52% of US firms in Vietnam report revenue growth in Q1-2025: AmCham

AmCham Vietnam, which has 550 corporate members and 2,500 individual members, recently issued its ‘AmCham’s Mid-year Market Review 2025,’ updating the business situation of its member companies operating in the Southeast Asian nation.

The report gathered feedback from multiple sectors including manufacturing, logistics, real estate, energy, tourism, and food and beverage on their operations in the first half of this year.

Regarding business performance, nearly 18 percent of the surveyed companies reported outcomes exceeding expectations, primarily from logistics, manufacturing, and large food and beverage enterprises.

In terms of revenue, 52 percent of respondents reported year on year growth, while 29 percent saw a decline.

In the manufacturing sector, some firms said they benefited from increased exports, while others mentioned challenges related to tariff impacts and supply chain disruptions.

As for staffing, 45 percent of surveyed firms increased their workforce and 16 percent maintained their current staff levels.

Regarding their overall assessment of the business environment in Vietnam for the first half of 2025, about 37 percent described it as relatively positive, while 30 percent offered a neutral view.

Some firms highlighted progress in administrative reforms, such as reduced paperwork burdens and the push for a more digital government.

However, others pointed out lingering obstacles, including inconsistent policy enforcement, unclear regulations, and limited coordination between different levels of local authorities.

Notably, 36 percent of respondents expressed deep concern about possible impacts from the U.S. administration’s new global tariff policy on their operations.

Many firms also said US trade policies had moderate to significant effects on their business activities.

Despite these challenges, most businesses expressed confidence in Vietnam’s overall economic outlook.

Nearly 39 percent described their business expectations for the second half of the year as fairly optimistic, 32 percent took a neutral view, and 10 percent were strongly optimistic.

According to AmCham, these results suggest that the American business community sees good potential but remains cautious amid global economic uncertainties.

Despite the risks, most companies continue to believe in Vietnam’s long-term growth and value the country’s rising importance in global supply chains.

Firms also cited the rapid expansion of the digital economy, strong domestic consumption, and increased infrastructure investment as key drivers supporting Vietnam’s continued economic momentum.

Manufacturers, in particular, said they were optimistic about new orders shifting to Vietnam from other Asian markets.