Leifheit AG has lowered its full-year 2026 outlook and is accelerating the implementation of its FOCUS performance program, the company announced after reassessing its preliminary first-nine-month results. The German household goods maker now expects Group turnover to decline by a mid-single-digit percentage compared with the prior year’s EUR 232.6 million, and Group EBIT to land between EUR -5 million and EUR -6 million, a sharp reversal from its previous forecast of EUR 0 million.
The revised guidance matters because it shows how persistently weak consumer demand is forcing a mid-sized European brand to deepen a restructuring that was already underway. According to preliminary figures released via NEWMEDIAWIRE, Leifheit generated turnover of EUR 169.1 million in the first nine months of 2026, down from EUR 179.0 million a year earlier. Group EBIT fell to EUR -2.9 million from EUR 5.4 million, including EUR 2.0 million in special items tied to FOCUS. In the third quarter alone, EBIT was EUR -0.2 million, compared with EUR 3.4 million in the same period of 2025.
Despite the deterioration, Leifheit said it gained market share in its core business and strengthened its competitive position in a market that continues to contract. The company attributed the sales decline to ongoing consumer reluctance, which weighed on demand in the third quarter as well.
The forecast includes roughly EUR 7 million in special items related to the FOCUS program and provisions for the early termination of the Chief Operating Officer’s contract. Excluding those 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 between EUR -1 million and EUR -2 million, down from a previously anticipated EUR 0 million and far below the prior year’s EUR 6.4 million.
In a related governance move, the Supervisory Board resolved to shrink the Management Board from three members to two. Igor Iraeta Munduate, the Chief Operating Officer, and the Supervisory Board mutually agreed to end his employment effective 31 December 2026. Stefan De Loecker, Chairman of the Supervisory Board, said consolidating responsibilities at board level streamlines decision-making, increases organisational agility and supports sustainable cost reduction. He credited Iraeta Munduate with advancing the Operations division and initiatives in efficiency, the supply chain and digitalisation.
CEO Alexander Reindler said the challenging market is precisely why Leifheit is accelerating its transformation, adding that the FOCUS measures and cost-cutting program are proceeding according to plan and that strategic initiatives will continue in the fourth quarter. FOCUS includes a new operating model, streamlined Group structures, targeted digitalisation of key processes and staff reductions. The program will incur one-off personnel and non-personnel expenses of up to EUR 9.6 million, but Leifheit expects initial positive effects from 2027 and recurring annual cost savings exceeding EUR 8 million from 2028 onward.
Alongside the organisational changes, Leifheit is continuing a brand relaunch that modernises product presentation at the point of sale, both in-store and online, and tailors innovation marketing to shifting consumer needs. The company’s Leifheit and Soehnle brands are among Germany’s best-known household names, with more information available at www.leifheit.de and www.soehnle.de. The full release can be viewed at www.newmediawire.com. The key implication is that Leifheit is trading near-term losses for a leaner cost base, betting that FOCUS savings and a refreshed brand will restore profitability once consumer demand recovers.
