Daimler Trucks has confirmed its positive outlook for unit sales and earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) and remains optimistic about its outlook for the current business year. In the Trucks division, they anticipate a significant increase in unit sales and EBIT compared with the previous year.

The company has already sold a total of about 21 percent more trucks in the first quarter of 2018 than it did in the equivalent period of the previous year. In the NAFTA region, unit sales in Q1 rose by a full 24 percent. Daimler Trucks was also able to increase its sales in key markets in Q1 of 2018 (EU30: +11 percent; Brazil: +66 percent and Turkey: +48 percent). This positive trend in Daimler Trucks business is expected to continue as the company is currently registering record numbers of incoming orders. In the first quarter of 2018, orders climbed by 49 percent compared with the previous year. In the traditionally profitable NAFTA region, incoming orders were up by as much as 93 percent compared to the previous year. The strong unit sales figures and number of incoming orders mean that the company can look to the future with continued optimism. Furthermore, by 2019, efficiency measures introduced in 2017 to reduce fixed costs will take full effect and contribute a total € 1.4 billion improvement in Daimler Truck‘s financial results.

Daimler Trucks is the world‘s undisputed leader in the commercial vehicle market and strives to achieve an average return on sales of 8 percent (‘over the cycle‘), including the costs of investment in future technologies. Daimler Trucks also continues to see itself as the pacesetter in the strong, technology-driven change currently taking place in its sector. It has invested more than € 2.5 billion (NZ$4.2 billion) over the course of 2018 and 2019 in research and development, of which more than € 500 million (NZ$8.4 million) is dedicated to electrification, connectivity and the automation of its products and services.