Moderator
Hello and welcome to today's broadcast with Nolato, who will be presenting their financial report for the second quarter of 2026. With us, we have the CEO, Christer Wahlquist, and CFO, Per-Ola Holmström.
If you wish to ask questions, you can do so via the form found to the right of the broadcast. If you're calling in and would like to ask a question, press *9 to raise your hand and *6 to activate your audio once you've been given the word.
With that said, I hand it over to you, Christer and Per-Ola. The floor is yours.
Christer Wahlquist
Thank you and welcome to the presentation of the second quarter for Nolato Group. Starting on page 2, we saw a quarter with growth in both business areas with a total growth of 4% currency adjusted, with the strongest growth in the Medical business area.
This was achieved in a difficult environment, I would say. Sales ended up at close to 2.5 billion in the quarter, and that was then 4% adjusted currency growth.
The profit, EBITA, ended up at 247 million, creating a margin of 10.1 percentage. The margin was affected by increased raw material prices and some start-up costs for new programs.
Strong cash flow in the quarter ended up at 287 million. As a total, we have a very strong financial position, enabling us to deliver on the intensified acquisition strategy as communicated previously.
Turning to page 3, summing up the group, Nolato consists of two business areas that create synergies across, and both business areas are then working as a development and production partner for leading global customers. On page 4, we see a summary of Medical Solutions development over the last 20 years.
We have seen continuous, sustainable growth and built a global expansion. On page 5, we see a summary of our focus product areas.
As mentioned previously, we see growth opportunities across, of course, with some different driving forces, but we see good potentials across the board. We will continue to deliver on the long-term growth of the business area.
On page 6, we summarize up the second quarter for Medical Solutions. The sales ended up close to 1.4 billion in sales.
That is then, of course, a growth of 4% if we adjust for currency. We saw good development for the in vitro diagnostic market segment.
We saw also continuous growth in the drug delivery systems. Across the other market areas, we saw stable volumes.
The EBITA margin ended up at 11.7 percentage. We saw some negative impact from both raw material price increase, driven by oil prices.
In that sense, we have a time lag before we can adjust to our customers. We will adjust that going forward.
We saw negative impact in the quarter from start-up of new programs or projects that have not reached the volumes. That is, of course, a part of our these projects are a part of supporting our growth targets for the Medical business area.
The expansion in Hungary linked to the new customer contract is proceeding according to plan, and we have started commercial volumes produced in the end of the second quarter. After the quarter, we have started deliveries of commercial volumes.
We will gradually increase our capacity according to previously announced schedule. Jumping into Engineered Solutions on page 7, here we see also a summary of the last close to 20 years for the business area.
On page 8, we summarize up the focus product areas for Engineered Solutions. Here in this area, we have four of these areas—consumer electronics, automotive, hygiene, and others—are sort of similar in the business scope.
Then we have the materials part that is a little bit different where we have our own developed material solutions for shielding and thermal management. That area, we saw a strong growth in the quarter.
Jumping to page 9, summarizing the second quarter for Engineered Solutions, we ended up at the sales of close to 1.1 billion in the quarter. That was an 3% adjusted growth in the quarter.
Supporting that was our strong growth for the materials, which by itself reached an 19% organically growth in the quarter. We also saw sustained growth in consumer electronics with an increase in smart home products.
In the quarter, we also had lower volumes in the hygiene area, affected by inventory adjustment and lower market demands. Automotive contracted as expected.
Summarizing this, it created a margin of 10.3 percentage. We saw a negative impact from the price increases to the raw material, similar to the Medical, but also a favorable product mix with a higher proportion of materials sales in the quarter.
Per-Ola Holmström
Good morning, Per-Ola Holmström, CFO, and group financial highlights on page 10. Net sales was 2 billion 454 million in the quarter, a 4% growth.
Less currency headwinds than recent quarters, on group level, 1.5%. Operating profit EBITA amounted to 247 million compared to 277.
The EBITA margin was 10.1% compared to 11.6%, negatively affected mainly by price increases for raw materials, driven by higher oil prices. The effect is estimated to almost 20 million, most part within Engineered.
As planned, during the first 6 months, we have had resources ahead of starting production and during ramp-up in a number of projects, negatively affecting Medical, estimated to almost 10 million SEK in the quarter. On group level, a one-off severance cost affected by 6 million in the quarter.
