--- title: "HELLA reports 1st quarter FY2026 results worldwide; EPS up 51% to €0.29" sdDatePublished: "2026-04-29T15:14:00Z" source: "https://www.hella.com/forvia-com/assets/documents_global/HELLA_Three-month_financial_statement_FY2026_secured.pdf" topics: - name: "automotive" identifier: "medtop:20000296" - name: "corporate earnings" identifier: "medtop:20000178" - name: "financial statement" identifier: "medtop:20000180" - name: "business reporting and performance" identifier: "medtop:20001365" - name: "research and development" identifier: "medtop:20000208" - name: "stock activity" identifier: "medtop:20000186" locations: - "Hauts-de-Seine" - "Paderborn" --- HELLA reports 1st quarter FY2026 results worldwide; EPS up 51% to €0.29 HELLA Financial statement  1st quarter of fiscal year 2026 Contents Key performance indicators 3 Industry development 5 Business development of the HELLA Group 6 Results of operations 6 Financial status 9 Financial position 11 Opportunity and risk report 12 Forecast report 13 Industry outlook 13 Company outlook 14 Selected financial information 15 Consolidated income statement 15 Segment reporting 16 Consolidated statement of financial position 17 Consolidated cash flow statement 18 Further notes 19 Basic information 19 Currency translation 20 Notable events 20 Operating income 21 Notes to the cash flow statement 23 Net cash flow 24 Events after the balance sheet date 24 3 Financial statement on the 1st quarter of fiscal year 2026 key performance indicators Key performance indicators 1st quarter in € million 1 January to 31 March 2026 +/- 1 January to 31 March 2025 Sales 1,939 -2.9% 1,997 Operating Income 96 -11.9% 109 Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) 60 +21.3% 49 Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) 209 -2.6% 214 Earnings for the period 32 +33.8% 24 Earnings per share (in €) 0.29 +51.4% 0.19 Net cash flow -49 +12 -61 Capital expenditures 139 -32.8% 206 Research and development (R&D) expenses 178 -14.7% 208 1st quarter 1 January to 31 March 2026 +/- 1 January to 31 March 2025 EBIT margin 3.1% +0.6pp 2.5% EBITDA margin 10.8% +0.1pp 10.7% Capital expenditure in relation to sales 7.2% -3.1pp 10.3% R&D expenses in relation to sales 9.2% -1.2pp 10.4% 31 March 2026 +/- 31 December 2025 Net financial liquidity (in € million) 334 -47 381 Equity ratio 42.7% 0.0pp 42.7% Employees 33,639 -1.2% 34,046 1st quarter 1 January to 31 March 2026 +/- 1 January to 31 March 2025 Currency-adjusted sales (in € million) 2,001 +0.2% 1,997 Operating income margin 5.0% -0.5pp 5.5% Ratio of net cash flow to sales -2.5% +0.5pp -3.0% 4 • 21.5 million new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles: Global light vehicle production fell by 3.4% in the first quarter of 2026 • Currency-adjusted sales remained stable at €2,001 million compared with the prior year; negative exchange rate effects led to a 2.9% decline in sales to €1,939 million • Growth in the Electronics and Lifecycle Solutions segments drives Group-wide sales; sales down in the Lighting segment • Operating income amounts to €96 million, with an operating margin of 5.0% • Net cash flow improved to €-49 million, and the ratio of net cash flow to sales rose to -2.5% • The company outlook for the fiscal year 2026 is confirmed Financial statement on the 1st quarter of fiscal year 2026 5 Financial statement on the 1st quarter of fiscal year 2026 Industry development • 21.5 million new passenger cars and light com- mercial vehicles: Global light vehicle production fell by 3.4% in the first quarter of 2026 • The industry is experiencing a downturn across all regions; production volumes are falling, particularly in Asia In the first three months of the fiscal year 2026 (1 January to 31 March 2026), global production of new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles fell by 3.4% year-on-year to 21.5 million units (prior year: 22.3 million units), according to data from the market research institute S&P Global (as at 16 April 2026). In the prior fiscal year 2025, global light ve- hicle production increased thanks to significant growth in Asia-Pacific and the rest of the world. At the start of the new fiscal year 2026, the outlook for industry development in Asia has now also deterio- rated significantly; at the same time, the European and American markets declined, as they did last year. According to the figures, light vehicle production in Europe fell by 0.9% to 4.3 million units (prior year: 4.4 million units). In Germany, the region’s largest single market, production volumes fell dispropor- tionately by 1.6%. In North, Central and South America, light vehicle production fell by 1.1% to 4.4 million units (prior year: 4.5 million units); the US automotive market in this region remained largely stagnant. Following significant growth in the first quarter of the prior year (Q1 2025: +9.8%), the au- tomotive industry in Asia/Pacific/Rest of the World in particular saw a decline of 4.9% to 12.8 million units during the reporting period (prior year: 13.4 million units). In the Chinese market, volumes fell by 9.8%. This is due to the phasing out of govern- ment support schemes, which led to significant growth last year and thus to a high comparable basis. Industry development Production of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles in thousands 1st quarter 1 January to 31 March 2026 +/- 1st quarter 1 January to 31 March 2025 Europe 4,328 -0.9% 4,366  of which Germany 1,088 -1.6% 1,105 North, Central and South America 4,405 -1.1% 4,455  of which USA 2,463 -0.1% 2,467 Asia / Pacific / RoW 12,771 -4.9% 13,433  of which China 6,431 -9.8% 7,127 Worldwide 21,504 -3.4% 22,253 Source: S&P Global Mobility Light Vehicle Production Forecast, as at: 16 April 2026 6 Financial statement on the 1st quarter of fiscal year 2026 Business development of the Group • Currency-adjusted sales remained stable at €2,001 million compared with the prior year; negative exchange rate effects lead to a 2.9% decline in sales to €1,939 million • Growth in the Electronics and Lifecycle Solu- tions segments drives Group-wide sales; sales decline in the Lighting segment • Sales growth outperformes development of light vehicle production in Asia and