Challenging 2025 financial year – continued transformation in 2026

Against a persistently challenging geopolitical and macroeconomic backdrop, Burda reported a decline in revenue. In the 2025 financial year, the Burda Group generated revenue of €2.66 billion and employed 8,637 people (as at 31 December 2025). The Group operated more than 500 media and digital offerings across Germany and 17 additional countries, representing a year-on-year decrease of 2.6 per cent. Overall earnings performance fell short of expectations. 

“2025 was marked by a difficult economic environment – both in Germany and across many of our international markets,” said Burda CFO Lydia Rullkötter. “Rising costs and subdued consumer sentiment had a particularly noticeable impact on our traditional media business. At the same time, parts of the Burda Equity portfolio, including HolidayCheck, Cyberport and Nebenan.de, delivered positive revenue growth.” 

In 2025, Burda organised its business activities around two strategic pillars. Burda Media brings together all German and international publishing and media operations. During the year, Burda published 449 magazine titles worldwide. The segment generated external revenue of approximately €1.28 billion, a decline of 6.5 per cent compared with the previous year. In Germany, it comprises BurdaVerlag and BurdaForward, as well as the narrative impact agency C3 and BurdaDruck, Europe’s largest gravure printing company. BurdaInternational’s publishing activities span 11 countries, with a primary focus on the United Kingdom, continental Europe and Asia.

Burda Equity combines the Group’s digital investments, including New Work SE (operator of the Xing professional network and the employer review platform Kununu), the HolidayCheck Group, the Cyberport Group, Silkes Weinkeller, Nebenan.de and BurdaPrincipal Investments. In 2025, the segment generated revenue of approximately €1.37 billion, reflecting a slight year-on-year increase of 1.5 per cent. While Xing continues to undergo transformation, Kununu recorded modest revenue growth. The HolidayCheck Group benefited from higher booking volumes and rising travel prices. Nebenan.de, Germany’s leading neighbourhood network, continued to expand its user base. BurdaPrincipal Investments, the Group’s international growth capital arm, once again invested in a wide range of companies, particularly in the fields of artificial intelligence, medtech, sustainability and advanced materials. 

Burda enters the 2026 financial year with cautious optimism and remains focused on innovation and growth in its digital businesses. “While the overall market environment remains challenging, we are continuing to drive transformation across all areas of the business with the aim of returning to sustainable revenue growth in the medium term,” said Lydia Rullkötter. At the same time, the Group is systematically optimising its cost base to further strengthen profitability. “We are committed to leveraging technological advances – particularly in artificial intelligence – to accelerate our digital transformation and align our products even more closely with the needs of our consumers,” she added. The company remains financially robust and well positioned to navigate future challenges and actively shape its development. 

For the 2026 financial year, Burda expects revenue to remain broadly in line with the previous year. 

Development of Burda's Revenues