HAMBURG (dpa-AFX) - After a strong 2023, forklift truck manufacturer Jungheinrich is optimistic about the current and coming year. Management raised some of its expectations for 2025, exceeding the estimates of analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. The mean values of the company's forecasts for 2024 are also above the experts' average expectations. The MDax-listed share rose by around 2 percent on Thursday.

Turnover is expected to rise to between 5.3 and 5.9 billion euros this year, the company previously announced in Hamburg. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) are expected to be between 420 million euros and 470 million euros.

By the middle of the decade, Jungheinrich aims to break the 6 billion euro mark in sales. Previously, the Board of Management had 5.5 billion euros on the cards. The targeted operating margin of 8 to 10 per cent was confirmed. The free cash inflow is expected to reach over 300 million euros; the management had previously expected a free cash flow of over 100 million euros.

In 2023, the key performance indicator, which attracted a lot of attention on the capital market in particular, was surprisingly positive. The Executive Board had expected cash outflows in its forecast. This was due to the acquisition of the US company Storage Solutions, which was mainly paid for in cash.

Turnover increased by 16% to 5.55 billion euros in 2023. Operating profit increased by eleven percent to 430 million euros. Earnings were therefore higher than experts had expected. However, the Group's earnings before interest and taxes fell short of expectations. On balance, Jungheinrich earned 299 million euros, 11 percent more than in the previous year.

Shareholders are to participate in this with a higher dividend. The Board of Management is proposing a dividend of 0.75 euros per preference share. According to Jungheinrich, this would be the highest dividend paid by the family-owned company, which was founded in 1953 and went public in 1990. A year ago, 0.68 euros per share was paid. However, analysts had expected an even higher increase in the dividend for 2023.

The preference shares only account for just under half of Jungheinrich's capital. The rest are ordinary shares, which are owned by the heirs of the company's founder./lew/nas/mis