Net investments decreased to 133 million compared to 188. As planned, most of the CapEx for the Hungarian expansion is paid.
As we have commented earlier, CapEx will be on a lower level going forward. 600 to 650 million SEK is expected for the full year.
Cash flow after investments was then higher, 154 million compared to 128. Net financial liabilities, excluding pension and lease liabilities, totaled 1 billion 55 million, resulting in net financial liabilities in relation to EBITDA of 0.7 times, giving flexibility.
Return on capital employed decreased to 13.3% compared to 14.2 for a full year 2025 as the profitability was slightly lower and we now have a balance sheet loaded for higher speed.
Christer Wahlquist
Turning to page 11, focusing on the current situation, if we start with the Medical business area, we have, of course, the continued growth strategy, higher market activity. We feel that across the board.
We have built that on our broad customer base with a longstanding, close customer relationships. We see that the major client contracts confirm the overall strategy, and we have started commercial production as in our Hungarian establishment.
The establishment of operation in Malaysia and the expansion in Poland is also creating opportunities going forward. On the Engineered Solutions side, we have advanced our market position, not least in consumer electronics.
We have established position in new product areas and focus on innovative and sustainable solutions. We see success in new products and technology areas, mainly data center, that is positive for materials.
Of course, the expansion of operations in Malaysia is also supporting the long-term development of Engineered Solutions. Overall, we have a favorable financial position that enables our intensified M&A agenda.
We will now open up for questions.
Moderator
Thank you for that presentation. We now open up for a short Q&A session.
As a reminder, if you wish to ask questions, you can do so via the form found to the right of the broadcast. If you're calling in and would like to ask a question, press *9 to raise your hand and *6 to activate your audio once you've been given the word.
We'll begin with Adrian from ABG.
Adrian Finkelstein
Yes, hello and good morning. Just from my end, before moving into the segments, a question on the group costs.
Even if we remove the 6 million in severance pay, the group costs would still have been at a significantly elevated level compared to your usual run rate. Can you just mention what drove this, and if this is something that will revert in coming quarters?
Per-Ola Holmström
I would say that if we look on the actual for this quarter and compare with the actual previous quarter last year, I would say last year was at a low level, and this year was at a high level. If you would combine them, I would say that is more the normal level.
By doing that, we have the extra 6 million, as you say, on top of that. We have had a quarter where our intensified M&A agenda also has had some cost in this quarter.
That is explaining the high number this quarter.
Adrian Finkelstein
Understood. Then you mentioned the 20 million impact from the higher input costs.
Do you expect to have raised prices to fully offset this already in Q3, or do you think there could be some lingering effects from higher input costs still in Q3?
Per-Ola Holmström
We do see some of these costs also affecting the third quarter. We assess that we have taken 2/3 of that effect in this quarter, and the rest will come in the beginning of the third quarter.
Adrian Finkelstein
That's very helpful. Then perhaps just a status update on the GLP-1 deliveries in Hungary for maybe for the second half of the year now that commercial deliveries are up and running.
What sort of ramp-up pace should we expect from here?
Christer Wahlquist
As we communicated when we announced this new program, we said that we will have a starting point in second quarter this year, and then a gradual increase for some years, reaching the full volume somewhere in 2029. Then how exactly that will come in different quarters, it's very difficult to say because we are, of course, starting the production, ramping up, and continuously adding new capacity over that period.
Adrian Finkelstein
I understand, but can you at least help us if it will be sort of lumpy in stages or whether it will be more of a straight line ramp-up?
Christer Wahlquist
It will be not a straight line, but more you can take a line, and then, of course, different quarters will be affected a little bit. It's more of a line than lumpy jumps.
Adrian Finkelstein
Understood. A final one from me, more on a broader note regarding the materials business, now that you are back to significant growth, is there a any sort of capacity cap for this business, and how long can you sustain growth in this business before you need major investments?
Christer Wahlquist
This area is light on the investment compared to the rest, and it's not big jumps in capacity increases that is needed. It's more easy on the growth side from the capital side.
Adrian Finkelstein
No real end point of when you need to start investing again. This can grow for quite a while, it sounds like.
Christer Wahlquist
Yes, on the material side, it's light on the investments.
