Consumer goods: Henkel raises forecast

Dusseldorf. After a good start to the final quarter, consumer goods group Henkel is becoming even more optimistic for 2026. Henkel has a “very good chance” of achieving the upper end of its recently raised sales forecast, said CEO Carsten Knobel in an interview with analysts on Tuesday.

Both divisions - adhesives as well as cosmetics and detergents with brands such as Pritt, Schwarzkopf and Persil - developed well. The ongoing demand from the booming business with data centers and semiconductors could also help. Henkel adhesives are also being used more and more there. Knobel also expects growth in 2027 and is open to further acquisitions after this year's shopping spree. Henkel shares rose by more than two percent on the stock market.

The Düsseldorf-based company only raised its sales forecast at the end of October and is now targeting an organic sales increase in a range of 3.0 to 4.0 percent in 2026. Knobel had previously promised 1.5 to 3.5 percent. The adjusted return on sales should be around 15 percent, making the previous range of 14.5 to 16.0 percent more precise. Organic sales increased by 6.5 percent to 5.7 billion euros in the third quarter.

Knobel had merged the cosmetics and detergent businesses to reduce costs and stimulate growth. The second pillar is the adhesives business. In addition, Henkel had invested around five billion euros in acquisitions in the past few months - both divisions were thereby strengthened.

The takeovers are expected to contribute around 700 million euros to sales this year and are expected to contribute around two billion euros in 2030. However, Düsseldorf's appetite for takeovers has not been satisfied. Acquisitions remained part of his strategy, said Knobel.