+++ Geschäftszahlen +++: Bilfinger sieht zurückhaltende Kunden und deutlich weniger Geschäft

Chemical distributor Brenntag reported cautious customer expectations and significantly lower business in the third quarter of 2025. Revenue rose 14.7 percent year-on-year to nearly 4.3 billion euros in the three months leading up to September, thanks to higher prices. Adjusted operating profit before interest, taxes, and depreciation (operational EBITDA) increased 16.5 percent to 385 million euros.

The group now targets a higher profit range of 1.35 to 1.45 billion euros for the year. Shareholders saw a profit of 129 million euros for the quarter, up from 113 million euros a year earlier. Bilfinger, an industrial services provider, also sensed customer restraint due to the ongoing conflict in the Persian Gulf during its third quarter report.

CEO Thomas Schulz said the year 2026 presents Bilfinger with challenges. The company announced a cost-cutting program that could eliminate up to 1,500 jobs. Revenue declined by 1 percent to 1.36 billion euros in the quarter, with operating profit before interest, taxes, and depreciation (EBIT) falling 23 percent to 63 million euros.

The company attributed the decline mainly to persisting underutilization, reduced realization of complex, high-value works, and an unfavorable product mix. Revenue and operating profit matched analysts' expectations, with order intake increasing by a quarter to 1.7 billion euros. Despite the positive quarter results, the TMTG stock has lost nearly 70 percent of its value this year.

Since the midterm elections when Democrats gained control of the House and Senate, the stock fell by around 32 percent. The election was widely viewed as a wake-up call for Trump's policies. Interim CEO Kevin McGurn emphasized at an analyst conference that the operational business remains unaffected by the political headlines. The cost-cutting measure falls during a period of personnel changes at Mattel.

The new CEO, Roger Lynch, took office at the beginning of the week, succeeding long-time CEO Ynon Kreiz. Lynch said he knows exactly where the company needs improvement and wants to concentrate resources on the most promising business areas. Mattel aims to grow beyond traditional toy sales by marketing brands like Barbie, Hot Wheels, and UNO more aggressively in entertainment and licensing.