The Kühne+Nagel Group achieved strong results in the third quarter of 2026 with growth across all business areas. Compared to the same period last year, net sales rose by 22% to CHF 7.4 billion, EBIT increased by 53% to CHF 435 million, and net profit rose by 53% to CHF 316 million. The increase in earnings was based on higher volumes, increased gross profit, and an improved operational conversion rate. Airfreight saw substantial growth over the year, while seafreight gained market share.
Stefan Paul, CEO of Kühne+Nagel International AG:
"Kühne+Nagel's results in the third quarter of 2026 reflect our strong operational performance and confirm our strategic focus on profitable growth. All business areas contributed to the success. The recently announced long-term partnership with Amazon and AWS enables us to leverage future growth opportunities even faster and more effectively."
Due to the results of the first nine months of 2026, Kühne+Nagel is once again raising its forecast for the full year 2026 and expects operational EBIT in the range of CHF 1.5 to 1.6 billion.
Seafreight
In the third quarter of 2026, the seafreight division increased net sales by 20% to CHF 2.7 billion and EBIT by 55% to CHF 172 million. The conversion rate was 32%. By the end of September 2026, transport volume amounted to 3.3 million TEU.
In the third quarter of 2026, the division returned to a growth path, increasing volume by 5%, primarily due to market share gains on trade routes from Asia and the transatlantic business. Additional impetus came from the further expansion of export volumes for Chinese customers.
Airfreight
The airfreight division increased net sales by 38% to CHF 2.4 billion and EBIT by 84% to CHF 169 million in the third quarter of 2026. The conversion rate was 32%. By the end of September 2026, airfreight volume totalled 1.7 million tonnes.
Volume growth accelerated from 3% in the second quarter of 2026 to 10% in the third quarter of 2026, significantly outpacing market growth. Drivers were demand for logistics solutions for cloud infrastructure and semiconductors. Targeted investments in temperature-controlled transport solutions strengthened the offering in pharmaceutical logistics, including the opening of a new Healthcare Logistics Center at Frankfurt Airport in September 2026.
Road Logistics
In the third quarter of 2026, the road logistics division increased net sales by 14% to CHF 1 billion and EBIT by 40% to CHF 28 million.
The market recovery already visible in previous quarters continued in the third quarter of 2026. Strong demand for cross-border solutions was noted in the European groupage business as well as in North America and Asia. Customs services continued to contribute significantly to success.
Contract Logistics
The contract logistics division increased net sales by 9% to CHF 1.3 billion and EBIT by 7% to CHF 66 million in the third quarter of 2026.
In the third quarter of 2026, the division performed positively, primarily driven by good results in Europe and the Middle East. The strong business development and successful implementation of new customer projects required targeted initial investments and an increase in staff by around 4,000 employees.
Signe Brink Wagner
Global Head Media Relations
signe.wagner@kuehne-nagel.com
+41 79 844 18 15