Leifheit AG has lowered its full-year 2026 guidance, reporting preliminary nine-month results that reflect a persistently difficult consumer and market environment. The company now expects Group turnover to decline in the mid-single-digit percentage range compared with the previous year's EUR 232.6 million, and Group EBIT to fall to between EUR -5 million and -6 million. Previously, the Management Board had anticipated EBIT of EUR 0 million.
The revised forecast includes special items of approximately EUR 7 million tied to the FOCUS performance program and provisions related to the early termination of the Chief Operating Officer's contract. Excluding these one-off effects, EBIT before special items is expected to be 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 the previously anticipated EUR 0 million and the prior year's EUR 6.4 million.
For the first nine months of 2026, the Leifheit Group generated turnover of EUR 169.1 million, compared with EUR 179.0 million in the same period of 2025. Group EBIT amounted to EUR -2.9 million, including EUR 2.0 million in special items from the FOCUS program, versus EUR 5.4 million a year earlier. In the third quarter alone, Group EBIT stood at EUR -0.2 million, compared with EUR 3.4 million in Q3 2025.
Despite the decline, Leifheit said it gained market share in its core business and strengthened its competitive position. The company attributed the turnover decline to continued consumer reluctance, which weighed on demand in the third quarter as well.
In a related governance move, the Supervisory Board has resolved to reduce the Management Board from three to two members. Igor Iraeta Munduate, Chief Operating Officer, and the Supervisory Board mutually agreed to terminate his employment early as of December 31, 2026. Stefan De Loecker, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, said consolidating responsibilities at board level streamlines decision-making, increases organizational agility and contributes to sustainable cost reduction. He credited Iraeta Munduate with advancing the Operations division and driving efficiency, supply chain and digitalization initiatives.
CEO Alexander Reindler said the company is accelerating its transformation precisely because the market remains challenging. The FOCUS program, which includes a new operating model, streamlined Group structures, targeted digitalization and staff reductions, is proceeding according to plan. Implementation will result in one-off personnel and non-personnel expenses totaling up to EUR 9.6 million, offset by initial positive effects from 2027 and recurring annual cost savings expected to exceed EUR 8 million from 2028 onward.
Leifheit is also continuing its brand relaunch, modernizing product presentation at the point of sale both in-store and online, and tailoring innovation marketing to changing consumer needs. The company, founded in 1959, is one of Europe's leading brand suppliers of household items, with brands including Leifheit and Soehnle. More information is available at www.leifheit.de and www.soehnle.de.
The announcement matters for investors and the broader household goods sector because it signals that weak consumer demand is forcing even market-share gainers to cut costs and reset expectations. The management board reduction and accelerated restructuring underscore the pressure on European consumer goods companies to protect profitability amid subdued spending. For readers, the changes could affect product availability, pricing and brand positioning in the household and wellbeing categories. The original release is available via www.newmediawire.com.
