Nokian reports strong second quarter buoyed by higher sales, pricing

Nokia, Finland – Nokian Tyres plc has reported a strong first half, driven by higher sales, pricing, and cost-cutting.

Sales for the second quarter rose 5.8% year-on-year – 6.9% with comparable currencies – to €343 million, while earnings (segment operating income) grew 30.6% to €26.3 million.

For the first half, the Finnish tire maker posted 9.2% year-on-year growth in sales to €613.2 million, while earnings surged 56.5% to €7.8 million, the company reported 18 July.

Sales growth was primarily driven by increased capacity at Nokian’s Romanian and US factories as well as “good availability of finished goods inventories.”

Nokian linked the stronger earnings development to higher passenger car tire sales, price increases implemented in the first quarter, and lower manufacturing and supply chain costs.

For the full year, Nokian expects net sales and earnings to improve compared to last year, with demand in its markets set to remain at the previous year’s level.

However, the development of the global economy as well as geopolitical, trade and tariff uncertainties may cause volatility in the company’s business environment.

“Our passenger car tires segment outperformed the market, and we strengthened our position across all regions,” said Paolo Pompei, president and CEO, commenting on the second-quarter results.

In addition to price and mix adjustments introduced in the first quarter in Central Europe and North America, Pompei said “several operational initiatives” were implemented within the company.

The initiatives, he said, were aimed at improving efficiency, increasing productivity, and strengthening cash management across the organisation.

The measures are expected to deliver results throughout the rest of 2025 and into 2026.

In Romania, Pompei noted, the ramp-up of operations is proceeding according to plan.

“During the quarter, we began commercial deliveries of our new Nokian Tyres Seasonproof 2, manufactured at our new facility and engineered to provide premium performance in the all-season tire segment,” he explained.

While geopolitical tensions and evolving tariff dynamics continue to create short-term uncertainty, the Nokian leader said he remained focused “on the factors within our control.”