January-March 2026
- Net sales were 544.9 MSEK (523.7), an increase of 4.0% compared to the first quarter of 2025. Organic growth amounted to 7.7%.
- EBITA was 48.8 MSEK (58.1), corresponding to an EBITA margin of 9.0% (11.1). The period was impacted by one-off costs of 24.3 MSEK (4.2) relating to an efficiency programme.
- Adjusted EBITA, adjusted for non-recurring items, amounted to SEK 73.1 MSEK (62.3), corresponding to an adjusted EBITA margin of 13.4 percent (11.9).
- Earnings per share amounted to 0.78 SEK (0.99).
- Cash flow after investing activities was -0.8 MSEK (4.9).
Significant events during and after the quarter
The Group has completed an efficiency programme as part of its efforts to achieve its long-term financial objectives. An annual cost saving of approximately 25 MSEK is expected. The impact will be realised gradually over the year, with the majority taking effect as early as the second quarter.
COMMENTS FROM THE CEO
Growth and Completed Efficiency Programme
We continue the positive growth trend from last year, achieving sales of 545 MSEK in the first quarter of 2026, corresponding to organic growth of 7.7% compared with the corresponding quarter of 2025. During the quarter, we completed the announced efficiency programme, resulting in an EBITA margin of 9.0% in the first quarter, including related non-recurring items of 24.3 MSEK. Adjusted for these non-recurring items, the EBITA margin for the first quarter amounted to 13.4%, compared with 11.9% in the corresponding quarter of 2025. Overall, the first quarter is a clear indication of the organisation's strength and its strong ability to deliver growth, implement efficiency measures, and maintain solid margins in a challenging economic environment. This, combined with a very strong balance sheet, provides us with good opportunities to take further steps both organically and through acquisitions.
For significant parts of our Swedish organisation, the quarter has been characterised by the efficiency programme announced in January. The ambition was to reduce personnel costs in order to improve profitability in the Nordic business. This has entailed difficult decisions and challenging dialogues for affected employees, and most notably for those who are leaving the company. We are now entering a new phase in which, through strong collaboration, a high level of engagement, and a clear customer focus, we will execute our prioritised initiatives. As part of this organisational transformation, we have also decided to relocate seven commercial roles from Mora to Stockholm. This initiative is aligned with our strategy to strengthen proximity to our customers and key decision-makers, who to a large extent are located in Stockholm. In summary, the efficiency program will result in annual personnel cost savings 25 MSEK, compared with the ambition of 20-25 MSEK.
From a sales perspective, the Group is experiencing growth across both its Nordic and International operations. The majority of our larger markets and brands reported growth during the quarter, supported in part by recent product launches. Furthermore, our continued investments in the UK are contributing to further gains in market share. During the quarter, wetroom panels were introduced as an entirely new product category for Aqualla and for the Group as a whole. This launch is fully aligned with our strategic ambition to provide customers with a more comprehensive and integrated offering. From a macroeconomic standpoint, we are seeing an increasing number of positive signals pointing to a gradual recovery. However, this recovery is occurring from historically low levels and is expected to progress gradually over the coming quarters. The Group has no direct exposure to the unrest in the Middle East. However, indirect effects have been observed in the form of supply chain disruptions and cost increases for certain input materials. We are monitoring the situation closely and taking necessary actions in response to developments.
In conclusion, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all employees for their efforts during the first quarter. Everyone’s commitment and collaboration have been particularly evident and have been crucial in allowing us to deliver strong results while simultaneously managing an efficiency program. We now look ahead to continued positive development in line with our strategy and our vision of being the customers’ first choice in the bathroom, kitchen and beyond.