KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA

KWS

Equity

ISIN DE0007074007 / Valor 338540

Xetra (2026-04-24)

EUR 74.20+0.41%

KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA
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About company

KWS SAAT SE & Co. KGaA is a Germany‑based, publicly traded seed company headquartered in Einbeck that develops, produces and sells seeds for arable and vegetable crops worldwide. Founded in the 19th century, the firm focuses its commercial activities on breeding and seed multiplication for crops such as sugar beet, maize (corn), cereals (wheat, barley), oilseeds (rapeseed) and various vegetables, supplying farmers through a network of subsidiaries and distributors. Its business combines plant breeding and genetics with seed production and global sales and marketing, supported by research programs that apply conventional and molecular breeding techniques to develop new varieties and protect commercial traits. The company generates revenue from seed sales, licensing and related services and operates across multiple regional markets with integrated production and distribution capabilities.

Summarized from source with an LLMView SourceSector: Consumer Non-Cyclicals

Top‑line and overall profitability

Net sales: €1,676.6m (vs €1,678.1m prior year) — essentially flat year‑on‑year. EBITDA: €350.5m (down from €404.9m). EBIT: €247.6m (down from €302.0m), EBIT margin 14.8% (vs 18.0%). Net financial expense improved slightly to −€35.4m. Management cites difficult agricultural market conditions and lower planted areas in some regions as headwinds.

Net income and discontinued operations

Net income from continuing operations: €140.0m (vs €184.1m). Discontinued operations delivered a positive contribution of €96.4m (vs −€53.2m prior year), so group net income rose to €236.3m (vs €130.8m), reflecting gains/impacts from portfolio transactions.

Cash flow and balance sheet

Operating cash flow: €227.7m (up from €157.9m). Free cash flow: €123.2m (up from €56.8m). Net debt improved sharply to €61.6m (from €385.1m), and equity increased to €1,601.5m, lifting the equity ratio to 59.8% (from 47.4%). Management notes portfolio changes as a driver of the structural improvement in net debt and cash flow.

Per‑share metrics and shareholder return

Earnings per share (continuing operations): €4.24 (vs €5.58). EPS (reported): €7.16 (vs €3.96), boosted by discontinued operations. The Executive Board and Supervisory Board propose increasing the dividend to €1.25 per share (from €1.00), and have raised the targeted payout ratio to 25–30%.

Investment and R&D

R&D intensity remained very high at 20.8% of sales (≈€350m), underscoring the company’s heavy focus on breeding innovation. Capital expenditure was €119.6m (down from €139.9m), while depreciation/amortization stayed at €102.9m.

Segment trends

Segment sales mix showed mixed developments: Sugarbeet ~€865m (slight decline), Corn ~€701m (modest increase), Cereals ~€350m (down), Vegetables ~€276m (up). Management highlights resilience in the product portfolio, and continued focus on expanding vegetables and breeding innovations.

Outlook and management commentary

Management emphasizes strategic refocusing, higher R&D and selective investments. Medium‑term targets were updated to aim for organic sales growth of 3–5% and an EBITDA margin of 19–21%. A Capital Markets Day was planned to provide more detail on growth drivers and targets.

Summarized from source with an LLMView Source

Key figures

36.6%1Y

26.0%3Y

0.13%5Y

Performance

25.9%1Y

25.0%3Y

25.3%5Y

Volatility