DETROIT – Common Motors’ U.S. automobile gross sales in the course of the third quarter plummeted by greater than 30% from final yr as an ongoing scarcity of semiconductor chips interrupted automobile manufacturing and minimize seller inventories.

The Detroit automaker on Friday mentioned it offered about 447,000 automobiles from July via September, down 32.8% from a yr earlier when gross sales volumes have been depressed as a result of coronavirus pandemic. The decline was barely wider than trade analysts’ expectations of 28.9% and 31.5%.

The chip scarcity has brought on GM to shutter crops for weeks, if not months, and in addition partially produce automobiles which can be in excessive demand equivalent to its full-size pickup vehicles to then end when chips turn out to be accessible.

GM warned traders final month its North American wholesale volumes can be down about 200,000 items within the second half of 2021 in contrast with the primary six months of the yr. It continues to keep up its monetary steering for the yr, together with adjusted earnings between $11.5 billion and $13.5 billion, or $5.40 to $6.40 a share.

Each model for the automaker reported double-digit gross sales losses within the third quarter, led by a 36.1% decline for Chevrolet.

GM plans to make up some misplaced quantity within the fourth quarter, as Steve Carlisle, GM president of North America, on Friday mentioned the chip provide constraint is enhancing.

“The semiconductor provide disruptions that impacted our third-quarter wholesale and buyer deliveries are enhancing,” he mentioned in an announcement. “As we glance to the fourth quarter, a gradual movement of automobiles held at crops will proceed to be launched to sellers, we’re restarting manufacturing at key crossover and automotive crops, and we look ahead to a extra steady working setting via the autumn.”

GM reported its total gross sales via September have been degree with a yr in the past at about 1.8 million items. Gross sales for the corporate’s manufacturers are all up for the yr aspect from Chevrolet, which is down by 5.6% Buick elevated by 27.4%, GMC by 8% and Cadillac by 10.8%, in accordance with GM.

GM was among the many first main automakers to report third-quarter gross sales on Friday. General, analysts estimate automakers offered lower than 3.4 million automobiles, down between 13% and 14% from the identical time final yr.

South Korean automakers Kia and Hyundai, which have the identical father or mother firm however function individually within the U.S., have been anticipated to be outliers within the third quarter.

Mixed, gross sales for Hyundai-Kia elevated 9.1% from a yr earlier. The gross sales beat total trade expectations however have been barely decrease than some analysts forecasted. Hyundai reported a ten.9% enhance, together with its luxurious Genesis model, and Kia’s gross sales have been up 7.3%.

Asia-based automakers, together with Hyundai and Kia, have fared higher via the semiconductor chip scarcity than U.S. corporations.

Others automakers to report September and/or third-quarter gross sales embrace:

• Toyota Motor mentioned its third-quarter gross sales elevated 1.4% from the identical time final yr to 566,005 automobiles, regardless of a 22.4% lower in September.

• Stellantis (previously Fiat Chrysler) offered 410,917 automobiles in the course of the third quarter, down about 19%.

• Honda Motor reported gross sales of 345,914 within the third quarter, down by 10.9%

• Porsche mentioned it offered 15,289 automobiles in the course of the third quarter, down 1.7% in contrast with a yr earlier.

• Nissan Motor offered 198,955 automobiles in the course of the third quarter, down 10%.