Bertrandt posts positive EBIT in Q1 as sales decline to €234M
Bertrandt's fiscal Q1 revenue declined to €234.052M, yet EBIT swung to a positive €0.238M thanks to cost measures and 'Fit for Future'.
- €234.052M
- €0.238M
- 11,932
- €46.658M
What Happened
The company described the automotive sector's picture at the turn of the year as mixed, with business expectations brightening slightly but the current situation still challenging. In the first quarter of fiscal 2025/2026, Bertrandt generated total sales of EUR 234.052 million, down from EUR 266.451 million in the prior-year quarter. Capacity utilization remained low because certain customers delayed project decisions, though order intake improved at the end of the quarter, supporting Bertrandt's assessment that development project awards will continue to normalize over fiscal 2025/2026. Compared with the two preceding quarters, business performance showed signs of stabilization.
“The automotive manufacturers are currently driving both technological diversity and the expansion of their model portfolios. These developments are significantly increasing the demand for engineering services. In addition, our customers’ investments in research and development will continue to grow in the coming years. This is also confirmed by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VD”
- Total revenues: €234.052 million (prior year: €266.451 million)
- EBIT: €0.238 million (prior year: €-2.143 million)
- Free cash flow: €46.658 million (prior year: €38.238 million)
- Equity: €304.493 million (prior year: €361.460 million)
- Equity ratio: 46.4% (prior year: 42.3%)
- Employees: 11,932 (prior year: 13,605)
Despite declined revenues, EBIT reached a positive EUR 0.238 million in the reporting period, compared with EUR -2.143 million a year earlier. This significant improvement reflects the effectiveness of the 'Fit for Future' performance improvement program as well as additional cost-reduction measures. The headcount decreased to 11,932 employees as of December 31, 2025, from 13,605 a year earlier.
Assuming a gradual increase in capacity utilization over the course of the fiscal year — particularly in the second half — the Management Board maintains the forecasts presented in the 2024/2025 Annual Report. Accordingly, Bertrandt continues to expect a moderate increase in total sales (0-10%) and a significant improvement in EBIT to a positive figure (more than 10%). The company bases this on the expectation that project awards will continue to normalize.
Why this matters
Bertrandt is an engineering services provider for automakers, so its quarterly results signal how much carmakers are spending on development. The swing to positive EBIT despite lower sales shows cost reductions are taking effect. An end-of-quarter improvement in order intake suggests delayed project decisions may resume, possibly bringing more work for its 11,932 employees.
Terms in This Story
- EBIT
- Earnings Before Interest and Taxes; a measure of a company's operating profitability.
- Equity ratio
- The proportion of a company's assets financed by shareholders' equity; a higher ratio generally indicates greater financial stability.
- Free cash flow
- Cash generated by a company after required spending on capital assets; it signals ability to expand, pay dividends, or reduce debt.
- Capacity utilization
- The degree to which a company uses its available production or engineering capacity; low utilization means some resources are idle.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.