Schaeffler reports solid results for 2025

2026-03-03 | Herzogenaurach

• Revenue of 23.5 billion euros stable compared to prior year (pro-forma prior year 2024: 24.3 billion euros)
• EBIT before special items improved to 936 million euros (pro-forma prior year 2024: 842 million euros). EBIT margin before special items of 4.0 percent above prior year (pro-forma prior year 2024: 3.5 percent)
• E-Mobility grows and improves EBIT margin, Powertrain & Chassis and Vehicle Lifetime Solutions contribute strong earnings, Bearings & Industrial Solutions increases EBIT
• New growth areas identified: focus on humanoid robotics and defense business
• Free cash flow before cash in- and outflows for M&A activities of 266 million euros considerably above prior year and above guidance (pro-forma prior year 2024: -694 million euros)
• High one-off expenses weigh on earnings
• Dividend proposal of 0.30 euros per share (prior year: 0.25 euros)

The Schaeffler Group published its results for 2025 today. Revenue for the reporting period was down slightly, decreasing by 0.6 percent to 23,492 million euros (pro-forma prior year: 24,313 million euros), compared on a pro-forma basis and at constant currency.

While revenue for the Americas and Asia/Pacific regions rose by 2.4 percent and 5.1 percent from its prior year level, compared on a pro-forma basis and at constant currency, Europe and Greater China region revenue was 2.3 percent and 4.2 percent below prior year, compared on a pro-forma basis and at constant currency.

Schaeffler AG generated 936 million euros in earnings before financial result, income taxes (EBIT), and special items during the reporting period (pro-forma prior year: 842 million euros). This represents an EBIT margin before special items of 4.0 percent (pro-forma prior year: 3.5 percent). The Schaeffler Group’s free cash flow before cash in- and outflows for M&A activities amounted to 266 million euros (pro-forma prior year: -694 million euros ) and exceeded the guidance raised on October 28, 2025 [0 to 200 million euros].

“In a challenging environment, the Schaeffler Group successfully continued its transformation into the leading global Motion Technology Company with four product-oriented divisions and eight product families. We are making good progress in our core business. This is especially true for the E-Mobility division, where we grew faster than average. Additionally, we are gradually accessing new growth areas in humanoid robotics and defense with the strategic goal of generating up to ten percent of our revenue from new growth areas by 2035. We are ahead of plan in executing our earnings improvement program announced in 2024. Based on the strong free cash flow, we want to share the Schaeffler Group’s success with our shareholders by paying a dividend of 0.30 euros,” said Klaus Rosenfeld, CEO of Schaeffler AG.

E-Mobility – Outperformance in battery-electric vehicles
E-Mobility division revenue increased 7.0 percent in 2025, compared on a pro-forma basis and at constant currency, to 5,015 million euros (pro-forma prior year: 4,816 million euros). Revenue growth was primarily driven by product ramp-ups partly due to increasing production of electrified vehicles. Revenue was up in nearly all regions. Expanding by 22.5 percent, the Asia/Pacific region generated the strongest revenue growth compared on a pro-forma basis and at constant currency.

The E-Mobility division’s EBIT before special items for 2025 amounted to

-805 million euros (pro-forma prior year: -1,066 million euros). Volume growth improved the EBIT margin before special items to -16.0 percent (pro-forma prior year: -22.1 percent).

Order intake for 2025 amounted to about 15.5 billion euros across all drive types, including 2.0 billion related to battery-electric drives and 8.8 billion related to hybrid drives.

Powertrain & Chassis – EBIT margin before special items at 10.5 percent
Powertrain & Chassis division revenue for 2025 declined 5.2 percent, compared on a pro-forma basis and at constant currency, to 8,900 million euros (pro-forma prior year: 9,656 million euros). The main driver was weak demand from established Western manufacturers in the Europe region, which was expected. The strategic streamlining of the portfolio had an additional impact.

The division’s EBIT before special items for the reporting period was 933 million euros (pro-forma prior year: 1,101 million euros). This represents an EBIT margin before special items of 10.5 percent (pro-forma prior year: 11.4 percent). One of the factors behind the decrease was the adverse trend in volumes, which was partly offset by strong operational performance and favorable one-off impacts.

Vehicle Lifetime Solutions – EBIT margin at high prior year level
Vehicle Lifetime Solutions division revenue for the reporting period increased by 5.0 percent, compared on a pro-forma basis and at constant currency, to 3,038 million euros (pro-forma prior year: 2,961 million euros), largely due to the impact of volumes.

EBIT before special items for the reporting period was 450 million euros (pro-forma prior year: 440 million euros). The EBIT margin before special items of 14.8 percent was flat with prior year when compared on a pro-forma basis (pro-forma prior year: 14.8 percent), with an adverse impact of the revenue mix and foreign exchange rates offset by the favorable impact of volumes and prices.

Bearings & Industrial Solutions – EBIT increased considerably
In the Bearings & Industrial Solutions division, revenue increased slightly in 2025, rising by 0.7 percent, compared on a pro-forma basis and at constant currency, to 6,368 million euros (prior year: 6,525 million euros), primarily supported by favorable trends within the Wind sector and the Aerospace Bearings business division. All regions generated slight increases in revenue for the reporting period, compared on a pro-forma basis and at constant currency.

EBIT before special items amounted to 475 million euros for the same period (pro-forma prior year: 435 million euros). This represents an EBIT margin before special items of 7.5 percent (pro-forma prior year: 6.7 percent). The EBIT margin before special items increased, compared on a pro-forma basis, largely as a result of improved operating performance, particularly at the production plants.

