LPKF Laser & Electronics SE released its half-year financial results on July 23, 2026, revealing a significant revenue decline amid a challenging macroeconomic environment, but the company highlighted strong strategic positioning in the Advanced Packaging market, particularly with its LIDE technology, which it now estimates could address a market of approximately EUR 1.7 billion by 2030.
Revenue for the first half of 2026 fell to EUR 36.5 million, down 38.3% from EUR 59.2 million in the same period last year. The decline was primarily driven by the Solar segment, where customers are delaying investments due to an anticipated technology shift toward perovskite cells. Second-quarter revenue dropped from EUR 33.8 million to EUR 19.3 million. EBIT turned negative at EUR -14.1 million for the half year, compared to EUR -1.7 million in the prior year, while adjusted EBIT stood at EUR -10.4 million. The order backlog remained nearly flat at EUR 34.7 million, but new orders fell sharply to EUR 19.9 million from EUR 43.0 million.
Despite the weak financial performance, LPKF’s management emphasized the growing importance of its LIDE (Laser Induced Deep Etching) technology in the semiconductor industry. The company conducted a comprehensive reassessment of the addressable market for Advanced Packaging, more than tripling its previous estimate to EUR 1.7 billion by 2030. According to the company, this growth is fueled by the AI-driven expansion of high-performance computing, which increases demand for advanced chip packaging solutions. “With LIDE, we are very well positioned in Advanced Packaging for AI applications, and the revenue potential is significantly better than previously assumed,” said CEO Klaus Fiedler.
LPKF’s LIDE technology is already being used by leading semiconductor customers and is recognized as a key enabler for crack-free, high-precision glass processing. In the second quarter, the company received an order from a leading specialty glass manufacturer and from Penn State University, which will use LIDE systems to qualify for future supply chains and demonstrate industrial applications. LPKF is also expanding its portfolio beyond glass structuring to include singulation, laser-based bonding, and integration of co-packaged optics on glass substrates.
The company’s North Star transformation program, led by CFO Peter Mummler, is progressing with the first wave of workforce reductions completed and future organizational structures refined. The program aims to lower costs, increase resilience, and secure innovation capacity. “North Star is a key lever for lowering our cost base, increasing our resilience, and at the same time securing our innovative strength,” said Mummler.
Segmental performance varied. The Development segment saw good capacity utilization with slightly lower revenue but significantly higher order intake, driven by strong demand in China and Europe and from defense and research institutions. The Electronics segment reported higher revenue and order intake despite a weak second quarter, with continued demand for PCB depaneling solutions. The Solar segment confirmed expectations of a challenging year, with revenue and orders well below prior-year levels as customers await the perovskite technology shift. The Welding segment saw revenue fall and earnings turn negative, though structural adjustments are underway.
Looking ahead, LPKF confirmed its full-year forecast of consolidated revenue between EUR 105 million and EUR 120 million and an adjusted EBIT margin of -3.0% to 4.5%. The company expects positive momentum in the Solar and Electronics segments in the second half. Management remains confident in the medium-term outlook, aiming for a sustainable double-digit EBIT margin by 2028, driven by growth in Advanced Packaging, SMT, and Rapid PCB Prototyping. The original press release is available at www.newmediawire.com.
