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Investing.com -- Fuchs Se (ETR:FPEn) on Friday closed the 2024 financial year with a record EBIT of €434 million, a 5% increase from the previous year, despite stagnant sales revenue of €3.5 billion.
The EBIT margin improved to 12.3% from 11.7% in 2023, flagging strong operational efficiency and cost management in a challenging economic landscape.
Earnings per share rose by 10%, with preference shares at €2.30 and ordinary shares at €2.29.
The lubricant manufacturer also announced its 23rd consecutive dividend increase, proposing a 5% rise to €1.17 per preference share and €1.16 per ordinary share.
Regionally, sales in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa dipped 1% to €2,029 million, but EBIT in the region climbed 7% to €227 million.
The acquisitions of LUBCON Group in July and STRUB AG in November contributed €17 million in external growth.
In the Asia-Pacific region, revenue edged up by 1% to €986 million, with EBIT increasing by €7 million to €118 million, supported by growth in China, Australia, Japan, and India, despite currency-related setbacks.
Sales in North and South America declined 1% to €678 million due to currency losses in Argentina and Brazil.
However, EBIT in the region jumped 15% to €91 million, driven by strong performances in the US and Mexico.
Free cash flow before acquisitions reached €306 million, though overall free cash flow fell from €461 million to €205 million, largely due to higher acquisition spending. The company’s workforce expanded by 8% to 6,781 employees.
Fuchs projects sales revenue of €3.7 billion in 2025 and an EBIT of around €460 million.
Higher investments, estimated at €95 million, along with inflation-driven cost pressures and digitalization expenses, are expected to shape financial performance.
“Geopolitical conditions remain fraught with many uncertainties. With multiple ongoing wars and rising nationalist tendencies, the structure of the global economy has become increasingly unstable,” said Stefan Fuchs, chairman at Fuchs in a statement.
“Especially in Germany, but also in several other European countries, the economic outlook has significantly deteriorated. It is difficult to predict how all these factors will impact future economic development, as well as raw material and sales prices,” Fuchs added.
Despite economic uncertainties, the company remains committed to growth, with its FUCHS2025 strategy nearing completion and preparations underway for its next strategic cycle, FUCHS100, ahead of its centennial in 2031.