Fiscal Year 2025: FORVIA HELLA achieves robust financial results in a challenging market environment

Lippstadt (Germany)

19 March 2026

 
Fiscal Year 2025: FORVIA HELLA achieves robust financial results in a challenging market environment

• Sales remain stable: currency-adjusted sales of €8.0 billion at the prior-year level; negative currency effects lead to a 2.1 percent decline to €7.9 billion
• Cost management and structural improvements: operating income increases to €474 million; operating income margin rises to 6.0 percent
• Significant improvement: net cash flow increases to €318 million and to 4.0 percent in relation to sales
• Performance of the Business Groups: growth in the global Electronics business; declining sales in Lighting; Lifecycle Solutions sales broadly constant
• Order intake of around €10 billion: more than half originating from the Asian and American markets
• Dividend policy to be continued: dividend payment of €0.22 per share proposed
• Outlook for 2026: currency-adjusted sales of around €7.4 and 7.9 billion, operating income margin between around 5.4 and 6.0 percent of sales, and net cash flow of at least 1.8 percent of sales expected

HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA (“FORVIA HELLA”) today published its full financial results for fiscal year 2025 (1 January to 31 December 2025). Currency-adjusted sales remain stable at €8.0 billion, the same level as in the prior year; taking negative exchange rate effects into account, sales declined slightly by 2.1 percent to €7.9 billion (prior year: €8.0 billion). Over the same period, global vehicle production increased by 3.9 percent. However, the development of the global automotive economy was driven solely by the Asian market, whereas production volumes in both Europe and the Americas declined.

Operating income improved to €474 million (prior year: €446 million), supported by successful cost management and structural improvements; the operating income margin increased to 6.0 percent of sales (prior year: 5.6 percent). Net cash flow rose significantly to €318 million (prior year: €189 million), and in relation to sales to 4.0 percent (prior year: 2.4 percent).

“We performed very resiliently in 2025 and fully met our guidance for the year. For sales, operating income, and net cash flow, our financial results are at the upper end of the expected target ranges. The consistently strong order intake also underscores our leading market position in relevant growth areas,” said Prof. Dr. Peter Laier, CEO of FORVIA HELLA. “These results are all the more remarkable given the very challenging industry environment. I would therefore like to express my sincere thanks to each and every employee of the company. Their performance and commitment have been the foundation of last year’s success.”

Performance of the Business Groups: growth in the global Electronics business; declining sales in Lighting; Lifecycle Solutions sales broadly constant

In the Business Group Electronics, sales increased by 4.5 percent to €3.4 billion (prior year: €3.3 billion). A key driver was the successful business development in radar, both supported by newly launched series projects as well as by higher volumes in existing customer programs. In China and Europe, FORVIA HELLA benefited from increased demand for vehicle access systems; in addition, the low-voltage battery management business in China developed successfully. Operating income in the Electronics Business Group rose to €269 million (prior year: €226 million), with the operating income margin increasing to 7.8 percent (prior year: 6.9 percent).

In the Lighting Business Group, sales decreased by 8.3 percent to €3.7 billion (prior year: €4.0 billion). This was mainly due to the phase-out of several high-volume series projects in China and the Americas. In addition, market weakness in Europe weighed on the Lighting business development. Operating income declined to €106 million (prior year: €126 million), and the operating income margin decreased to 2.9 percent (prior year: 3.2 percent).

In the Business Group Lifecycle Solutions, sales remained largely constant at a level of €1.0 billion (prior year: €1.0 billion). Due to an expanded range of products in the Asian region, the independent spare parts business in particular has developed steadily. However, both the agricultural and construction machinery segment as well as the workshop business were slightly impaired by continued investment restraint, although business in these areas largely stabilized again in the second half of 2025. Operating income increased to €109 million (prior year: €99 million), and the operating income margin rose to 11.1 percent (prior year: 9.6 percent).

Order intake of around €10 billion: more than half from the Asian and American markets

In fiscal year 2025, FORVIA HELLA again recorded a total automotive order intake of around €10 billion. This includes, among other things, high-volume series projects for intelligent, complex control electronics, customer nominations for 77 GHz radar sensors and solutions for digital smart car access systems, as well as for various lighting projects in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. Overall, more than half of the newly won order volume came from markets outside Europe. The company thus successfully continued its key strategic orientation of consistently expanding its business share in Asian and American markets over the past year.

Dividend policy to be continued: dividend payment of €0.22 per share proposed

Based on these results, company management will propose to the Annual General Meeting on 30 April 2026 to pay a dividend of €0.22 per share for fiscal year 2025. The total payout would thus amount to €24 million. In line with the company’s established dividend policy, approximately 30 percent of attributable net income would continue to be distributed to the shareholders of FORVIA HELLA.

“Strategically well positioned, opening up significant opportunities in the midterm”

For the current fiscal year 2026 (1 January to 31 December 2026), FORVIA HELLA expects currency-adjusted sales between around €7.4 billion and 7.9 billion, and an operating income margin between around 5.4 and 6.0 percent. Net cash flow is expected to be at least 1.8 percent of sales.

“We anticipate a continued challenging market environment in 2026 and reflect this in our guidance for the year,” said Peter Laier, CEO of FORVIA HELLA. “Strategically, we are well positioned overall. We occupy central market trends such as software-defined vehicle architectures, automated driving, and electromobility from a leading market position. Within this framework, we are also setting targeted strategic priorities. We will further strengthen our competitiveness and simplify processes and structures. In addition, we aim to expand our technology and innovation leadership and enhance the resilience of our business model by strengthening regions and diversifying our customer base. This will open up significant opportunities in the medium term.”

An explanatory analysts’ and investors’ conference in English will be held today at 9:00 a.m. (CET) in connection with the announcement of the full financial results for 2025 (webcast link).

Selected key financial figures in € million or as a percentage of sales
(1 January to 31 December):
 

The Annual Report for the fiscal year 2025 is now available on the website of HELLA GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Note: This text and suitable images can also be found in our press database at: www.hella.com/press