Wacker Neuson’s improving results for 2025

The Wacker Neuson Group has published its Annual Report for the fiscal year 2024. The ongoing weak market environment impacted on revenue and earnings performance in 2024. Full dealer stocks led to a lower order intake and a decline in revenue, which was particularly evident in the second half of the year. On a positive note, the company expects to see an improvement in profitability during 2025. 

Group revenue for 2024 was €2,234.9 million, a drop of 15.8% compared to the previous year. Meanwhile the EBIT figure was €122.5 million, a drop of 55.2% compared to the previous year, while the EBIT margin was 5.5% after an increasingly weaker course of the year, compared with 103% in 2023.

Free cash flow increased significantly by the end of 2024 to €184.6 million, down €24.9 million from 2023. The net working capital ratio was down to 31.7% for the 31st December, compared with 32.8% for 2023.

However, the dividend proposal is €0.60/dividend-bearing share, which corresponds to a dividend yield of 4.1% of the year-end 2024 closing price. And the outlook for the fiscal year 2025 is encouraging as the incoming order intake has been positive since the beginning of the year. The firm says that after a weak first quarter of 2025, revenue and EBIT are expected to improve increasingly over the course of the year.

For 2025, revenue is expected to be in a range between €2,100 million and €2,300 million and the EBIT margin in a range between 6.5% and 7.5%.

In order to counteract declining revenue and earnings in 2024, the Wacker Neuson Group introduced its Fit for 2025 measures at an early stage, strengthening sales, reducing costs, reducing headcount, optimising production capacity and reducing inventory. The net working capital ratio at December 31, 2024 amounted to 31.7% and was lower compared to the previous year despite the decline in annual revenue.

This decline was primarily due to a successful reduction in inventories, especially in the second half of 2024. The positive free cash flow development continued from the middle of the year 2024 and reached €184.6 million at the end of the year, around €210 million more than in the previous year. 

“The year 2024 was characterised by full dealer stocks and an increasingly weak order intake as well as revenues. The effects will still be felt in the first quarter of 2025. In light of the first positive indicators, in particular an improved order book and a reduction in dealer stocks at the beginning of the year, and last but not least thanks to the impact of our extensive actions from 2024, we have already set the course for a sustainable turnaround in 2025. With increased operational efficiency and consistent implementation of our Strategy 2030, we are well positioned to increase profitability again in 2025 and achieve our long-term goals“, explained Dr Karl Tragl, chairman of the executive board of the Wacker Neuson Group.

Revenue in the Europe region (EMEA) decreased by 14.4% and amounted to €1,731.7 million, compared with €2,022.4 million in 2023. Key sales markets included Germany, France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The largest share of total revenue is once again attributable to the region EMEA with 77.5%, compared with 76.2% in 2023. The development in the Americas region was also declining. The revenue in the fiscal year 2024 amounted to €450.7 million, compared with €556.5 million in 2023. The share of total revenue decreased compared to the previous year and amounted to 20.2%, compared to 21.0% in 2023. The market dynamics in Region Asia-Pacific were comparable with the rest of the world. Revenue in the fiscal year 2024 amounted to €52.5 million and decreased by 30.9% from the €76 million in 2023. The share of total revenue of the region amounted to 2.3% in the fiscal year 2024 against 2.9% in 2023.