Key takeaways
- Daimler Truck now expects adjusted group EBIT of €3.6 billion to €4.1 billion in 2026.
- The adjusted return on sales for the industrial business is forecast at 7% to 9%.
- Group unit sales guidance has been raised to 340,000 to 370,000 vehicles.
- Trucks North America is now expected to sell 160,000 to 180,000 vehicles in 2026.
- By contrast, Daimler Buses faces a weaker sales outlook.
Weaker quarter, stronger full-year view
In the second quarter of 2026, Daimler Truck generated revenue of €11.4 billion in its industrial business, up 6% year on year. At the same time, adjusted group EBIT fell 18% to €838 million. The adjusted return on sales in the industrial business declined from 9.2% to 6.8%.
The company said tariffs continued to weigh on profitability. Even so, it expects business conditions to improve in the second half of the year.
That expectation underpins the upgraded forecast.
North America expected to carry the second half
Daimler Truck has raised its sales forecast for Trucks North America to 160,000 to 180,000 vehicles, up from the previous range of 150,000 to 170,000 units. The segment’s adjusted return on sales is now expected at 9% to 11%, compared with earlier guidance of 6% to 8%.
In the second quarter, Trucks North America sold 41,687 vehicles, up 8% year on year. Incoming orders rose to 35,379 units, an increase of 156%.
Still, the segment’s adjusted EBIT came in at €435 million, down 34% from a year earlier.
Chief executive Karin Rådström said:
The strong business performance at Trucks North America, the prospects for higher unit sales and the expectation of a lower tariff burden for the remainder of the year have given us the confidence to raise our full-year guidance.
US tariffs remain a factor, but pressure may ease
One of the main reasons behind the revised outlook is a decision by the US Department of Commerce to approve Daimler Truck’s application for recognition of US value-added content.
As a result, the company expects lower tariff costs from the second half onwards. However, the updated forecast assumes that the current framework of the USMCA trade agreement between the US, Mexico and Canada remains unchanged.
Any future changes to tariff policy or new geopolitical pressures are not included in the guidance.
Several targets revised upward
For 2026, Daimler Truck now expects adjusted group EBIT of €3.6 billion to €4.1 billion, compared with previous guidance of €3.2 billion to €3.7 billion.
The company also raised its expectations for the industrial business:
- Revenue: €43 billion to €47 billion
- Adjusted return on sales: 7% to 9%
- Free cash flow: €3.0 billion to €3.5 billion
In the second quarter alone, free cash flow in the industrial business reached €1.76 billion. The company noted, however, that this figure was also supported by a cash inflow from ARCHION.
Bus business remains under pressure
While Daimler Truck has become more upbeat about North America, it is taking a more cautious view of its bus division.
Because of continued weak market conditions in Latin America and Mexico, the group cut its sales forecast for Daimler Buses to 20,000 to 25,000 vehicles. Previously, it had expected 25,000 to 30,000 units.
The picture across the group therefore remains mixed: North America is expected to provide greater support in the second half, while the bus business remains under pressure and overall earnings are still well below last year’s level.
