Sweden's largest company is in great shape.

Truck orders are pouring in.

The contrast is total compared to a year ago.

Then the cancellations were more than the orders.

SEK 20 billion a month flowed out of the company and the management envisioned how the cash would run out in October.

It already turned around after the summer, and this year the profit has doubled so far.

Costs were reduced by SEK 40 billion last year.

And in the interim report on Thursday, Volvo describes how transport volumes are increasing, not least thanks to the increased e-commerce.

This causes freight prices to rise, which in turn means that Volvo's customers renew and expand their truck fleets.

Successful on the stock market

On Wednesday, the news came of Ericsson's profit increase of 39 percent.

Ericsson, which is also one of Sweden's largest companies, is one of those that, purely financially, has benefited from the pandemic from the beginning.

All homework worldwide requires more mobile network capacity.

More to sell for Ericsson then.

Ericsson did not consider applying for redundancy support, and distributed money to shareholders as usual last year.

Volvo, on the other hand, was one of the most affected by the crisis, the dividend was canceled and the company received billions in support from the Swedish state.

But now both have been successful on the stock market with their profit reports.

Increase by three percent

Ericsson rose 4 percent after the report on Wednesday.

Volvo rose by almost 3 percent, despite the problems with the lack of semiconductors they need for their production.

Both can probably count on the world digitalisation at speed that has developed during the pandemic to continue.

Ericsson, for the company's part, aims for homework half the time in the future, Börje Ekholm announced on Wednesday.

Surveys that have been made a little broader among employers and employees give the impression that three days a week at the workplace is what will apply in the future.

Few who have worked at home learn to return to the office five days a week.

Stores have barred again

E-commerce had been growing steadily for many years when the pandemic broke out, but the development was accelerated by the pandemic, and it is likely to continue.

Those who have begun to think online shopping is more convenient will surely continue to do so even after completing vaccinations and lifting restrictions.

But not everyone who longs for their favorite stores will be able to get there, simply because many have had time to block again after the customer flight during the pandemic.

H&M, the only company in the absolute size peak in Sweden that still suffers from the pandemic closures and made a billion loss in the first quarter, will close 250 stores net this year.

Of course, this is even worse for many smaller stores and chains without the same financial muscle.

Selling more electric trucks

More and more Volvo trucks are thus learning to roll out more and more goods to more and more digitized customers.

Provided that you do not lose market share, of course.

That the whole thing is also becoming more sustainable, Volvo was careful to emphasize on Thursday: The company has multiplied the sales of electric trucks to 171 pieces.

This means just over 50 percent market share for Volvo and Renault together in Europe.

But so far, Volvo is generally releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at the same time as goods for consumers with a lot of screen time. Which is probably better for the climate than people shopping for plane tickets in front of the screen. Which they must if the aviation industry is not to need new massive billions in support, because of course the pandemic crisis is by no means over.