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Investing.com -- Evonik (ETR:EVKn) on Monday reported first-quarter adjusted EBITDA of €560 million, exceeding its prior guidance of over €522 million and coming in and 3% ahead of consensus.
The company reaffirmed its full-year 2025 adjusted EBITDA forecast of €2 billion to €2.3 billion and maintained its free cash flow conversion target of around 40%.
Group sales fell short of expectations, totaling €3.78 billion compared with Jefferies’ forecast of €4.13 billion. Sales were flat on an organic basis, with volumes up 2% and prices down 2%. Currency effects added 1%, while other factors reduced sales by 2%.
Nutrition & Care was the strongest performing segment, posting adjusted EBITDA of €197 million. That was 13% ahead of Jefferies’ forecast and 18% above consensus. The margin improved by 330 basis points year over year.
Sales in the unit were €1.01 billion, supported by an 11% increase in volumes. Earnings were also aided by the early termination of a customer take-or-pay contract.
Specialty Additives reported adjusted EBITDA of €201 million, 1% above Jefferies’ estimate but 3% below consensus. The margin declined 10 basis points from the previous year. Sales came in at €923 million, flat on an organic basis, with a 1% increase in volumes offset by a 1% decline in pricing.
Smart Materials generated adjusted EBITDA of €149 million, 5% above Jefferies’ estimate but 10% below consensus. The margin declined by 100 basis points from a year earlier. Sales reached €1.10 billion, roughly in line with forecasts.
Organic growth was modest, with volumes up 1% and prices flat. Evonik cited solid demand for high-performance polymers and precipitated silica.
The Technology & Infrastructure and Other segment posted adjusted EBITDA of €13 million, down 19% from Jefferies’ estimate but 8% above consensus.
Segment sales totaled €749 million, below Jefferies’ projection of €937 million. The company noted continued margin pressure in C4 products.
Free cash flow from continuing operations was €195 million in the quarter, up from €127 million a year earlier.
Operating cash flow totaled €385 million, compared with €378 million in the same period last year.
Net financial debt stood at €3.06 billion, with a leverage ratio of 1.3 times excluding pension liabilities and hybrid bonds.