European construction services group STRABAG SE continues its growth trajectory in the 2026 financial year with sustained momentum. As the listed company announced, construction output increased by 14 per cent to EUR 16,487.19 million in the first nine months. In the third quarter alone, the output level exceeded the prior-year figure by 17 per cent. In light of stable operating earnings power, the Management Board raised its forecast for the full-year EBIT margin.
The German market remained the primary growth driver with an output increase of more than 20 per cent. This development was largely driven by projects in energy and rail infrastructure, as well as major orders in high-tech industrial construction. Chief Executive Officer Stefan Kratochwill emphasised that the group is only at the beginning of a longer-term infrastructure cycle here. In the United Kingdom, the delivery of complex projects and the integration of acquired ground engineering specialist Van Elle had a positive impact. Austria, the Czech Republic and Croatia also recorded significant growth.
Order backlog climbs to almost 35 billion euros
As at the reporting date of 30 September 2026, the group reported an order backlog of EUR 34,973.10 million. This corresponds to an increase of 12 per cent, or approximately EUR 3.6 billion, compared to the same period of the previous year. Significant growth was recorded in Germany as well as in the international business overseas. In the first half of the year, STRABAG secured, among other contracts, mining orders in Chile worth around EUR 800 million, railway construction projects in Australia valued at approximately EUR 490 million, and several contract packages for the construction of the Pfaffensteigtunnel in Germany.
- —Infrastructure and mobility: Construction of a nationwide rapid-charging network for electric HGVs and the replacement construction of an underground railway tunnel in Berlin.
- —International tunnelling: Construction of a twin-tube motorway tunnel on the Croatian A7 as well as road upgrades on the A2 in Poland.
- —Healthcare and industrial construction: New construction and building services engineering for the Central Emergency Department at Klinik Favoriten in Vienna.
Following the quarterly reporting date, a consortium with STRABAG participation was also confirmed as the preferred bidder for the Czech D35 PPP project. The scheme encompasses a total volume of around EUR 2.9 billion over the concession period and represents the largest motorway project of its kind in the Czech Republic to date. Operating growth was accompanied by a modest increase in headcount: the average number of employees rose by two per cent to 81,695 full-time equivalents, primarily due to capacity expansions in Germany and Great Britain as well as the acquisitions of Van Elle and the WTE Group.
Earnings expectations for full-year 2026 revised upwards
On the basis of the high order backlog and above-expectation contributions from infrastructure projects, company management expects total output for the full year to reach close to EUR 23 billion. Alongside major projects, rising demand in asphalt paving across the North and West segment bolstered earnings. Consequently, STRABAG now expects an EBIT margin of between 6.0 and 6.5 per cent for 2026, having previously indicated a corridor of 5.5 to 6.0 per cent. The framework for net investments remains unchanged at a maximum of EUR 1.5 billion.
