Bertelsmann reports steady growth in 2025 with €3B earnings
Bertelsmann CEO Thomas Rabe—who is stepping down from the company at year-end and has already handed over his role as RTL Group CEO on May 1—described 2025 as a "solid fiscal year," emphasizing the resilience of the conglomerate's diversified portfolio in a challenging market environment. Presenting the financial results in Gütersloh, he stated: "We look back on a solid fiscal year 2025, in which our broad business and geographic footprint once again proved its strength in a demanding environment." Operating earnings reached €3 billion, "remaining at the previous year's high level" and, when adjusted, slightly exceeding it.
The company's performance was weighed down by currency fluctuations and portfolio adjustments, including the sale of RTL Nederland. Stripping out these effects, Bertelsmann achieved modest organic growth, with revenue rising by 1.9%. Profitability remained stable, though operating earnings fell marginally short of the prior year's figure.
Addressing the proposed acquisition of Sky Deutschland—which still requires antitrust approval—Rabe noted: "If the deal goes through, Bertelsmann's full-year group revenue for the current fiscal year 2026, including Sky, would total around €21 billion."
The company's commitment to investment remains robust: Bertelsmann reinvested approximately €2.1 billion in strategic growth areas, matching the previous year's level. Since 2021, cumulative investments in these programs have reached roughly €7 billion. Rabe underscored the strategic focus: "Our investment momentum remains strong—economic investments alone exceeded €2 billion," he was quoted as saying.
The driving forces behind this growth continue to be Bertelsmann's five core strategic sectors: media operations, content production, services, education, and equity investments. The RTL Group's streaming business saw particularly dynamic expansion, with a significant increase in subscriber numbers. Meanwhile, subsidiaries Fremantle and Penguin Random House contributed to stability through a string of successes and accolades.
Looking ahead to 2026, the group struck a cautiously optimistic note. CFO Rolf Hellermann remarked: "Given the economic outlook, Bertelsmann anticipates stable revenue and earnings performance for fiscal year 2026. For our continuing operations, we expect both revenue and earnings growth."
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