Heavy Duty Trucking Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Earnings Watch: Trade Dispute Hits Daimler Earnings, Corporate Restructure Announced

Daimler AG reported a decline in profitiability and revenue in the second quarter and also announced a corportate restructuring which will split off Mercedes-Benz AG, Daimler Truck AG, and Daimler Mobility AG.

Evan Lockridge
Evan LockridgeFormer Business Contributing Editor
July 26, 2018
Earnings Watch: Trade Dispute Hits Daimler Earnings, Corporate Restructure Announced

 

3 min to read


Germany-based truck and passenger vehicle manufacturer Daimler AG on July 26 reported second quarter earnings that showed a decline in both profitability and revenue.

Net profit fell to 1.73 billion Euros ($2.02 billion) in the quarter from 2.44 billion Euros a year ago, according to MarketWatch. Revenue fell to 40.76 billion Euros from 41.21 billion Euros the prior year.

Ad Loading...

MarketWatch also reported the reason for the declines was that earnings at the company’s core Mercedes-Benz Cars division came in significantly lower, due to an escalating trade dispute between the U.S. and China.

“In June, Daimler warned that Chinese retaliatory tariffs on U.S.-made vehicles would hit sales and profits of its U.S. made vehicles,” MarketWatch said.

Despite this, the company once again increased its total unit sales compared with the same quarter of the previous year. In the months of April through June, Daimler sold a total of 833,000 cars and commercial vehicles worldwide, which is 1% more than in the prior-year period 

Ad Loading...

This was primarily driven by Mercedes-Benz Vans, with a new second-quarter record of 110,900 units sold, and by Daimler Trucks. Daimler Trucks’ unit sales of 123,900 vehicles were 6% higher than in the second quarter of last year, compared to 116,400 the same time a year ago. The sales volume in the North American Free Trade Agreement region increased to 44,300 units, up from 42,300 a year earlier.

The company has forecast its total unit sales for Daimler Trucks this year will be significantly higher than in the previous year.

“This is largely due to the significant recovery of some important markets. In the NAFTA region, the division expects a significant sales increase compared with 2017 as a result of the ongoing market recovery,” Daimler said.

The news came as Daimler announced a new corporate structure in which it will set up three independent entities; Mercedes-Benz AG, Daimler Truck AG, and Daimler Mobility AG; all under the umbrella of Daimler AG.

“Under the new structure Daimler plans to give its divisions greater entrepreneurial freedom, position them even closer to their markets and customers, while empowering them to enter partnerships more easily and quickly,” Daimler said in a statement.

Ad Loading...

Once the new structure has been fully implemented, the Mercedes-Benz Cars and Vans division, under the leadership of Mercedes-Benz AG, will have around 175,000 employees worldwide.

The Daimler Trucks and Buses division, under the leadership of Daimler Truck AG, will have around 100,000 employees worldwide, according to the company.

Already legally independent, Daimler Financial Services AG will be called Daimler Mobility AG going forward. “With its around 13,000 employees, the division today already stands for mobility services within the group,” Daimler said.

The new corporate structure will be submitted for approval by shareholders at the annual general meeting of Daimler AG in 2019.


Related: Daimler Talks Truck Sales, Tariffs, and Globalism

More Fleet Management

Illustration of a chalkboard with a hand drawing an arrow curving away from a partially erased straight arrow with the words "Embracing Change," the Heavy Duty Trucking Logo and the "cover feature" graphic.
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeAugust 1, 2026

How Innovative Trucking Leaders Turn Change Into an Advantage

As the pace of change accelerates in trucking, the fleets that adapt best have more than the latest technology. They have cultures that embrace improvement.

Read More →
Illustration of past due invoices with red X on top with background of a truck at a loading dock
Fleet ManagementJuly 27, 2026

Freight Broker Bonds Just Got Harder to Get. Here's What That Means for Your Fleet.

When it gets harder for a freight broker to prove they are financially sound, the ones who cannot clear that bar get pushed out of the market. And those are exactly the brokers who used to leave motor carriers holding the bag.

Read More →
Photo of cable bridge crossing Detroit River
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeJuly 23, 2026

Long-Awaited Canadian Border Bridge to Open in Detroit

For trucking, the bridge opening should offer immediate improvements in efficiency and reliability, with new customs facilities, expanded inspection capacity, and direct freeway-to-freeway connections.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Blue International heavy-duty truck with Aurora driverless truck software coming head-on on an interstate highway
Equipmentby Deborah LockridgeJuly 22, 2026

Aurora Rolls Out Next Generation of Driverless Trucks for Commercial Freight

Aurora's latest autonomous trucks it's rolling out with International feature lower-cost hardware designed for a million miles as the company expands commercial driverless freight operations across the U.S. Sun Belt.

Read More →
American Trucking Associations for-hire tonnage graph
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeJuly 21, 2026

Freight Tonnage Down, Rates up, as Lower Capacity Powers Trucking Recovery

The recovery from the freight recession continues to be driven by reduction in capacity rather than by increased demand.

Read More →
Cyberstop column header depicting images of ChatGPT prompt on a smartphone and shadowy hooded figure
Fleet Managementby Ben WilkensJuly 17, 2026

Think Your Trucking Fleet Isn't Using Much AI? Think Again

Shadow AI — the use of unauthorized artificial intelligence tools at work — is becoming increasingly common, putting sensitive company data at risk. Learn how trucking fleets can protect sensitive data while embracing AI.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
Photo of semi trucks with Panther, ArcBest, and ABF trailers backed up to docks, with ArcBest logo superimposed on top
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeJuly 17, 2026

ArcBest Consolidates Brands, Cuts Workforce

The company will bring three business units under the ArcBest brand, eliminate about 2% of positions, and expects the changes to generate $40 million in annual savings.

Read More →
Cover of ATRI operational costs study with graph clip art and photo of trucks on highway in the background
Fleet Managementby Deborah LockridgeJuly 15, 2026

Trucking Fleets Faced Record Operating Costs During Third Year of Freight Recession

ATRI's annual operational cost report shows carriers trimmed fleets, delayed equipment purchases, and ran older trucks as expenses continued to outpace freight rates.

Read More →
Micheline AI Assistant.

Michelin Adds AI Assistant to MyConnectedFleet Platform

Michelin’s new generative AI tool delivers instant fleet insights, helping managers analyze fuel use, tire maintenance, vehicle status, and operational performance without manually creating reports.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
LytxOne Platform.

LytxOne Platform Now Features AI, Compliance, and Asset Tracking Tools

New enhancements add AI-powered insights, asset tracking, compliance automation, and configurable privacy controls to Lytx's all-in-one fleet management platform.

Read More →