Maersk reports a Q4 pre-tax loss and plans to cut 1,000 jobs amid falling freight rates, according to American Shipper.
Maersk reported a fourth quarter pre-tax loss as weaker freight rates outweighed volume growth, and said it will cut 1,000 jobs to reduce costs, reports American Shipper.
The Copenhagen-based carrier stated that earnings before interest and taxes fell to a loss of US$153 million, compared with $567 million in the previous quarter and $1.6 billion a year earlier. Revenue dropped to $13.33 billion from $14.59 billion.
Ocean traffic rose 4.9 percent in 2025, in line with the global market. Logistics & Services improved profitability, while terminals delivered record volumes and earnings. Maersk is the second major carrier to post a negative quarterly EBIT after ONE reported a pre-tax loss of $84 million.
Chief Executive Vincent Clerc mentioned that the company delivered strong performance despite geopolitical pressures reshaping supply chains. He cited high asset utilization, record terminal results, and improved logistics operations as evidence of resilience.
Maersk launched the Gemini east-west service with Hapag-Lloyd in 2025, achieving schedule reliability about 10 percent above the market. Global container volume is forecast to grow 2-4 percent in 2026.
Maersk stock fell more than five percent in early trading. The company plans to repurchase $1 billion in shares over the next year while cutting costs by $180 million and eliminating 15 percent of its corporate workforce.
Full-year revenue reached $54 billion, with EBITDA of $9.5 billion down from $12.1 billion. Pre-tax earnings fell to $3.5 billion from $6.5 billion. The company forecast 2026 EBITDA of $4.5-7 billion and EBIT ranging from a $1.5 billion loss to a $1 billion profit.
