EQS-News

Hawesko Group defies challenging market conditions: Sales and profitability remain at a high level in 2023 - Seite 2

Highly differentiated price increases - combined with further development of the product ranges, which strengthened customers' purchasing behaviour - contributed to this development. At the same time, rising costs along the entire value chain were countered thanks to targeted cost reductions and productivity improvements, with the result that Group operating EBIT* of € 34 million was only slightly lower than in the previous year (€ 37 million). The operating EBIT margin was a solid 5.1 per cent (previous year: 5.6 per cent).

In autumn 2023, the Hawesko Group entered into a significant partnership in the form of a joint venture with the Dunker Group (Tallinn, Estonia) in order to expand further. With sales of € 77 million, the Dunker Group is a leading and dynamically growing B2B wine retailer in the premium segment in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, thereby strengthening the strategic ambitions to grow further in Europe.

Looking ahead to 2024, the Board of Management again expects the Hawesko Group to move sideways in view of the persistently challenging economic conditions. However, in anticipation of pleasing year-end business, a slightly positive sales trend is expected. On the earnings side, given the usual seasonality with a profitable year-end business, it is expected that at least the previous year's level will be achieved for the year as a whole. The e-commerce segment is likely to be influenced most directly by consumer sentiment. In comparison, the Retail segment and its perception as a business for everyday needs with very high customer loyalty and the B2B segment are expected to continue their stable development.

Following the completion of the Hawesko Group's largest single investment to date in the expansion of the logistics centre in Tornesch in spring 2024, the use of technological support was also successfully increased. The autonomous mobile robot technologies used for the first time to expand customer service and cost efficiency form the basis for further growth and thus the expansion of permanent jobs.

With sales down on the previous year in the first quarter of 2024, the challenges remain great. The Hawesko Group is continuing to adapt to the current economic situation. At the same time, optimisations are being implemented from product selection to sales strategy and the increased use of AI. The first recognisable signs indicate that consumer sentiment will improve slightly in the second half of the year and could lead to impetus to buy.