FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - Enthusiasm about Gea 's outlook initially drove the shares to their highest level since May 2023 on Thursday. In the meantime, the shares of the plant manufacturer gained a good 6 percent to 40.69 euros. Recently, however, sales predominated and the gain dwindled to 0.6 percent.

Analysts see light and shade in the balance sheet for 2023 and the outlook for the current year.

Stephan Bauer from Bankhaus Metzler, for example, sees his positive assessment confirmed by the targets announced for 2024. UBS expert Sven Weier saw the figures and outlook as reassuring, but ultimately also as a "non-event". However, he explicitly praised the order situation in the short-cycle business, which promises more momentum overall in the current year.

Akash Gupta from the bank JPMorgan, however, described the cash inflow as a persistent weak point. However, unlike Weier and Bauer, Gupta is skeptical about Gea shares anyway.

Sebastian Kuenne from Canada's RBC Capital is also cautious about the shares. Looking at the current business figures, he criticized the operating result. Although Gea met expectations in operational terms (EBITDA), the reported earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) in the final quarter were below expectations due to surprisingly high depreciation and amortization./ag/mis