Connect with us

Technology

Electrolux Group Year-end report Q4 2024

Published

on

STOCKHOLM, Jan. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — 

Highlights of the full-year of 2024

In full-year 2024, net sales increased to SEK 136,150m (134,451) and operating income excl. non-recurring items was SEK 1,666m (414). Higher sales volumes and positive mix contributed positively to earnings, driven by the attractive product offering. Cost reduction measures contributed to a SEK 4.0bn positive impact from cost efficiency.

Highlights of the fourth quarter of 2024

In the fourth quarter, net sales amounted to SEK 37,968m (35,636) and organic sales increased by 11.5% driven by higher volumes and positive mix. Operating income was SEK 1,052m (-3,215), corresponding to a margin of 2.8% (-9.0). Operating income included a non-recurring item of SEK -198m (-2,491) related to business area Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and the divestment of the water heater business in South Africa.Operating income excl. non-recurring items amounted to SEK 1,249m (-724), corresponding to a margin of 3.3% (-2.0). Higher volumes contributed positively to earnings and favorable mix offset negative price. The positive impact from cost efficiency was SEK 2.0bn. Currency headwinds had a significant negative impact.Operating margin excl. non-recurring items in business area Latin America was 8.0% (8.1). In business area Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa the operating margin excl. non-recurring items increased to 4.8% (1.9). Operating income improved in business area North America.In the fourth quarter, Electrolux Group divested all of its potential legacy asbestos exposure in the U.S. The transaction had a positive earnings impact of SEK 185m in business area North America in the quarter.Income for the period amounted to SEK 150m (-4,113) and earnings per share were SEK 0.56 (-15.23).Operating cash flow after investments was SEK 2,660m (3,871). Operating cash flow after investments for the full year was SEK 2,254m (3,064).The Board of Directors proposes that no payment of dividend will be made for 2024.

President and CEO Yannick Fierling’s comment

After having spent 3 months getting to know Electrolux Group and its stakeholders, I assumed the position as CEO on January 1, 2025. In the fourth quarter, we continued to make good progress on our cost reduction initiatives, and the Group’s attractive product offering contributed to an organic growth of 11.5%. Operating margin excluding non-recurring items improved to 3.3% with an operating cash flow after investments of SEK 2.7bn.

Enhanced consumer experiences, agility and speed

Key takeaways from my initial time with Electrolux Group are the strength of our product offering and the clear identity of our brands Electrolux, AEG and Frigidaire. We really know our consumer, evidenced by the high online consumer star ratings for our products. It is essential to truly nurture the local strengths and what differentiates us in the market, while further leveraging our global scale to drive innovation and mix – all in a cost-efficient manner. In addition to offering great products that help consumers make more sustainable choices at home, we need to move even further to experiences, by expanding our customized solutions throughout the consumer journey.

Electrolux Group has a unique culture and legacy that is important to safeguard, while at the same time further increasing speed and agility. A key element of the Group’s culture that I aim to support and develop is entrepreneurship. By promoting ownership and accountability, we can empower the entire team, enhance operational efficiency, and improve financial performance.

Sales growth and cost reductions drove earnings improvement

In the fourth quarter, operating income improved significantly supported by a SEK 2.0bn contribution from cost efficiency and organic growth of 11.5%.

Business area Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa reached an operating margin, excluding non-recurring items, of 4.8% (1.9) despite continued subdued discretionary consumer spending in Europe.

In North America good momentum from our new products and improved productivity contributed to an improvement in operating income. I am also very pleased that all of the Group’s potential legacy asbestos exposure in the U.S. was divested in the fourth quarter. This transaction provides improved long-term financial visibility for our investors and frees up operational resources. In Latin America performance remained strong in the quarter with an operating margin of 8.0%.

For the Group, the seasonal pattern of our earnings has started to normalize, with the fourth quarter being the strongest during the year. With that in mind, the first quarter is normally weaker than the other quarters.

Demand mainly driven by replacements

The market in Europe continued to be replacement driven and was relatively stable in the fourth quarter, with high promotional intensity. The built-in kitchen market in Europe stabilized at a low level. Promotional activity was high in North America, but Black Friday promotions did not continue throughout December as they did the year before. Despite weak housing markets and with some quarterly volatility, the market increased slightly in 2024, supported by the aggressive pricing environment. The main markets in Latin America grew in the quarter although growth in Brazil slowed somewhat as consumer demand started to accelerate in the fourth quarter 2023.

Outlook for 2025

Looking at 2025, there is an uncertainty stemming from potential impact on demand for home appliances from possible new trade policies in North America. In Europe demand has started to stabilize, but there is a time-lag before lower interest rates and potential improvements in disposable income support an increase in discretionary purchases. Following strong growth in Brazil during 2024 we expect market demand to stabilize in 2025.

On the back of this we expect market demand for core appliances to be relatively neutral in all regions in 2025 compared to 2024.

Organic earnings contribution from volume, price and mix combined for the Group is expected to be relatively neutral in full-year 2025. We anticipate that a high degree of demand will continue to be driven by replacement purchases, which are more price sensitive. Negative price is anticipated to be offset by growth in our focus categories such as premium laundry and kitchen products. Similar to 2024, investments in Innovation and marketing are projected to increase in full year 2025. The intent is to capitalize on the product and services leadership, supported by brand-building, to create value long term.

External factors are expected to be negative for the year, with significant headwinds from currencies. The impact from raw material costs is expected to be essentially neutral.

With reduced product cost across the value chain as the main driver, we anticipate SEK 3.5-4.0bn earnings contribution from cost efficiency in 2025.

Profitability and cash flow in focus

With a robust cash flow in the fourth quarter, a strong liquidity, and a well-balanced maturity profile, the Group’s financial situation is stable. Improving earnings and cash flow are top priorities. In North America focus is to improve productivity and reduce cost further while continuing to support the strong product offering.

We will continue to develop and strengthen Electrolux Group for the years to come. Our attractive offering and strong brands together with effectively executed cost-reductions and high-performing organizational set-up, position us well for the future.

Telephone conference 09.00 CET

A telephone conference is held at 09.00 CET today, January 30. Yannick Fierling, President and CEO, and Therese Friberg, CFO, will comment on the report.

To only listen to the telephone conference, use the link:
https://edge.media-server.com/mmc/p/t5j746u2

OR

To both listen to the telephone conference and ask questions, use the link:
https://register.vevent.com/register/BIf2eec702a54847a6abf57e788d2c218c

Presentation material available for download

www.electroluxgroup.com/ir

This disclosure contains information that Electrolux Group is obliged to make public pursuant to the EU Market Abuse Regulation (EU nr 596/2014). The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person, on 30-01-2025 08:00 CET.

For more information:
Maria Åkerhielm, Investor Relations, +46 70 796 3856
Electrolux Group Press Hotline, +46 8 657 65 07

This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com

https://news.cision.com/electrolux-group/r/electrolux-group-year-end-report-q4-2024,c4098064

The following files are available for download:

 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/apac/news-releases/electrolux-group-year-end-report-q4-2024-302364235.html

SOURCE Electrolux Group

Continue Reading

Technology

Faith: The Spark Born by the Yudu Riverside

Published

on

By

BEIJING, Oct. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — An interview from China.org.cn with Wang Xiaohui and David Ferguson on the Long March:

David Ferguson:

This is the Yudu River. One dusk in October, 1934, more than 86,000 soldiers of the Red Army crossed this river and embarked on the Long March, a two-year saga that has left its mark in history.

Yet, lingering here by the river, I am struck by a simple question: If you have faith in a bright future, and reality seems to thwart you at every turn, where do you find the moral strength to keep believing?

Wang Xiaohui:

At dusk on Oct. 17, 1934, an army of more than 86,000 troops gathered along the banks of the Yudu River. Over 800 boats of all sizes floated on the water, bound together with planks collected from villagers’ home gates, timber beams, and even coffin boards reserved for elderly locals. The people of Yudu built this pontoon bridge, determined to help the army led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) cross the river.

At that time, no one knew that the great expedition embarked upon by the banks of the Yudu River would go on to transform China and exert far-reaching influence across the world.

China in the 1920s and 1930s was plagued by chaos and despair.

