Polestar Q2 2026 sales slip amid U.S. market ban

Polestar (PSNY) posted declining Q2 2026 sales, with the U.S. market ban remaining a key headwind. The company's most recent full-year financials (FY2024) show revenue of $2.0B, already down 14.1% year-over-year, with gross margins deeply negative at -43.1% and net margins at -100.8%, translating to a diluted EPS loss of $0.97.

The U.S. ban — stemming from tariff or regulatory exclusion tied to the vehicle's manufacturing origin — effectively locks Polestar out of a critical growth market at a moment when the company desperately needs volume to improve unit economics. Without U.S. sales, the path to gross-margin breakeven grows significantly longer.

The financial profile here is stark: a company burning cash at a rate that exceeds its gross profit, with revenues shrinking. There is no enrichment data suggesting analyst upgrades, insider buying, or a near-term resolution to the U.S. market ban to anchor a bull case on solid ground.

The bear case is straightforward — negative gross margins mean Polestar loses money on every car sold before even accounting for SG&A or R&D, and the U.S. ban removes the one market that could accelerate volume-driven cost improvements. The bull case rests primarily on a potential lifting of the ban or a strategic partnership/acquisition premium, neither of which is visible in the current data.

Key things to watch: any regulatory or trade developments that could restore U.S. market access, parent Geely's willingness to continue funding operations, and whether Q2 delivery numbers show sequential stabilization or further deterioration.