S&P 500 slips on report Fed’s Waller leading race to replace Powell; tech shines
Investing.com -- A.P. Moller-Maersk (CSE:MAERSKb) raised its full-year guidance on Thursday as the shipping giant reported better-than-expected second-quarter results, driven by strong terminal operations and improved logistics profitability despite ongoing rate pressures.
Shares in the Danish shipping company rose 2.8% following the announcement.
Maersk posted second-quarter revenue of $13.13 billion, up 2.8% YoY and 5% above analyst estimates. EBITDA came in at $2.3 billion, increasing 7% from the same period last year and beating consensus expectations by 12%.
The company achieved an EBIT of $845 million, though this marked a decline from $963 million in the second quarter of 2024.
The shipping giant has raised its full-year 2025 EBITDA guidance to between $8 billion and $9.5 billion, up from the previous range of $6 billion to $9 billion.
The Danish shipping giant, often seen as a bellwether for global trade, now anticipates worldwide container volumes to increase between 2% and 4% this year. That’s an upward revision from its May forecast, which projected growth ranging from a 1% decline to a 4% gain.
"We have had a strong first half of the year, driven by consistent follow through on our operational improvement plans and the successful launch of the Gemini Cooperation," said Vincent Clerc, CEO of Maersk. "Even with market volatility and historical uncertainty in global trade, demand remained resilient, and we’ve continued to respond with speed and flexibility."
According to Maersk, a drop in U.S. imports was “more than offset” by strong import growth in other markets, particularly in Europe.
Maersk continues to face significant macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainties, including ongoing disruptions in the Red Sea, which the company expects to last for the full year.
During the quarter, Maersk distributed $864 million to shareholders, including $514 million through share buybacks.