Saint-Gobain announces a 4,9% decline in sales for the first quarter, penalized by currency fluctuations and weather in North America.

The French group stated in a press release on Thursday that its sales, down 2,3% expressed in local currencies, experienced a decline "less than expected".

He also indicated that he had announced to his customers "as early as March new price increases", due to energy and raw material costs, "now expected to inflate over the year" after the outbreak of the war in the Middle East.

Saint-Gobain therefore expects a "slightly positive" gap between these costs and selling prices for the year. In the first quarter, prices were stable.

In detail by geography, its activities were penalized by unfavorable weather conditions in Europe and North America, as it had anticipated at the end of February when publishing its annual results for 2025.

The group says it expects to achieve a gross operating margin, a profitability indicator, of more than 15% in 2026, a target already announced in February.

It anticipates a gradual improvement in its business in Europe, a "continuation of the market decline in the first half" in 2026 in North America, and growth in the rest of the world, "driven in particular by India, Southeast Asia and Mexico".

In 2025, the company, which employs more than 161.000 people in 80 countries, had achieved €46,5 billion in revenue, with net profit up 1,4% to €2,9 billion.

It had announced plans to pay a dividend of 2,30 euros per share (2,20 euros in 2024) for 2025, subject to approval at the Annual General Meeting on June 4.