Hilti Reports 5.9% Local-Currency Sales Growth through August

Hilti raised its 2026 sales outlook after reporting faster growth and higher earnings for the first eight months of the year. Its September 24 update put January–August revenue at CHF 4.244 billion, an increase of 1.9% in Swiss francs and 5.9% in local currencies.

The Americas and Asia-Pacific provided much of the momentum, growing 12.2% and 10.8% respectively in local currencies. Middle East and Africa sales increased 16.9%, while Europe recorded a more modest 0.5% rise. The figures point to substantial regional differences within the group's overall improvement.

Operating profit rose 16.9% to CHF 533 million, lifting the operating margin to 12.6% from 11.0%. Net income increased 25.5% to CHF 389 million. Free cash flow excluding acquisitions moved in the other direction, declining to CHF 223 million from CHF 255 million in the comparable period.

Chief executive Jahangir Doongaji identified energy and data-center investment as areas of demand while describing traditional construction as weak. Hilti consequently moved its full-year expectation to mid-single-digit sales growth in local currencies. That forecast concerns underlying sales development; the smaller increase reported in Swiss francs shows that currency translation continued to affect the headline result.