Volkswagen posts 14% drop in first-quarter profit on tariff pressure, China competition

German auto giant Volkswagen on Thursday warned of further cost reduction measures after reporting weaker-than-expected first-quarter profit, citing higher U.S. tariffs and intensifying competition from Chinese car brands.Europe's biggest carmaker posted operating profit of 2.5 billion euros ($2.92 billion) for the first three months of the year, down 14.3% from a year ago and missing analyst expectations of nearly 4 billion euros, according to an LSEG-compiled consensus.Sales revenue came in at 75.66 billion euros, down 2.5% from the same period in 2025. Analysts had expected this figure to come in at 75.45 billion euros."Wars, geopolitical tensions, trade barriers, stricter regulations, and intense competition are creating headwinds.

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