Germany’s Salzgitter AG has raised its financial guidance for 2026 after reporting significantly improved preliminary results for the first half of the year, driven by stronger performances in its steel production, trading and technology businesses.
The company reported preliminary first-half external sales of EUR 4.6 bln (USD 5.25 bln), compared with EUR 4.7 bln a year earlier. EBITDA VX (Earnings before Taxes and Valuation Exchangeable) increased to EUR 459 mln (USD 524 mln) from EUR 117 mln, while EBT VX (Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, Amortization and Valuation Exchangeable) improved to EUR 258 mln (USD 294 mln) from a loss of EUR 84 mln in the first half of 2025.
Salzgitter said the improved performance was supported by its Steel Production, Trading and Technology business units, as well as a stronger contribution from its equity investment in Aurubis AG, which rose to EUR 193 mln (USD 220 mln) from EUR 72 mln a year earlier.
Reflecting the stronger first-half performance and the completion of the acquisition of Huttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann GmbH (HKM), the company raised its full-year 2026 guidance. Salzgitter now expects sales of around EUR 10 bln (USD 11.4 bln), up from its previous forecast of EUR 9.5 bln. EBITDA VX is forecast at EUR 725-825 mln (USD 828-942 mln), compared with the earlier guidance of EUR 625-725 mln, while EBT VX is expected at EUR 325-425 mln (USD 371-485 mln), versus the previous EUR 200-300 mln.
The company said the full consolidation of HKM is expected to contribute additional earnings and increase external sales during 2026.
Looking ahead, Salzgitter said geopolitical uncertainties continue to limit visibility for the second half of the year and it expects only a moderate improvement in overall market conditions. However, the company expects EU trade defence measures to provide positive support to its business over the remainder of the year.
Salzgitter is one of Germany’s leading steelmakers, with crude steel capacity of about 6.4 mln tons.
1 USD / 0.87 EUR