EQS-News: The Platform Group significantly raises its sales and earnings forecast for 2025 – Increase in medium-term planning

The Platform Group significantly raises its sales and earnings forecast for 2025 – Increase in medium-term planning
 

• Increase in GMV forecast: EUR 1.3 billion (previously: EUR 1.2 billion)
• Increase in sales forecast: EUR 680 million to EUR 700 million (previously: EUR 590 million to EUR 610 million)
• Increase in EBITDA forecast: EUR 47 million to EUR 50 million (previously: EUR 40 million to EUR 42 million)
• Increase in the number of partners and products
• Increase in medium-term planning for the year 2026

Düsseldorf, 28 April 2025. The Board of Directors of The Platform Group AG (ISIN DE000A2QEFA1, “TPG”), a leading software company for platform solutions, has decided to significantly increase its forecast for the current financial year. In view of the successful business development in Q1 2025, the acquisitions made so far in 2025, the strong organic growth, and the increased number of partners, the forecast is being raised in terms of merchandise volume (GMV), sales, and operating result (EBITDA) as well as the number of partners.

Gross merchandise volume (GMV) is expected to increase to EUR 1.3 billion (previous forecast: EUR 1.2 billion), while net sales are expected to rise to between EUR 680 million and EUR 700 million (previous forecast: EUR 590 million to EUR 610 million). Based on the positive earnings development and the effect of the implemented cost and efficiency program, the Board of Directors expects a significant increase in adjusted EBITDA to between EUR 47 million and EUR 50 million for the 2025 financial year (previous forecast: EUR 40 million to EUR 42 million). The number of partners is now expected to rise to over 16,000 (previous forecast: 15,000). In line with the increase in the number of partners, the number of products on TPG's platforms is expected to rise significantly by more than 20%.

Dr. Dominik Benner, CEO of The Platform Group AG: “The organic growth of our platforms and investments is stronger than anticipated, and the larger number of retailers is bringing us growth that is positive regardless of industry trends. We therefore have to significantly raise our forecast for 2025 as a whole and believe that growth of over 30% is ambitious, but achievable. We are keeping a very close eye on our cost structure, so we believe that an adjusted EBITDA of up to EUR 50 million is feasible.”

Marcus Vitt, Member of the Board of Directors of The Platform Group AG: “We are seeing very good development in our investments and are currently able to make further anti-cyclical acquisitions in our sectors. In connection with the companies that will now join our Group in May 2025, we see the raised forecast as a good basis for closing the year as a whole with a very strong performance. And any potential tariff issues do not affect our Group, so we are barely affected by the current distortions in this area.”

Increase in medium-term planning

The Group’s medium-term planning relating to the 2026 financial year will also be adjusted in light of the earnings contributions of the acquisitions to date and the Group’s organic growth. The Board of Directors of The Platform Group AG expects to achieve a gross merchandise volume (GMV) of EUR 1.6 billion (previous forecast: EUR 1.5 billion), sales of at least EUR 820 million (previous forecast: EUR 700 million) and an adjusted EBITDA margin of between 7% and 10% (unchanged) in the 2026 financial year.

Cash flow and debt

The Platform Group’s objective is to generate a high operating cash flow. Acquired companies are an important factor here, as the Platform Group’s acquisition strategy is based on acquiring and integrating profitable companies.

The Platform Group pursues the objective of a conservative financing strategy. This includes an upper limit on debt and a broad financing base consisting of long-term bank loans, equity and a bond.

The medium-term target is a gearing ratio of between 1.5 and 2.3 (unchanged). The gearing ratio is defined as the ratio of adjusted EBITDA to net financial debt (excluding lease liabilities).

Dr. Dominik Benner, CEO of The Platform Group AG, added: “We plan to be within our guidance of 2.3 in gearing in 2025, despite the increased acquisition activity. Given that we are generating good cash flows and earnings, we expect a further increase in cash flow compared to the previous year.”

Webcast/Conference Call

CEO Dr. Dominik Benner and Marcus Vitt, Member of the Board of Directors of The Platform Group AG, will explain the current course of business and the outlook for 2025 in a webcast presentation today, 28 April 2025, at 11.00 CEST. The presentation will be held in English.

Please register in good time for participation at:
The Platform Group – Update Call.

The Platform Group AG:

The Platform Group AG is a software company that is active in 26 industries with its own platform solutions. Its customers include both B2B and B2C customers in sectors such as furniture retail, machinery retail, dental technology, car platforms and luxury fashion. The Group has 18 locations across Europe and is headquartered in Düsseldorf. In 2024, sales of EUR 525 million was realized with an operating result (EBITDA adjusted) of EUR 33 million.

Contact:

Investor Relations
Reinhard Hetkamp, CFO and Head of IR
ir@the-platform-group.com
Schloss Elbroich | Am Falder 4 | 40589 Düsseldorf | Germany
corporate.the-platform-group.com