AIXTRON Raises 2026 Forecast on Strong Optoelectronics Demand Despite Q1 Loss
AIXTRON SE has increased its full-year 2026 guidance due to stronger-than-expected optoelectronics equipment demand, though first-quarter results were impacted by one-time expenses and low volume.
AIXTRON SE has increased its guidance for fiscal year 2026, citing stronger-than-expected demand for optoelectronics equipment. The company reported preliminary first-quarter figures showing significant growth in orders but a decline in profitability due to one-time costs and low operating volume.
Preliminary order intake for the first quarter of 2026 grew approximately 30% year-over-year to about EUR 171 million, with more than 65% related to the optoelectronics segment. Preliminary revenues came in at approximately EUR 59 million, within the company's guided range. However, gross profit and operating results were negatively affected by a mid-single-digit million euro one-off amount related to a personnel measure.
Preliminary gross profit for the quarter was approximately EUR 11 million with an 18% gross margin, while the preliminary operating result (EBIT) totaled approximately EUR -22 million, resulting in a -38% EBIT margin. The company attributed the low margins to the one-off expenses and negative operating leverage due to low volume. Despite this, cash and cash equivalents increased to approximately EUR 273 million at quarter-end.
Based on current market developments and an exchange rate of 1.20 USD/EUR, AIXTRON now expects to generate revenues of around EUR 560 million for fiscal year 2026, up from previous guidance of EUR 520 million. The company also expects an increased EBIT margin of 17-20% and a gross margin of around 42%. For further information on AIXTRON, please visit www.aixtron.com.
"The significantly stronger-than-expected demand from the Optoelectronics sector in the first quarter is a very encouraging development," said Dr. Felix Grawert, CEO of AIXTRON SE. "We expect this trend to continue and have therefore raised our guidance for the year. With our G10-AsP system, we have the tool of record for the next generation of photonic components, which are the basis for chip-to-chip, rack-to-rack and datacenter-to-datacenter communications in the AI era."
The full report for the first quarter of 2026 will be published on April 30, 2026. The announcement highlights the growing importance of optoelectronics in enabling advanced communications infrastructure for artificial intelligence applications, positioning AIXTRON's technology as critical for next-generation data center connectivity.