Mercedes-Benz is ramping up its US inventory to get ahead of a 25% tariff on imported vehicles set to take effect from April 3, according to Reuters, citing analyst notes from a recent investor call.
Executives told analysts the company is building stock both at dealerships and at the wholesale level in anticipation of the added costs.
Asked about pricing, Mercedes suggested it would watch how competitors react before making its own move. Automakers are under pressure as they weigh price hikes, wary of provoking US political backlash amid calls to shift production stateside.
The German carmaker said the new tariff could reduce its gross margin by 2.5 percentage points before any offsetting steps are taken.