Axel Springer reports higher 2025 profit after split from investors

German media giant Axel Springer on Thursday reported increased revenue and operating profit for 2025 as it announced its first financial results since parting ways with investors KKR and CPP Investments.

Axel Springer owns leading media brands in Germany including the Bild and Welt newspapers, and has branched out internationally with the ownership of Politico, Business Insider, and this year's agreement to buy Britain's Telegraph Media Group.

Pro forma consolidated revenue in 2025 was slightly above the previous year’s figure at €2.2 billion ($2.56 billion), while adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) rose by 29.4% to €241.4 million. 

Calculated on a comparable basis with previous years, adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) rose by 12.9% to €364 million, according to the group.

In the first quarter of 2026, pro forma revenue increased by 2.6%, or by more than 5% on a currency-adjusted basis, the company said. Adjusted EBIT more than doubled in the first three months to €54.1 million.

Chief executive Mathias Döpfner hailed the "effective" new corporate structure.

"Both our Publishing and Commerce brands contributed to the good result in 2025," he said in a statement. "Our goal is to continue building momentum over the course of the year and further drive Axel Springer’s growth."