DHL Group recorded more profit in the second quarter thanks to cost savings. The postal company, the biggest competitor of PostNL in the Netherlands, also benefited from higher rates in its home country Germany. There, the group owns Deutsche Post.
DHL’s net profit rose by almost 10 percent to 815 million euros in the past quarter. At the same time, turnover fell by almost 4 percent to 19.8 billion euros. International turnover even fell by almost 5 percent (14.7 billion euros). The company mainly owes its profit growth to the Germans.
Deutsche Post recorded 38 percent more profit, while the economic situation in Germany is moderate. Collective labor agreements and declining letter volumes are also putting pressure on turnover in Germany.
The reason for the increased profit is that German postal rates rose by 10.5 percent at the beginning of this year. Sending a standard letter now costs 95 cents. That is 10 cents more than before.
According to DHL’s financial director Melanie Kreis, cost savings and increased efficiency have led to higher profits. In March this year, the company announced cutbacks to make the organization more efficient. For example, eight thousand jobs will disappear at Deutsche Post this year.
DHL Group does not adjust profit expectations
At the end of the first half of 2025, slightly less than 152,000 people worked at the Post and Parcel Germany division. A year earlier there were still 155,000.
The DHL Group is taking into account a worse macroeconomic climate in the second half of the year, but is not adjusting its profit expectations. The cost savings are also expected to help keep profits at bay for the rest of the year.
The postal division of competitor PostNL is loss-making, because fewer and fewer people are sending mail. As a result, PostNL suffered a net loss of 41 million euros in the first half of the year. The company is going to court to force a financial contribution from the government, after the cabinet rejected an earlier request.
Due to the Postal Act, PostNL must deliver 95 percent of letter post within 24 hours. The company wants a relaxation. Minister of Economic Affairs Vincent Karremans is in favor of this, but has not yet announced any measures.