, Columnist
Why Tires Are More Profitable Than Mercedes
But rubber price rebound could trigger a skid
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Seeking a haven from plunging commodity prices? Look no further than the humble tiremaker, whose profit-making prowess appears anything but dull.
Germany's Continental on Thursday reported a 20.4 percent full-year adjusted operating margin at its tire division, far higher than the company's average of 11.8 percent. To put it in context, luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz achieved only a 10 percent auto division operating margin last year.