Surprising data Daimler in the first quarter: operating profit (Ebit), before taxes and interest, rises to 4,01 billion with a leap of 87% compared to 2,15 billion a year earlier. The Mercedes accounts are driving the group's sprint.
The data was released on Tuesday evening in advance of the quarterly accounts scheduled for April 26, because it is "much above the market estimate", as specified by the German industrial conglomerate. The consensus of analysts was much more cautious with an Ebit estimated at around 3,05 billion.
The Daimler stock opened sharply on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, reaching a high during the course of 68,50 euros with a rise close to 3,5%, the largest of the Dax index, before settling at 67,31 euros (+1%).
The strong operational improvement seen in the first quarter is mainly due to the subsidiary Mercedes-Benz Cars, whose Ebit jumped by 60% to 2,23 billion against sales in the first quarter, as announced last week, up 16% to 560.625 units, a new quarterly record. The operating margin of Mercedes-Benz also in the first quarter rose to 9,8% from 7% a year earlier also thanks to the success of the new E-Class.
The truck division and revaluations of balance sheet items such as the stake in the 'mapping' company Here (183 million) and the Chinese Baic Motor Corp (240 million) also contributed to the general improvement, as well as the sale of properties by the subsidiary in commercial vehicles in Japan, Mitsubishi Fuso (260 million), for a total of 690 million, net of which Ebit in the first quarter stands at 3,32 billion, still up 54,5% from a year earlier .
According to analysts, after Tuesday evening's data, an increase in estimates for the current year is becoming increasingly probable compared to the 13,2-14,2 billion EBIT forecast so far by the German group.
