LSG Group: Solid Growth and a Stronger Focus on Sustainability

Neu-Isenburg, Germany – In the third quarter of 2019, the LSG Group remained on its path of successful growth. Despite the loss of two hub catering contracts in South Korea and Italy in the summer and fall of 2018, Group sales between January and September of this year amounted to EUR 2.508 billion, which is 4 percent higher than in the first nine months of 2018. During the same period, the company achieved an adjusted EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) of EUR 93 million, which is some 6 percent below the previous year’s figure, mainly due to ongoing restructuring measures in Europe and the aforementioned business losses.

At EUR 52 million, the EBIT is clearly down compared to the previous year (-45 percent) because of necessary unscheduled write-downs. For the year as a whole, the LSG Group continues to expect a slight increase in sales and satisfactory earnings situation. “Whether you are looking at airline catering, equipment, lounges or retail, our company has grown solidly across all regions and business segments,” said Dr. Kristin Neumann, Chief Financial Officer for the LSG Group.

“We operate under difficult conditions in some economically and politically unstable regions of the world, and at the same time have to find ways to deal with upcoming changes in our market environment. In spite of those factors, it fills me with pride to see how our employees are maintaining and even improving the company’s already high performance, both financially and operationally. The entire management team is very grateful for this.”

In addition to the new catering facilities that opened in Phoenix, USA, and Nairobi, Kenya, this past spring, another one went into operation in Novosibirsk, Russia, in the third quarter. Both the equipment expert SPIRIANT and the LSG Lounge business were each able to prolong their existing contracts with Lufthansa by another five years. Other significant agreements signed this year include the extension of the comprehensive catering contracts with airBaltic, Delta Air Lines and United for LSG Sky Chefs, as well as Retail inMotion’s new deal with the Cathay Pacific Group for the management of its worldwide travel-retail program.

“This year, we have further sharpened our focus and our portfolio in order to offer concepts and solutions that take a holistic approach,” said Erdmann Rauer, the LSG Group’s Chief Executive Officer. “Whether through sustainable packaging alternatives and product concepts for our customers, paperless production processes in our operations, or socially conscious projects within our global LSG Group network, we are contributing to positive changes and are embracing that responsibility.”