Bosch publishes half-year figures for the first time: sales increase and return to profitability

The half-yearly figures of the Bosch foundation group, published for the first time, are intended to create more transparency on the capital market for investors. They're not bad, but they're not exciting either: 3.6 percent increase in sales, 4.6 percent return and the bottom line is around a billion euros in profit.

After the first loss last year since the pandemic, Bosch is at least on the verge of returning to the black for the year as a whole. Especially since CFO Markus Forschner announced that provisions for staff reductions will be significantly lower than in previous years. The group is cutting well over 25,000 jobs in Germany. In order to get back into the black, Forschner also cut back on capital investments.

Overall, the numbers still look reasonably robust in a difficult year with gigantic transformation problems in the entire auto industry, incalculable georisks and reluctance to buy consumer goods.

But one thing stands out: Fischer's most important baby is currently making up for the currency losses and weak growth in the group. Before his appointment to the top, Fischer was responsible for M&A. He spearheaded the purchase of Johnson Controls' Hitachi building air conditioning business for $8 billion, the largest acquisition in the company's 140-year history.