Opmobility plummets in Paris following a downgrade of its forecasts, dragging Forvia and Valeo into the red

(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Opmobility in freefall on the Paris Stock Exchange (CAC 40 ) following a downward revision of its 2026 forecasts and the cutting of 770 jobs in France and Germany. Shares in the automotive components supplier are dragging the entire sector down. As a result, Forvia and Valeo are also falling.

On the eve of the announcement, Opmobility revealed that it now expects a decline in key financial indicators for this year, in contrast to previous estimates which had predicted better results than in 2025. Specifically, the company now forecasts an operating margin of between 430 and 450 million euros, free cash flow in excess of 220 million euros and a ‘significant’ net profit for the current year, compared with the previously forecast operating margin of 490 million euros, free cash flow of 297 million and a net profit of 185 million euros in 2025. “To cope with a more pronounced deterioration in automotive market conditions than anticipated, OPmobility is revising its targets for 2026, whilst reaffirming its focus on generating cash flows, reducing net debt and sustainably strengthening its competitiveness’, states a press release, specifying that the group “is aligning its full-year targets with the latest trends in car production and persistent inflation, whilst maintaining strict financial discipline and a selective allocation of resources”.

The former Plastic Omnium cites, amongst the reasons for the revision of its guidance, the rise in raw material prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East, rising costs of electronic components, a decline in car production in China, and also ‘the adjustment of activity levels by certain customers’ in Europe. Against this backdrop, Opmobility is launching a restructuring programme that will involve the closure of two research and development centres in France and the closure of the external components plant in Sterbfritz, Germany. The reorganisation will result in the loss of 310 jobs in France and around 460 positions in Germany. The group estimates restructuring costs of between €120 million and €130 million in 2026, linked to the adjustment of production operations, the improvement of competitiveness and the reorganisation of research and development activities. At the same time, the group plans to ‘accelerate the development of production capacity, primarily in North America and Asia, to support growth in those regions’. The target of reducing debt by the end of 2026 compared with 2015 has been confirmed. “The transformation of our automotive sector is accelerating, and certain market conditions have proved more challenging than we had anticipated at the start of the year and even in the third quarter,” explained OPmobility’s CEO, Felicie Burelle, during a conference call.