Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) has begun the financial year 2024/2025 with exceptional order growth, thanks to a successful drupa industry trade fair. Incoming orders in the first quarter (April 1 to June 30, 2024) reached €701 million, surpassing the forecast of €650 million and marking the best order value since 2016. This strong performance has resulted in a high order backlog of €923 million.
Regional Growth Highlights:
- Europe: +25%
- Americas: +30%
- Asia: +3% (Previous year benefited from Print China)
“The strong recovery in our order intake gives us confidence for the full financial year,” said Jürgen Otto, CEO of HEIDELBERG. “The drupa order backlog will boost sales in upcoming quarters. We are also addressing cost and personnel challenges.”
First Quarter Financials:
- Sales: €403 million (down from €544 million last year)
- Adjusted EBITDA: € –9 million (down by €51 million)
- EBITDA Margin: –2.3% (previous year: 7.7%)
- Net Result: € –42 million (previous year: €10 million)
- Free Cash Flow: € –103 million (previous year: € –27 million)
“Despite a challenging start, we anticipate sales and earnings improvements in the second half,” said Tania von der Goltz, CFO. “We are focused on cost efficiency and aim to match last year’s results.”
Segment Performance:
- Print Solutions: Orders up by 21%, sales down by 23%
- Packaging Solutions: Orders up by 17%, sales down by 29%
HEIDELBERG showcased its comprehensive printing solutions at drupa, including a new collaboration with Canon to expand in digital industrial commercial printing. The company aims for significant sales growth in this sector.
The forecast for 2024/2025 remains stable, contingent on the global economy performing as expected. HEIDELBERG anticipates stable earnings and consistent sales.
