The group — whose 14 brands also include Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Chrysler — said sales reached €37.2 billion (US$43.2 billion) in the three-month period.

It reported growth in nearly every region except South America.

“As we continue to implement important strategic changes in order to provide our customers with greater freedom of choice, we have seen positive sequential progress and solid year-over-year performance in Q3, marked by the return of top-line growth,” said chief executive Antonio Filosa.

“This is encouraging and we are continuing to build on these gains,” Filosa said.

Shipments also improved in the third quarter, rising 13% to 1.3 million units, mostly thanks to 35% growth in North America.

The group said inventories have normalised in the US after an effort last year to cut stocks at US dealerships temporarily curbed production.

Filosa took over Stellantis in June, six months after his predecessor, Carlos Tavares, was forced out following the company’s woes in the US.

Stellantis announced in October plans to invest US$13 billion in US plants over the next four years as it navigates US tariffs.

Shares in Stellantis fell, however, as the group said it expects to incur charges in the second half of the year.

The company said the costs were due to the “important and necessary changes to our strategic and product plans” as well as “regulatory, geopolitical, macro-economic and other external and internal developments”.