• EOS Group achieves second highest earnings in 50-year history
• ESG risk rating from Morningstar Sustainalytics: EOS Group one of top 3 in “Consumer Finance” sector
• Corporate Responsibility (CR): EOS publishes second combined annual and sustainability report

Achieving the second-highest earnings (EBITDA) in the company’s 50-year history – EUR 412.9 million – in the 2023/24 financial year, the EOS Group has sustained a very good level with a 2.1% increase in sales (totaling EUR 997.3 million). At the same time, the investment volume of around EUR 583.5 million was significantly lower than in the exceptional financial year of 2022/23. Successful management of the receivables portfolios acquired in previous years contributed significantly to the overall positive result.

Despite macroeconomic challenges such as rising interest rates and high inflation, the EOS Group once again succeeded in attaining an impressive EBITDA of over EUR 400 million in the past financial year according to Marwin Ramcke, CEO of the EOS Group. “While the uncertain macroeconomic times are bound to persist, we have nevertheless made dealing with uncertainty at a professional level our strength, have demonstrated our ability to act with resilience and the required flexibility, and are focused on achieving the best solutions for our customers,” Ramcke goes on to say.

The fact that the EOS Group has once again achieved very good earnings despite the difficult macroeconomic situation is due in particular to the outstanding performance of the international teams in recent years, stresses Justus Hecking-Veltman, CFO of the EOS Group at the time the annual financial statements were prepared. Overall, while investments have fallen significantly compared to the exceptional financial year of 2022/23, significant purchases of receivables in the double or triple-digit million range have confirmed the strong market position, Hecking-Veltman adds. “For this reason, the purchase of receivables portfolios will also remain a key focus area of the EOS Group in the future.”

On August 1, 2024, Hecking-Veltman left the company to pursue other challenges. His successor will be Dr. Eva Griewel, who has a PhD in economics.

With a share of 41.9 percent in overall sales, Eastern Europe is the strongest performing region within the EOS Group. Particularly the companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, and Poland were able to achieve significant increases in sales. Despite rising interest rates, investments amounting to EUR 212.5 million were made. “This is thanks to all our colleagues who have left their comfort zone to break new ground,” says Carsten Tidow, who is responsible for the region of Eastern Europe on the Executive Board.

At EUR 323.4 million (32.4 percent of total sales), sales in the region of Western Europe increased the most compared to the other regions of the EOS Group (6.9 percent in all). According to Sebastian Pollmer, responsible for the region of Western Europe since the beginning of the 2024/25 financial year, the successful management of existing receivables portfolios is the main reason for this positive development. Deserving special mention is the company in France, whose financial performance has been particularly strong. Together with a co-investor, EOS France purchased a record portfolio with a nominal value of EUR 364 million. The companies in Denmark and Portugal, the latter already established on the market after two short years, have also made a valuable contribution to the increase in sales, Pollmer goes on to say.

On the German market, the EOS Group recorded no changes compared to the previous year, with a 25.5 percent share in sales. The competitive situation is still challenging here. Restructuring measures, such as the newly established region of Central Europe, which Germany has been part of since the start of the 2024/25 financial year, “are beginning to bear fruit,” says Stephan Ohlmeyer, who has been responsible for the new region since March 2024. 

The EOS Group also stood out in the previous financial year for reasons other than its strong business figures. The international group received an outstanding ESG risk rating in 2023. “According to renowned rating agency Morningstar Sustainalytics, EOS is one of the top 3 companies in our ‘Consumer Finance’ sector,” says Marwin Ramcke. “I’m very proud of this rating. Achieving a top position the very first try proves that our corporate responsibility strategy is a success.”

With its annual and sustainability report based on the standards of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), EOS makes clear what the Group is achieving in this area. For example, a gender pay gap analysis comparing the salaries of men and women was initiated for the first time. In addition, the company has also calculated its own CO2 footprint (Scope 1 & 2). “We will continue to advance these initiatives during this financial year and derive targeted measures from them, such as for reducing emissions,” Ramcke stresses. 

Moreover, the corporate responsibility strategy is firmly anchored in the EOS Group’s core business as well. Responsible debt collection and sustainable debt relief for defaulting consumers are of central interest to EOS. For instance, the Group successfully concluded more than five million debt cases over the last financial year, helping defaulting consumers and returning around EUR 1.9 billion to the economic cycle.

The EOS Group is a leading technology-driven investor in receivables portfolios and an expert in the processing of outstanding receivables. With more than 50 years of experience and offices in over 20 countries, EOS offers smart services for receivables management worldwide. Its key target sectors are banking, real estate, telecommunications, utilities, and e-commerce. EOS employs more than 6,000 people and is part of the Otto Group.

For more information on the EOS Group, please go to: https://eos-solutions.com/