Leifheit AG has lowered its full-year 2026 guidance after preliminary results for the first nine months showed a sharper-than-expected decline in turnover and a swing to an operating loss. The German household goods maker now expects Group turnover to fall by a mid-single-digit percentage from the prior year's EUR 232.6 million, and Group EBIT to land between EUR -5 million and -6 million, compared with a previous forecast of around breakeven. The revised outlook, announced via NEWMEDIAWIRE, underscores how persistently weak consumer sentiment is weighing on even well-positioned European brands.
For the first nine months of 2026, Leifheit reported turnover of EUR 169.1 million, down from EUR 179.0 million a year earlier, while EBIT fell to EUR -2.9 million from EUR 5.4 million. The result includes EUR 2.0 million in special items tied to the FOCUS performance program. In the third quarter alone, EBIT was EUR -0.2 million versus EUR 3.4 million in the prior-year period. Management noted that Leifheit still gained market share in its core business despite the contracting market, but that consumer reluctance continued to depress demand.
The company is responding by accelerating the FOCUS program, which aims to structurally transform the Group through a new operating model, streamlined structures, targeted digitalisation and staff reductions. The program is expected to incur one-off personnel and non-personnel expenses of up to EUR 9.6 million, but should begin delivering positive effects from 2027 and permanent annual cost savings exceeding EUR 8 million from 2028. CEO Alexander Reindler said the challenging market environment is precisely why Leifheit is speeding up its transformation, adding that the cost-cutting measures are proceeding according to plan and that strategic initiatives will continue in the fourth quarter.
As part of the restructuring, the Supervisory Board has decided to reduce the Management Board from three members to two. Chief Operating Officer Igor Iraeta Munduate will leave the company on 31 December 2026 by mutual agreement. Supervisory Board Chairman Stefan De Loecker said consolidating responsibilities at board level will streamline decision-making, increase organisational agility and contribute to sustainable cost reduction, while crediting Iraeta Munduate for advancing the Operations division, efficiency, supply chain and digitalisation.
The forecast also includes roughly EUR 7 million in special items related to FOCUS and provisions for the COO's early departure. Excluding these one-off effects, Leifheit expects EBIT before special items of around EUR 1 million to EUR 2 million. Free cash flow for the full year is now projected at EUR -1 million to -2 million, down from a previously anticipated EUR 0 million and EUR 6.4 million in the prior year. Leifheit, founded in 1959, remains one of Europe's leading brand suppliers of household items, with brands including Leifheit and Soehnle, whose products are detailed at www.leifheit.de and www.soehnle.de. The company is also continuing a brand relaunch, modernising point-of-sale presentation and tailoring innovation marketing to changing consumer needs. The announcement matters because it shows a mid-sized European consumer goods company choosing to deepen structural change rather than wait for a market recovery, a decision that will shape its cost base and competitiveness through 2028.
