Daimler Truck sales held up well despite macroeconomic uncertainties, reaching €11.6 billion in the 1st quarter, compared with €12.5 billion last year. The Group's adjusted EBIT reached €1.16 billion, with industrial profitability up to 9.6%.
Trucks North America remains the main driver of profitability, while Mercedes-Benz Trucks suffers from the persistent weakness of the European market. In Asia, results were up on all indicators. Overall sales fell to 99,812 units, impacted in particular by a 29% drop in orders in North America. In contrast, Mercedes-Benz Trucks recorded a 9% increase in orders. Also of note, orders for battery-powered trucks and buses totaled 1,266 units in the first quarter, up from 1,146 units in the same period of 2024.
In view of the expected fall in volumes in the USA, Daimler Truck is adjusting its 2025 forecasts, while maintaining its margin targets. The Cost Down Europe program, which aims to reduce recurring costs by more than €1 billion by 2030, should boost competitiveness in Europe. Overall, the Group still expects 2025 to be operationally stable compared with 2024, with an adjusted return on sales for industrial activities of between 8% and 10%.
