BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - After an unexpectedly good quarter, Hellofresh, the mail order company for cooking boxes, is aiming to close the current year more profitably. The company is aiming to acquire fewer, but on average more profitable customers. In 2024, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) adjusted for special effects are expected to fall to between 360 and 400 million euros, the MDax company surprisingly announced in Berlin on Friday. Previously, the lower end of the range was 10 million euros less. However, Group CEO Dominik Richter now expects significantly lower sales growth: Revenue is likely to increase by 1 to 1.7 percent after adjusting for currency effects. Previously, the manager had forecast growth of 2 to 8 percent.

In 2023, Group revenue amounted to 7.8 billion euros on a constant currency basis, while the adjusted operating profit (EBITDA) was just under 448 million euros.

Based on preliminary figures, turnover in the third quarter climbed by almost two percent at constant exchange rates to around 1.83 billion euros. According to the company, this was roughly what analysts had expected. In day-to-day business, however, things went better than expected for the Berlin-based company: After 69 million euros, they now earned 72 million euros adjusted for special items - industry experts had expected a rapid decline in profits. The Management Board plans to publish the full figures for the third quarter next week on Tuesday (October 29)./ngu/mis