Maersk contract rates are up $1400/FFE YoY, which, in our estimates, contribute $10bn YoY additional revenue/profit. Fuel costs inflation amount to $1.5-3.5bn. Acceleration in average freight rate increase may be unique to Maersk and help close its gap relative to peers on EBIT margin.
The exceptional unit costs rise reported by OOIL for 21H2 shocked many analysts. What may have gone unnoticed are the oversized provisions booked not only for its commitment to Long Beach Terminal but also other OPEX and employee compensations
Cosco’s relatively depressed earnings for 21Q4 and 22Q1 are due to the substantial provisions booked over the past two quarters. By end of 22Q1, Cosco’s short term payables account has ballooned to Rmb69bn, which is a significant amount for Cosco’s 22Q1 operating expense was only Rmb67bn.
The 22Q1 results were near high end of consensus estimate. But broadly consistent with the results from other smaller liners e.g. sequentially higher earnings driven by higher freight rates despite of lower volume.
Matson's 22Q1 operating income (aka operating profit) were up 250% YoY but down about 10%QoQ, first sequential drop since 20Q1. The sequential drop in profit was due to drop in volume, rise in bunker costs and lease expenses.
SITC reported top line after Taiwanese and OOCL. SITC confirmed an industry pattern for 22Q1 that revenue was up sequentially driven by higher freight rates despite of weaker volume.
OOIL's top line come out in line with what we saw in the Taiwanese liners. The big YoY growth should be expected but the sequential growth in revenue should surprise positively.
The 3 main Taiwanese carriers have reported an 8% QoQ growth in revenue for the 1st quarter of 2022. It is their 7th consecutive quarterly growth, built on higher freight rates and stronger USD.
OOCL’s second half net profit came out after market about $1bn (i.e. 20%) below our estimate on much higher than expected operating expenses. Having been a more costs efficient operator for most of the past couple decades, OOCL reported much higher unit costs than the industry average for 21H2.
The beat came mainly from the higher freight rates (+12% QoQ versus ours 7% QoQ) secured by ZIM during the past quarter, which leads to $400m higher top line.