Today, $DHL (-4,09 %) released its quarterly results. At first glance, the numbers look promising. What interested me most was whether the points I had highlighted as particularly important in my post before the quarterly results were confirmed. That’s exactly why I’ve re-evaluated the numbers in light of my original investment thesis.
First, a look at the numbers:
• EPS (expected): 0.89 EUR
• EPS (reported): 0.90 EUR
• Revenue (estimated): 20.94 billion EUR
• Revenue (reported): 22.37 billion EUR
One of my key watchpoints was profitability. Here, $DHL (-4,09 %) a positive surprise for me. EBIT rose by about 30% to €1.9 billion, significantly exceeding the prior-year figure. What I find particularly important, however, is that the company’s strength no longer stems exclusively from cost cuts. The express business, in particular, once again performed very robustly and benefited from higher shipment volumes as well as solid international demand. That’s exactly what I had hoped to see going in.
The measures under the “Fit for Growth” program also continue to have an impact. As I mentioned earlier, however, it was important to me that the core business once again contribute more significantly to growth, and the current figures give me exactly that impression. To me, this is a much better sign than if earnings had been improved solely through cost savings.
Another key point for me was free cash flow and capital allocation. There was good news here as well. The fact that $DHL (-4,09 %) the ongoing share buyback program has been increased once again by €500 million to a total of €6.5 billion is, in my view, a strong signal. To me, this shows that management continues to have confidence in the company’s own business performance.
I was also pleased with the performance of the other business segments. In addition to the strong express business, Global Forwarding and Supply Chain also posted solid results. To me, this confirms that the company’s current strength is built on multiple pillars and isn’t driven by just a single segment.
There were no negative surprises in the outlook either. After $DHL (-4,09 %) the EBIT forecast had already been raised in July, it has now been confirmed. Management remains confident despite geopolitical uncertainties. Changes in global supply chains and stable demand for logistics services remain key drivers.
As expected, there was no major news regarding the partnership with Leidos. For me, this remains an interesting long-term topic that could complement the investment story. However, it does not yet play a decisive role in the current performance.
For the coming quarter, I will primarily be watching to see whether the positive trend in the express business continues and $DHL (-4,09 %) whether the current growth can be sustained. It will also be interesting to see whether margins can be maintained at their current level and whether global trade flows continue to stabilize.
For me, the figures confirm my investment thesis. I find it particularly positive that $DHL (-4,09 %) growth is now once again coming more strongly from the core business and is no longer primarily driven by ongoing efficiency measures. However, following the strong stock price performance, market expectations will continue to rise. Therefore, in the coming quarters, the focus is likely to shift from simply delivering good results to sustainably confirming the current trend. My personal assessment therefore remains largely unchanged. $DHL (-4,09 %) remains an important component of my portfolio. Following the strong stock performance, I am somewhat more cautious about making further purchases; however, today’s figures tend to reinforce rather than call into question my long-term investment thesis.
~ Not investment advice ~