Kia's third-quarter revenue reached a record 31.5974 trillion won, up 10.1% from a year earlier, while operating profit rose 24.3% to 1.8183 trillion won but missed the 2.3313 trillion-won market forecast by about 22%. Net profit fell 9.6% to 1.2855 trillion won. The operating profit margin dropped to 5.8% from 8% in the second quarter, as lower EV prices and higher sales incentives reduced profitability despite record global market share. Kia said discounts and incentives reduced profit by 727 billion won from a year earlier, while a higher proportion of lower-margin EV sales and weaker Middle East sales cut profit by another 465 billion won. Raw-material inflation added 368 billion won in costs. Lower U.S. tariffs on Korean-made vehicles, from 25% to 15%, reduced Kia's tariff costs by 533 billion won to 701 billion won and accounted for much of the annual profit increase; excluding that benefit, operating profit declined by 177 billion won. Global wholesale sales rose 7.9% to 847,355 vehicles, helped by hybrid demand in the U.S. and EV growth in Europe, while Kia's global market share reached a record 4%. Shares in South Korea and the U.S. also reached records of 36.8% and 5.8%, respectively, and Western European EV sales rose 163% to 43.2% of local sales. Kia plans to maintain its EV expansion and sales-incentive strategy through next year, keep its 3.35 million-unit annual sales target, and pursue a 10% operating margin by 2030. It aims to reduce battery, motor and heat-pump costs by about 10% annually for three years, while using hybrids to support near-term profitability. The company also plans to review producing all European EVs in Slovakia and exporting combustion-engine models from Korea, and retained shareholder-return commitments including a minimum annual dividend of 6,000 won per share and buybacks equivalent to 10%, with dividends prioritized over buybacks and share cancellations.