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General Motors Co.: Q3 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q3 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 20 October 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 1 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue and net income rose: Revenue was $50.0 billion, up 2.9% from $48.6 billion. Net income attributable to stockholders was $3.3 billion against $1.3 billion, and diluted EPS was $3.73 against $1.35. Source
  • EBIT-adjusted margin rose to 8.2%: EBIT-adjusted was $4.1 billion, up 21.6%, with margin of 8.2% against 6.9%. Net income margin was 6.7% against 2.7%. Source
  • Adjusted automotive free cash flow rose: Adjusted automotive free cash flow was $5.9 billion against $4.2 billion, up 40.0%. Nine-month adjusted automotive free cash flow was $12.2 billion against $7.8 billion. Source
  • GMNA profit rose sharply: GMNA EBIT-adjusted was $3.6 billion against $2.5 billion, up 43.4%, with margin of 8.7% against 6.2%. GMNA accounted for most of operating segment EBIT-adjusted in the quarter. Source
  • US share fell to 16.1%: GM's US share was 16.1% against 16.8% in the quarter, and 16.4% against 17.1% for nine months. Source
  • EV realignment charges continued: Adjustments for EV strategic realignment were $238 million in the quarter against $1.6 billion a year earlier, and $3.6 billion for nine months. They cover EV capacity and the Ultium realignment. Source
  • Share count reduced further: Shares outstanding were 849 million at September 30, 2026, down from 904 million at end-2025, 995 million at end-2024 and 1.2 billion at end-2023. Source

“GM releases 2026 third-quarter results and updates full-year 2026 guidance; Board approves new $20 billion share repurchase authorization, declares quarterly dividend”

General Motors Co., press release

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
EBIT-adjusted SourceFull year 2026$14.5 billion - $15.5 billion
Adjusted automotive free cash flow SourceFull year 2026$11.5 billion - $12.5 billionRaised from $9.5 billion - $11.5 billion
EPS-diluted-adjusted SourceFull year 2026$12.75 - $13.75
EPS-diluted SourceFull year 2026$9.72 to $10.72
Net income attributable to stockholders SourceFull year 2026$8.9 billion to $9.5 billion
Automotive operating cash flow SourceFull year 2026$17.3 billion to $20.3 billionRaised from $15.4 billion to $19.4 billion
Capital expenditures SourceFull year 2026$10.0 billion to $12.0 billionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Adjusted automotive free cash flow guidance raised to $11.5-12.5 billion from $9.5-11.5 billion. Source
  • Guidance raised: Automotive operating cash flow guidance raised to $17.3-20.3 billion from $15.4-19.4 billion. Source
  • New: New multi-year share repurchase authorization of $20.0 billion, with no expiration date. Source

Quarter results and profit

  • Revenue and net income rose: Revenue was $50.0 billion, up 2.9% from $48.6 billion. Net income attributable to stockholders was $3.3 billion against $1.3 billion, and diluted EPS was $3.73 against $1.35. Source
  • EBIT-adjusted margin rose to 8.2%: EBIT-adjusted was $4.1 billion, up 21.6%, with margin of 8.2% against 6.9%. Net income margin was 6.7% against 2.7%. Source
  • Adjusted automotive free cash flow rose: Adjusted automotive free cash flow was $5.9 billion against $4.2 billion, up 40.0%. Nine-month adjusted automotive free cash flow was $12.2 billion against $7.8 billion. Source
  • Adjusted EPS grew 32%: EPS-diluted-adjusted was $3.70 against $2.80, up 32.2%. Nine-month EBIT-adjusted was $12.3 billion against $9.9 billion. Source

Segment results and regions

  • GMNA profit rose sharply: GMNA EBIT-adjusted was $3.6 billion against $2.5 billion, up 43.4%, with margin of 8.7% against 6.2%. GMNA accounted for most of operating segment EBIT-adjusted in the quarter. Source
  • GMI profit fell sharply: GMI EBIT-adjusted was $28 million against $226 million, down 87.7%. GMI net sales rose to $4.1 billion from $3.6 billion, while wholesale volume increased. Source
  • GM Financial earnings declined: GM Financial EBT-adjusted was $668 million against $804 million, down 16.9%. Its revenue of $4.3 billion was close to the prior-year level. Source
  • China equity income fell: Equity income from the Automotive China joint ventures was $32 million against $80 million, down 60.3%. Nine-month China JV equity income was $280 million against $197 million. Source

“The company is updating its full-year 2026 EBIT-adjusted guidance, narrowing the range.”

