Finance
Henkel to buy specialty coatings company Stahl for 2.1 billion euros
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on February 4, 2026
1 min readLast updated: February 4, 2026
Quick Summary
Henkel buys Stahl for €2.1 billion, boosting its Adhesive Technologies. Wendel receives €1.2 billion, marking a significant return on investment.
Henkel Acquires Specialty Coatings Firm Stahl for €2.1 Billion
Henkel's Acquisition of Stahl Group
Feb 4 (Reuters) - Persil-owner Henkel said on Wednesday it agreed to buy specialty coatings company Stahl for 2.1 billion euros ($2.5 billion) from Stahl Group.
Details of the Deal
The deal will be formally signed following completion of Stahl's mandatory works council consultation processes, the German company said.
Financial Implications
French private equity firm Wendel, Stahl Group's majority shareholder, said it would receive 1.2 billion euros from the transaction, around 6.6 times its total investment in the company since it acquired its stake in 2006.
Stahl's Business Overview
"Together with the recently announced intention to acquire ATP Adhesive Systems, we have agreed to two significant M&A projects, adding up close to one billion euros of sales and substantially advancing the growth potential for our (...) Adhesive Technologies business," Henkel CEO Carsten Knobel said in a press release.
Stahl employs around 1,700 employees and generated adjusted sales of around 725 million euros in 2025.
($1 = 0.8457 euros)
(Reporting by Linda Pasquini qnd Jakob Van Calster, Editing by Louise Heavens)
Key Takeaways
- •Henkel acquires Stahl for €2.1 billion.
- •Stahl's majority shareholder, Wendel, to receive €1.2 billion.
- •The acquisition enhances Henkel's Adhesive Technologies.
- •Stahl employs 1,700 and had €725 million in 2025 sales.
- •Deal pending completion of Stahl's works council consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions about Henkel to buy specialty coatings company Stahl for 2.1 billion euros
1What is an acquisition?
An acquisition occurs when one company purchases most or all of another company's shares to gain control of that company.
2What is private equity?
Private equity refers to investment funds that buy and restructure companies not listed on public stock exchanges.
3What is M&A?
M&A stands for mergers and acquisitions, which refers to the consolidation of companies or assets through various financial transactions.
4What is corporate strategy?
Corporate strategy is the overarching plan of a company to achieve its goals and maximize its value.
