ALSTOM S.A: Alstom's first half 2025/26: Excellent commercial momentum, sales ahead of plan, ready for a solid second half

Core Insights - Alstom reports strong first-half performance driven by steady execution of its strategy and balanced growth across regions and product lines, with a focus on innovation and sustainability [2][3] - The company has a healthy backlog and anticipates continued momentum in the second half of the fiscal year [2][3] Orders - Alstom achieved an order intake of €10.5 billion in the first half of fiscal year 2025/26, a 4% decrease from €10.9 billion in the same period last year, attributed to the timing of several awards [7][8] - In Europe, order intake was €5.2 billion, down from €8.5 billion year-on-year [8] - Significant contracts in the Americas included €2.0 billion for 316 commuter rail cars and €1.0 billion for 200 Multilevel III commuter rail cars and locomotives [12] - The backlog as of 30 September 2025 stood at €96.1 billion, reflecting a solid book-to-bill ratio of 1.2x [16] Sales - Total sales for the first half reached €9.1 billion, representing a 3% increase on a reported basis and 8% on an organic basis compared to the previous year [17] - Rolling stock sales were €4,665 million, up 3% reported and 6% organic, driven by strong performances in France, the US, and Italy [18] - Services sales increased to €2,266 million, also up 3% reported and 6% organic, with notable growth in Italy and Australia [19] Profitability - Adjusted EBIT reached €580 million, with an adjusted EBIT margin of 6.4%, up from 5.9% in the previous year [28][29] - The increase in adjusted EBIT margin was supported by improved volume and mix, lower selling and administrative costs, and R&D phasing [29][30] - Net profit for the group share was €220 million, compared to €53 million in the first half of the previous fiscal year [33] Free Cash Flow - Free Cash Flow for the first half was €(740) million, reflecting expected working capital seasonality [34] - Funds from Operations stood at €411 million, up from €282 million in the same period last year [36] Financial Structure - As of 30 September 2025, Alstom's net debt position was €1,399 million, an increase from €434 million as of 31 March 2025 [36] - The company maintains strong liquidity with available cash and cash equivalents of €1,686 million [38] Innovation and Sustainability - Alstom is committed to reducing emissions and aims to use 100% renewable energy in its operations by the end of 2025, with 87% achieved by September 2025 [40][41] - The company has improved its sustainability ratings, achieving a score of 93/100 from ECOVADIS and moving to AAA with MSCI [42]