Good morning! Lamp manufacturer Signify Just presented his annual figures. The turnover of the former light division of Philips fell by 6.6 percent in 2024 compared to the year before, to 6.14 billion euros. At the bottom of the line, the profit did rise considerably to 334 million euros, more than half more than last year. This is mainly due to cost reductions. Signify has been struggling with declining sales for years. This is partly because more and more LED lamps are being used. They have a much longer lifespan than the old glow or energy-saving lamps.
Signify also announced that CEO Eric Rondat will step up early after the shareholders’ meeting in April. Last year he was reappointed for a period of four years. Rondat has been leading the company since the privatization in 2016 and has been at the helm for a number of years when the lamp maker was still part of Philips. A successor is still being sought.
This was further noticeable in the news this morning:
- Even more Philips news: in the United States, two people may have died because a heart rhythm meter from the care tech company films that could indicate a dangerous heart disorder Due to an error did not send to medical specialists. That report it Eindhovens Dagblad.
- Buying a house has never been as expensive for starters as now, say researchers from ING against BNR. The bank speaks of “Historically poor affordability”. New buyers have lost an estimated 30 percent of their disposable income on mortgage costs since 2002, more than the long -term average of 25 percent. The lack of affordability is because the net mortgage costs have risen with the incomes. The bank thinks that will not change for the time being.
- The Netherlands is a new one Investment fund for quantum companies richer, reports Het Financieele Dagblad. It is the first private fund that focuses entirely on quantumtech companies. The investor starts with 25 million euros, from rich families and entrepreneurs, and focuses on startups that do not yet have other professional lenders on board.
- The Voluntary buy -out scheme for farmers is especially popular in Limburg, writes de Volkskrant. A total of 1,586 farmers have now registered for the scheme. Pig farmers form the majority of that group.