Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG confirms its resilience in financial year 2024/25. Despite a slight decline in sales, the EBITDA margin was maintained and incoming orders increased - particularly in the packaging segment.
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) achieved its targets in financial year 2024/25, despite the challenging economic and geopolitical conditions. According to preliminary figures, sales totalled around € 2.28 billion, slightly below the previous year's figure (€ 2.395 billion), while the adjusted EBITDA margin remained stable at 7.1 percent.
In the particularly strong fourth quarter, the margin even doubled to around 10 per cent. Free cash flow also remained positive at around 50 million euros, despite the absence of special items.
Order intake increases - Packaging Solutions grows at an above-average rate
Heidelberg recorded a six per cent increase in incoming orders to around 2.43 billion euros. The Packaging Solutions segment developed particularly strongly, now accounting for 52 per cent of total incoming orders - an increase of seven per cent compared to the previous year.
In the fourth quarter of 2024/25, the highest quarterly figure in the financial year was achieved with incoming orders of over 600 million euros. Regionally, the EMEA region stands out with a significant increase, while in Asia the reluctance to invest was noticeable before China Print.
Outlook: Further boost from China Print and expansion of end-to-end system solutions
Heidelberg expects additional growth impetus for the new financial year 2025/26 - including from China Print, one of the largest trade fairs in the printing industry, which takes place in Beijing in mid-May. Here, the company intends to present its latest system solutions with offset and digital printing, automation and robotics.
In China in particular, one of Heidelberg's most important markets, the annual print volume in the packaging sector is growing by around four per cent.
Strategic goal: EBITDA margin of up to eight per cent in 2025/26
For the current financial year, Heidelberg is aiming to further increase the adjusted EBITDA margin to up to eight per cent. This is to be supported by ongoing cost-cutting programmes, structural adjustments and product innovations.
Source: Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
