Financial key performance indicators

While the High Performance Metals Division’s revenue performance in the current reporting period lagged behind the previous year, earnings trends show a clearly positive trajectory. Specifically, the division’s revenue decreased by 13.6% in the 2025/26 business year, from EUR 3,182.2 million in the prior year to EUR 2,749.7 million in the current reporting period. It should be noted that the prior-year figures largely still included the German plant Buderus Edelstahl, which was divested in January 2025.

The earnings performance of the High Performance Metals Division in the 2025/26 business year was supported by far-reaching reorganization measures aimed at improving efficiency and reducing costs. In the previous business year, significant one-off effects also weighed on earnings. Specifically, expenses related to the sale process of Buderus Edelstahl (EUR 83 million), impairment charges on goodwill at the High Performance Metals Production cash-generating unit (EUR 78 million), and expenses for the reorganization of sales locations (EUR 16 million) reduced EBIT by a total of EUR 176 million, of which EUR 92 million also had a negative impact on EBITDA. Based on these developments, the High Performance Metals Division succeeded in increasing EBITDA by 160.5% from EUR 83.0 million (margin 2.6%) to EUR 216.2 million (margin 7.9%). In terms of EBIT, the division once again achieved a clearly positive result of EUR 57.3 million in the current reporting period, following a loss of EUR 156.8 million in the prior year. The EBIT margin thus improved from −4.9% to 2.1%.

A direct quarter-over-quarter comparison of the third and fourth quarters of 2025/26 reveals a clearly positive trend in the financial performance indicators of the High Performance Metals Division. Revenue increased by 13.4% from EUR 657.1 million in the third quarter to EUR 745.0 million in the fourth quarter, primarily due to the expansion of shipment volumes. In terms of EBITDA, the division achieved an increase of one-third in the current reporting quarter, rising from EUR 48.5 million (margin 7.4%) in the third quarter of 2025/26 to EUR 64.7 million (margin 8.7%) in the fourth quarter of 2025/26. Improved capacity utilization of production facilities and growing shipment volumes contributed to the performance increase. EBIT reached EUR 20.1 million (margin 2.7%) in the current reporting quarter, representing an increase of 74.8% compared to the immediately preceding quarter (EUR 11.5 million, margin 1.7%).

As of March 31, 2026, the High Performance Metals Division employed 11,062 full-time equivalents (FTEs), representing a decrease of 5.3% compared to the previous year’s figure of 11,679. The reduction is primarily attributable to reorganization measures in the production and sales areas.