Bosch Group posted a 3.6% increase in first-half sales to €46.4 billion, up from €44.8 billion a year earlier, according to a September 23 earnings release reported by Gasgoo. The German supplier said the business environment remained challenging but that it achieved solid growth.
Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) fell to €2.2 billion from €2.3 billion, with the margin easing to 4.6% from 5.1%. Bosch attributed the decline mainly to one-off special expenses in its smart mobility division.
The mobility unit, the company's largest, generated €27.8 billion in sales, down 0.5% year on year, though it rose 2.3% when adjusted for currency effects. Its EBIT margin slipped to 4.7% from 5.8%. Bosch said profitability in the division was squeezed by stagnant global car production and €270 million in one-off charges, primarily impairments on production facilities because the global electric-vehicle market is growing slower than previously expected.
Mixed results across divisions
The industrial technology division saw sales grow 6.8% to €3.4 billion (9.2% on a currency-adjusted basis), helped by improving order intake, but its margin fell to 2.5% from 4.5%. The consumer goods division, facing intensified competition from Chinese suppliers, saw sales drop 2.9% to €9.6 billion, though they were flat on a currency-adjusted basis; its margin declined to 4.4% from 5.1%.
The energy and building technology division was the standout, with sales surging 45.9% to €5.4 billion. That included about €2 billion from acquired businesses under Bosch Comfort Technology, while the sale of most assets of its smart building technology unit reduced sales by around €450 million. Currency-adjusted growth was 52.0%, and the division's margin improved to 7.3% from 0.8%.
For the full year, Bosch maintained its previous guidance, expecting sales growth of 2% to 5% and an EBIT margin of 4% to 6%. The company said that while the global economy shows some resilience, uncertainty remains, which will slow investment decisions and intensify competition.
In smart mobility, Bosch expects global production of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles to decline further in 2026, while heavy commercial vehicle output is likely to see modest growth.
