A.P. Moller - Maersk (Maersk) delivered strong results in Q3 2022 with higher earnings in its three main businesses; Ocean, Logistics & Services and Terminals, compared to the same quarter last year.
“Our Q3 result was another record and the 16th quarter in a row with year-on-year earnings growth. Ocean freight rates, which have driven the exceptional results we have delivered in 2022, were again up both year-on-year and compared to the second quarter. However, it is clear that freight rates have peaked and started to normalize during the quarter, driven by both decreasing demand and easing of supply chain congestion. As anticipated all year, earnings in Ocean will come down in the coming periods. Our overall transformation momentum remained very strong as we continue to grow our Logistics business rapidly. For the first time, revenue in Logistics exceeded USD 4bn in one quarter, and we expect to continue to outgrow the market in Logistics based on new customer wins,” says Søren Skou, CEO of A.P. Moller - Maersk.
Revenue for Q3 increased to $22.8 billionn, EBITDA increased to $10.9 billion and EBIT increased to $9.5 billion. Profit was $8.9 billion for Q3 and $24.2 billion for the first nine months. Return on invested capital (ROIC) was at 66.6% for the past 12 months.
“With the war in Ukraine, an energy crisis in Europe, high inflation, and a looming global recession there are plenty of dark clouds on the horizon. This weighs on consumer purchasing power which in turn impacts global transportation and logistics demand. While we expect a slow-down of the global economy to lead to a softer market in Ocean, we will continue to pursue the growth opportunities within our Logistics business. As a trusted partner, we are ready to support our customers in rethinking their supply chain needs through what is likely to be a period of a more volatile business environment,” says Søren Skou.
Market situation
Demand for logistics services moderated across global supply chains in Q3 2022. Supply-side bottlenecks continued to pose challenges, but there are signs of easing as demand slows and COVID 19-related restrictions in China diminish. Freight and charter rates declined in Q3 2022 relative to the previous quarter as the expected normalisation gained momentum through the quarter. Global container volumes are estimated to have declined –3% year-on-year in Q3 while global air cargo volumes, measured in CTKs, dropped by 9% in July/August (IATA). As a result of slowing economic activity, global container demand is expected to contract between –2 and –4% in 2022.
A.P. Moller - Maersk is a global leader in shipping services, the company operates in more than 130 countries and employs over 100,000 people world-wide.
