ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (ZIM) has reported a substantial turnaround in its financial performance for the second quarter of 2024.

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The company generated revenues of $1.93 billion, marking a 48% increase from the $1.31 billion reported in the same quarter last year. This surge in revenues was primarily driven by an increase in freight rates and carried volume. ZIM carried a record 952 thousand TEUs in Q2 2024, an 11% year-over-year increase, with the average freight rate per TEU rising 40% to $1,674.

The company’s net income for the quarter was $373 million, a significant improvement from the net loss of $213 million in Q2 2023. This translated to diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $3.08, compared to a diluted loss per share of $1.79 in the previous year.

Operating income (EBIT) for the quarter was $468 million, a stark contrast to the operating loss of $168 million reported in Q2 2023. Adjusted EBITDA also saw a remarkable year-over-year increase of 179%, reaching $766 million, while Adjusted EBIT was $488 million, compared to an Adjusted EBIT loss of $147 million last year.

ZIM Outperforms EPS and Revenue Expectations in Q2

ZIM’s second-quarter performance exceeded market expectations by a notable margin. Analysts had anticipated an EPS of $1.78 and revenues of $1.76 billion.

However, the company delivered an EPS of $3.08 and revenues of $1.93 billion, surpassing the earnings expectations by 73% and revenue expectations by 9.7%. Higher-than-expected freight rates drove this outperformance and carried volumes, as well as the company’s strategic decision to increase its spot market exposure in the Transpacific trade, which allowed it to capitalize on elevated rate environments.

The company’s Adjusted EBITDA margin for Q2 2024 was 40%, up from 21% in the same quarter last year. Similarly, the Adjusted EBIT margin improved to 25% from -11% in Q2 2023. Net cash generated from operating activities also saw a significant increase, reaching $777 million, compared to $347 million in the second quarter of the previous year.

ZIM Raises Full Year 2024 Guidance, Expects Adj. EBITDA Between $2.6 B to $3.0 B

ZIM has raised its full-year 2024 guidance, reflecting its confidence in continued strong performance. The company now expects to generate Adjusted EBITDA between $2.6 billion and $3.0 billion, up from the previous guidance of $1.15 billion to $1.55 billion.

Similarly, the guidance for Adjusted EBIT has been increased to a range of $1.45 billion to $1.85 billion, from the earlier forecast of zero to $400 million. This upward revision is attributed to favorable demand trends and the company’s strategic initiatives, including its increased spot market exposure and capacity enhancements.

Eli Glickman, ZIM’s President and CEO, expressed optimism about the company’s future prospects, citing the ongoing newbuild program and the delivery of fuel-efficient containerships, including LNG-powered vessels. Glickman highlighted that the company is on track to achieve its double-digit volume growth target for 2024 and is well-positioned to drive profitable growth ahead.

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