Hypoport (ETR:HYQ) Chief Executive Ronald Slabke said the company’s 2026 earnings guidance remains achievable after it reported €30 million in earnings before interest and taxes through the third quarter, though interest-rate volatility and the timing of year-end transactions could influence the outcome.
Hypoport’s full-year EBIT guidance is €40 million to €55 million. Slabke said the company typically has stronger first and fourth quarters, and its average quarterly EBIT this year was €10 million. On that basis, he said, exceeding the lower end of the range looked attainable.
A sustained decline in rates during the fourth quarter could make that period more challenging, Slabke said, while potentially providing a favorable starting point for the following year. He added that lower rates improve the affordability of home ownership in Germany.
Year-end transactions and valuation turnaround
An investor questioned how Hypoport would reach its full-year target for high-single-digit gross profit growth in Financing Platforms after growth of 2% over the first nine months. Slabke said the outcome depends heavily on the seasonal performance of REM Capital, as well as housing association business.
REM Capital works throughout the year to prepare projects for financing and subsidy approvals, with activity often continuing until the end of December, he said. Slabke said previous year-end periods had worked out, but that the current one felt especially uncertain.
Slabke also discussed the return to break-even at property valuation business Value AG. He said losses had resulted from significant market and regulatory changes that left the unit’s resources and processes mismatched with its environment.
Over the past two years, Value AG adjusted its organization, raised prices alongside service-quality improvements, launched products including in corporate banking, and digitized major processes, he said. Those changes allowed fewer employees to handle more valuations and appraisals. Slabke said he expects revenue growth at Value AG with a relatively stable cost base in the near term.
Profitability and capital allocation
Slabke said Hypoport expects improving cash flow and a positive dynamic next year. The company is focused on improving existing business models and profitability rather than entering new areas, either organically or through acquisitions, he said.
He added that, if the share price remains at its current level, Hypoport would allocate cash flow to buying its own shares. Slabke said he believes the strength of the company’s three segments is not equally reflected in the share price.
Discussing the company’s margin ambitions through 2029, Slabke pointed to the potential for previously loss-making businesses—including Value AG, insurance business Corify and WOWIPORT in Financing Platforms—to contribute positive EBIT. He also cited incremental margins from scaling existing businesses and groupwide efficiency improvements, with artificial intelligence and cost management playing roles.
Slabke initially referred to doubling the EBITDA margin from 2025 to 2029. Head of Investor Relations Jan Pahl later characterized the target as doubling EBIT as a proportion of gross profit.
Europace rollout and refinancing outlook
Slabke said Hypoport expects a significant increase in refinancing volume on its Europace platform in 2027, when 15-year mortgages originated in 2012 come due. Europace currently handles about €1 billion in refinancing per quarter, compared with €2 billion to €3 billion before the interest-rate environment changed, he said.
In the savings-bank sector, Slabke attributed nine-month growth of 13% to the organic rollout of services. A new integration known as EVOS2, which allows a savings bank to centrally choose whether to use Europace’s open architecture for comparing and brokering third-party mortgages, was rolled out in September but remains in testing while bugs are fixed, he said.
Hypoport hopes those issues will be resolved in the coming weeks and expects more savings banks to sign up for broader use next year. In cooperative banking, 200 banks have signed up for Value AG’s automated valuation model, Slabke said.
Asked about artificial intelligence consumer agents, Slabke said their contribution to leads remains minor but could become significant over the next decade. He said consumers who use such tools can arrive better prepared, making them attractive leads for advisers. Hypoport’s Dr. Klein service is already available to agents through an MCP service, he said.
About Hypoport (ETR:HYQ)
Hypoport SE operates as a technology-based financial service provider in Germany. The company operates through four segments: Credit Platform, Private Clients, Real Estate Platform, and Insurance Platform. It offers EUROPACE marketplace for independent distributors to process their financing transactions with the product suppliers they represent. In addition, the company provides mortgage finance, personal loans, insurance, and current and deposit accounts through distribution channels, including online and site-based sales.
