Villeroy & Boch reports positive nine-month results
Sales up 6.7% and profitability stable. Strong growth in EMEA, while the slowdown has impacted results in Asia and the Americas.
The Villeroy & Boch Group has once again demonstrated its resilience in a complex global economic environment. In the period from January to September 2025, sales rose by 6.7% year on year to €1,075.2 million, largely driven by the acquisition of Ideal Standard. Operating EBIT also improved slightly to €65.1 million, marginally higher than the previous year’s level. Growth was particularly strong in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa) and in the fittings and shower systems business.
“Against the backdrop of the current global economic situation and the associated restraint in consumer spending and investment, which is particularly affecting key growth markets for us such as China and the eurozone, we performed well in the market in the first nine months,” commented CEO Gabi Schupp. “The positive response to our innovations in both business segments and the further internationalisation of our business are the result of our strategic realignment following the acquisition.”
Growth in both Bathroom & Wellness and Dining & Lifestyle
In the first nine months of the year, the Bathroom & Wellness division saw an 8.3% increase in sales to €865.6 million. The main contributors were the two strategic business areas of fittings and shower systems (up €37.9 million) and sanitary ceramics and kitchens (up €21.7 million). The new products ALU+ and Antao and the i.life and Architectura collections were well received by the market. From a regional perspective, EMEA recorded strong growth of 13.4%, while the Asia-Pacific and Americas regions saw a decline in sales of 26.9%. Overall, the Bathroom & Wellness division achieved operating EBIT of €52.5 million in the first nine months of 2025, in line with the previous year’s figure.
The Dining & Lifestyle division generated sales of €207.6 million in the first nine months of the 2025 financial year, with sales up 2% excluding licensing income. Particularly strong growth was achieved in business with stationary retail partners (+11%) and in the project business for upscale hotels and restaurants (+8.9%). The division closed with an operating EBIT of €12.6 million, up 3.3% on the first 9 months of 2024.
Outlook for full year 2025
In the highly uncertain market environment, the Management Board of Villeroy & Boch has revised down its outlook for 2025. Consolidated sales are now expected to increase in the low single-digit percentage range, with EBIT slightly below the 2024 level. Investments in property, plant and equipment and intangible assets are expected to remain slightly below the previous year’s value.
Ideal Standard renews Roberto Palomba’s role as Chief Design Officer
In November, Ideal Standard renewed its collaboration with Italian designer Roberto Palomba, reappointing him to the role of Chief Design Officer. The continuation of a partnership dating back to 2018 underlines Ideal Standard’s longstanding commitment to innovative design. The brand has a long tradition of collaborations with pioneering designers and visionaries such as Achille Castiglioni, who created the Linda and Aquatonda series; Paolo Tilche, creator of the iconic Conca washbasin; and Gae Aulenti and Mario Bellini, whose architectural and industrial design work has left a lasting mark on modern design culture. Palomba’s leadership honours and embraces this legacy, while at the same time pushing the boundaries of bathroom design in line with Ideal Standard’s signature style.
One of Palomba’s latest creations, La Dolce Vita® – part of the award-winning Atelier Collections – draws inspiration from the “historic” collections of the masters of design, such as the iconic Zeta washbasin from the 1950s, whose streamlined silhouette Palomba reinterprets in a contemporary style. Similarly, the i.life collection, with its latest addition i.life O, illustrates how smart, versatile solutions can be adapted to every lifestyle, making good design accessible, regardless of a bathroom’s size or layout.
“Building on Ideal Standard’s strong design heritage, our objective is to establish the brand globally as the leading name for approachable contemporary design,” said Sven Ullrich, Executive Vice President Marketing, R&D and Product Management at Villeroy & Boch. “We have ambitious plans for the future and a clear vision of where we want to take the brand. Roberto Palomba’s creative leadership and deep understanding of the bathroom space have been key in shaping Ideal Standard’s distinctive identity and will continue to play an important role in driving its growth and success.”
Cover photo: Villeroy & Boch headquarters in Mettlach, Germany
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