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strong independent company and we look forward to continued advancement in our growth vectors in software and electrification, as we progress towards the start of production of the industry’s firstE-Turbo.”
“For the full year 2018, we expect to be between 5% and 6% in organic growth in net sales and between $640 million and $655 million in Adjusted EBITDA, excluding hedging impacts.”
Results of operations
Net Sales were $784 million in the third quarter 2018, an increase of $39 million or 5% from $745 million in the third quarter 2017. On an organic basis net sales increased 7% over the third quarter of 2017. The increase was primarily driven by light vehicles OEM products growth of approximately $43 million, along with commercial vehicle growth of $2 million, partially offset by aftermarket and other products decrease of $6 million. The light vehicles product growth was primarily driven by 25% organic growth in light vehicles gasoline products and a 3% organic growth in light vehicles diesel and commercial vehicles products, offset by a 2% organic decline in aftermarket and other products.
For the 9 months ended September 30, 2018, net sales increased $284 million to $2,576 million, or 12% on a reported basis and 7% organically, as compared with the same period in 2017. The increase was primarily driven by $162 million or 27% organic growth in light vehicles gasoline products and a $62 million net sales growth in light vehicles diesel products, which were flat on an organic basis, and a $60 million or 10% organic growth in net sales of commercial vehicle products and a decline in aftermarket and other net sales of $1 million, or 0% organically.
Cost of goods sold was $606 million in the third quarter 2018 and increased by $38 million, or 7% compared with the third quarter 2017 and was primarily driven by an increase in direct material costs due to increased volume. For the first nine months of 2018, cost of goods sold increased $242 million or 14% and was primarily driven by an increase in direct material costs of $204 million due to increased volume.
Gross profit percentage of 22.7% in third quarter 2018 decreased from 23.8% in the third quarter of 2017 primarily due to a 2.7% decline in product mix, partially offset by 2.5% favorable productivity improvement and by favorable volume leverage of approximately 0.5%. For the first nine months of 2018, gross profit percentage decreased by 1.1% due to the unfavorable impacts from mix and price of approximately 2.2 percentage points, partially offset by a favorable volume leverage impact of 0.8 percentage points and net favorable impact from foreign currency translation of approximately 0.4 percentage points.
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses of $60 million in the third quarter 2018, representing a decrease of $1 million as compared with the third quarter of 2017. For the first nine months of 2018, SG&A increased by $6 million, but declined as a percentage of net sales primarily due to favorable volume leverage.
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