Investor Relations

Arbonia First semester results 2023 - EBITDA margin at previous year's level despite difficult environment

• Revenue decline of 9.6% (organic 8.1%) to CHF 570.4 million from CHF 630.9 million in the previous year
• EBITDA: CHF 44.9 million from CHF 52.4 million in the previous year
• EBITDA margin: 7.9% (previous year: 8.3%)
• EBIT: CHF 6.2 million from CHF 17.8 million in the previous year
• Group result after taxes: CHF –2.0 million from CHF 11.7 million in the previous year
• Significant positive free cash flow expected for 2023
• Confirmation of mid-term targets for 2026 due to great demand for housing as well as energy upgrading of existing housing to reduce required CO₂ emission

Arbon, 22 August 2023 – Arbonia’s core markets, especially Germany, Benelux, and Eastern Europe, suffered a considerable slump in building permits due to the high construction costs and interest rate hikes. At Arbonia Group, this decrease in construction activity led to sharply lower volumes for the products steel panel radiators, standard doors and shower enclosures. This is against the backdrop of a historically high demand for housing and the necessary energetic conversion of existing building stock to achieve the required reduction in CO₂ emissions.

The first half of 2023 was characterised by great challenges, which not only affected the general economy but the building sector in particular and thus Arbonia. The first half of 2023, for example, was impacted by a pronounced reluctance in the ordering behaviour of wholesalers and the specialist retailers, who continued to reduce inventories or did not fill them up again with large orders but placed smaller shorter-term orders instead. New construction was burdened by the reluctance of builders, who started fewer construction projects or postponed them due to an uncertain regulatory environment and significantly increasing construction and financing costs at the same time. In renovation, increasing rents due to increasing interest rates and higher ancillary rental costs (energy) had a noticeable negative impact. This caused people to remain in their current homes for fear of further increasing rental costs and due to the low number of vacant flats, which led to fewer renovations being done. In addition, housing companies delayed planned renovations. On the other hand, the demand for affordable housing as well as the necessity of upgrading the energy efficiency of existing building stock remains high. This had a positive effect on Arbonia’s growth products but could not fully compensate for the negative volume effects from the general reluctance in the construction sector.

Arbonia’s revenue decreased by 9.6% in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in the previous year, from CHF 630.9 million to CHF 570.4 million. Adjusted for currency and acquisition effects (organic), revenue decreased by 8.1%. EBITDA came to CHF 44.9 million (previous year: CHF 52.4 million), which means a reduction of 14.4%. The EBITDA margin decreased from 8.3% to 7.9%. Without one-time effects, EBITDA decreased by 13.6%, from CHF 52.4 million to CHF 45.3 million, which corresponds to a decrease in the EBITDA margin from 8.3% to 7.9%. EBIT came to CHF 6.2 million (previous year: CHF 17.8 million), which corresponds to a decline of 65.2%. Without one-time effects, a decrease of 63.0% resulted, from CHF 17.8 million in the previous year to CHF 6.6 million. The group result amounted to CHF –2.0 million compared to CHF 11.7 million in the previous year or without one-time effects to CHF –1.7 million (previous year: CHF 11.7 million). The negative net profit at the half year is the result of the lower operating profit, higher depreciation and amortisation as well as the higher financial result due to higher interest expenses and foreign exchange losses.

Cash flow from operating activities amounted to CHF 12.0 million in the reporting period (CHF –68.6 million in the previous year). This resulted in a free cash flow of CHF –27.8 million (CHF –142.9 million in the previous year). As of 30 June 2023, net debt amounted to CHF 241.4 million.

Shareholders' equity decreased to CHF 967.9 million (previous year CHF 1016.1 million). Consequently, the equity ratio also decreased from 66.1% in the previous year to a still solid 61.6%.