Lindt reports record growth as rivals stumble

Lindt & Sprüngli 2025 full-year earnings – summary

• Lindt posts strong 2025 growth with revenue rising across all regions
• EBIT climbs nearly ten percent showing resilient profitability despite volatile conditions
• Net income increases eight percent reflecting stable margins amid rising costs
• Free cash flow remains strong demonstrating efficient operations during industry challenges
• Premium strategy boosts results offering valuable lessons for struggling confectionery rivals

Lindt & Sprüngli’s full-year financial results for 2025 are in, and there’s a lot for the Swiss confectionery giant to celebrate.

The company, known for premium brands including Lindor and Excellence, posted record-high organic growth of 12.4%, taking revenues to CHF 5.92bn (€6.55bn) – up from CHF 5.47bn in 2024.

And that growth wasn’t isolated either – every region contributed, showing just how firmly the brand is gaining traction with consumers across the globe.

EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) increased 9.8% to CHF 971.0m – up from CHF 884.2m in 2024.

Meanwhile net income rose 8.1% to CHF 726.7m – up from CHF 672.3m in 2024.

All this left the chocolate maker with CHF 446.3m free cash flow. That’s pretty impressive in a year when cocoa prices hit record highs and geopolitical unrest pushed manufacturing costs through the roof – or, as Lindt puts it, “a volatile environment”.

Lindt delivers across the board

This is usually the part where we’d move to the negatives. The bits that haven’t gone so well, and that maybe the company tried to hide in the numbers. But there really don’t seem to be any.

Profits are up, growth is up, cash flow is up, oh and proposed dividends are up too – CHF 1,800 per registered share from CHF 1,500 per registered share in 2024. All while industry conditions are challenging and its competitors are feeling the strain – most notably Hershey which suffered a shocking 60% profit drop.

It begs the question, what would these numbers look like if the industry wasn’t facing major headwinds..?

“We delivered strong growth by focusing on our premium strategy and driving innovation,” says Adalbert Lechner, Group CEO of Lindt & Sprüngli. “Consumers worldwide continue to seek quality and moments of indulgence, and we meet that demand with exceptional products.”

Having said all that, the company has adjusted its expectation for sales growth down to 4–6% (previously 4-8%) due to political instability. Though it remains at the same level for 2027 and beyond.

And, it hasn’t gone unnoticed that the company hiked prices by 19% to cover increasing production costs. That’s a huge increase. Though the fact that sales didn’t just hold steady, but grow, shows Lindt customers are willing to pay.

Redefining resilience

Looking ahead, Lindt & Sprüngli’s results don’t just signal a strong year for the company, they set a benchmark for a confectionery industry under pressure.

With raw material costs soaring and consumer spending tightening, premium chocolate has proven unusually resilient.

Lindt’s ability to raise prices, protect margins and still grow volume suggests the upper end of the market may be far less vulnerable to volatility than mass‑market players would like to believe.

That raises important questions for competitors. Hershey’s sharp profit drop shows what happens when a portfolio is heavily exposed to mainstream products and price‑sensitive shoppers. Lindt, by contrast, has doubled down on quality, gifting, and brand aspiration – and consumers have followed.

Innovation plays a role too. Lindt’s steady stream of seasonal launches, new formats and line extensions, including Lindt Dubai Style Chocolate, Excellence Fusion, Lindt Extra Creamy, and Lindor Shortbread, keeps the brand relevant even as wallets tighten.

And, if cocoa prices settle and supply chains steady, the question will be how much higher Lindt can go, from an already powerful position.

But even if turbulence continues, 2025 has shown the Swiss chocolatier has the strategy, brand strength and consumer trust to keep outpacing the market.