Revenue
Group revenue +0.9 % to EUR 770.7m
Mail, Retail & Services –7.6 % to EUR 289.9m
E‑Commerce & Logistics +6.9 % to EUR 447.4m
Bank –7.6 % to EUR 35.2m
Earnings
EBITDA from EUR 101.6m last year to EUR 93.8m in Q1 2026
EBIT from EUR 48.4m last year to EUR 36.8m in Q1 2026
Cash flow and balance sheet
Operating free cash flow of EUR 73.4m
Equity of EUR 722.4m as at 31 March 2026
Outlook for 2026 unchanged
Slight revenue increase expected
Investments (CAPEX) between EUR 140m and EUR 160m
Broadly stable earnings development (EBIT) in the order of magnitude of previous years
The beginning of the year 2026 was impacted by a challenging geopolitical and economic environment. Digitisation and cost pressure among key customer groups resulted in a further decline in letter mail and direct mail volumes in the first quarter, which must be addressed through regulatory and process adjustments. E-commerce continues to be the growth driver in the parcel business, impacted by high quality requirements and intense competition. “Given the difficult market environment, Austrian Post performed well in the first quarter of 2026. Revenue improved slightly, driven by e-commerce growth, whereas first-quarter earnings were below the previous year, as expected,” states Austrian Post CEO Walter Oblin. “Among the highlights of the first months were also the successful launch of our mobile telephone brand YELLLOW, positive performance of bank99 and the integration of the e-commerce provider euShipments.com.”
Group revenue in the first quarter of 2026 rose by 0.9 % to EUR 770.7m. Revenue of the Mail, Retail & Services division fell by 7.6 % to EUR 289.9m, driven by the structural decline of addressed letter mail volumes attributed to electronic substitution. Furthermore, a reduction was particularly noticeable in the addressed direct mail, attributable to cost-cutting measures by advertising clients. The E‑Commerce & Logistics division revenue of EUR 447.4m (+6.9 %) performed very well in Austria and in the Southeast and Eastern Europe region, with volume increases of 10 % and 9 %, respectively. A reduction in parcel volumes from Asia impacted the Türkiye+ region (Türkiye, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Uzbekistan) due to regulatory restrictions (–2 % volume decrease). With revenues of EUR 35.2m the Bank division showed a decline in income from financial services due to the low interest rates, but it was able to increase its net interest income and generate a sustainably positive result.
First-quarter 2026 earnings were below the prior-year level, as expected, reflected the transformation of the company’s activities in the telecommunications activities, the challenging competitive environment in Southeast and Eastern Europe, and a regulatory-related volume reduction in Türkiye following restrictive import rules for parcels from Asia. EBITDA was down from EUR 101.6m to EUR 93.8m, whereas earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) fell from EUR 48.4m to EUR 36.8m. The profit for the period of the Austrian Post Group for the first quarter 2026 totalled EUR 15.3m, compared to EUR 39.6m in the previous year, which is due to the negative valuation effect of the company’s remaining 20 % stake in Aras Kargo (based on inflation and the exchange rate). This resulted in earnings per share of EUR 0.22 for the first quarter of 2026, compared to EUR 0.56 last year.
The fundamental trends will remain unchanged for the full year 2026 against the backdrop of ongoing economic uncertainties. Declining volumes are evident in the mail business due to the intensified digitisation efforts by major customers, whereas the continuing strength of the e-commerce trend ensures the ongoing growth of parcel volumes. At the same time, intense competition is expected in numerous markets. Additional uncertainties arise from regulatory restrictions on international trade flows. Despite the current geopolitical uncertainties, Austrian Post anticipates a slight revenue improvement in 2026. In addition, the company continues to expect further inflation-related cost increases. For this reason, comprehensive initiatives are being undertaken to safeguard Group earnings. Furthermore, Austrian Post is aiming, for the year 2026, for largely stable earnings development in the order of magnitude of previous years. The expectation of a weaker first half of the year and a stronger second half-year is confirmed.
Investments in property, plant and equipment (CAPEX) are expected to range between EUR 140m and EUR 160m in 2026 similar to recent years. The priorities are the enlargement and modernisation of the Logistics Centre in Salzburg, an increase in the number of parcel machines in Southeast and Eastern Europe as well as the ongoing electrification of the vehicle fleet. The goal is a completely CO₂-free last mile delivery in Austria by 2030.
Source: Oesterreichische Post