ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd. (NYSE:ZIM) saw its stock inch up in premarket trading Thursday after the container carrier delivered third-quarter earnings that beat Wall Street estimates, even as it grappled with sharply lower freight prices and reduced shipping volumes.
Shares were up 0.96% after ZIM reported adjusted earnings of $1.02 per share, ahead of consensus expectations of $0.92. Quarterly revenue totaled $1.78 billion, essentially in line with forecasts but down 36% from a year earlier. The company transported 926,000 TEUs, representing a 5% decline, and average freight rates slid 35% to $1,602 per TEU.
Despite the tougher shipping environment, ZIM lifted its full-year 2025 outlook. Management now anticipates adjusted EBITDA between $2.0 billion and $2.2 billion, up from the prior range of $1.8 billion to $2.2 billion. Adjusted EBIT guidance was also raised to $700 million–$900 million, compared with the earlier $550 million–$950 million range.
“Our business resilience was evident in the third quarter, during which we delivered solid earnings while navigating a volatile rate environment, influenced by a complex geopolitical landscape, frequent changes in tariff policies and an ongoing global trade war,” said Eli Glickman, ZIM President & CEO.
The company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.31 per share, equal to roughly 30% of quarterly net income. Since going public five years ago, ZIM has paid out about $5.7 billion to shareholders.
Looking to the months ahead, the company cautioned that market conditions have softened heading into Q4. Still, leadership remains optimistic. “We believe our differentiated commercial strategy, enhanced fleet profile, and improved cost structure position ZIM to weather near-term volatility and deliver long-term value for shareholders,” Glickman added.