The logistics company DHL Group started 2025 with slight revenue and earnings growth. In the first quarter, Group revenue amounted to EUR 20,809 million, up 2.8% from the previous year (Q1 2024: EUR 20,251 million). Operating profit (EBIT) increased by 4.5% to EUR 1,370 million compared to the same period last year (Q1 2024: EUR 1,311 million).
“The economic environment in the first quarter of 2025 was characterized by US customs and trade policy and general economic caution. Nevertheless, we continued the positive momentum of the previous quarters with slight revenue and earnings growth. This is also the result of our stringent cost and yield management. At the same time, we continue to invest in high-growth business areas while working on structurally improving our efficiency.” Tobias Meyer, CEO DHL Group.
The Management Board announced the Group-wide program “Fit for Growth” in March 2025, to support the Group’s growth. This program is part of Strategy 2030, seeking to make the company leaner and more efficient overall. “Fit for Growth” includes numerous measures across all business units and aims to structurally improve DHL Group’s cost base by more than EUR 1 billion, with the full impact expected in the 2027 financial year.
As part of Strategy 2030, DHL Group is investing specifically in the quality of its services and in regions and sectors with above-average growth potential. These include logistics markets for life sciences & healthcare and new energies, as well as e-commerce and sustainable transport. For example, DHL Group has established the “DHL Health Logistics” brand and plans to invest around EUR 2 billion in this strategic initiative by 2030. This investment aims to expand DHL Group’s capabilities in life sciences & healthcare to meet the growing demand in the pharmaceutical industry, for medical devices, and in growth areas such as clinical trials, biopharma, and cell and gene therapies.
DHL Group continues to anticipate a subdued macroeconomic environment. A positive contribution to earnings development is expected from the cost measures. Based on these assumptions, the guidance remains unchanged: DHL Group still expects an operating result of at least EUR 6 billion and a free cash flow (excluding M&A) of approximately EUR 3 billion for the fiscal year 2025. This outlook does not cover potential impacts of changes in tariff or trade policies as such changes could have substantial negative but also positive effects for DHL Group.
DHL Global Forwarding, Freight achieved slight revenue growth. The air and sea freight business remained relatively stable. The decline in EBIT is mainly due to economic weakness in the German and European road freight business.
DHL Supply Chain continued its growth trajectory in the first quarter of 2025. The division improved earnings and margin through new contract signings and productivity increases via automation.
Targeted revenue management led to continued revenue growth at DHL eCommerce. The EBIT development was impacted by increased depreciation due to ongoing strategic investments in the e-commerce network.
Revenue and operating profit at Post & Parcel Germany developed positively due to the first postage increase in three years, the mail ballot during the recent federal election, and the growing parcel business. The division is on the expected path to stabilizing EBIT. However, the challenging regulatory framework for the letter business in Germany remains unchanged.
