Saint-Gobain rises on second quarter sales growth acceleration

Investing.com -- Saint-Gobain reported first-half 2026 results on Thursday after the close, with sales totaling €23.6 billion, up 0.7% organically, driven by a strong acceleration to 3.5% growth in the second quarter across all regions.

The French construction materials company saw second quarter organic sales rise 7.0% in Asia-Pacific, 4.1% in Europe, and 0.9% in the Americas, marking a return to growth after weather-related disruptions in the first quarter.

Construction chemicals delivered 8.5% organic growth in the second quarter, up from 5.3% in the first half. The company's EBITDA margin reached 15.4% with a free cash flow conversion ratio of 65%. The company's ADRS rose 2.7% following the results.

"The first half of 2026 marked a return to growth across all our Regions and once again confirmed our ability to outperform our markets in a contrasted environment," said Benoit Bazin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Sales growth was accompanied by a very good operational performance thanks to the strength of our local organization and the commitment of our teams."

EBITDA totaled €3,625 million in the first half, down from €3,818 million in the prior year period, impacted by a negative 2.7% currency effect. The company generated free cash flow of €2,105 million, with capital expenditure of €664 million. Net debt decreased to €11.5 billion from €12.8 billion at end-June 2025.

For 2026, Saint-Gobain confirmed its outlook for an EBITDA margin of more than 15.0% in a contrasted macroeconomic environment and uncertain geopolitical landscape.

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