DHL Group Publishes Preliminary Q3 Results And Raises Outlook Due To Strong Earnings

Deutsche Post DHL Group has today released preliminary results for the third quarter of 2021. The Group’s EBIT reached around €1.765 billion in the third quarter of 2021 (Q3 2020: €1.377 billion), bringing the EBIT of the first nine months of 2021 to around €5.760 billion. This includes a one-off effect of €179 million for the second Covid-19 bonus (Q3 2020: €163 million), which will be paid in the fourth quarter. Against the backdrop of the excellent business development, the Group will revise upward its outlook for EBIT and free cash flow for FY 2021. In addition, the mid-term guidance for FY 2023 will be increased on November 4, 2021.

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“In the first nine months of the current year, we have already exceeded the previous year’s full-year result. Global trade accelerated significantly compared to the previous year. At the same time, shipment volumes in eCommerce remained high. Therefore we are optimistic for the oncoming peak season”

“We are now intensively preparing ourselves for potential record-breaking shipment volumes in the coming weeks and have deliberately built up capacity in the third quarter, in order to be able to offer our customers continued high-quality service.” 

Frank Appel, CEO, Deutsche Post DHL Group.

DHL Divisions Significant Jump In Earnings

The positive development of the Group’s businesses seen in the first half of the year has continued well through the third quarter of 2021. All DHL divisions significantly exceeded the previous year’s results. Volume trends in the past quarter confirm base assumptions with continued well-supported B2B recovery and B2C volumes staying at high previous year levels across all major networks. At the same time, the tight capacity situation both in Ocean and Air Freight markets continued.

Express: EBIT in the Express division reached around €970 million in the third quarter of 2021 compared to €753 million in the previous year’s quarter.

Global Forwarding, Freight: EBIT in Global Forwarding, Freight stood at around €370 million in the third quarter of 2021, also clearly ahead of the previous year’s result of €155 million.

Supply Chain: EBIT at Supply Chain came in at around €140 million in the third quarter of 2021, significantly above last year’s third-quarter result which stood at €112 million.

eCommerce Solutions: eCommerce Solutions recorded an EBIT of around €90 million in the third quarter of 2021, significantly above last year’s third-quarter result which stood at €76 million.

Post & Parcel Germany: EBIT in Post & Parcel Germany in the third quarter of 2021 was around €300 million (Q3 2020: €320 million).

The continued positive business development is underpinned by a continued equally strong development of cash flow; free cash flow in the third quarter of 2021 amounted to more than €1.0 billion (Q3 2020: €1.264 billion). For the first nine months of 2021 free cash flow stands at more than €3.1 billion and significantly exceeds the previous year’s result (9M 2020: €1.460 billion).

Earnings and FCF outlook will be revised upwards based on dynamic business performance

In light of the continued positive earnings momentum also in the third quarter of 2021, management will raise guidance for FY 2021 Group EBIT and FCF, driven by the strong development in the DHL divisions. Also, the mid-term guidance for FY 2023 will be subject to upward revision.

The comprehensive disclosure for the third quarter of 2021 will be published as planned on November 4, 2021.