In the past year, Bosch’s operational EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) was reported at 3.1 billion euros, falling short of the 4.8 billion euros achieved in 2023, with an operational EBIT margin of 3.5%, the group announced in a statement.
In the first quarter of 2025, however, Bosch reports a recovery in sales, which increased by 4% year-on-year, both in euros and after currency adjustments.
“The Bosch group continues to implement its ambitious 2030 Strategy to strengthen its competitive position, despite last year’s market context being a significant obstacle to growth,” the statement reads.
During the annual results presentation, the President of the Board of Management (CEO) of Robert Bosch GmbH, Stefan Hartung, highlighted the “important improvements in costs, structures, and portfolio” recorded in the 2024 fiscal year.
“We maintain our ambitious goals to continue growing and strengthening our financial independence. Our ‘2030 Strategy’ provides the guidance we need, especially in times of global turbulence, to become one of the top three suppliers in our main markets within a maximum of five years,” he stated.
With an inflation rate forecasted between 2% and 3%, Bosch’s financial targets aim for an average annual growth between 6% and 8% up to 2030, targeting “an EBIT margin of 7% in 2026.”
For Stefan Hartung, this is an “extremely challenging goal, given global disruptions and particularly stronger competition from Asia.”
“We will continue to work intensively on our costs and structures, focusing on the most profitable business areas,” emphasized the CEO.
In this regard, Bosch recently announced structural adjustments and job cuts in various areas to “strengthen the company’s competitiveness,” stating that it is “in contact with employee representatives” and calling for “a swift agreement to initiate the implementation process.”
“Only this way can we seize opportunities in a dynamic market, including those that arise suddenly. We can no longer afford delays, as that would further weaken our competitive position,” mentioned Hartung.
After announcing on November 22 of last year that by 2030, it plans to cut 5,550 jobs globally, mainly in Germany, due to difficulties in the new vehicle market, Bosch now anticipates “the number of jobs will continue to decrease, especially in Germany and Europe.”
For the fiscal year of 2025, Bosch considers that the prospects “are marked by uncertainty, given the volatile evolution of global trade,” noting that “the consequences of additional tariffs and the possible economic effects of infrastructure investments in Europe and Germany complicate any assessment.”
Nonetheless, it forecasts organic revenue growth between 1% and 3% this year, and anticipates that the operational EBIT margin “should improve significantly compared to 2024, although results will continue to be influenced by high pre-emptive investments in future-relevant technologies and structural adjustments.”
Cited in the statement, Robert Bosch GmbH’s Managing Director and CFO, Markus Forschner, admits that if the planned acquisition of parts of Johnson Controls and Hitachi businesses is completed by mid-year, total sales volume “could grow further by one to two percentage points in 2025,” with full consolidation expected by the 2026 fiscal year.
Predicting a “modest growth in the global economy, between 2.25% and 2.75%” for the current year, Forschner emphasizes that the company “is ensuring financial leeway by acting early during times of uncertainty” and needs to “work even harder to maintain competitive costs.”
“We will drive our growth strategy through investments, innovations, and acquisitions,” he added.
