KNDS CEO says tank maker could proceed with IPO in 2026 as revenue climbs 30%

Market timing and flotation plans

Franco-German armored vehicle manufacturer KNDS remains prepared to launch an initial public offering in 2026 if market conditions match shareholder expectations. The supervisory board decided in late June 2026 to put the transaction on hold due to shifting valuations across the defense sector. Chief Executive Jean-Paul Alary explained that company management received explicit instructions from the board to stay positioned for an immediate market launch. The group was created ten years ago through the merger of French state-owned firm Nexter and German manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. Had the original schedule moved forward in July 2026, the company would have marked its ninetieth day of public listing this October.

The IPO is suspended for now, but not cancelled.

An IPO in 2026 is still possible, provided market conditions meet shareholder expectations.

Shareholder structure and KfW participation

KNDS is currently held under an equal 50% split between the French state and the German Wegmann family through its holding company. The established reference structure for the transaction involves each existing owner selling a 10% stake to create a 20% public free float. That transaction is directly linked to the German federal government acquiring its own holding through state development bank KfW. The planned transaction structure would leave France and Germany holding identical 40% equity stakes, granting Berlin equal governance rights. The public offering framework is also designed to permit retail investors to subscribe for shares alongside institutional funds. Consulting firm EY reported that German public listings remained subdued during the first nine months of the year compared to international peers.

Market pressures and defense sector valuation

European defense stocks had previously experienced intense investor interest fueled by rising global and European Union military budgets. The sector has faced sustained downward pressure over recent months as investors engaged in profit-taking and heightened scrutiny. Shares of Rheinmetall, Germany's largest defense firm and a primary valuation benchmark for KNDS, have dropped by more than 50% from their peak of approximately 2,000 euros recorded one year ago. Market sentiment in Germany was further dampened when Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius terminated the F126 frigate procurement program. While reports indicated the Wegmann family targeted a company valuation between 12.5 billion and 15 billion euros, Alary stated that KNDS never officially confirmed that valuation figure.

Production growth and political considerations

Operational demand for armored combat vehicles continues to expand across European armies despite stock market fluctuations. KNDS, which produces the Leopard 2 main battle tank, projects revenue growth of approximately 30% for the full year. The manufacturer is actively pursuing industrial partnerships to expand production capacity across its facilities. Management views an earlier market debut as an operational tool to finance future corporate expansion rather than delaying beyond 2026. A postponement into 2027 risks colliding with the French presidential election campaign, an event that Alary acknowledged introduces political uncertainty for transactions involving state-owned assets.