Kion Group (KGX) Q1 2026 earnings summary

Executive summary

• Order intake rose 10.3% year-over-year to €2.985 billion in Q1 2026, driven by both ITS and IAS segments, despite geopolitical uncertainties.

• Revenue was stable at €2.771 billion, down 0.6% year-over-year, with profitability improving as adjusted EBIT increased 5% to €205.2 million (7.4% margin).

• Free cash flow turned positive at €47 million, up €17 million year-over-year, despite efficiency program and incentive payments.

• Net income rebounded to €92.2 million from a loss of €46.9 million in Q1 2025, reflecting reduced non-recurring expenses.

• Strategic advances included investment in ZIKOO Robotics, new AI-driven automation solutions, and partnerships with Siemens, NVIDIA, and Accenture.

Financial highlights

• Order book reached €5.1 billion, up 16% year-over-year and 5% sequentially.

• Adjusted EBITDA for Q1 2026 was €472.4 million, up 2.9% year-over-year; adjusted EBITDA margin rose to 17.0%.

• Net financial debt remained stable at €587 million, with a leverage ratio of 0.3x.

• Basic earnings per share improved to €0.69 from a loss of €0.36.

• Gross profit increased 6.6% to €717 million.

Outlook and guidance

• 2026 outlook confirmed: revenue expected between €11.4–12.3 billion, adjusted EBIT €850–1,040 million, and free cash flow €430–570 million.

• ROCE expected to improve to 8.3–9.7%.

• Guidance assumes no further material adverse impacts from geopolitical risks, especially the war in Iran.

• Measures in place to counter cost increases include price adjustments, safety stock, and diversified supply sources.

• Dividend policy: 25–40% of consolidated net income.