Machinery industry Georg Fischer grows significantly thanks to Uponor
Georg Fischer (GF) generated significantly higher sales in the 2024 financial year. This was mainly due to the acquisition of Finland's Uponor in 2023, which was consolidated for a full financial year for the first time.
26.02.2025, 07:07
SDA
However, the focus is currently on the strategic realignment, as GF, one of the last remaining conglomerates on the stock exchange, will soon be history in this form.
In future, GF wants to concentrate on the water and other liquids sectors and become the global leader in these areas. The mechanical engineering business has already been sold, and the same is planned for the Casting Division, which manufactures lightweight components for cars and aviation.
GF's future business is divided into the Piping Systems Division, which manufactures piping systems for the transportation of various fluids, and the Building Flow Solutions Division, which was formed following the acquisition of Uponor. The division specializes in solutions for transporting water in cities, buildings and homes.
The figures for the 2024 financial year are only comparable with the previous year to a limited extent due to the acquisition of Uponor and the ongoing strategic reorganization.
Sales reached CHF 4.78 billion in the reporting period, corresponding to an increase of 18.6% compared to the previous year, as GF announced on Wednesday. In organic terms, however, sales fell by 2.6 percent. Negative currency effects had a negative impact of 128 million on sales. Incoming orders reached 4.63 billion Swiss francs.
Profit was also affected by extraordinary costs. On a comparable basis, the operating result (EBIT) increased by 15 percent to CHF 449 million, while the comparable EBIT margin fell by 30 basis points to 9.4 percent. The margin adjusted for special factors was 8.1 percent.
At 214 million, net profit was around 9 percent below the previous year. Nevertheless, the dividend is to be increased by 5 centimes to CHF 1.35
For the full year 2025, GF expects flat to low single-digit organic growth. A range of 10.5 to 12.5 percent is forecast for the adjusted EBIT margin.