Adrian Finkelstein
Understood. In that case, that's all for me.
To Christer, I wish you all the best going forward.
Christer Wahlquist
Thank you very much, Adrian.
Moderator
Thank you so much. Now for our second speaker, we will let the number who ends in 1008.
Oscar Rönnkvist
Thank you. This is Oscar Lindström from SEB.
Good morning. First, I had a question on the product ramp-up in Medical, which had a drag on, I think you said, 10 million.
Just wanted to know if you had any comments on the timing. Will that be gone now in Q3, or should that still be the case with this 10 million drag in the coming, let's say, one, two, three quarters?
Per-Ola Holmström
The situation during the first half year has been affected by different projects, as we say. Of course, starting the production in Hungary, that will support going forward in that.
Some of the others will also increase in volumes going forward. There will be effects on the margin, in a way, doing that.
We will for these projects, we will not have, let's say, the targeted margin near-time. That will come gradually over time for these projects.
The situation will ease up going forward gradually in small steps. All right,
Oscar Rönnkvist
perfect. Then just also follow up on the oil price implications here.
You said that around 2/3 and it was, I think, 20 million now in Q2 the effect. We could expect, 10 million in Q3, and then after that, that should be over.
Is that how to interpret it?
Per-Ola Holmström
That is our estimation if the situation will calm down in Middle East and we won't have any new spikes popping up.
Oscar Rönnkvist
Perfect. Just because the oil price obviously has come down a bit, could you see any sort of positive effects when that reverses and that you have, raised prices for some of your customers and that you could have, a short-term boost if, plastic prices comes down a bit?
Christer Wahlquist
No, we don't see that yet. It's still a large uncertainty in the market, and there are many other effects affecting the pricing picture.
We haven't noticed any downturns yet.
Oscar Rönnkvist
Understood. Then just a final one, for the detailed questions here, but again on the group function EBITA here.
I think the difference sort of on an average level in H1 versus last year looks to be around, 10 million, and you say that it's in the sort of middle of that. Is it, fair to say that this quarter was maybe, elevated by approximately 5 million on group function level and that due to M&A activity?
Christer Wahlquist
Of course, there are different things fluctuating a bit, but that is one, maybe the main reason of the difference you mentioned, yes.
Oscar Rönnkvist
All right, and the magnitude is sort of approximately in the right area.
Christer Wahlquist
Yeah.
Oscar Rönnkvist
Perfect. That was all for me.
Thank you very much, and yeah, wish you all the well, Christer.
Christer Wahlquist
Thank you.
Moderator
Thank you so much. Now we have some questions from the chat.
One of them is that the increased administration costs, what is the effect of those and will they be frequent going forward?
Christer Wahlquist
I think we have commented on the administration increased cost already. It is linked to the severance cost.
It is linked to M&A activities and some others. That is naturally, of course, something that hits the administration cost line.
Moderator
Thank you so much. Now going forward, Christer, this is your final interim report as CEO after more than a decade in the role.
How would you describe Nolato's position today, and what gives you confidence in the company's future and the new leadership?
Christer Wahlquist
That's a very nice question. Yes, during my 10 years as CEO of Nolato, we have developed the group to true global player in both business areas.
We have changed our positioning from more a production partner to a development and production partner. I'm fully confident in the potential of continuously growth and increased margins, delivering on our financial targets going forward.
In the new leadership, Anders, I have had the opportunity to work with him for many years. I think I hired him 3, 4 years ago, and I have full confidence in his ability to take Nolato to the next level.
Moderator
Thank you so much. We can continue with some more questions.
For example, the EBITA margin declined to 10.1%, mainly due to higher oil-related raw material costs. How quickly do you expect these costs increases to be passed through to customers?
Christer Wahlquist
Yes, as we commented, we do see that we have 1/3 of these cost effects still coming in the beginning of third quarter. Then it should be handled by us.
If the pricing situation is stable after that, that will be it, to say. Then we're through.
Moderator
Thank you. Let's see.
That was today's last question. With that, we wrap up today's broadcast.
We'd like to extend a real big thank you to Christer and Per-Ola for the presentation, as well as to everyone who submitted questions and watched today's broadcast. I wish you all a continued pleasant day and also a great weekend.
Christer Wahlquist
Thank you, all.
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