Swiss rail technology remains in high demand worldwide. Stadler reported order intake exceeding CHF 2.5 billion in the first half of 2024, while some contract signings were postponed to the second half of the year. Flooding caused problems for supplier Constellium in Valais.
Stadler has a total order backlog of over CHF 26.8 billion. Group CEO Markus Bernsteiner and Group CFO Raphael Widmer presented the first-half results this morning during a conference call. Despite the continuing challenging environment, Stadler achieved a solid performance in the first half of the year, supported by a diversified product portfolio and market successes in the area of alternative drive systems, Bernsteiner stated.
Supplier Constellium, a manufacturer of special aluminum extrusion profiles, reported in early July that its facilities in Chippis (billet casting) and Sierre (sheet metal fabrication) were affected by exceptional flooding from the Rhône River. Stadler uses Constellium's structural profiles, particularly in the production of aluminum car bodies. To manage the situation, efforts were made to ramp up production at another location. Additionally, internal countermeasures were implemented to compensate as much as possible for potential supply bottlenecks in the affected orders. Constellium currently anticipates that production can be restarted no earlier than the end of October.
Photos: Stadler
According to company figures, Stadler's order intake in the "Rolling Stock" segment reached CHF 2.0 billion in the first half of the year, 44 percent lower than in the same period of the previous year. The lower order intake compared to the previous year is attributed to a major order worth over CHF 2.0 billion in the first half of 2023, which is reflected in the accounting entries.
Order intake in the "Service & Components" segment reached CHF 511.8 million in the first half of the year, which is 52 percent below the high figure for the previous year (H1 2023: CHF 1,067.5 million). The previous year's figure in the Service & Components segment also included an exceptionally large order.
Order intake in the "Signaling Technology" segment was CHF 33 million, compared to CHF 37 million in the first half of 2023. For the current fiscal year, Stadler expects sales of between CHF 3.5 and 3.7 billion and an EBIT margin comparable to 2023, and for fiscal year 2025, sales of between CHF 4 and CHF 4.2 billion.