New growth areas – Focus on humanoid robotics and defense business
The Schaeffler Group’s growth areas and future-oriented fields beyond the core business have been combined in the Others division since 2025 and are being accessed gradually and with a clear strategic goal. Business units are managed as stand-alone units similar to start-ups to enable them to be flexible and innovative in their development as well as to optimally utilize the specific requirements of each individual growth area and access new growth opportunities as rapidly and efficiently as possible. Schaeffler is applying its decades of manufacturing excellence and industrialization expertise here in order to expand the existing product portfolio to include promising new areas.

By 2035, Schaeffler wants to generate up to ten percent of its revenue from new, high-potential activities such as the areas of humanoid robotics and defense. This is founded on the expanded product portfolio which is divided into eight product families and comprises all aspects of motion. In the above growth areas, the company has recently announced partnerships with renowned companies including four humanoid manufacturers (Agility Robotics, Neura Robotics, Humanoid, Leju Robotics) and German defense company Helsing.

Free cash flow – Considerably above prior year level
Free cash flow before cash in- and outflows for M&A activities for 2025 was 266 million euros (pro-forma prior year: -694 million euros), above the range of the guidance raised on October 28, 2025 [0 to 200 million euros]. Free cash flow before cash in- and outflows for M&A activities was affected by one-off restructuring- and integration-related outflows of 242 million euros.

The key drivers of the favorable trend were improved profitability, consistent working capital management, and a cautious capital expenditure policy overall. Capital expenditures on property, plant and equipment and intangible assets (capex) for 2025 were 974 million euros (pro-forma prior year: 1,460 million euros).

“Our target is to continuously increase profitability and thereby our free cash flow. In 2025, we were able to achieve important milestones despite the challenging environment. Progress in integration and improved operational performance, combined with a disciplined investment strategy, were the key drivers of this development,” said Christophe Hannequin, CFO of Schaeffler AG.

The Schaeffler Group’s net financial debt amounted to 4,915 million euros as at December 31, 2025 (December 31, 2024: 4,834 million euros). The net financial debt to EBITDA ratio before special items was 2.1 as at the same date (December 31, 2024: 2.5). The ratio of net financial debt to shareholders’ equity (gearing ratio) amounted to 160.9 percent. The Schaeffler Group’s total assets amounted to 21,028 million euros as at December 31, 2025 (December 31, 2024: 21,370 million euros). The company had a workforce of 110,753 employees worldwide as at the same date (December 31, 2024: 115,055 employees).

The net loss attributable to shareholders of the parent company for 2025 was 424 million euros and was adversely affected by 572 million euros in special items partly due to restructuring costs and impairments of software. Earnings per common share were -0.45 euros. Before special items, net income attributable to shareholders of the parent company amounted to 148 million euros.

Proposed dividend – 0.30 euros per share
In order to allow shareholders to participate appropriately in the company's performance in 2025, the Board of Managing Directors and the Supervisory Board will propose to the annual general meeting a dividend of 0.30 euros per share.

Outlook – Conservative guidance for 2026
The Schaeffler Group anticipates revenue for 2026 within a range of approximately 22.5 to 24.5 billion euros. This represents constant-currency revenue growth of -4.3 to 4.3 percent. At the same time, the company expects to generate an EBIT margin before special items for 2026 of 3.5 to 5.5 percent. Free cash flow before cash in- and outflows for M&A activities is expected to amount to 100 to 300 million euros and will include significant outflows for restructuring and integration activities.

For its E-Mobility division, the group expects revenue for 2026 within a range of approximately 5.2 to 5.8 billion euros, representing constant-currency revenue growth of 4.0 to 16.0 percent. The EBIT margin before special items is expected to amount to -15.0 to -13.0 percent.

For the Powertrain & Chassis division, the Schaeffler Group expects revenue within a range of approximately 8.0 to 8.6 billion euros, representing constant-currency revenue growth within a range of -10.1 to -3.4 percent, while the EBIT margin before special items is forecasted at 10.0 to 12.0 percent.

For the Vehicle Lifetime Solutions division, the group forecasts revenue for 2026 within a range of approximately 3.1 to 3.3 billion euros. This represents constant-currency revenue growth of 3.3 to 10.0 percent. Further, the division’s EBIT margin before special items is expected to amount to 13.5 to 15.5 percent.

The Bearings & Industrial Solutions division is expected to generate revenue within a range of approximately 6.2 to 6.7 billion euros, representing constant-currency revenue growth of -3.1 to 4.7 percent, and an EBIT margin before special items of 7.0 to 9.0 percent in 2026.

¹ The pro-forma comparative amounts are based on the assumption that Vitesco was acquired as at January 1, 2024, and is therefore included in full in the prior year amounts. For further information, see the 2025 annual report, pg. i41. The above pro-forma amounts 2024 and the related information were not subject to the financial statement audit.

² Includes one-off Vitesco payments related to Contract Manufacturing business, primarily driven by payment terms adjustments.

Forward-looking statements and projections
Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking statements. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial consequences of the plans and events described herein. No one undertakes any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. You should not place any undue reliance on forward-looking statements which speak only as of the date of this press release. Statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or events should not be taken as representation that such trends or events will continue in the future. The cautionary statements set out above should be considered in connection with any subsequent written or oral forward-looking statements that Schaeffler, or persons acting on its behalf, may issue.

• Press photos of the Board of Managing Directors