EQS-News: SMT Scharf AG publishes results for the first quarter of 2025

SMT Scharf AG publishes results for the first quarter of 2025  

• Consolidated revenue significantly boosted to EUR 22.9 million in the first quarter of 2025
• Operating earnings (EBIT) improved to EUR 1.2 million
• Full consolidation of joint venture company Xinsha and Tunnel Logistics segment provide tailwind for the current financial year
• Managing Board confirms revenue and earnings forecast for 2025 

Hamm, 30 April 2025 – SMT Scharf AG (WKN A3DRAE; ISIN DE000A3DRAE2), one of the world’s leading suppliers of bespoke transport solutions and logistics systems for underground mining, is today publishing its figures for the first quarter of 2025. In the first three months of the 2025 financial year, the SMT Scharf Group generated consolidated revenue of EUR 22.9 million. This corresponds to a significant 83.2% increase by comparison with the first quarter in the previous year (Q1/2024: EUR 12.5 million). This rise was predominantly due to the full consolidation of the joint venture company Shandong Xinsha Monorail Co., Ltd., effective since November 2024, as well as significant growth in the Tunnel Logistics segment.

Operating earnings (EBIT) for the first quarter of 2025 increased to EUR 1.2 million (Q1/2024: EUR -1.0 million). This year-on-year boost to earnings is essentially down to the increase in revenues and the full consolidation of Xinsha. This resulted in an improved EBIT margin (in relation to total operating revenue) of 4.4 % in the reporting period by comparison with -6.8 % in the same period in the previous year.

“Overall, we are facing challenging conditions in the market for mining equipment. The current macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions are contributing to a reluctance to invest in our core international markets, especially in coal mining. In the first quarter, we pressed ahead with our strategic initiatives in mining markets around the world, and the full consolidation of Xinsha will provide us with tailwind for the entire year. Our core market of South Africa is also providing positive momentum for our business as a result of higher capital expenditure in mineral mining,” states Volker Weiss, CFO of SMT Scharf AG.

In its new equipment business, SMT Scharf lifted its revenues in the first three months of 2025 to EUR 11.4 million following EUR 4.7 million in the first quarter of the previous year. Revenues in the service business also climbed to EUR 2.8 million (Q1/2024: EUR 1.5 million) and revenues from spare parts were up year on year, reaching EUR 8.7 million (Q1/2024: EUR 6.3 million).

With a look to its core international markets, SMT Scharf succeeded in significantly boosting revenues year on year in the Chinese sales market in the first three months of 2025, posting a figure of EUR 9.5 million (Q1/2024: EUR 3.6 million). With a 41.5% share of total revenue China thus proved to be the strongest sales market in revenue terms in the first quarter of 2025. In Poland, on the other hand, SMT Scharf’s revenue declined year on year to EUR 3.2 million (Q1/2024: EUR 3.6 million), meaning that the Polish market was responsible for 14.0% of total revenue. Revenues in Russia, exceeded the figure for the same period in the previous year, coming in at EUR 3.2 million (Q1/2024: EUR 2.2 million). Furthermore, SMT Scharf generated revenue of EUR 2.5 million in Africa in the first quarter of 2025 (Q1/2024: EUR 1.3 million), EUR 0.3 million (Q1/ 2024: EUR 0.2 million) in America and EUR 0.5 million in Germany (Q1/ 2024: EUR 0.9 million).

Viewed by segment, SMT Scharf generated revenue of EUR 14.5 million (Q1/2024: EUR 10.5 million) in the Coal Mining segment. Consequently, this segment enjoyed the largest share of total revenue with 63.3% (Q1/2024: 84.6%). The Mineral Mining segment recorded revenue of EUR 2.8 million (Q1/2024: EUR 1.5 million) representing a 12.2 % share of total revenue (Q1/2024: 12.0 %). SMT Scharf also succeeded in significantly boosting revenues in the Tunnel Logistics segment to EUR 5.2 million in the first quarter of 2025 (Q1/2024: EUR 0.0 million) which equates to a 22.7% share of total revenue (Q1/2024: 0.0 %). In addition, the “Other Industries” segment achieved revenue of EUR 0.4 million (Q1/2024: EUR 0.4 million) or a 1.8 % share of consolidated revenue (Q1/2024: 3.4 %).

The order intake in the first quarter of 2025 came to EUR 13.0 million, significantly below the figure of EUR 41.7 million for the previous year due to modest investment propensity in international mining markets. Accordingly, as of the reporting date of 31 March 2025, the order book stood at EUR 21.9 million (31 March 2024: EUR 51.9 million).

Liu Jun, CEO of SMT Scharf AG, commented as follows: “After the important steps successfully taken last year to set the stage for SMT Scharf, we are looking to the current year with confidence. The integration of SMT Scharf into the Yankuang Energy sub-group and the Shandong Energy Group is on schedule. Consequently, we expect to benefit increasingly from new sales opportunities in the further course of the year. Overall, we see confirmation of our strategic focus and are maintaining the forecast issued for 2025 on the basis of the results for the first quarter of 2025.” 

The Managing Board of SMT Scharf AG is reaffirming its revenue and earnings forecast for the 2025 financial year. Due to the circumstance that Xinsha will be consolidated for the entire reporting period for the first time in financial year 2025, the Managing Board continues to expect consolidated revenue of between EUR 110 million and EUR 130 million in financial year 2025. In addition, the Managing Board continues to forecast operating earnings (EBIT) in a range between EUR 5.5 million and EUR 7.5 million.

The full report for the first quarter of 2025 will be published in the course of the day at  www.smtscharf.com in the Investor Relations section.

Company profile

The SMT Scharf Group develops, manufactures and services transportation equipment for underground mining as well as for tunnel construction. The main products include captivated railway systems that are deployed worldwide primarily in hard coal mines as well as in mines for gold, platinum and other metals. They are needed to transport material and personnel with payloads of up to 48 tonnes and on routes with gradients of up to 35 degrees. In addition, SMT Scharf supplies the mining sector with chairlifts. Since 2018, SMT Scharf’s diverse portfolio has also included rubber-tyred diesel and electric vehicles for mining and tunnelling, including loaders, scissor lifts and underground trucks. As part of the further diversification of the business, the product range has been successfully expanded since 2019 to include electronic components and control systems for mining and other industries. Overall, the SMT Scharf Group operates its own subsidiaries in seven countries and has agents around the world. Further information about the SMT Scharf Group can be found online at www.smtscharf.com. 

Contact

Investor Relations
cometis AG
Thorben Burbach
Tel: +49(0)611 - 205855-23
Fax: +49(0)611 - 205855-66
E-mail: burbach@cometis.de