Metzler Retains GEA Group at Buy Amid Continued Positive Trends into Q3

09:29 AM EDT, 09/17/2026 (MT Newswires) -- Metzler Capital Markets reiterated its buy rating on GEA Group (G1A.F) following positive talks with the company, noting that favorable trends seen in the prior three-month period continued into the third quarter. "The project pipeline remains very strong despite the higher interest-rate environment. GEA is confident that order intake in '26 will be meaningfully above the '25 level. For '26e, we forecast 6% YoY order intake growth, resulting in a book-to-bill of 1.07x. This implies 4% YoY growth in H2/26e, despite the strong organic 11% YoY growth achieved in H1/26 and a high comparison base, with Q4/25 alone comprising nine large orders totalling over EUR 400 m, including the 'Baladna' project - the largest order in GEA's history," the research firm said Wednesday. Analysts also highlighted that dairy processing continues to be one of the German food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries systems supplier's "strongest" end markets, while GEA's tableting technologies presents allows for "attractive" growth prospects in the pharmaceutical market. The stock's price target remains unchanged at 74 euros.