Battery firm LG Energy Solution Q3 profit rises 40% on increased US output

 South Korean battery firm LG Energy Solution on Wednesday posted a 40 per cent rise in quarterly profit, helped by increased output from its U.S. joint venture factory with General Motors.

The company, which supplies Tesla, GM and other automakers, reported an operating profit of 731 billion won ($543.46 million) for the July-September period, up from 522 billion won a year earlier.

That was in line with the company's estimate of 731 billion won provided this month and above a 659 billion won average forecast by LSEG Smart Estimate, which is weighted toward forecasts from analysts who are more consistently accurate.

The company's shares were down 3.7 per cent in morning trade, versus the benchmark KOSPI's 0.2 per cent fall.

September quarter revenue rose 7.5 per cent to 8.2 trillion won, LGES said in a regulatory filing.

LGES has benefited this year from U.S. tax credits for electric vehicles under the Inflation Reduction Act, and the production ramp-up at its battery plant joint venture with GM, analysts said.

However, GM said on Tuesday that it was slowing the launch of several EV models to cut costs and pulling back on EV product spending to put profits ahead of sales targets.