Annual report 2025: HLEE Group Reports Solid Revenue for Fiscal Year 2025

Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

Pratteln, April 30, 2026


Annual report 2025

HLEE Group Reports Solid Revenue for Fiscal Year 2025 – Operational strength and positive free cash flow trend – impairment charges at the TEAM and Sport1 level (non-cash)

• Consolidated sales increased by 2.0% to CHF 412.1 million during the fiscal year (previous year: CHF 404.1 million).
• Operating profit (EBIT) amounted to CHF -248.2 million due to one-time non-cash special items and extraordinary operating costs (previous year: CHF -13.6 million).
• Management continues to consistently implement the measures adopted to improve profitability and liquidity.
• Liquidity grows by 30.3%.
• Operating Performance: Adjusted earnings underscore the solid fundamentals of the core business.
• Positive outlook: A clear upward trend in free cash flow over the past few months.
• Total consolidated assets amounted to CHF 558.0 million.
   

Development of the Operating Segments in 2025

Focus on Liquidity and Free Cash Flow
The company was able to sustainably optimize its capital structure in fiscal year 2025. Liquidity increased significantly by 30.3%.

The trend over the past few months is particularly encouraging: The Group has recorded a consistently positive development in free cash flow. This is the direct result of consistently implemented efficiency programs, cost reductions at all levels, and optimized cash management, which sustainably secures the Group’s financial flexibility for the future.

The reported operating profit (EBIT) of CHF -248.2 million (previous year: CHF -13.6 million) is primarily driven by strategic, non-cash impairment charges in the Sports and Events segment, as well as special items. As a result of these accounting adjustments, equity amounted to CHF -56.2 million as of the reporting date.

From the company’s perspective, business performance in 2025 was generally satisfactory and was characterized by one-time special factors. Consolidated sales amounted to CHF 412.1 million, representing a 2.0% increase over the previous year’s figure of CHF 404.1 million, driven by production-related factors.

During the reporting period, the Group was able to further increase its liquidity while its financial liabilities stayed nearly the same. This has sustainably strengthened the company’s financial foundation.

Film segment:
In the 2025 reporting year, the HLEE Group released a total of seventeen films in German movie theaters, including, for example, “Das Kanu des Manitu”, “Pumuckl und das grosse Missverständnis”, and “22 Bahnen”. With over 5 million admissions, “Das Kanu des Manitu” from the HLEE portfolio was the most successful film of 2025.

In addition, the TV distribution/licensing segment, HLEE also achieved a stable market share in 2025, supported by a balanced portfolio and a strong focus on German productions. Among the films with the highest viewership and revenue figures were “Das Kanu des Manitu”, “Der Spitzname”, “Criminal Squad 2”, “Manitou’s Shoe”, “Babygirl”, “In the Lost Lands”, and “Hagen – Im Tal der Nibelungen”.

Sports and Events segment:
In the Sports and Events segment, TEAM Marketing AG supported UEFA in concluding the first final of the 2024/25 to 2026/27 business cycle.

During the reporting year, Sport1 Medien GmbH focused on preparations for the 2026 World Darts Championship, which once again achieved very strong programming results in January, as well as on further optimizing its portfolio of rights, improving and creating new digital offerings and marketing environments in addition to cross-platform content exploitation, networking and monetization.

At Highlight Event AG, the focus once again was on the intensive management and realization of agreements with the main sponsors of the Vienna Philharmonic and the Eurovision Song Contest on the one hand, and on the marketing of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest on the other hand, both of which were successfully concluded.

Outlook for 2026
Management continues to treat the implementation of the measures adopted to strengthen the balance sheet and further increase profitability as a top priority. The positive trends in free cash flow and liquidity confirm that the Highlight Group is on the right track.

Inflation, rising energy prices, continued subdued consumer spending, and the current political crises are leading to increased planning uncertainty for the 2026 fiscal year. In addition, the media and entertainment industry in Germany is under pressure due to AI-generated content and stagnating budgets. The Board of Directors cannot rule out an impact on the operating activities of the HLEE Group.

As in the previous year, the Board of Directors is monitoring the current situation in the current year and regularly reviewing the measures taken. Following the operational measures implemented in 2025 to improve liquidity, management is now focusing on increasing profitability and implementing strategic goals in 2026.

According to current planning, the HLEE Group once again has a well-filled pipeline for the 2026 movie theater season with at least nine planned theatrical releases. Highlights include the in-house productions “Der perfekte Urlaub” by director and screenwriter Bora Dagtekin – a sequel to the blockbuster hit “Das perfekte Geheimnis” from 2019 – as well as “Steckerlfischfiasko”, the tenth installment in the successful Eberhofer series. Also on the schedule are the film adaptation of the bestseller “Die Ältern”, directed by Sönke Wortmann, and “Das gewisse Etwas”, the German adaptation of the French blockbuster “A Little Something Extra”. The 2026 cinema lineup is rounded out by the international productions “Snake”, “Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die” by director Gore Verbinski, and a reboot of the “Resident Evil” series directed by Zach Cregger.

In the Sports and Events segment, the TEAM Group will support UEFA in the first half of 2026 in successfully concluding the group stage of the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League. At the same time, the Business Development Team is focusing on acquiring new clients and further expansion of the TEAM Group’s portfolio.

In fiscal year 2026, SPORT1 will focus on the consistent use, distribution, and monetization of content. In addition to further developing the SPORT1 through new rights, additional formats, extending existing partnerships, and new content collaborations and business areas for instance, the cross-platform exploitation and staging of established programming pillars remains a central component of the strategy.

The Annual General Meeting for fiscal 2025 is scheduled to take place in June 2026. The detailed 2025 Annual Report is available at https://www.hlee.ch/en/Interim-reports.


The HLEE-Group at a glance

Figures for the Group in accordance with IFRS
 

Contact:

Highlight Event and Entertainment AG
Investor Relations
Netzibodenstrasse 23b
4133 Pratteln, Switzerland
Tel.: +41 41 226 05 97
Fax: +41 41 226 05 98
info@hlee.ch
http://www.hlee.ch