Daimler’s Net Income Drops; Truck Sales Remain Strong

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aimlerChrysler AG, the parent company of U.S. truck maker Freightliner LLC, reported lower third-quarter net income but said its truck sales continued to surge, Bloomberg reported.

The German company, which reports in euros, had net income of about $912 million or 89 cents a share, down from $1.15 billion or $1.14 per share a year earlier.

Daimler’s commercial vehicles division increased its third-quarter unit sales to 210,400 vehicles, surpassing the previous third quarter by 9%, according to the company’s Web site. Revenue rose to about $12.8 billion, a gain of 15% over the same period last year.

The company said it expects global demand for commercial vehicles to increase in the fourth quarter. Prospects are still generally positive in the United States, while demand may weaken slightly in Western Europe, its Web site said.

DaimlerChrysler’s overall earnings before interest and taxes rose 38% to $2.2 billion.

Freightliner LLC includes Freightliner Trucks, Sterling Trucks, Western Star and Thomas Built Buses.