EQS-News: Viscom SE: 2024 revenue and EBIT in line with guidance despite challenging market environment; restructuring and personnel measures completed; 2025 outlook with positive earnings expectation

Viscom SE: 2024 revenue and EBIT in line with guidance despite challenging market environment; restructuring and personnel measures completed; 2025 outlook with positive earnings expectation

 
Incoming orders:  K€ 75,050 (previous year: K€ 113,248, -33.7 %)
Revenue:  K€ 84,082 (previous year: K€ 118,780, -29.2 %)
EBIT:   K€ -11,818 (after special items) (previous year: K€ 6,611);  K€ -7,095 (before special items)

Hanover, 25 March 2025 – Viscom SE (ISIN DE0007846867), the European market leader for automated optical and X-ray inspection systems in the electronics industry, found itself in a highly challenging market environment in the 2024 financial year, with the reluctance of its customers to invest continuing to be felt, particularly in the automotive and industrial electronics sectors. The weak demand in the markets is reflected in the order intake. Customers placed around 34 % fewer orders with the mechanical engineering company based in Lower Saxony in the 2024 financial year, with a total of € 75,050 thousand (previous year: € 113,248 thousand). The incoming order trend was characterized by numerous postponements and was additionally burdened by a cancellation of an order worth around € 4 million by a customer in the battery sector. The incoming orders generated in the 2024 financial year were thus outside the forecast range of € 80 million to € 95 million. In total, Viscom generated revenue of € 84,082 thousand in the course of the year, down around 29 % on the previous year's figure of € 118,780 thousand but within the revenue forecast range for 2024 (€ 80 million to € 95 million).

The operating result (EBIT) was significantly impacted by the low total operating revenue, balance sheet value adjustments on receivables and one-off effects from the implemented personnel reductions and amounted to € -11,818 thousand (previous year: € 6,611 thousand). The reported EBIT for the 2024 financial year includes one-time effects for restructuring measures in the amount of € 4,723 thousand. EBIT before special items in the amount of € -7,095 thousand was within the forecast range for 2024 for EBIT before special items (€ -2.9 to € -7.2 million).

The largest portion of the impairment on receivables was attributable to a customer in the battery sector, which is currently undergoing insolvency proceedings. The EBIT-Margin before special items was thus -8.4 % and thus in line with the forecast of -3 to -9 % (before special items). The EBIT-Margin after special items was -14.1 % (previous year: 5.6 %). The net profit for the period was € -9,629 thousand (previous year: € 3,142 thousand).

In the 2024 financial year, Viscom SE implemented cost-cutting and personnel measures across the Group. By introducing the necessary measures at an early stage and consistently implementing them, the adjustment of the cost structure to the changed market conditions has been largely completed. In its new structure, Viscom SE is efficiently aligned with the target markets of electronic assemblies (SMT), industrial applications, microelectronics and battery cell inspection. This has been incorporated into the adjusted organisational structure with the integration of sales in the customer-oriented operating units, providing a forward-looking model. Viscom's clear strategic orientation is focused on digitalisation, new markets and technology leadership in order to secure long-term competitive advantages. Viscom will continue to pursue the efficiency programme launched in 2024 with the aim of optimising processes and strengthening the new structures.

Viscom SE is cautiously optimistic about the 2025 financial year. Viscom is currently still experiencing a high level of uncertainty among its customers and the general forecasts for expected economic growth in 2025 are considered low. Interest rates and the associated high financing costs are also limiting the scope for investment. Demand, particularly for German brands, is currently weak, especially in the field of automotive electronics. Viscom does not expect this situation to change significantly in 2025.

The general market trends are clear: electrification, digitalisation and mobility are shaping the future. Viscom's portfolio and technologies are ideally suited to serving these trends. Despite the current challenges, Viscom is well positioned to generate growth again from 2026. For the 2025 financial year, Viscom is anticipating incoming orders and target revenue of between € 80 million and € 90 million, with an EBIT-Margin between 2 % and 5 %. This corresponds to an EBIT of between € 1.6 million and € 4.5 million.

The difficult market outlook and geopolitical uncertainties already mentioned continue to prompt Viscom to exercise caution in its liquidity management. Due to the net accumulated loss reported, Viscom SE will therefore not propose a dividend for the 2024 financial year to the Annual General Meeting on 6 June 2025. The Group's fundamental dividend policy of distributing at least 50 % of the reported consolidated net profit for the period remains unaffected for the future.

Sustainability is a central component of Viscom's corporate culture. Viscom SE therefore publishes a non-financial Group statement to inform its stakeholders about all of Viscom SE's activities in the areas of environmental and social responsibility and good corporate governance. The non-financial group statement is part of the 2024 Annual Report of Viscom SE and can also be downloaded from the company's website at www.viscom.com under the section Company/Profile/Sustainability.

The complete report for the 2024 financial year of Viscom SE is also available for download from today on the company's website at www.viscom.com under the section Company/Investor Relations/Financial Reports.
 

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About Viscom

Viscom SE develops, manufactures and sells high-quality inspection systems. Its product range covers the full range of optical inspection and X-ray inspection. The company is a leading global provider in the field of assembly inspection for electronics manufacturing. Viscom’s systems can be configured for each individual customer and networked. Its headquarters and manufacturing site are in Hanover. With a large network of branches, application centres, service centres and representatives, Viscom is represented all over the world. Established in 1984, Viscom SE has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2006 (ISIN: DE0007846867). Further information can be found at www.viscom.com.

Any forecasts, expectations or statements concerning the future included in this release may be subject to risk or uncertainty. We therefore cannot guarantee that the expectations will prove correct. Actual results and developments may differ significantly from the expectations and assumptions expressed. The factors that could cause such deviations include changes in the general economic and competitive situation, exchange rate and interest rate fluctuations and changes in national and international law. The company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements in this release.