Rheinmetall shares plunge 18% after Germany scraps 18bn frigate programme

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Rheinmetall shares plunge 18% after Germany scraps 18bn frigate programme
Germany scraps 18bn frigate program, sinks Rheinmetall shares 17
ContinuationFrance and Germany launch joint 40 stakes in KNDS ahead of July stock listing
Rheinmetall shares plunged more than 18% on Wednesday after Germany scrapped its €18 billion F126 frigate programme, the country’s largest naval contract since the Second World War, triggering a sector-wide sell-off in European defence stocks. The Defence Ministry in Berlin confirmed the cancellation of the six-ship order on Tuesday, citing repeated delays and cost overruns under the Dutch-led consortium that included Damen Naval . The move overshadowed the same day’s launch of KNDS’s long-awaited €3 billion IPO, the Franco-German tankmaker’s attempt to raise capital for its next-generation land systems .
The frigate programme’s collapse delivered an immediate blow to Rheinmetall, whose shares fell to a 17% intraday low before paring losses to around 15% by the Frankfurt close. The company had been slated to lead construction of the F126 class frigates, a contract that would have secured billions in revenue over the next decade. Instead, the cancellation hands the advantage to ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), whose rival bid was selected as the alternative provider . “This is a severe setback for Rheinmetall’s naval ambitions,” noted analysts at Deutsche Bank, “and it shifts the balance of power in Germany’s shipbuilding sector overnight” .
The broader defence sector followed Rheinmetall into the red, with Spanish group Indra down 8% and Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri losing 6% as investors reassessed the political and financial risks of major military programmes. “The market is pricing in a more cautious approach to defence spending across Europe,” said a strategist at Berenberg. “After years of growth, the sector is no longer immune to budget pressures” .
The cancellation comes as KNDS prepares to list 20% of its shares in Paris and Frankfurt, seeking at least €3 billion to fund its next-generation tank programme. The timing could not be worse for Rheinmetall, which had hoped to use its naval contracts to offset slower growth in its land systems division. “The IPO window is closing,” warned a Frankfurt-based fund manager. “Investors are now asking whether KNDS can deliver without the F126 revenue stream” .
With the Defence Ministry yet to announce a replacement programme, the sector faces a period of uncertainty. Analysts expect Rheinmetall to focus on its land systems and ammunition businesses while seeking new export opportunities in the Indo-Pacific and Middle East. “The question is whether Berlin will pivot to smaller, faster programmes,” said a defence attaché in Brussels. “That would be a very different model for Rheinmetall.”
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