AUTO1 Group SE, Europe's leading digital automotive platform for buying, selling and financing used cars, reported its most profitable quarter on record for Q3 2026, with adjusted EBITDA rising 45.7% year on year to EUR 75.6 million. The Berlin-based group, which operates across more than 30 countries under the Autohero, AUTO1.com and wirkaufendeinauto.de brands, also delivered double-digit unit growth and record gross profit per unit across both its Merchant and Retail segments. The company confirmed its full-year 2026 guidance, providing investors with continued visibility on its profitability trajectory.

Key Points

  • AUTO1 Group SE (0A9L), listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and a member of the MDAX index
  • Adjusted EBITDA reached a record EUR 75.6 million in Q3 2026, up 45.7% year on year, with total revenue of EUR 2.3 billion, up 10.4%
  • Total units sold were 242,817, up 11.1% year on year; full-year 2026 guidance confirmed at 940,000–1,000,000 units and adjusted EBITDA of EUR 250–275 million
  • Investors may watch whether the new trading system, cited as a GPU driver, sustains margin gains through Q4 2026

AUTO1 Group's Q3 2026 Revenue and Gross Profit Both Hit New Highs Across Merchant and Retail

The group generated total revenue of EUR 2,345.6 million in Q3 2026, up 10.4% year on year, alongside gross profit of EUR 298.0 million, representing a 15.7% increase. The Merchant segment, operating under the AUTO1.com wholesale platform, sold 211,461 vehicles to partner dealers, producing gross profit of EUR 212.5 million, up 14.8%, and a record gross profit per unit of EUR 1,005. The Retail segment, Autohero, sold 31,356 units, up 16.2%, generating revenue of EUR 561.0 million and its best-ever GPU of EUR 2,777, reflecting the group's improving unit economics across both business lines.

New Trading System Roll-Out Across Merchant and Retail Cited as Key Driver of GPU Growth

AUTO1 Group's announcement attributes the step-change in profitability partly to the full roll-out of a new trading system across both its Merchant and Retail operations. The company states this system lifted GPU substantially whilst costs were kept tightly under control, demonstrating what it describes as strong operating leverage. Group-wide GPU rose to EUR 1,234 in Q3 2026, up 4.9% year on year. The trading system's expansion represents a material operational development for a platform that sold 842,000 cars and generated EUR 8.2 billion in revenue across the full year 2025, employing 8,600 people at that time.

AUTO1 Group Confirms Full-Year 2026 Guidance Including EUR 250–275 Million Adjusted EBITDA Target

Following the record third quarter, AUTO1 Group confirmed its previously stated full-year 2026 guidance. The company targets total units of between 940,000 and 1,000,000, with the Merchant segment accounting for 815,000–865,000 units and the Retail segment contributing 125,000–135,000 units. Total gross profit is guided at EUR 1.1–1.2 billion, with adjusted EBITDA of EUR 250–275 million. Investors will note that guidance confirmation after a record quarter signals management confidence, though the company's forward-looking statements caution that results may deviate materially from targets due to known and unknown risks and uncertainties.