Fastned rises after strong H1 earnings, guidance hike
BUZZ-Fastned rises after strong H1 earnings, guidance hike ** Shares in Fastned FASTN.AS are up 7%, on track for their best day since May 21, after the Dutch charge point operator reported strong H1 profitability and raised full-year guidance
** "Investments and cost discipline are paying off," Degroof Petercam says in a note
** Fastned hiked its operational EBITDA margin forecast to 45% from the previously expected 35-40% range
** The company's H1 operational EBITDA more than doubled to €37.4 million, from €17.9 million a year ago
** "The increase in the FY26 guidance underlines management's confidence that the positive trend in profitability can be maintained," says Degroof Petercam
** The broker adds it sees this as a confirmation that Fastned is on good track to profitability on the bottom line and better cash generation
** The shares were volatile in the first half-hour of trading, see-sawing between negative and positive territory, which ODDO BHF analyst Thijs Berkelder says could have been due to profit taking
(Reporting by Margaux Perrin in Gdansk)