Cooper Standard raises sales, earnings

Northville, Michigan – Cooper Standard Holdings Inc. has reported sales and earnings growth for the third quarter of 2025, partly helped by an increase in automotive production.

Adjusted earnings (EBITDA) for the third quarter grew 16% year-on-year to $53 million (€45 million) on 1.5% higher sales of $695 million, Cooper Standard announced 30 Oct.

Sales were up during the quarter primarily to favourable foreign exchange as well as favourable volume and mix, partially offset by “certain customer price adjustments.”

The company linked the improvement in adjusted earnings to increased manufacturing and purchasing efficiency and favourable foreign exchange.

These, it said, were partially offset by unfavourable volume, mix and price, higher SGA&E expense related to stock price appreciation adjustments and ongoing general inflation.

Sales in sealing systems were $348.8 million, down $4.6 million or 1.3% from $353.4 million a year earlier.

The company said the decline mainly reflected lower volume and mix, partially offset by favourable foreign exchange effects.

The segment’s adjusted earnings came in at $30.9 million, up 3.2% year-on-year, reflecting lower costs, which more than offset weaker volume and mix and unfavourable exchange effects.

Sales in fluid handling systems rose to $328.6 million, up $14.8 million or 4.7% from $313.7 million in the prior-year quarter.

Higher volume and mix contributed to the increase, along with a smaller benefit from exchange rates.

Adjusted earnings for the segment grew significantly by 25.7% to $29.0 million, driven by higher sales volume and favourable currency movements, partly offset by cost increases.

"Our operating performance continues to be outstanding, delivering results for the first nine months of the year that exceeded our original plans," said Jeffrey Edwards, chairman and CEO.

The performance, Edwards said, is expected to help the company “navigate further temporary customer production disruptions in the fourth quarter and continue to drive higher margins.”

During the quarter, Cooper Standard said it received net new business awards totalling $96.4 million in anticipated future annualised sales.

Through the first nine months of 2025, it received $228.5 million in net new business awards, primarily related to battery-electric and hybrid vehicle platforms.

For the full year outlook, Cooper Standard said “supply chain disruptions, changing trade and tariff policies, and affordability concerns have impacted near-term production forecasts.”

However, the company said it believed that the underlying demand for new light vehicle production in its key operating regions remained strong, supported by the age of the existing fleet, increasing population, increasing numbers of newly licensed drivers, and declining vehicle inventories.

Despite “strong actual results” in the first nine months of the year, Cooper Standard said it adjusted its full year guidance to reflect $25 million of expected lost profit.

This, it said, is related to “temporary customer production cuts stemming from supply chain and other market disruptions in the fourth quarter.”