Frankfurt-based KION Group increased its revenue by 3.9 percent year on year to EUR 8.522 billion in the first nine months of 2026. According to the company, growth was driven by its Intelligent Automation Solutions (IAS) segment, where revenue rose by 16.9 percent. On the same day, the group adjusted its outlook for 2026 downwards.
Revenue and profitability up, orders down
According to KION’s press release dated 29 October 2026, the group’s adjusted EBIT for January to September rose by 9.9 percent from EUR 575.4 million to EUR 632.5 million, with the adjusted EBIT margin improving from 7.0 percent to 7.4 percent. Net income increased by 85.0 percent to EUR 309.1 million (2025: EUR 167.1 million).
Order intake, however, declined by 4.9 percent from EUR 8.882 billion to EUR 8.445 billion. Free cash flow fell from EUR 392.8 million to EUR 121.1 million.
KION CEO Rob Smith described the double-digit growth in revenue and adjusted EBIT as a very strong performance. He also noted that the Industrial Trucks & Services segment competed head on with Chinese industrial truck manufacturers.
Segment overview
In the Intelligent Automation Solutions (IAS) segment, revenue grew by 16.9 percent to EUR 2.519 billion and adjusted EBIT by 36.6 percent to EUR 172.2 million, lifting the segment margin from 5.8 percent to 6.8 percent. IAS order intake decreased by 12.4 percent to EUR 2.575 billion.
In the Industrial Trucks & Services (ITS) segment, order intake fell by 1.2 percent to EUR 5.897 billion and revenue by 0.7 percent to EUR 6.034 billion. The segment’s adjusted EBIT was flat at EUR 528.7 million, with a margin of 8.8 percent.
2026 outlook updated
KION lowered its 2026 group revenue forecast from EUR 11,525-12,025 million to EUR 11,450-11,750 million and its adjusted EBIT forecast from EUR 880-980 million to EUR 815-875 million. The free cash flow forecast was reduced to EUR 400-500 million and the ROCE forecast to 7.8-8.4 percent.
At segment level, KION now expects ITS revenue of EUR 8,100-8,300 million and adjusted EBIT of EUR 690-740 million, and IAS revenue of EUR 3,350-3,450 million and adjusted EBIT of EUR 230-250 million. The Executive Board now expects the medium-term double-digit adjusted EBIT margin target to be reached only after 2027.
Sources
- KION Group AG, “KION grows revenue and profitability in the first nine months driven by Intelligent Automation Solutions”, press release, Frankfurt am Main, 29 October 2026: kiongroup.com
- KION Group, “KION grows revenue and profitability driven by IAS”, 29 October 2026: kiongroup.com
Image: KION Group
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