German consumer goods and adhesives maker Henkel said today it expects up to a 3% organic sales increase in 2026, despite subdued economic output growth and uncertainties linked to the war in Iran.
Henkel said it expects only a moderate increase in industrial demand and in consumer demand across business areas relevant to the group's consumer goods activities.
The company expects its organic sales to grow between 1% and 3% this year, compared to a 0.9% rise to €20.5 billion in 2025.
At 2%, the mid-point of the outlook is slightly below the 2.1% growth estimated by analysts polled by Vara Research. They had also forecast average 1.0% organic growth for 2025.
"With the war in the Middle East that began at the end of February, the uncertainties have increased significantly once again," Henkel CEO Carsten Knobel said in a statement.
Europe's consumer goods sector remains uneven, with resilient demand in home care products contrasted by weak discretionary spending, while the war in Iran has driven up oil and gas prices and disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, raising costs across the industry.
The group said its growth agenda, including portfolio optimisation of the consumer brands business completed in 2025 and recent acquisitions in both business units, positioned Henkel for continued growth.
Henkel proposed a dividend of €2.07 per preferred share, up 1.5% from a year earlier.
