The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company reported results for the third quarter and first nine months of 2020.

Goodyear’s third quarter 2020 sales were $3.5 billion, down 9% from a year ago. Tire unit volumes totalled 36.6 million, down 9% from the prior year’s period. Industry demand during the quarter was affected by the continued economic disruption resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Replacement tire shipments declined 9%, reflecting the impact of lower consumer demand, temporary third-party retail store closings in the U.S., and actions are taken to align European distribution. Original equipment unit volume decreased by 9%, driven by reduced vehicle production.

Goodyear’s third quarter 2020 net loss was $2 million (1 cent per share) compared to net income of $88 million (38 cents per share) a year ago. The decrease was driven by a decline in segment operating income. Third-quarter 2020 adjusted net income was $24 million (10 cents per share), compared to an adjusted net income of $105 million (45 cents per share) in 2019. Per-share amounts are diluted.

The company reported a segment operating income of $162 million in the third quarter of 2020, down $132 million from a year ago. The decline primarily reflects lower volume, reduced factory utilization and lower earnings from other tire-related businesses. These factors were partially offset by the benefits of cost-saving actions, including ongoing rationalization plans, and improved price/mix.

Year-to-Date Results

Goodyear’s sales for the first nine months of 2020 were $8.7 billion, a 21% decline from the 2019 period, driven by lower volume, reduced sales from other tire-related businesses and unfavourable foreign currency translation. These factors were partially offset by improvements in price/mix.

Tire unit volumes totalled 88.3 million, down 24% from 2019. Replacement tire shipments decreased 21%, primarily reflecting lower industry demand. Original equipment volume declined 31%, driven by lower global vehicle production.

Goodyear’s net loss was $1.3 billion for the first nine months of 2020 ($5.62 per share) compared to net income of $81 million (35 cents per share) in the prior year’s period. The first nine months of 2020 included several significant items, including a non-cash charge of $295 million related to a valuation allowance on certain deferred tax assets for foreign tax credits, a non-cash impairment charge of $182 million to reduce the carrying value of goodwill in the EMEA business, a non-cash impairment charge of $148 million to reduce the carrying value of an equity interest in TireHub, and rationalization charges of $133 million, primarily associated with the closure of a manufacturing facility in Gadsden, Alabama. Goodyear’s net income for the comparable period in 2019 included rationalization charges of $128 million, primarily related to a plan to modernize two tire manufacturing facilities in Germany. Goodyear’s adjusted net loss for the first nine months of 2020 was $550 million ($2.35 per share), compared to adjusted net income of $208 million (89 cents per share) in the prior year’s period. Per-share amounts are diluted.

The company reported a segment operating loss of $316 million for the first nine months of 2020, down $1.0 billion from a year ago. The decrease was primarily due to lower volume, reduced factory utilization and lower earnings from other tire-related businesses. These factors were partially offset by lower SAG, driven by reduced payroll and advertising expenses, and the benefits of cost-saving actions, including ongoing rationalization plans.