Mercedes Reaches Claim Settlement With US Amid Falling Q3 Sales

German AutomakerMercedes-Benz Group AG MBGYY has agreed to a $149.6 million claim settlement with the United States to resolve a long-running probe tied to allegations of diesel emission cheating. The settlement officially ended years-long legal trouble for Mercedes in the United States over the diesel gate emission scandal, which was first uncovered at Volkswagen (VWAGY) in September 2015.Under the settlement with 48 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, Mercedes will pay a total of $149.6 million, out of which $120 million will be allocated to the states to prevent, abate, and mitigate air pollution. The remaining $29.6 million is suspended and will be reduced by $750 for each affected vehicle that Mercedes repairs, removes from the market, or buys back.State authorities also said that Mercedes installed undisclosed, unlawful software in diesel vehicles that concealed the actual levels of pollution and incorrectly lowered emissions during government testing. In normal driving conditions, the vehicles emitted up to 30 or 40 times the legal limit.The settlement covered 39,565 U.S. vehicles that were not repaired or permanently removed from the road as of August 2023. Mercedes will bear all costs associated with installing the state-approved emissions modification software and will pay $2,000 per vehicle. Claims must be submitted by September 30, 2026, and the automaker will send an email detailing the program.In 2020, Mercedes-Benz agreed to pay $2.2 billion to resolve a U.S. government investigation into diesel emissions cheating, as well as claims from approximately 250,000 U.S. vehicle owners. That same year, states launched their own investigation into Mercedes-Benz following Volkswagen’s diesel emissions scandal, which ultimately cost VWAGY more than $20 billion in fines, penalties, and settlements. Volkswagen admitted in 2015 that it had manipulated emissions tests by installing defeat devices and sophisticated software in nearly 11 million vehicles worldwide.As part of the settlement, Mercedes is restricted from selling or leasing any diesel vehicle equipped with the illegal emissions-cheating devices. The company is also prohibited from making any misleading statement about a vehicle’s emissions performance, including claims mentioning that the diesel vehicle is clean or low-pollution, unless the claim is accurate and substantiated. Additionally, the company is required to provide regular reports on the progress.The settlement comes as Mercedes faces pressure from weaker operating performance. The company reported consolidated revenues of €32,147 million in the third quarter of 2025, significantly below the prior-year figure of €34,528 million.In the third quarter of 2025, Mercedes-Benz Cars sold 441,453 vehicles, reflecting a decrease of 12% compared to last year. Mercedes-Benz Vans sold 83,843 vehicles, representing a decrease of 8% from the prior-year level.Mercedes-Benz Group AG Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Mercedes-Benz Group AG price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Mercedes-Benz Group AG QuoteZacks Rank & Key PicksMBGYY stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell).Some better-ranked stocks in the auto space are Mazda Motor (MZDAY) and Subaru Corporation (FUJHY), each sporting a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for MZDAY’s fiscal 2026 and 2027 EPS has improved 6 cents and 3 cents, respectively, in the past 30 days. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FUJHY’s fiscal 2026 and 2027 EPS has improved 15 cents and 10 cents, respectively, in the past 60 days.Zacks Naming Top 10 Stocks for 2026Want to be tipped off early to our 10 top picks for the entirety of 2026? History suggests their performance could be sensational.From 2012 (when our Director of Research Sheraz Mian assumed responsibility for the portfolio) through November, 2025, the Zacks Top 10 Stocks gained +2,530.8%, more than QUADRUPLING the S&P 500’s +570.3%.Now Sheraz is combing through 4,400 companies to handpick the best 10 tickers to buy and hold in 2026. Don’t miss your chance to get in on these stocks when they’re released on January 5. Be First to New Top 10 Stocks >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Subaru Corporation (FUJHY): Free Stock Analysis Report Mazda Motor Corporation (MZDAY): Free Stock Analysis Report Mercedes-Benz Group AG (MBGYY): Free Stock Analysis ReportThis article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks