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View of the construction site of the Elbtower building, owned by Rene Benko’s Signa and a Commerzbank subsidiary, in Hamburg Germany, November 2, 2023. On Friday, Signa Real Estate Management filed for insolvency in a local court in Berlin, according to a court filing. The real estate sector was a bedrock of Germany's economy for years, accounting for roughly a fifth of output and one in 10 jobs. Now a sharp rise in rates has put an end to the run, tipping some developers into insolvency as deals freeze and prices fall. Weakness in commercial real estate in the United States as offices remain empty after the pandemic and the struggles of major property developers in China have focused global attention on the sector.

Persons: Rene Benko’s Signa, Fabian Bimmer, Signa, Elliott, Rene Benko, Switzerland's Julius Baer, Hannes Moesenbacher, Matthias Inverardi, John O'Donnell, Miranda Murray, Sharon Singleton, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Elliott Investment Management, Chrysler, Estate Management, Austria's Raiffeisen Bank, Thomson Locations: Hamburg Germany, Austrian, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Berlin, Bavaria, Hesse, Hamburg, Europe's, United States, China

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of German industrial conglomerate Siemens, Roland Busch attends the virtual annual shareholder meeting in Munich, Germany, February 10, 2022. Sven Hoppe/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSummaryCompanies Company expects sales to grow 4-8% in fiscal 2024Posts record industrial sales, profit in Q4Frankfurt-listed shares +3.6%FRANKFURT, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Siemens (SIEGn.DE) on Thursday gave a more cautious sales outlook for 2024, citing continuing destocking by Chinese customers, after the maker of products from trains to industrial software reported record industrial profit. That beat the 20.99 billion euros forecast in a company-gathered poll of analysts. Industrial profit too grew 7% to a record 3.4 billion euros, above the 3.34 billion euros forecast. The company has also been working through its massive order book, which stood at 111 billion euros at the end of September, up from 110 billion euros at the end of June.

Persons: Roland Busch, Sven Hoppe, Ralf Thomas, Christoph Steitz, Alexander Huebner, John Revill, Linda Pasquini, Christopher Cushing, Jan Harvey Organizations: Siemens, Companies, ABB, Frankfurt, Industrial Business, Thomson Locations: Munich, Germany, Frankfurt, FRANKFURT, Swiss, China

Miniatures of windmill, solar panel and electric pole are seen in front of Siemens Energy logo in this illustration taken January 17, 2023. A producer of key equipment such as gas turbines, converter stations and wind turbines, Siemens Energy is viewed by the German government as vital to its energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables. Frankfurt-listed shares in Siemens Energy were up 3% at 0757 GMT. Siemens Gamesa, once considered the future growth driver for Siemens Energy, has become a millstone around the group's neck after deeper-than-expected wind turbine quality issues were disclosed in June. As part of the financial backing agreed with stakeholders, Siemens Energy said it would sell an 18% stake in Indian firm Siemens Ltd (SIEM.NS) to Siemens AG at a discount of 15%, confirming a previous Reuters story.

Persons: Dado, Christian Bruch, Spain's, Christoph Steitz, Linda Pasquini, Mark Potter Organizations: Siemens Energy, REUTERS, Siemens, Siemens Gamesa, Siemens AG, Reuters, Siemens Ltd, Thomson Locations: Frankfurt, MUNICH

☆ German government supports Siemens Energy with $8 bln guarantees
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Christian Kraemer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Miniatures of windmill, solar panel and electric pole are seen in front of Siemens Energy logo in this illustration taken January 17, 2023. Private banks were expected to provide Siemens Energy with guarantees worth 12 billion euros while Siemens Energy would seek another 3 billion from other sources, the statement said, adding it was conditional on the final sign-off of all parties. "We are pleased with the German government's clear support for Siemens Energy and the commitment to the rapid implementation of projects to make the energy transition a success," Siemens Energy said in a statement. Shares in Siemens AG rose 2.7% at 1517 GMT on the deal while Siemens Energy shares were up 0.3%. Siemens AG, which spun off Siemens Energy in 2020, is also expected to provide support by buying most of the 24% stake Siemens Energy owns in Siemens Ltd (SIEM.NS), an Indian joint venture, sources have told Reuters.

Persons: Dado, Marco Buschmann, Buschmann, Christian Kraemer, Alexander Hübner, Christoph Steitz, Linda Pasquini, Madeline Chambers, Matthias Williams, Kirsti Knolle, David Evans Organizations: Siemens Energy, REUTERS, Rights, Siemens AG, Reuters, Siemens Ltd, Siemens, RTL, ntv, Thomson Locations: Indian

REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsFRANKFURT/MUNICH, Oct 26 (Reuters) - German technology groups have warned they are being hit by delays in getting China-bound exports through customs, following the introduction of a German government strategy to reduce economic dependence on demand from China. German chip-making kit supplier Suess MicroTec (SMHNn.DE) late on Wednesday cut its sales forecasts for the second time in three months, blaming tightened controls for exports to China. German customs and the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA) did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lobby group Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) told Reuters the BAFA office was appearing to scrutinise export requests more closely or escalate requests to the economy ministry more often. Still, the German chamber of commerce said the political environment was hobbling exports to China.

Persons: Phil Noble, Suess, Friedolin Strack, Burkhardt Frick, Martin Wansleben, Alexander Huebner, Rene Wagner, Christian Kraemer, Thomas Escritt, Anneli, Ludwig Burger, David Holmes Organizations: REUTERS, Federal Office, Economic Affairs, Export Control, Pacific Committee, German Business, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Hamburg, Germany, FRANKFURT, MUNICH, China, Asia, Munich, Berlin, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt

☆ German chip kit supplier hit by tightened China export scrutiny
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MUNICH, Oct 25 (Reuters) - German chip-making kit supplier Süss MicroTec (SMHNn.DE) cut its sales forecasts for the second time in three months, blaming tightened government controls for exports to China, sending shares tumbling 11%. The south German company said on Wednesday that deliveries worth 23.5 million euros ($24.86 million) were stuck at customs, adding that, though rules had not changed, customs appeared to have significantly stepped up their inspections for deliveries to China since August. German customs did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Süss Microtec expects sales of between 300 and 340 million euros this year, compared to 299.1 million euros last year, a smaller increase than they expected earlier. ($1 = 0.9454 euros)Reporting by Alexander Hübner, writing by Thomas Escritt; Editing by Rod NickelOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Süss Microtec, Alexander Hübner, Thomas Escritt, Rod Nickel Organizations: Thomson Locations: MUNICH, China

☆ German space firm OHB plans to delist as KKR takes minority stake
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Alexander Hübner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Trading information for KKR & Co is displayed on a screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, U.S., August 23, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File PhotoBERLIN, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Germany's OHB (OHBG.DE) on Monday said U.S. financial investor KKR was buying a minority stake in the space company and it planned to delist from the stock market. KKR is planning a voluntary public tender offer for all outstanding shares at a price of 44 euros ($48.34), according to OHB. In total, KKR is putting up to 338 million euros into OHB with the takeover bid, a capital increase of 10% and a capital injection for the OHB space subsidiary Rocket Factory. OHB posted a first half pre-tax profit of 19.6 million euros and said its order backlog remained at a high level of 1.8 billion euros.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Fuchs, Marco Fuchs, OHB, Christian Ollig, Alexander Huebner, Rachel More, Miranda Murray, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: KKR, New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Monday, Factory, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S, Bremen, Europe

ERLANGEN, Germany, July 13 (Reuters) - Siemens (SIEGn.DE) will spend 1 billion euros ($1.12 billion)on new factories and facilities in Germany, the engineering company said on Thursday, as Berlin published a strategy paper highlighting the economic and security risks of investing in China. News of the Erlangen investment came as Berlin published a paper responding to a more assertive China, which included warnings about security risks of investing in the country. Siemens, which last month unveiled a 2 billion euro global investment plan, said it was investing in Germany to accelerate growth and also "increase its resilience." "Siemens is banking on innovation in Germany and launching the next stage of digitalization," Siemens Chief Executive Roland Busch said on Thursday. Under its global investment plan Siemens is also expanding its digital factory in Chengdu and building a new R&D centre in Shenzhen.

Persons: Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Roland Busch, Busch, Siemens, Alexander Huebner, John Revill, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Siemens, Siemens Healthineers, Thomson Locations: ERLANGEN, Germany, Berlin, China, Erlangen, Beijing, Europe, United States, Chengdu, Shenzhen, Siemens's, Forchheim, Nuremburg, Zurich

☆ German firm sees U.S. getting lion's share of 100 bln euro military fund
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Alexander Hübner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Wiegand called on the government to use the 100 billion euro fund not only to plug short-term gaps in the German military's inventories but also to help develop technologies of the future. Renk, formerly a subsidiary of Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE), is global leader in the production of gear boxes for tanks including the Leopard 2. The company, situated in the Bavarian town of Augsburg, makes about 70% of its sales from gear boxes for tanks and navy ships, the rest with gear boxes for civilian purposes such as compressors. Renk has booked orders totalling of 3.9 billion euros ($4.3 billion), including framework contracts, according to the CEO. Bankers estimate Renk's value to be around 2.5 billion euros in case of an IPO.

Persons: Berlin, Susanne Wiegand, embargoed, Wiegand, Triton, Renk, Alexander Hübner, Sabine Siebold, Rachel More, David Holmes Organizations: Renk, Volkswagen, VW, Bankers, Thomson Locations: MUNICH, U.S, Munich, Berlin, Germany, Bavarian, Augsburg

Bowing to pressure from allies, Germany's government this year agreed to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine, one of the big ticket items sought by Kyiv as it gears up to mount a counteroffensive against Russian forces. Duesseldorf-based Rheinmetall makes the cannon of the Leopard 2 while the Munich-based KMW makes its chassis. A district court in Munich in a statement on Tuesday said KMW was seeking legal protection to prevent Rheinmetall from making statements it saw as "untrue, misleading factual assertions that violate its rights". Higher defence spending pushed Rheinmetall to record earnings last year and saw the company enter Germany's DAX blue-chip index. ($1 = 0.9106 euros)Writing by Matthias Williams Editing by Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Gulden said Adidas was still deciding what to do with its stock of unsold Yeezy footwear. One option could be for Adidas to donate proceeds from the sale of repurposed Yeezy stock to charity, Gulden said. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton 1 2 3The split cost Adidas 600 million euros ($632 million) in sales in the fourth quarter of 2022, and Yeezy shoes would have brought in an estimated $1.2 billion in revenue this year. Inventories came in at just under 6 billion euros at the end of December, up 49% from the previous year, including 400 million euros of Yeezy products. That, along with $200 million of one-off costs, would bring Adidas to a $700 million loss this year.

☆ Adidas CEO promises turnaround after costly Yeezy split
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Alexander Hübner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Gulden said Adidas is still deciding what to do with its stock of unsold Yeezy footwear. One option could be for Adidas to donate proceeds from the sale of repurposed Yeezy stock to charity, Gulden said. The split cost Adidas 600 million euros ($632 million) in sales in the fourth quarter of 2022, and Yeezy shoes would have brought in an estimated $1.2 billion in revenue this year. Inventories came in at just under 6 billion euros at the end of December, up 49% from the previous year, including 400 million euros of Yeezy products. In the fourth quarter of last year, currency-neutral revenue declined by 1%, taking into account a 600-million-euro loss after it stopped selling Yeezy shoes.

☆ Adidas to slash dividend after Kanye West split
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Alexander Hübner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Adidas merchandise is seen in an Adidas store on the day the German company terminated its partnership with the American rapper and designer Kanye West, now known as Ye, in Garden City, New York, U.S., October 25, 2022. REUTERS/Shannon StapletonBERLIN, March 8 (Reuters) - Adidas (ADSGn.DE) will slash its 2022 dividend, it said Wednesday, warning a split with rapper and fashion designer Kanye West could push it to its first annual loss in three decades this year. The company will recommend a dividend of 0.70 euros ($0.7374) per share at a May 11 annual general meeting, it said. Adidas is still dealing with the fallout from ending its partnership with West, which yielded the lucrative Yeezy sneaker line. Adidas said it is still deciding what to do with its stock of unsold Yeezy footwear.

☆ Puma sees 2023 profit at about last year's level as costs weigh
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 1 (Reuters) - German sportswear maker Puma (PUMG.DE) on Wednesday gave 2023 operating profit outlook with midpoint below last year's level, as it expects currency effects and higher freight and raw material costs to again weigh on profitability. Rising materials and freight costs as well as stronger U.S. dollar, inventory markdowns and higher promotion expenses have put pressure on margins in the sporting goods sector. The company sees operating profit (EBIT) in a range of 590 million to 670 million euros ($626 million to $711 million) this year, with currency-adjusted sales growth in a high-single-digit percentage rate. It reported EBIT of 641 million euros for 2022, up from 557 million a year earlier but slightly below the 644 million euros expected by analysts, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. Puma had guided for 2022 EBIT in a range of 600 million to 700 million euros.

☆ Adidas and Major League Soccer extend partnership with 2026 World Cup in view
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

MUNICH, Feb 22 (Reuters) - Adidas (ADSGn.DE) and Major League Soccer in the United States on Wednesday announced a multi-year extension to their partnership that sees the German sports goods maker continue as the official supplier for the league, clubs and youth academies. "We are committed to helping grow the game and could not be more excited as we approach the 2026 World Cup hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico," said Adidas chief executive Bjorn Gulden in a statement. According to a report by the news outlet CNBC, the contract, which runs until 2030, is worth $830 million while the previous contract from 2017 was worth $700 million. Adidas declined to comment on those figures. Reporting by Alexander Hübner; writing by Matthias Williams; editing by Rachel MoreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ 'Day of pain': Wirecard boss denies charges in massive fraud trial
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Jörn Poltz | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUNICH, Feb 13 (Reuters) - The former boss of Wirecard on Monday expressed his "deepest regret" over the collapse of the defunct payments company but denied all allegations as he took to the stand in Germany's biggest post-war fraud trial. Austrian-born Braun, 53, and two other ex-Wirecard managers Oliver Bellenhaus and Stephan von Erffa are on trial on charges including market manipulation and fraud and face up to 15 years each in prison if convicted. "There was in reality no life outside the company," he said, speaking throughout in a calm and concentrated voice. Braun's lawyers have alleged that Bellenhaus was the main perpetrator of the fraud at Wirecard, which began processing payments for pornography and online gambling and rose to be a blue chip DAX company worth $28 billion. Reporting by Jörn Poltz and Alexander Hübner Writing by Matthias Williams Editing by Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Losses from natural catastrophes covered by insurance totalled around $120 billion last year, similar to 2021, though short of 2017's record damages, Munich Re (MUVGn.DE), the world's largest reinsurer, said. Annual insured losses of $100 billion appear to be "the new normal", he said. Total losses from natural catastrophes, including those not covered by insurance, were $270 billion in 2022. The United States once again accounted for a big portion of the losses with Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida in September, causing $60 billion of insured damages and $100 billion in total losses. Floods in Australia early in the year and again in October resulted in $4.7 billion in insured damages and $8.1 billion overall.

Siemens Energy owns 67% in Siemens Gamesa and has launched a 4.05 billion euro bid, expected to run until Dec. 13, to buy the rest in an attempt to better integrate the division and fix quality issues at a next-generation turbine model. "In a challenging year we managed to again deliver solid results in our Gas and Power business, while Siemens Gamesa did not meet expectations," Siemens Energy Chief Executive Christian Bruch said in a statement. "The integration of Siemens Gamesa will help to improve profitability at our wind business and allow it to deliver to its full potential." Fourth-quarter sales were up 5.9% at 9.2 billion euros, the company said, higher than the 8.8 billion Refinitiv estimate. The company added that, at 97.4 billion euros, its order backlog had reached a new record.

☆ European game is not sustainable, says Super League backer
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Alexander Hübner | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MUNICH, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Bernd Reichart, CEO of the company backing a proposed Super League, said on Wednesday that European football is losing its leading role in world sport and that clubs are not maximising their potential under the current system. Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus were amongst 12 clubs to announce a breakaway Super League in April 2021 but after a hostile reaction from across the game and from fans and governments alike the move promptly collapsed. One aspect of the initial Super League proposition which angered fans was that it was a closed competition for Europe's elite clubs, but Reichart said that was no longer the case. U.S. investment bank JP Morgan had been set to finance the Super League in 2021 but Reichart said it will now be "starting from scratch". Reichart has also written to UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin seeking a meeting to discuss issues related to the Super League, according to a letter obtained by Reuters.

The annual energy price increase in Germany in August on average was 139%, latest producer price data showed this week. In a BDI survey of 593 businesses, more than a third said their existence was threatened by higher energy prices, up from 23% in February. Industry group VKU has also joined the chorus of concern, warning that local utilities faced insolvency due to high energy prices and possible defaults from their customers. read moreThe head of the German Chemicals Industry Association VCI on Tuesday said rising energy prices were a "huge alarm call" for Germany as a place to do business. He welcomed Buschmann's initiative to relax insolvency rules but added that suspending them outright again would be a "serious mistake".

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