Swiss automotive supplier Autoneum Holding AG reported full-year results for 2025 showing healthy cash generation, yet its outlook for 2026 failed to satisfy market expectations.
For the second half of 2025 the company recorded EBITDA of CHF132 million and EBIT of CHF65 million, roughly in line with consensus estimates of CHF65.4 million for EBIT. On a full-year basis Autoneum delivered an EBIT margin of 5.5%, meeting the company target of being well above 5%.
Net profit before minorities in the second half stood at CHF39.5 million, marginally above the consensus figure of CHF37.2 million. Free cash flow before mergers and acquisitions reached CHF121 million for the year, outstripping the company’s guidance of more than CHF100 million and exceeding the consensus forecast of CHF112 million.
Despite the strong cash conversion, net debt including leases increased to CHF413 million from CHF399 million a year earlier. That pushed the net debt to EBITDA ratio to 1.60x, slightly above Autoneum’s stated mid-term objective of 1.5x. The company attributed the rise in net leverage to CHF54 million of acquisition-related cash outflows and CHF21 million arising from changes in working capital.
The Board has proposed a dividend of CHF3.20 per share, ahead of the consensus expectation of CHF3.08.
Regionally, Europe outperformed expectations in the second half with EBIT of CHF31 million versus a consensus projection of CHF25 million. The European EBIT margin expanded by 70 basis points year-over-year and by 200 basis points sequentially, despite a reduction in turnover. North America contributed EBIT of CHF19 million with a stable margin of 4.8%, broadly matching forecasts. By contrast, Asia and the SAMEA region reported EBIT of CHF14 million and CHF7 million respectively, both below analyst estimates.
Looking ahead, Autoneum issued 2026 guidance premised on a flat global vehicle production scenario. The company forecast sales between CHF2.2 billion and CHF2.4 billion, which at the midpoint is effectively flat compared with 2025. The expected EBIT margin range is 5.5% to 6.0%, implying potential margin improvement of up to 50 basis points. Free cash flow is again guided to exceed CHF100 million.
On an absolute basis the guidance corresponds to an EBIT range of CHF120 million to CHF145 million. The midpoint of that range is roughly 9% below the pre-results consensus EBIT of CHF146 million. Analysts had been modelling sales of CHF2.415 billion and an EBIT margin of 6.0% prior to the company’s release.
Separately, Autoneum adjusted its mid-term sales target lower to CHF2.7 billion from CHF3.0 billion to reflect the impact of foreign exchange, while leaving other mid-term objectives unchanged.
Summary: Autoneum reported a year of solid free cash flow and delivered on margin guidance for 2025, raised its proposed dividend and posted mixed regional performance. However the 2026 sales and EBIT guidance disappointed consensus expectations and net leverage rose above the company’s mid-term target, driven by acquisition cash outflows and working capital changes.