Daimler Truck sees profits rise sharply as US recovery takes hold
The lorry maker lifted adjusted operating profit to €1.124 billion in the third quarter.
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Daimler Truck said it posted higher adjusted operating profit in the third quarter, helped by a recovery in the North American market. Adjusted operating profit rose to €1.124 billion, from €648 million a year earlier.
Revenue from the industrial business came to €11.6 billion. In the same quarter of 2025, it was €9.7 billion. Operating profit therefore grew faster than revenue, while the adjusted operating margin rose from 6.2 to 9.1 per cent.
According to Daimler Truck, the Trucks North America division contributed most to the improvement. Sales there rose by 51 per cent, according to Daimler Truck. Hauliers that had postponed purchases for several years renewed their fleets, the company said.
In total, the company sold more than 91,000 lorries and buses in the summer, 26 per cent more than a year earlier. The company said it was maintaining its forecast for an adjusted revenue margin of 7 to 9 per cent in the industrial business in 2026.
The figures primarily say something about Daimler Truck and the markets in which the group operates. They do not prove that the global transport sector is recovering everywhere. The company remains dependent on investment by hauliers, interest rates, trade policy and demand for freight transport.
For investors, it is also relevant that analysts’ revenue forecast for the industrial business was slightly higher than the €11.6 billion achieved. The improvement in profits is therefore positive, but the quarter also shows that demand varies sharply by region and that the North American recovery carries considerable weight.
Also show where in Europe and in the world
Both sides of the figures
▲ Bright spots
- Adjusted operating profit rose from €648 million to €1.124 billion in the third quarter, according to Daimler Truck.
- Sales of lorries and buses increased by 26 per cent compared with a year earlier.
▼ Concerns
- Revenue from the industrial business came in at €11.6 billion, slightly below the average analyst forecast of €11.7 billion, according to Reuters.
- The improvement relied heavily on North America; the figures therefore do not show that all markets are recovering.
Critical note
These are nominal company figures, not a measure of real economic growth. They also cover adjusted group results for a single quarter; the figures say nothing about the distribution of profits within the company or about the Dutch economy.
Who notices what
- Businesses
- Lorry makers and hauliers see indications of a recovery in North American replacement demand, but remain dependent on willingness to invest and financing costs.
- Investors
- Profit growth and the maintained forecast are positive, while revenue remained below the average analyst forecast.
- Workers
- A stronger quarter could support production. It is not known whether new employment decisions will follow.
Every point comes from the article’s sources and was included in the fact check.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The financial figures and explanation of the North American contribution appear in Daimler Truck’s primary publication and were independently reported by Reuters. The text makes clear that these are adjusted group figures relating to a specific market.
- confirmed Adjusted operating profit rose to €1.124 billion, from €648 million a year earlier. — Daimler Truck cites both amounts for the third quarter. source
- confirmed Revenue from the industrial business rose to €11.6 billion. — This appears in the primary publication and the Reuters report. source
- confirmed Sales in North America rose by 51 per cent. — Reuters attributes this to Daimler Truck. source
Editor's note
The quarterly figures come from the company statement and were summarised by Reuters. The comparison is nominal; the report concerns operating results, not Dutch economic growth.Sources
- Daimler Truck steigert Profitabilität dank sich erholender Marktlage — Daimler Truck
- Daimler Truck steigert Gewinn deutlich dank Wende in USA — Reuters via Onvista
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