Lufthansa Technik (LHT) posted double-digit revenue growth during the first half of 2026 as rising third-party customer business helped offset supply chain disruption, currency headwinds and increasing volatility in MRO shop visit schedules.
The German MRO giant confirmed on Aug. 4 that it generated €4.4 billion ($5.1 billion) in revenues during the six months ending June 30, an 11% year over year increase. During the same period, Hamburg-headquartered LHT recorded a 2% rise in adjusted earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) to €315 million. However, the company’s adjusted EBIT margin declined by 0.7 percentage points to 7.1%, reflecting continued cost pressures and operational disruption across the commercial aftermarket.
A major contributor to revenue growth was through external customer work, which grew 21% and accounted for 78% of LHT’s total sales. In contrast, the company saw 72% of its overall sales driven by external work in the same period last year.
Lufthansa Technik said global MRO demand is still robust, although the company’s CFO Christian Leifeld noted predictability challenges related to the timing of aircraft and engine shop visits.
“Demand for our services stays strong overall,” Leifeld said. “At the same time, we are experiencing greater volatility in shop visits and less predictability than we did just a few years ago.”
External factors—such as disruptions in the Middle East—had a greater effect during the second quarter by reducing flight hours and some customers postponing scheduled maintenance activity.
Other international political factors include the weakening of the U.S. dollar and OEM delivery delays related to aircraft, engine and component manufacturers and their supply chain networks.
Despite these pressures, LHT is moving ahead with adding further capacity to its global network. Earlier this year, the maintenance specialist broke ground on a new facility in Santa Maria da Feira, near Porto, Portugal, which will focus on aircraft and engine components.
LHT described the investment as close to “several hundred million Euros” and will result in the creation of up to 700 jobs after beginning operations sometime in 2028.
In Asia-Pacific, LHT is also expanding its widebody aircraft MRO activities through a new facility in Clark, Philippines. The site is expected to add approximately 1,200 jobs and increase the company’s capacity in the region.
As European governments look to increase defense spending, MROs like LHT are seeing opportunities in that market segment. The company’s Lufthansa Technik Defense business started providing support for Germany’s Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft in April, marking the addition of a further military aircraft type to its repair portfolio.
For the remainder of 2026, the company expects full-year business performance to remain above 2025 levels. LHT said that sustained MRO demand, long-term customer contracts, additional production capacity and continued cost controls will support this.
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