FUCHS with a very good start into 2026 in volatile market environment

FUCHS with a very good start into 2026 in volatile market environment

• Sales revenues increase by 1% to EUR 934 million on the back of organic growth and despite high negative currency effects
• EBIT reaches a new quarterly high of EUR 125 million
• Earnings per ordinary share and per preference share improve by 15% to EUR 0.68
• EBIT outlook for 2026 confirmed - outlook for sales revenues and cash flow adjusted

FUCHS at a glance

“FUCHS has made a very strong start to 2026 and, in a volatile environment, has achieved a significant increase in volume, thereby expanding sales revenues. EBIT reached EUR 125 million, the best quarterly result to date. This positive development was driven not only by business expansion and disciplined cost management, but also by additional demand in March and the successful sale of land in Australia.

The conflict in the Middle East, and in particular the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, will create major challenges for us in the current financial year, regardless of how the conflict unfolds. Rising raw material prices and supply bottlenecks are already posing challenges for our organization. This situation will remain tense in the coming months. However, we believe that we are well positioned thanks to our strong purchasing, sales and development teams, and we will continue to work with our customers to find the best possible solutions, just as we have done in the past. In addition to ensuring continuity of supply for our customers, our focus is on promptly offsetting rising raw material costs through price adjustments. For this reason and in spite of all the challenges, we currently expect to achieve this year’s projected EBIT of € 450 million. It is not yet possible to reliably estimate the extent to which prices will rise on either the purchasing or sales side. However, it is to be expected that sales revenues will rise at a significantly steeper rate, and that free cash flow will be impacted by the build-up of net operating working capital. We have already successfully navigated a similar situation during the supply chain bottlenecks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and are confident that we will once again demonstrate our resilience in the current volatile environment.”

Stefan Fuchs, Chairman of the Executive Board

Business development in the group

FUCHS generated sales revenues of EUR 934 million (924) in the first three months of 2026. Despite significantly negative currency effects, sales revenues increased by 1% year on year due to volume-based, organic growth. Excluding currency effects, sales revenues would have increased by 5%.

Compared to the strong first three months of the previous year, EBIT improved by EUR 17 million or 16% to EUR 125 million (108) and thus reached a new record level. At 13.4% (11.7), the EBIT margin was significantly higher than in the previous year. The increase in the EBIT margin is due to both the improvement in the gross margin and the decline in other functional costs. The latter were EUR 7 million lower than in the same quarter of the previous year, primarily due to the sale of land in Australia.

Earnings after tax improved to EUR 89 million (77). Earnings per ordinary share and per preference share each increased by EUR 0.09, or 15%, to EUR 0.68 (0.59).

At EUR 54 million (17), free cash flow before acquisitions was significantly higher than in the previous year.

Business development in the regions

The region Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) recorded an organically driven sales revenue increase of EUR 25 million or 5% to EUR 547 million (522). The majority of countries in the region were able to increase sales revenues, particularly Germany, Italy, the UK and South Africa. EMEA recorded a significant increase in volumes in March in particular. The EBIT of the region exceeded previous year's amount by EUR 10 million or 19% and totaled EUR 62 million (52). In addition to the increase in sales, margin improvements also contributed to this.

At EUR 266 million, sales revenues in the Asia-Pacific region were up EUR 2 million or 1% year on year. China and Australia, as well as many smaller countries, contributed to strong organic growth of EUR 17 million. However, high negative currency effects from all countries in the region totaling EUR -15 million eroded a large part of this growth. EBIT increased significantly by EUR 13 million or 39% to EUR 46 million (33). This was due in particular to the positive development in China and Australia, as well as a positive one-time effect of EUR 7 million from the sale of land in Australia.

In North and South America sales revenues were EUR 172 million, down EUR 11 million or 6% on the previous year (183). North America recorded solid organic growth and South America also developed positively compared to the previous year. However, the organic growth was more than offset by strong negative currency effects totaling EUR -18 million. These were also the main reason for the EUR 2 million decline in EBIT to EUR 19 million (21).

EBIT outlook for 2026 confirmed – Outlook for sales revenues and cash flow adjusted

FUCHS is currently operating in a volatile environment. The war that started in the Middle East in early March and is still ongoing has significantly increased geopolitical uncertainties. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the partial destruction of petrochemical facilities in the Gulf region have led to supply shortages and significant price increases for raw materials. Added to this is a corresponding rise in energy and logistics costs. FUCHS is confident that it can offset the rise in costs through price increases and confirms its EBIT forecast for 2026. At the same time, higher sales revenues are expected as a result of price inflation. Price increases on both the purchasing and sales sides will also lead to increased capital commitments. Ongoing shortages of raw material supplies from the Gulf region could exacerbate supply bottlenecks and negatively impact production and demand at FUCHS and among its customers. From today’s perspective and assuming the situation does not worsen further, FUCHS is adjusting its forecast for the full year 2026 as follows:

• Sales revenues: significantly above EUR 3.7 billion due to inflation (previously: around EUR 3.7 billion)
• EBIT: around EUR 450 million (unchanged)
• FVA: slightly below the previous year due to increasing capital commitments in current assets (previously: around EUR 250 million or in line with the previous year)
• Free cash flow before acquisitions: significantly below EUR 270 million due to the sharp rise in raw material costs and sales prices (previously: around EUR 270 million)

The global positioning and solid financial base remain robust. FUCHS continues to focus on profitable growth and the implementation of the FUCHS100 strategy.

Mannheim, April 29, 2026

FUCHS SE

Public Relations

Einsteinstraße 11

68169 Mannheim

Tel. +49 (0)621 3802 1104

tina.vogel@fuchs.com 

www.fuchs.com/group 

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Image and video material: https://www.fuchs.com/gb-en/photo-gallery/

About FUCHS

Founded in 1931 as a family business in Mannheim, FUCHS is now the world's largest

independent supplier of innovative lubrication solutions, covering almost every industry and application. Today, the company's almost 7,000 employees in over 50 countries still share the same goal: to keep the world moving both sustainably and efficiently. To live up to this claim, we think in terms of perfection, not merely standards. When developing individual solutions, we enter into an intensive customer dialogue – acting as an experienced consultant, innovative problem solver and reliable team partner.

 Important note

This press release contains statements about future developments that are based on assumptions and estimates by the management of FUCHS SE. Even if the management is of the opinion that these assumptions and estimates are accurate, actual future developments and results can differ significantly from these assumptions and estimates due to a variety of factors. These factors can, for example, include changes in the overall economic climate, changes in procurement prices, changes in exchange rates and interest rates, and changes within the lubricants industry. FUCHS SE provides no guarantee that future developments and the results actually achieved in the future will match the assumptions and estimates set out in this press release and assumes no liability for such.