First Berlin Equity Research has published a research update on Schloss Wachenheim AG (ISIN: DE0007229007). Analyst Simon Scholes reiterated his BUY rating and maintained his EUR 22.00 price target.

Abstract
Final results for the financial year ending 30 June were close to our forecasts, showing a 3.7% rise in sales to €441.5m (FBe: €447.2m; 2022/23: €425.8m) and a 3.0% rise in EBIT to €28.2m (FBe: €28.0m; 2022/23: €27.4m). In 2023/24 sales and EBIT growth were constrained by inflation which both reduced SWA’s customers’ disposable income and made price rises by SWA unavoidable. Volume fell by 5.2% in 2023/24 but for 2024/25 management expects volumes to stabilise/rise slightly as consumer sentiment improves with easing inflation and falling interest rates. Meanwhile, sales are expected to benefit for a full 12 months from the price rises implemented in 2023/24 and so grow faster than volume. Management is guiding towards 2024/25 EBIT of €31m-€33m (2023/24: €28.2m). The mid-point of this guidance corresponds to y-o-y growth of 13.5% compared with the 3.0% reported for 2023/24. Most of the EBIT improvement is expected to stem from the France segment. Profitability in France will benefit from the absence of the restructuring charges incurred through the transfer of production from Wissembourg to Tournan-en-Brie, and from lower costs at the new site. Management will propose an unchanged dividend of €0.60 to the AGM on 21 November. We have moved our previous 2024/25 EBIT forecast of €34.4m into line with guidance and also made small adjustments (-5%-0%) to our sales and EBIT numbers for subsequent years. However, the impact of these changes on our valuation is balanced by a fall in the yield on the German 10-year government bond yield from 2.52% at the time of our most recent study of 13 May to 2.14% now. We maintain our Buy recommendation at an unchanged price target of €22.