Page 10 of 26 INTERIM FINANCIAL REPORT – COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENT NO. 1159 – 31 July 2025
Market development
Air
After a relatively muted start to the year, our addressable global
air freight market, excluding e-commerce and perishables,
stabilised in Q2 2025, driven to some extent by customers
frontloading shipments due to potential tariff increases leading to
conversions of volumes from sea to air shipments during the
quarter. We estimate that our addressable market saw low-
single digit volume growth in Q2 2025.
In Q2 2025, average air freight rates were slightly higher
compared to the same period last year, due to a combination of
frontloading of volumes and capacity adjustments.
DSV achieved air freight volume growth of 46% in Q2 2025 and
23% in H1 2025 compared to the same periods last year.
Organic volume growth in air freight declined by 2% in Q2 2025
compared to the same period last year. Adjusted for the exit of
low-yielding volumes, the organic growth was slightly below the
estimated addressable market growth.
Sea
The sea freight market was also heavily impacted by
uncertainties related to the US trade tariffs during Q2 2025,
which led to fluctuating demand and capacity adjustments. At
the start of the quarter, the sea freight market was negatively
impacted by the announcement of US tariffs. However, with the
recent temporary tariff agreements, especially between the US
and China, the sea freight demand picked up at the end of the
quarter. We estimate that the market grew by low-single digits in
Q2 2025, with large deviations in growth per trade lane.
During the second quarter, the average sea freight rates were
also highly volatile, reflecting the uncertainty in demand related
to tariffs, especially between China and the US. We do not
expect any near-term normalisation of the traffic in the Red Sea,
due to the current tensions and security situation affecting
maritime operations and routing decisions.
DSV’s sea freight volumes grew by 43% in Q2 2025 and by 23%
in H1 2025 compared to the same periods last year. Organic
growth in sea freight volumes in Q2 2025 was 2% compared to
the same period last year, which is close to the estimated
market growth. In Q2 2025, we saw smaller average shipment
size compared to the same period last year continuing the
recent trend.
The activities from Schenker across both segments were
impacted by the same volatile market conditions, especially the
higher exposure to Germany and downtrading in the Automotive
industry, leading to growth below the market in Q2 2025.
Divisional revenue
For Q2 2025, revenue amounted to DKK 34,475 million,
compared to DKK 24,616 million for the same period last year.
Revenue for the quarter was up 4.5% compared to the same
period last year, excluding Schenker and currency impact,
primarily driven by higher sea freight volumes, an increase in
average freight rates and growth in value-added services on
shipments across both air and sea freight.
The division’s revenue amounted to DKK 60,583 million for H1
2025 and was up 9.4% compared to DKK 47,332 million for the
same period last year, excluding Schenker and currency impact.
Gross profit
For Q2 2025, gross profit increased to DKK 8,486 million,
compared to DKK 6,072 million for the same period last year
with stable average gross profit yields compared to the same
period last year, despite the diluting effect from Schenker.
Excluding Schenker and currency impact, gross profit increased
by 9.2% in Q2 2025 compared to the same period last year,
primarily driven by higher sea freight volumes combined with
solid gross profit yields for both segments. The underlying air
freight yield increased by 8.7%, benefitting from a favourable
business mix and the exit of low-yielding volumes. The sea
freight yield saw an increase of 2.4% in Q2 2025, impacted by
high market volatility due to shifting tariff levels and a negative
currency impact. For both air and sea, value-added services and
smaller average shipment size benefitted the average yields.
In Q2 2025, the gross profit margin was 24.6%, compared to
24.7% last year with the organic improvement being offset by
lower margins from Schenker due to relatively lower average
gross profit yields in both air and sea freight.
For H1 2025, gross profit amounted to DKK 14,859 million,
compared to DKK 11,835 million for the same period last year.
Gross profit increased by 9.3%, excluding Schenker and
currency impact.
In H1 2025, the gross margin was 24.5%, compared to 25.0%
last year, due to the impact from Schenker. The organic gross
margin was slightly higher than the same period last year.
EBIT before special items
For Q2 2025, EBIT before special items improved to DKK 3,461
million, compared to DKK 2,898 million in the same period last
year. EBIT before special items was 9.4% higher than last year,
excluding Schenker and currency impact, primarily driven by the
increase in gross profit and a relatively stable cost base.
The conversion ratio was 40.8% for Q2 2025, compared to
47.7% for the same period last year due to Schenker
contributing to a lower conversion ratio. Adjusted for Schenker,
the conversion ratio was 47.7% on par with last year.
EBIT before special items was DKK 6,410 million for H1 2025,
compared to DKK 5,525 million for the same period last year.
EBIT before special items increased by 10.0%, excluding
Schenker and currency impact, reflecting a high degree of
earnings stability in both Q1 2025 and Q2 2025, despite the
volatile market environment.
The conversion ratio was 43.1% for H1 2025, compared to
46.7% for the same period last year, negatively impacted by a
lower conversion ratio from Schenker. Adjusted for Schenker,
the conversion ratio was 47.0%, slightly higher than last year.