(Reuters) -Germany's Daimler Truck AG posted first-quarter core profit of 1.21 billion euros ($1.30 billion) on Friday, beating the consensus estimate of 1.17 billion euros in a company poll, driven by a strong performance of its Trucks North America business.

First-quarter core profit (adjusted earnings before interest and taxes) at Daimler Truck's North American business rose 7% year-on-year in the first quarter compared to 4% across Daimler Truck as a whole.

Better pricing helped the result across the group, Daimler Truck said, compensating for lower unit sales compared to this time last year.

Truckmakers are aiming to boost margins as demand slows after a strong 2023. Price rises helped Volkswagen's truck-making unit Traton beat expectations during the first quarter, with price hikes at Volvo also partially offsetting an almost 20% fall in order intake.

Core profit at Daimler Truck's Mercedes-Benz business, which focuses on Europe, fell 4% on this time last year with the figure falling 39% for the Trucks Asia segment.

Daimler Truck last year made almost 45% of its sales in North America and about a third in Europe.

The maker of Freightliner trucks and yellow Thomas Built school buses reiterated its guidance for the year.

($1 = 0.9317 euros)