Krones started the 2026 fiscal year with a rise in order intake and remains on track despite a market environment that continues to be volatile. The manufacturer of filling, packaging, and process technology benefited in the first quarter from its customers’ stable willingness to invest and confirmed its financial targets for the current year. From January to March 2026, order intake rose by 5.3 percent year-over-year to €1.51 billion. Order intake also increased compared to the fourth quarter of 2025.
Krones increases order backlog in the first quarter
The ratio of order intake to revenue, known as the book-to-bill ratio, stood at 1.10 in the first quarter, up from 1.02 in the same period last year. The high order intake also led to a further increase in the order backlog. This rose by 3.2 percent compared to the end of 2025 to €4.32 billion. As a result, the machinery and plant manufacturer expects production capacities in the plant and project business to be fully utilized well into the fourth quarter of 2026.
Krones sales impacted by currency effects
Sales in the first quarter of 2026 amounted to €1.38 billion, compared to €1.41 billion in the prior-year period. The development was impacted by currency translation effects totaling approximately €50 million. Adjusted for these effects, sales rose by 1.4 percent. In the core segment “Bottling and Packaging Technology,” growth developed within the target range for the full year, according to the company. In the “Process Technology” and “Intralogistics” segments, however, growth remained below this range due to fluctuations during the year. Based on the positive order intake, Krones expects growth to accelerate as the year progresses.
Ebitda and consolidated net income below prior-year levels
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (Ebitda) stood at €148.9 million, nearly matching the prior-year level of €149.3 million. Earnings before taxes, however, fell by 9.1 percent to €98.1 million due to higher depreciation and amortization and a weaker financial result. Consolidated net income decreased from €75.9 million to €68.6 million.
Krones confirms financial targets despite uncertainties
For the full year 2026, Krones remains cautiously optimistic despite geopolitical risks and economic uncertainties. The company cites, among other things, the potential impact of the Middle East conflict, uncertainties in global trade policy, as well as potential material shortages and supply chain issues. Nevertheless, Krones confirms its forecast for the current fiscal year. Currency-adjusted revenue growth of three to five percent is expected. The manufacturer therefore considers itself to be in a stable position despite a challenging market environment and expects additional growth momentum as the year progresses.
