• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Global 500

Hyundai Motor’s Profit Tumbles to a Record Low

By
Reuters
Reuters
and
Michelle Toh
Michelle Toh
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Reuters
Reuters
and
Michelle Toh
Michelle Toh
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 26, 2016, 3:55 AM ET
SKOREA-AUTOMOBILE-HYUNDAI-EARNINGS
A car salesman speaks on the phone at a dealership of Hyundai Motor in Seoul on October 26, 2016. South Korea's Hyundai Motor on October 26 announced a sharp fall in profits for a third quarter, hit by lengthy industrial action that also took a toll on the national economy. / AFP / JUNG YEON-JE (Photo credit should read JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images)Photograph by Jung Yeon-JE/AFP/Getty Images

Hyundai Motor’s quarterly net profit skidded to its lowest level in more than four years on a protracted strike at home and weakness in emerging markets, and it warned it may miss its sales targets for a second straight year.

Falling far short of consensus estimates, the results come just a day after the South Korean automaker said about 1,000 executives will take a 10% pay cut amid a severe slump that also reflects slower growth in more developed markets.

Hyundai also replaced the heads of both its South Korean and China operations this month, after market share losses in both key markets.

Its woes have only exacerbated pain for South Korea, which has seen its economy take a hit from a major phone recall crisis at Samsung Electronics (SSNLF) and the collapse of Hanjin Shipping.

Net profit at the carmaker fell 10% to 1.06 trillion won ($935 million) for the third quarter ended September, down for an 11th consecutive quarter. It was far below a consensus forecast of 1.3 trillion won derived from 19 analysts polled by Reuters.

For more on Hyundai, watch Fortune’s video:

Earnings fell even though the comparison period a year earlier was weak – in third-quarter 2015, profit slid nearly a quarter on slack China sales.

The firm said global shipments dropped 3% to 1.085 million vehicles for the third quarter from the same period a year earlier, also squeezed by weak demand at home after tax breaks on new car purchases expired in June.

“The uncertainty surrounding the automotive industry is expected to persist for the time being because of a slowdown in advanced markets and a slump in emerging countries,” Hyundai Motor said in a statement.

The automaker’s domestic factories were hit by sporadic strike action from July to September in what was its worst-ever labor dispute.

Management and union leaders reached a deal to resolve the issue earlier this month – but not before Hyundai lost output of about 140,000 vehicles, worth around 3 trillion won in potential sales.

Hyundai shares ended down 0.4% after the earnings announcement, versus a 1.1% fall for the broader market.

About the Authors
By Reuters
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
By Michelle Toh
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

Eddie Bauer
RetailRetail
Eddie Bauer’s retail operator declares bankruptcy as younger shoppers view the brand as ‘old-fashioned and a bit irrelevant’
By Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressFebruary 9, 2026
29 minutes ago
Personal FinanceSavings
Best money market accounts of February 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganFebruary 9, 2026
43 minutes ago
CryptoDonald Trump
The Trump family’s crypto portfolio is getting battered with the rest of the industry—but Melania’s memecoin has fared surprisingly well
By Ben WeissFebruary 9, 2026
1 hour ago
SuccessMost Powerful Women
Jennifer Garner’s Once Upon a Farm IPO jumps 40% as the company raises $198 million
By Emma HinchliffeFebruary 9, 2026
1 hour ago
Starmer speaks in front of a red background
PoliticsUK
‘Every fight I have ever been in, I’ve won’: British PM Starmer vows to fight for his job after Epstein links sack cabinet
By Jill Lawless and The Associated PressFebruary 9, 2026
1 hour ago
Personal Financechecking accounts
Best checking account bonuses for February 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganFebruary 9, 2026
1 hour ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Elon Musk warns the U.S. is '1,000% going to go bankrupt' unless AI and robotics save the economy from crushing debt
By Jason MaFebruary 7, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Russian officials are warning Putin that a financial crisis could arrive this summer, report says, while his war on Ukraine becomes too big to fail
By Jason MaFebruary 8, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
China might be beginning to back away from U.S. debt as investors get nervous about overexposure to American assets
By Eleanor PringleFebruary 9, 2026
10 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Commentary
America marks its 250th birthday with a fading dream—the first time that younger generations will make less than their parents
By Mark Robert Rank and The ConversationFebruary 8, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
AI
As billionaires bail, Mark Zuckerberg doubles down on California with $50 million donation
By Sydney LakeFebruary 9, 2026
5 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Commentary
We studied 70 countries' economic data for the last 60 years and something big about market crashes changed 25 years ago
By Josh Ederington, Jenny Minier and The ConversationFebruary 8, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.