NOL's results on the mend

摘要

Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) improved its results in the first quarter of 2008, compared to the same period last year, mainly due to much better results from its liner division, APL. The group's revenue increased by 27%, up to USD2.4 billion, whilst operating profit (EBITDA) jumped by an even more impressive 57%, to USD203 million, but this still only resulted in a sub-average 8.5% return on sales. Net profit increased by 183%, to USD121 million. Revenues from container shipping and logistics increased by 33% and 12% respectively, while APL Terminals' revenue decreased by 6%. The table shows how these results affected each division's operating profit at EB1T level. APL's total container vol-umes grew by 14% to 663,000FEU, ahead of global trade growth of around 10%, with the transatlantic experiencing the biggest increase (32%).