General Motors Co., press release

Products, share and fleet mix

  • US share fell to 16.1%: GM's US share was 16.1% against 16.8% in the quarter, and 16.4% against 17.1% for nine months. Source
  • Truck and crossover shares lower: US truck share was 31.0% against 32.3%, and crossover share was 12.8% against 13.5%. Car share was 1.7% against 1.8%. Source
  • China share edged down: GM's China share was 6.6% against 6.8%, and nine-month China share was 6.7% against 7.0%. China sales were 358 thousand units against 469 thousand. Source

Wholesale volumes and demand

  • Wholesale volume rose in quarter: Wholesale vehicle sales increased year over year in both GMNA and GMI. Nine-month wholesale volume was modestly higher, and 27.6% of it came from outside the US. Source
  • Worldwide share slipped: Worldwide market share was 6.4% against 6.8%, and share in GM markets was 7.8% against 8.2%. Source
  • Fleet share of sales rose: Estimated fleet sales were 19.2% of total vehicle sales against 16.7%; the nine-month share was 20.7% against 17.0%. Source

“These expected financial results do not include the potential impact of future adjustments related to special items.”

General Motors Co., press release

Costs, margins and special items

  • EV realignment charges continued: Adjustments for EV strategic realignment were $238 million in the quarter against $1.6 billion a year earlier, and $3.6 billion for nine months. They cover EV capacity and the Ultium realignment. Source
  • Ultium equity income now insignificant: Ultium Cells equity income was insignificant this year and is presented in cost of sales. The prior-year quarter showed $213 million. Source
  • GMNA equity income included a gain: GMNA equity income for the quarter includes gains from the sale of an equity investment. Impairment charges for EV realignment also affected GMNA equity in the nine months. Source
  • No legal or restructuring charges: No legal or restructuring adjustments were recorded in the quarter, against $300 million legal and $41 million restructuring in the prior-year quarter. Nine-month restructuring was nil against $260 million. Source
  • Effective tax rate rose: Effective tax rate was 14.3% against 8.9%; ETR-adjusted was 19.9% against 19.8%. Source

Capital, cash and returns

  • Share count reduced further: Shares outstanding were 849 million at September 30, 2026, down from 904 million at end-2025, 995 million at end-2024 and 1.2 billion at end-2023. Source
  • Nine-month share purchases increased: Payments to purchase common stock were $5.3 billion for nine months against $3.5 billion. Automotive operating cash flow was $8.0 billion in the quarter against $6.1 billion. Source
  • Combined cash balance rose: Cash and cash equivalents were $23.2 billion at September 30, 2026, against $20.9 billion at December 31, 2025, with automotive cash at $18.8 billion. Source
  • Returns on capital rose: ROIC-adjusted was 24.8% against 18.5%, and ROE was 6.4% against 4.7%, both on trailing four-quarter bases. Source
  • Capital spending rose in quarter: Expenditures for property were $2.3 billion in the quarter, against $2.1 billion, and $5.8 billion for nine months against $6.1 billion. Source

Strategy, restructuring and realignment

  • EV realignment cash add-back: Management describes the realignment adjustments as covering EV capacity and manufacturing footprint, including Ultium's realignment. Nine-month cash add-back for EV realignment was $4.2 billion. Source
  • Restructuring linked to Colombia and Ecuador: Restructuring and strategic action adjustments cover employee separations, autonomous and assisted driving, Colombia and Ecuador manufacturing, and the headquarters relocation. No 2026 quarter amounts are shown. Source
  • Cruise and GM technical efforts combined: The prior release tied restructuring charges to a plan to combine Cruise and GM technical efforts for autonomous and assisted driving.

Coming up, as management said on 20 October 2026

  • Quarterly dividend payable December 17: Dividend of $0.18 per share, payable December 17, 2026, to holders of record at the close of trading on December 4, 2026. Source
  • Repurchases run without expiry: The new repurchase program has no expiration date and will be executed under applicable securities rules, and may be suspended at any time. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Wholesale vehicle sales, thousand units Source1,028 (2026 quarter); 977 (2025 quarter)
Total US vehicle sales, thousand units Source671 (2026 quarter); 710 (2025 quarter)
Total worldwide vehicle sales, thousand units Source1,390 (2026 quarter); 1,563 (2025 quarter)

Risks management discussed

  • Operational: EV capacity and footprint realignment, including Ultium, is excluded from adjusted results; no end date is stated. Source
  • Financial: Guidance excludes the potential impact of future special-item adjustments, which could change reported results. Source
  • Regulatory: Investigations and litigation tied to the former OnStar Smart Driver product led to adjustments in prior periods. Source
  • Demand: Fleet share of sales rose; management notes fleet sales to rental companies are generally less profitable than retail sales. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Met: Management states the January 2026 repurchase program has been completed. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.