The Kuomintang (KMT), the ruling party back then, was not capable of unifying the nation, leaving warlords locked in endless fighting. In 1931, Japanese invaders launched an assault on northeastern China, beginning their invasion. Crushed under domestic turbulence and foreign aggression, countless civilians were displaced, with many even starving to death on the streets; in certain regions, severe drought resulted in zero harvests, yet the farmers were forced to pay land taxes assessed for more than a decade into the future.

Amid this turmoil, the only glimmer of hope for the Chinese nation was kindled by the revolution ignited by the Communist Party of China.

The CPC, dedicated to winning liberation for the people and national independence, built contingents of workers’ and peasants’ Red Army troops and revolutionary base areas across the countryside. Impoverished farmers were granted land ownership, as well as unprecedented political dignity. On Nov. 7, 1931, the Chinese Soviet Republic was officially proclaimed in Ruijin, then a small village in southeastern China’s Jiangxi Province, establishing a Soviet system under which workers, peasants and soldiers elected representatives to run regional affairs and make policies.

The communist ideal of a fair society free from exploitation and equality for all blazed like a spark in the darkness; it kindled hopes among impoverished Chinese and became the wellspring of faith that enabled the Red Army — a force made up of poor workers and peasants — to overcome all hardships in the days to come.

Yet, bright as the spark was, it burned thin and fragile at times. Could this flame still endure when the ideals it carried were repeatedly battered by harsh reality?

In September 1933, flocks of warplanes clouded the skies over the Red Army’s revolutionary base areas. By then, Japanese invaders were steadily advancing towards North China, but Chiang Kai-shek’s KMT turned a blind eye to the looming national crisis. They mobilized over a million troops and more than 200 aircraft to launch a massive offensive at the Red Army’s base areas. Over the previous three years, Chiang Kai-shek had mounted four major military “encirclement” campaigns aimed at exterminating the Red Army, but all ended in failure. He was desperate for a pivotal victory to restore his prestige and to wipe out the CPC and the Red Army.

At the time, the commander of the Red Army abandoned mobile warfare tactics pioneered by Mao Zedong and other commanders, opting instead for rigid positional warfare involving conventional head-on clashes. But the reality was, some Red Army units didn’t even possess a single light machine gun; how could they confront the heavily-armed KMT army head-on?

Zhong Ming, a Red Army medic, could never erase the memories of gravely wounded soldiers being carried to his aid station. He remembered how a soldier whose chest was blown open begged his comrades to end his life. At the frontline, a whole battalion of Red Army soldiers religiously followed orders to defend crude earth-and-wood bunkers, but under the constant barrage of KMT artillery and airstrikes, every soldier in the battalion laid down their lives; not a single man survived.

What’s more heart-wrenching is that no matter how fearlessly the Red Army fought, the steep imbalance in military strength, paired with erroneous military command led to irreversible losses. By October 1934, the KMT’s iron-clad encirclement closed menacingly around Ruijin.

Faced with this dead-end, what decision would you make?

This stood as the most agonizing decision for the Red Army. The biggest challenge lay not in sacrificing one’s life for an ideal, but in finding a way to keep the revolutionary cause alive.

To stay meant defeat — the Red Army had no room to maneuver within the Central Revolutionary Base Area. To break through the encirclement, however slim the odds, offered a fighting chance. Preserving the Red Army as a living force mattered much more than clinging to isolated strongholds. Where the spark survives, the path ahead remains lit.

The air already turned chilly in October. Units of the Central Red Army assembled in Yudu to prepare for a strategic shift. The plan was kept strictly classified; none of the soldiers knew they were evacuating the base areas, only sensing an unusual vibe.

At dusk on Oct. 17, crowds lined up at the Yudu riverbank. Tens of thousands of villagers flocked from every corner to see the Red Army off. They walked alongside the marching columns, slipping food like eggs and glutinous rice balls into the soldiers’ pockets, praying for their swift homecoming.

The main force of the Central Red Army set off. Within days, they left behind revolutionary base areas where they had survived, grown and taken root. No one anticipated that the journey they embarked on would become the Long March, a trek spanning over 10 provinces. Still less could anyone imagine that this journey would ultimately pave the way for a brand-new China.

