Maersk reports increased earnings in Q2

A.P. Moller - Maersk continued to build momentum in the second quarter, reporting volume growth across all segments and improved financial performance with EBIT margin reaching 7.5% compared to 1.4% in the first quarter.

The company said results were driven by increased profitability in Ocean, solid growth in Logistics & Services, and "excellent performance in Terminals." Based on the prolonging of the crisis in the Red Sea and continued robust market demand, Maersk upgraded its guidance for 2024 on August 1st.

Ocean saw strong volume growth and higher freight rates, primarily in Asia exports, reflecting the increased supply chain pressure, while the situation in the Red Sea and rerouting south of Cape of Good Hope continued to lead to higher operating costs. Profitability returned to positive territory, and while below the same quarter last year, performance was significantly better compared to Q1 2024 and Q4 2023.

Logistics & Services grew by 7% compared to the year prior and increased volumes across all product families more than offset low rates. Profitability improved both sequentially and year on year, positively impacted by increased asset utilization, good cost control, and progress on initiatives to address customer implementation challenges in the ground freight business in North America.

Terminals continued to deliver volume growth, particularly in North America. Revenue per move increased significantly due to higher tariffs and higher storage, while cost per move increased slightly. Effective cost management and robust revenue growth supported profitability, leading to one of the highest EBITDA levels ever.

"Our results this quarter confirm that performance in all our businesses is trending in the right direction. Market demand has been strong, and as we have all seen, the situation in the Red Sea remains entrenched, which leads to continued pressure on global supply chains. These conditions are now expected to continue for the remainder of the year," said Vincent Clark, CEO of Maersk.