estimates. Profit margins improved to 14.4% from 13.4% last year, although sales slipped 4.7% to €3.3 billion due to unfavorable exchange-rate impacts.
Continental maintained its full-year Tires margin guidance of 13% to 14.5%, with expected EBIT near €1.9 billion at the midpoint. The company also noted that pricing and product mix added 4% during the quarter, helping offset rising raw material costs.
Meanwhile, the ContiTech division delivered adjusted EBIT of €92 million, beating market forecasts and significantly improving margins. Sales declined 24.4% to €1.2 billion, mainly because of the divestment of the Original Equipment Solutions business earlier this year and negative currency effects.
Group sales fell 10.4% to €4.4 billion, though organic sales declined only 0.9% after adjusting for currency and portfolio changes. Net income surged to €200 million from €68 million a year ago, while adjusted free cash flow improved sharply to €35 million from negative €216 million.
Continental reaffirmed its 2026 outlook, expecting consolidated sales between €17.3 billion and €18.9 billion with an adjusted EBIT margin of 11% to 12.5%.