Looking back on this chapter of history, many claim that the Red Army only set out on this expedition because the enemies left them no other choice. To a degree, yes, the Long March was indeed a forced strategic shift, yet this fact does nothing to diminish its greatness and glory.

The ordinary Red Army soldiers had no idea how far they would march, or where they were heading. But they clung firmly to their founding mission: to deliver liberation for the people and independence to the nation. This unswerving conviction kept them from disintegrating through countless perils, sustaining them as they marched into the unknown with resolve.

David Ferguson:

I now realize that faith and ideals untested by harsh reality may have no true substance.

Since its founding, the Communist Party of China has always upheld the realization of communism as its fundamental goal. Despite devastating losses and extreme adversity, the Red Army continued to press forward resolutely and never faltered. Its inner strength came from an unshakable belief in the cause, an unwavering commitment to the founding aspiration, and a profound sense of mission. The Red Army was never fleeing pursuers in search of safety; it was marching forward to a future in which it had a steadfast belief.

Wang Xiaohui:

The Long March went on for two years. The Red Army trekked 25,000 li across some of China’s harshest terrain, but they kept their heads high, seeking hope amid despair and marching towards light through unending darkness. The lofty ideals and sense of mission they upheld have also become the torch that guides generations of CPC members in the following centennial, tempering them into steel as they press forward unswervingly toward national rejuvenation.

That spark lit along the Yudu River has never dimmed since.

China Mosaic
http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm

Faith: The Spark Born by the Yudu Riverside
http://www.china.org.cn/2026-10/16/content_118736835.shtml

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/faith-the-spark-born-by-the-yudu-riverside-302911977.html

SOURCE China.org.cn

Continue Reading

Technology

Linktel Technologies Highlights Breakthrough 1.6T LPO Performance & Strong Market Pull at OCP 2026

Published

on

By

SAN JOSE, Calif., Oct. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — At the recent 2026 OCP Global Summit, Linktel Technologies showcased its cutting-edge optical interconnect portfolios engineered specifically for next-generation AI computing networks. Among the heavy lineup, Linktel’s 1.6T Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO) solutions commanded immense industry attention, drawing heavy customer interest for their unprecedented energy efficiency, ultra-low latency, and supply-chain resilience.

Spotlight: 1.6T LPO Performance & High Customer Traction

AI data centers face immense scaling pressures, demanding higher bandwidth densities with tighter thermal and power budgets. Linktel’s 1.6T LPO solutions—highlighted by the 1.6T LPO 2DR4—delivered standout performance metrics that captured the spotlight at the summit:

Ultra-Low Power Consumption: Operates with power consumption as low as an impressive 10W, drastically mitigating data center cooling and power loads.Minimal Latency: Features a linear optics architecture that cuts down signal processing delays, making it a critical asset for high-performance AI scale-out fabrics.Enhanced Supply-Chain Resilience: Eliminating the optical DSP mitigates component choke points, ensuring robust scalability for mass deployments.Proven Interoperability: Following its breakthrough performance and multi-switch platform interoperability at the early September 2026 1.6T LPO-MSA Plugfest, Linktel has laid a solid foundation for the 200G-per-wavelength ecosystem.

Surging Market Interest

Throughout OCP 2026, Linktel’s live demonstrations of its 1.6T LPO, LRO, and FRO modules drew crowds of data center architects and industry partners. With volume production already in place, Linktel is fully equipped to meet the exploding market demand for energy-efficient, high-density 1.6T connectivity.

Overview of Other Innovations at OCP 2026

In addition to the heavily requested 1.6T LPO lineup, Linktel showcased two other major high-speed architectural pillars:

