WIESBADEN (dpa-AFX) - Weak demand from the wind industry is weighing on carbon fiber specialist SGL Carbon. As of June 30, an impairment loss of between €40 million and €50 million had been recognized on the assets of the Carbon Fibers business unit, the company surprisingly announced in Wiesbaden on Monday, also releasing preliminary figures for the first half of the year. Against the backdrop of the write-down, the Group's equity ratio deteriorated from 38.5 percent at the end of 2022 to approximately 36 percent at the half-year reporting date.

In the other business areas of the Wiesbaden-based company, however, expectations for business development were met or exceeded, according to the statement. As a result, it was possible to compensate for the slump in demand in the operating business. Sales in the first half of the year rose from 549.8 million euros in the corresponding period of the previous year to 560.5 million euros. Adjusted Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) remained almost at the previous year's level at €88 million.

SGL management therefore confirmed its full-year guidance and plans to present its full half-year report on August 3. The share, which is listed on the SDax, initially slipped deeper into the red, but was then able to limit the losses and even turned positive in the end./lew/he