- DHL expects to meet its 2026 targets
- Fourth-quarter operating profit at the Post & Parcel unit is set to rise
- The unit needs about €1bn in yearly operating earnings longer term
- Aviation fuel costs at the Express division jumped by around €1bn in the first nine months of 2026
- The fuel surcharge mechanism passed most of the increase on to customers
DHL has maintained its expectation of meeting 2026 targets despite higher fuel costs and changes to EU import rules. The German logistics group expects fourth-quarter operating profit at its domestic Post & Parcel unit to rise from the third quarter, supported by seasonally stronger parcel volumes ahead of the holiday season. Finance chief Melanie Kreis reported the unit needed to generate about €1bn in yearly operating earnings in the longer term.
Aviation fuel costs at DHL’s Express division jumped by around €1bn in the first nine months of 2026, reflecting a spike in oil prices. The group reported its fuel surcharge mechanism allowed it to pass most of the increase on to customers. Deutsche Post, part of DHL, planned last month to raise German letter postage rates for private customers from January 2027 due to rising costs and regulatory pressures.
DHL expected these price increases to support earnings from early next year. Asked about the European Union’s new rules on low-value imports, including a new €2 charge on shipments of goods worth €150 or less, in force since 1 November, Kreis reported it was too early to assess the impact and that DHL still expected the traditional fourth-quarter peak in shipping volumes.
Melanie Kreis shared “If we fall below that threshold this year, it’s important that we reach the €1 billion next year again, because we need to invest.”
