Kuehne+Nagel expands air, sea, road footprint in first half 2025

Kuehne+Nagel reported stable operating results for the first half of 2025, navigating various external pressures. The group’s net turnover rose by 8 percent year-on-year to CHF 12.5 billion, increasing to 12 percent when adjusted for currency fluctuations. EBIT came in at CHF 744 million, with earnings reaching CHF 555 million, supported by strong volume gains in Air Logistics.

Overall profitability was impacted by negative currency effects amounting to CHF 24 million and a one-time cost of CHF 16 million in contract logistics during the second quarter. Sea Logistics faced the biggest currency headwinds, followed by Air Logistics. The company’s earnings outlook for 2025 remains the same.

Stefan Paul, CEO of Kuehne+Nagel International AG, said, “Our solid operational performance in the first half of 2025 once again demonstrated our resilience in a challenging market environment. The push of our strategic sales initiatives is proving to be highly effective.”

In Road Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel recorded net turnover of CHF 1.8 billion and EBIT of CHF 47 million in the first half of 2025. The company’s road network remained underused because of subdued demand in Europe. To expand its reach, Kuehne+Nagel acquired Spanish groupage logistics company TDN at the end of the second quarter. The deal strengthens the company’s service network on the Iberian Peninsula and broadens access for its customers.

In Sea Logistics, Kuehne+Nagel reported a 16 percent year-over-year increase in net turnover to CHF 4.7 billion in the first half of 2025. Container volumes rose by 2 percent to 2.1 million TEU. EBIT for Sea Logistics stood at CHF 368 million, affected by currency impacts and shifting US dollar trends. The conversion rate was 34 percent. The company said it gained market share on the Asia-Europe trade lane and offset lower volumes on US routes with growth elsewhere.

Dr. Joerg Wolle, Chairman of the Board of Directors, stated, “In the first half of 2025, Kuehne+Nagel once again delivered a strong operating performance in an environment marked by geopolitical uncertainty. Turnover growth clearly outpaced the market average, confirming the company’s strategic direction. Kuehne+Nagel is well on track to further strengthen its market position.”

In Air Logistics, the company reported a 7 percent increase in volumes in the first half of 2025, handling 1.1 million tonnes. Net turnover for Air Logistics rose by 8 percent year-over-year to CHF 3.6 billion, and EBIT for the unit grew by 10 percent to CHF 230 million. The growth was driven by demand in perishables, semiconductors, and cloud infrastructure. In the second quarter alone, net turnover for Air Logistics was around CHF 1.9 billion, up 3 percent from a year earlier. The conversion rate for Air Logistics stood at 26 percent.

In Contract Logistics, net turnover reached CHF 2.4 billion with EBIT at CHF 99 million in the first half of 2025. The result included an extraordinary CHF 16 million provision related to an investigation in Italy. Despite this, the unit posted its strongest quarterly operational performance in its history in Q2 2025. In June, Contract Logistics opened a new distribution centre in Tokyo with Louis Vuitton to serve the Japanese market and expand its luxury logistics footprint in Asia.