Europe • Operating income amounts to €96 million, with an operating income margin of 5.0% • Net cash flow improved to €-49 million, and the ratio of net cash flow to sales rose to -2.5% Results of operations In order to present the business development in a transparent and comparable manner, the income statement is presented in an adjusted form up to and including the operating income. The reported consolidated income statement is presented in the selected financial information; a reconciliation statement can be found in the further notes (Chap- ter 04, Operating Income). In the first three months of the fiscal year 2026 HELLA generated currency-adjusted sales of €2,001 million, thereby maintaining sales at a stable level comparable to the prior year. Taking into account negative exchange rate effects, primarily due to the US dollar, sales fell by 2.9% to €1,939 million (prior year: €1,997 million). The HELLA Group’s sales per- formance in the first quarter of 2026 was driven primarily by growth in the Electronics division; Life- cycle Solutions also saw an increase in sales com- pared with the first quarter of the prior year. HELLA Group sales for the first three months of the fiscal year (in € million) Q1 fiscal year 2024 Q1 fiscal year 2025 2,002 1,997 1,939 Q1 fiscal year 2026 Business development of the HELLA Group 7 Financial statement on the 1st quarter of fiscal year 2026 Business development of the Group Accordingly, sales in the Electronics segment rose by 2.7% to €889 million (prior year: €865 million). Key factors here include the sustained growth in 77 GHz radar sensors and the business in energy management components, such as low-voltage converters and intelligent battery sensors. This was driven both by the continued rollout across exist- ing production lines and by new production proj- ects with gradually increasing take-rates. In Europe, this growth has partly offset lower volumes in indi- vidual customer projects for electric platforms. In the Americas, weaker business with US car manu- facturers and an adverse exchange rate effect have impacted the segment’s sales performance. Al- though the business relating to radar sensors and low-voltage battery management systems per- formed well in Asia, this was not enough to fully offset the weaker market environment, character- ised by a decline in automotive production, as well as effects arising from the product and customer mix. In the Lighting segment, sales fell by 10.8% to €843 million (prior year: €946 million). The Lighting divi- sion has managed to increase its sales in the Asian region compared with the same quarter last year. This is also due to a low basis for comparison, as sales in the same period last year was adversely affected by the phase-out of several high-volume series projects. However, business development in the Lighting segment in the European and Ameri- can markets was, on the one hand, weighed down by the weak market environment. On the other hand, the phasing out of various customer pro- grammes in these markets has further hampered the segment’s sales development. Inidividual launches for electrified platforms have not been able to compensate for this. In the Lifecycle Solutions segment, sales increased by 3.3% to €262 million (prior year: €254 million). This means that the positive trend in the business’s sales, which had already begun during the second half of 2025, continued into the first quarter of 2026. This was driven by strong performance in the business with manufacturers of specialist vehicles, primarily in the truck and bus, agricultural and con- struction machinery customer segments. This is due, among other things, to a market recovery in these segments. In addition, the workshop equip- ment business has largely stabilised, partly due to demand for entry-level diagnostic solutions and the launch of new calibration products. The inde- pendent spare parts market has also generally performed well. In addition, the spare parts busi- ness performed well overall, driven partly by high- er demand for spare parts and partly by the expan- sion of the product range following the Company’s return to the thermal business. However, the spare parts business was adversely affected by unfavour- able exchange rate effects. In terms of business development by region, sales in Europe remained broadly unchanged at €1,141 million (prior year: €1,143 million), driven primarily by strong performance in the radar sector. In North, Central and South America, sales fell by 11.2% to €403 million (prior year: €453 million); this is primarily due to the discontinuation of product lines in the lighting business and weak business with US manufacturers. In Asia / Pacific / Rest of the Consolidated income statement in € million 1st quarter 1 January to 31 March 2026 +/- 1st quarter 1 January to 31 March 2025 Sales 1,939 -2.9% 1,997 Cost of sales -1,526 -1,532 Gross profit 413 -11.2% 465 Ratio of gross profit to sales 21.3% 23.3% Research and development expenses -178 -208 Distribution expenses -77 -83 Administrative expenses -66 -70 Other income and expenses 4 6 Operating Income 96 -11.9% 109 Ratio of operating income to sales 5.0% 5.5% 8 Financial statement on the 1st quarter of fiscal year 2026 Business development of the Group World, sales fell slightly by 1.6% to €394 million (prior year: €401 million). The lighting business has grown in this region, partly due to new production runs and a low base for comparison. However, the Electronics segment has seen a decline in this re- gion due to the weak market environment and the impact of changes in the customer and product mix. Gross profit fell to €413 million in the first three months of the fiscal year 2026 (prior year: €465 million), whilst the gross profit margin (gross profit as a percentage of sales) fell to 21.3% (prior year: 23.3%). This is primarily attributable to volume and product mix effects in the lighting sector, as well as higher material costs, which had a negative impact on gross profit. Research and development (R&D) expenses fell to €178 million (prior year: €208 million), meaning the R&D ratio declined to 9.2% (prior year: 10.4%). Re- search and development expenses were made es- sentially against