International Q2 sales drop 8% year-on-year, surge 21% vs Q1 amid freight market recovery

International, the commercial vehicle arm of Traton Group, reported a 8% year-on-year decline in Q2 2026 truck and bus sales to 16,200 units, down from 17,600 in Q2 2025. However, the company saw a 21% sequential rise from the first quarter of 2026, when it sold 13,300 vehicles, including IC Bus school buses. The rebound reflects improving U.S. freight market conditions, with Traton noting that customer demand is gradually translating into sales and should become more visible in the second half of 2026. For the first half of 2026, International’s total sales reached 29,500 units, a 15% drop compared to 34,500 in the same period of 2025. North American Class 8 orders surged to 31,400 trucks in June 2026, a 231% jump from June 2025, according to preliminary ACT Research data, marking the seventh straight month of year-over-year growth. Traton’s global sales for Q2 2026, including Scania, MAN Truck & Bus, and Volkswagen Truck & Bus, rose 4% to 82,900 vehicles from 80,000 in Q2 2025. Scania’s 7% sales increase drove much of the growth, fueled by stronger demand in China and Brazil, while MAN Truck & Bus saw a 3% rise, boosted by a robust German market. Traton’s outlook remains cautiously optimistic despite ongoing global market uncertainty, with expectations of further improvement in Q3 2026. The company is scheduled to release full Q2 and H1 2026 earnings on July 23, 2026.