Swedish investment and industrial conglomerate Latour recorded a 3% year-on-year rise in industrial sales in the second quarter, with net sales reaching SEK 7.23 billion as markets showed signs of gradual recovery.
Order activity strengthened in the quarter. Industrial order intake increased 11% compared with the year-ago period, and when measured on a constant currency basis the gain was 13%. Total industrial orders for Q2 amounted to SEK 7.81 billion. The company reported an industrial EBIT margin of 13.8% for the same quarter.
Despite the sales and order improvements, Latour’s net asset value per share declined by 3.7% in the first half of the year, trailing the company’s benchmark index.
Latour said most of its industrial subsidiaries experienced robust demand during the quarter as a gradual recovery in market activity took hold. The company completed five acquisitions in the second quarter, adding to deals closed in the first quarter. Combined, those transactions have contributed SEK 700 million in net annualized acquired growth.
Activity across construction-related markets showed variation by segment. Residential construction remained subdued in parts of Europe, while demand held up more strongly in refurbishment projects and in industrial infrastructure work. Latour highlighted that these mixed trends are playing out differently across sectors and regions.
The company pointed to a healthy order book as a foundation for continued net sales momentum in the coming quarters. Management assessed that market conditions are progressively improving but emphasized that the recovery is uneven across different business lines and territories.
On geopolitical developments, Latour expects minimal direct financial impact from uncertainty in the Middle East.
Taken together, the quarter reflects modest sales growth and improved order intake for Latour’s industrial operations, offset by a decline in NAV per share for the first half of the year. The company’s recent acquisitions have contributed measurable acquired growth, and management expects the order backlog to support further sales increases going forward.