Sika has upgraded its 2026 revenue growth outlook after delivering stronger-than-expected momentum in the first half of the year, driven by market share gains, innovation-led growth, and rising demand in key sectors including infrastructure and data centers.

 

The company reported 4.0% revenue growth in local currencies during the first six months of 2026, with organic growth reaching 2.9%. Momentum accelerated in the second quarter, with local currency growth rising to 6.8% and organic growth reaching 5.7%, as all regions recorded stronger performance compared with the first quarter.

 

Thomas Hasler, CEO, said the company’s investments in innovation, manufacturing efficiency, sourcing capabilities, and digital transformation helped Sika strengthen its competitive position.

 

“Our investments in industry-leading innovation, efficient global manufacturing and sourcing, and our digital transformation allowed us to continue to gain market share throughout the first half of the year. Our focus on delivering a best-in-class customer value proposition and forging strong customer partnerships meant that we outpaced the construction market. 

 

"As a result of our accelerating leadership in strategically important growth segments such as infrastructure and data centers, we expect to continue outperforming the industry. More and more customers are relying on Sika for their most critical projects because of our expertise and innovative solutions. We continuously innovate to develop and offer industry-leading products, and we partner with customers to deliver the best solutions. Our customer focus allows us to protect our leading margins.”

 

Hasler added that Sika’s Fast Forward program is strengthening profitability and competitiveness while accelerating strategic investments.

 

“The Fast Forward program further strengthens our competitive position and our profitability. We will accelerate innovation, channel investments, digitalization, and strengthen our customer focus while delivering CHF 80 million in cost savings this year.”

 

The company also highlighted strong employee engagement, with its Global Employee Survey achieving an engagement score of 88 index points.

 

“I am extremely proud of the outstanding results of our Global Employee Survey. The engagement score of 88 index points reflects the exceptional motivation and commitment of our employees worldwide. In the first half of the year, our teams once again contributed to our strong results through their dedication and customer focus. Their engagement is the driving force behind Sika’s success.”

 

Despite subdued market conditions and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, Sika said continued gains across its markets have supported a more optimistic outlook.

 

“Our year started strongly against a muted market and geopolitical uncertainty. Our continued share gains across our markets enable us to raise our revenue growth guidance from 1–4% to 3–6% in local currencies. We are comfortable with current consensus CHF EBITDA expectations.”

 

Sika increased its material margin to 55.7% in the first half of 2026, compared with 55.1% in the previous year. The improvement was supported by product innovation, procurement efficiency, and pricing initiatives.

 

Half-year EBITDA stood at CHF 1,063.0 million, compared with CHF 1,070.4 million in 2025, while the EBITDA margin improved slightly to 19.0% from 18.9%.

 

Net profit reached CHF 552.1 million, compared with CHF 554.4 million in the prior-year period. Operating free cash flow was CHF 139.6 million, compared with CHF 181.9 million.

 

Sika recorded broad-based growth across its global markets, with the EMEA region delivering the strongest acceleration.

 

Sales in EMEA rose 7.7% in local currencies in the first half of 2026, compared with 1.9% growth in the same period last year. Eastern Europe posted particularly strong results, while Germany improved during the second quarter. Growth in the Middle East accelerated significantly in the second quarter, supported by infrastructure investment projects.

 

Sika said its supply chain agility remained a key advantage across the region, helping deepen customer relationships and secure new business.

 

In the Americas, sales increased 2.9% in local currencies. After a slower start to the year, performance improved in the second quarter, supported by infrastructure investment and strong demand for both new and refurbishment projects.

 

The company continued to see double-digit growth in data center projects, a strategically important segment where Sika is expanding its market leadership. Canada delivered strong growth, while Latin America recorded modest overall growth.

 

Asia/Pacific sales declined slightly by 2.0%, mainly due to continued weakness in China’s residential construction market. However, excluding Chinese construction operations, the region achieved organic growth of 7.7%, with India and Southeast Asia among the strongest performers.

 

Sika said the implementation of its Fast Forward program remains on schedule, with structural adjustments already completed in China and efficiency measures introduced across other markets.

 

The initiative is designed to accelerate digital transformation, improve customer service, strengthen supply chains, increase operational efficiency, and support Sika’s ambition to become the digital market leader in the industry.

 

The company expects Fast Forward to deliver around CHF 80 million in savings during the 2026 financial year. Total annual savings of CHF 150 million to CHF 200 million are expected to be fully realized from 2028.

 

Sika expanded its global footprint through acquisitions and targeted capacity investments during the first half of the year.

 

The company completed the acquisition of Swedish mortar manufacturer Finja, strengthening its position in northern Europe and expanding cross-selling opportunities across the Nordic region.

 

Sika also announced the planned acquisition of Akkim, a Turkey-based global manufacturer of adhesives and sealants with annual net sales of around CHF 220 million. Completion of the transaction is expected in the third quarter of 2026.

 

The company also opened new production facilities across growth markets, including Bangladesh, Tanzania, Belgium, Argentina, Colombia, and the United States.

 

New facilities in Florida and New Jersey expanded Sika’s capacity in concrete admixtures and mortars, while the highly automated Florida plant represents one of the company’s most advanced admixture facilities in the US.

 

A new plant and technology center in Ham, Belgium, will strengthen Sika’s European production and innovation capabilities. The company also established a new national subsidiary in Kyrgyzstan, bringing its global network to 103 national subsidiaries.

 

Following its strong first-half performance, Sika now expects 2026 sales growth of between 3% and 6% in local currencies.

 

The company expects global markets to remain challenging but forecasts an EBITDA margin of 19.0% to 19.5% for the full year and said it remains comfortable with current consensus CHF EBITDA expectations.