Seeding
the future –
since 1856
In the beginning there was sugarbeet. Over the course of many decades, KWS has developed into an innovative, international seed specialist with a broad portfolio of cultivated plants: From breeding to production and sales — our high-quality varieties stand for high-yield, sustainable harvests. To achieve this, we build on our closeness to farmers, whose challenges and needs we know. Each newly bred variety features high-performance traits that are adapted to regional conditions such as climate and soil conditions.
Investments in research and development
€ 342.1 M
excluding seasonal workers
KWS Gruppe |
2025/26 |
2024/25 |
2023/24 |
|
Net sales and income in €M |
|||
|
Net sales |
1,626.8 |
1,676.6 |
1,678.1 |
|
EBITDA |
343.1 |
350.5 |
404.9 |
|
in % of net sales (EBITDA margin) |
21.1 |
20.9 |
24.1 |
|
Special effects in EBITDA |
29.0 |
7.7 |
20.4 |
|
EBITDA adjusted for special effects |
314.1 |
342.8 |
384.5 |
|
in % of net sales (adjusted EBITDA margin) |
19.3 |
20.4 |
22.9 |
EBIT |
239.0 |
247.6 |
302.0 |
|
Financial result |
1.1 |
-35.4 |
-50.0 |
|
Net income (continuing operations) |
158.4 |
140.0 |
184.1 |
|
Financial position and assets in €M |
|||
|
Free cash flow (continuing operations) |
122.5 |
123.2 |
56.8 |
|
Capital expenditures |
108.6 |
119.6 |
139.9 |
|
Net financial debt |
8.7 |
61.6 |
385.1 |
Breakdown of net sales
Our targets for profitable growth
*of adjusted earnings after tax and adjusted for special items
Cover photo:
Sugarbeet flowering in a seed multiplication field near Forlì in Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The densely branched inflorescences of the fertile paternal line release large amounts of pollen into the wind – a crucial moment in seed production.
In precisely arranged strips, the pollinator plants are grown between the rows of the maternal line to ensure pollination. The precise interplay of flowering, wind, and planning forms the basis for high-quality sugarbeet seed.
What makes the sugar beet so special and how modern plant breeding is helping to shape the agriculture of tomorrow are explored in this issue in the article “Innovation with roots”