12.8T Liquid-Cooled XPO:Featured a live thermal demonstration integrating advanced liquid cooling to guarantee stable operations in high-density AI nodes.As a founding member of the XPO MSA, Linktel is actively scaling XPO series with FRO, LRO, and LPO variants for comprehensive scale-up, scale-out, and scale-across frameworks.6.4T/7.2T NPO Modules:Displayed with covers removed to reveal internal architectural designs supporting both ELS and ILS configurations.Combines compact high density with low power and low latency, backed by an established 6.4T/7.2T NPO roadmap.DMD Technology & Executive Presentation:Linktel Engineer Director Dr. Grace Zhang hosted a heavily attended Executive Session titled “Dispersion Managed Transceiver for Next-Gen AI Fabrics,” detailing cost-effective 800G (20km) and 1.6T (10km) solutions for OCS SuperPOD architectures, as well as the feasibility of 400G per lambda (3km).With its DMD product line already in volume production, Linktel actively calls upon ecosystem partners to join forces in collaborative development. To drive ecosystem maturity, Linktel is open to sharing its U.S.-filed patents, paving the way for industry-wide adoption and advancements in next-gen AI fabrics.

About Linktel Technologies

Linktel Technologies is a global leader in optical transceiver development and manufacturing, supplying high-speed optical I/O connectivity—including pluggable transceivers, optical engines, and ODM/JDM services.

For more information, visit www.linktel.com or follow Linktel Technologies on LinkedIn.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/linktel-technologies-highlights-breakthrough-1-6t-lpo-performance–strong-market-pull-at-ocp-2026–302911973.html

SOURCE Linktel Technologies

Continue Reading

Technology

Advanced Manufacturing in Focus: Smart Life and Robotics Take the Spotlight at 140th Canton Fair

Published

on

By

GUANGZHOU, China, Oct. 18, 2026 /CNW/ — Phase 1 of the 140th Canton Fair, themed “Advanced Manufacturing,” opened on October 15 and will run through October 19. As one of the event’s most closely watched sections, the Consumer Electronics and Information Products zone once again serves as a showcase for the latest achievements in China’s manufacturing and technology industries.

Smart Life Solutions Address an Aging and Globalized Market

A highlight of this section is the focus on smart living, which brings together smart solutions designed to support healthier, safer, and more independent lifestyles.

For example, wearable devices and continuous glucose monitoring systems enable convenient tracking of key health indicators such as heart rate and blood glucose levels. Meanwhile, wearable exoskeletons and other AI-powered devices support mobility training and functional recovery. For home and elderly care, companion robots, electric nursing beds and home-use hyperbaric oxygen chambers, offer a combination of daily care, wellness support and lifestyle assistance. All these solutions highlight a growing shift toward technology-enabled living, where health management, personal care, and independent living are becoming more accessible and connected.

Service Robots Demonstrate Expanding Real-World Applications

The Service Robot Zone remains one of the fair’s most popular attractions in this edition.

Among the crowd favorites is a humanoid robot standing roughly 70–80 centimeters tall. With its expressive movements and playful appearance, the robot draws constant attention as it dances, approaches visitors and occasionally performs flips to the delight of onlookers. Behind the product is a company that has overcome key challenges in compact joint modules and modular humanoid robot development. Its independently developed high-power-density joints deliver remarkable agility and explosive movement, while modular architecture provides flexibility for a wide range of future applications.

More broadly, the Service Robot Zone features exhibits spanning a wide range of application areas, including embodied intelligence, specialized operations, urban services, and smart living. Full-size humanoid robots, dexterous hands with multimodal sensing capabilities and wheeled robots highlight the latest advances in artificial intelligence, perception technologies and motion control. For demanding industrial and emergency environments, exhibitors are presenting robotic inspection systems, live-line maintenance robots and underwater propulsion robots designed to improve safety and operational efficiency.

The commercial services sector is also well represented through reception robots, façade-cleaning robots and fully automated coffee kiosks, while everyday life applications include wearable exoskeletons, robotic lawn mowers and educational robots for home use. Together, these exhibits demonstrate how China’s robotics industry is accelerating its transition from technological innovation to large-scale commercialization.

As the 140th Canton Fair gets underway, the showcased innovations highlight China’s growing strength in advanced manufacturing, turning cutting-edge technologies into practical, market-ready solutions for global customers.

For more convenient attendance, please click here for pre-registration:
https://buyer.cantonfair.org.cn/register/buyer/email?source_type=16

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/advanced-manufacturing-in-focus-smart-life-and-robotics-take-the-spotlight-at-140th-canton-fair-302911955.html

SOURCE Canton Fair

Continue Reading

Trending