industry
Nordic Companies Well Positioned in Defense Build-up
The article discusses how Nordic defense companies are well positioned to benefit from increased defense budgets and strategic collaborations in Europe. It also highlights challenges facing the industry, such as capacity expansion and skills supply.
The EU's new commission is clear that Europe should achieve increased strategic autonomy, enhanced cooperation between member states, promote innovation, and strengthen the European defense industry and production capacity. The goal that 50% of all defense materiel should be manufactured in Europe places significant demands on the largest European defense companies. These companies already face challenges with insufficient production capacity and will seek collaborations with subcontractors to meet goals and demand.
In this context, Nordic and especially Swedish companies are well-positioned to participate in such collaborations and deliveries. Large orders to companies like BAE Systems can therefore have a proportionally greater effect on subcontractors such as Mildef and Clavister than on BAE Systems itself, given their relative size.
The new Trump administration is clear that Europe should take greater responsibility for its own security, which likely means defense budgets exceeding previous benchmarks of 2% of GDP. This understanding and adaptation have already begun; in Eastern and Northern Europe, defense budgets already exceed 2% but now laid budgets. There is also an understanding from these countries that increased production capacity from companies must be met by predictable long-term demand through defense budgets and orders over time. This creates long-term steady growth even for the Nordic defense industry.
Despite these opportunities, the industry faces significant challenges, not least in rapidly increasing capacity and ensuring access to the right expertise. Companies must find new ways to optimize their production while ensuring access to specialized labor in advanced technologies. This requires not only effective recruitment strategies but also long-term investments in developing internal resources and strengthening existing competencies.
Rapidly growing order books for Nordic defense companiesSaab AB reported strong growth during Q3, with a profit increase of 48% and a growing global order book amounting to 190 billion SEK. The order book is strongly driven by international markets where 80% of the orders during the quarter came from outside Sweden.
Saab is increasing its production capacity within the Ground Combat business in Sweden, including a new, fully automated production line for the AT4 and NLAW systems.
This investment is part of the company's strategy to meet the increasing demand for modern defense systems, both in Sweden and internationally. Additionally, presence in the USA is strengthened through a new facility in Grayling, Michigan, focused on ammunition and precision weapon systems.
Kongsberg Gruppen ASA continues its stable growth, with total revenues of 11.92 billion NOK during Q3, an increase of 19% compared to the same period last year. The company shows strong development across all four business areas, underscoring the company's broad market presence and competitiveness.
Supported by Norway's strategic role within NATO, Kongsberg has cemented its position as a key player in Europe's defense infrastructure. The company's order intake during the quarter amounted to an impressive 13 billion NOK, and their order backlog reached a record high of 96.9 billion NOK, indicating long-term stability and future revenue potential.
Like Saab, Kongsberg has ambitious expansion plans. Among the latest investments is the establishment of missile production capacity in both Australia and the USA. These new facilities are strategically important and reflect the increasing demand for Kongsberg's missiles while contributing to the company's long-term growth and global competitiveness.
MilDef Group AB showed stable growth during Q3 2024, with net sales of 250 million SEK, an increase of 10.3% compared to 226 million SEK in the same period last year. The company is also strengthening its capacity for integration services through a significant expansion in Stockholm, where the goal is to quadruple capacity by fall 2025.
One of the quarter's most notable achievements was an impressive increase in order intake by 134%, amounting to 415 million SEK. This marks a record for the company. At the same time, the order backlog reached a record high of 1,627 million SEK, an increase of 28% from the previous year. The strong order backlog, combined with the high order intake, positions MilDef for continued growth and strengthens the company's long-term prospects.
Invisio AB reported one of the strongest quarters in the company's history during the third quarter of 2024. The order intake exceeded 500 million SEK, excluding a larger one-time order for third-party radios from the first quarter. On a rolling 12-month basis, the order intake reached approximately 1.5 billion SEK, which also marks a record.
Revenues for the quarter amounted to 351.7 million SEK, the highest ever for a third quarter, despite the usual slowdown during the summer months in Europe. At
the end of the quarter, Invisio's order book amounted to 866.7 million SEK, with approximately 80% of the value expected to be delivered within the next 12 months.
In summary, Invisio is well-positioned to benefit from the increased investments in military spending and the high market activity. The company's strong order book, diversified customer base, and robust inventory provide good conditions to capitalize on the many opportunities the market offers going forward.
With strong results during Q3, Saab, Kongsberg, MilDef, and Invisio have all shown that they can deliver in a time of change. The future looks bright but requires continued strategic investments to maintain and strengthen their position in the global defense market.
European companies have shown higher volatility (risk & greater changes in price courses) recently after a few years of strong growth, which also affects Nordic companies. Despite price fluctuations that may be due to profit-taking, changed sentiment, or investors reallocating their portfolios, our view remains intact. It is that European and Nordic companies face long-term structural growth, making the sector interesting over a longer period.
Joakim Agerback & Shayan Heidari Managers of the Finserve Global Security Fund I The Finserve Global Security Fund invests broadly in the defense sector and holds positions in several Nordic companies, many of which are mentioned in the text. This report constitutes only a commentary on the quarterly reports in the Nordic defense sector and should not be seen as investment advice.FAQ
- Hur påverkar EU:s mål om strategisk autonomi de nordiska försvarsbolagen?
- EU:s mål om strategisk autonomi innebär att 50 % av all försvarsmateriel ska tillverkas i Europa, vilket gynnar nordiska bolag. Dessa företag är väl positionerade för att delta i samarbeten och leveranser. Den ökade efterfrågan på europeisk produktion skapar möjligheter för nordiska företag att expandera. Senast faktagranskad: 2025-09-21.
- Vad innebär den ökade efterfrågan på försvarsmateriel för nordiska bolag?
- Den ökade efterfrågan på försvarsmateriel innebär fler möjligheter för nordiska bolag att delta i internationella samarbeten. Artikeln beskriver hur företag som Saab och Kongsberg expanderar sina produktionskapaciteter. Detta skapar en långsiktig tillväxtpotential för nordiska försvarsbolag. Senast faktagranskad: 2025-09-21.
- Varför är nordiska bolag väl positionerade i den globala försvarsindustrin?
- Nordiska bolag är väl positionerade i den globala försvarsindustrin tack vare deras förmåga att delta i strategiska samarbeten. Artikeln nämner att svenska företag som Mildef och Clavister kan få större effekt av stora ordrar. Denna positionering ger dem en konkurrensfördel i en tid av ökad global efterfrågan. Senast faktagranskad: 2025-09-21.
- När förväntas nordiska försvarsbolag öka sin produktionskapacitet?
- Nordiska försvarsbolag förväntas öka sin produktionskapacitet i takt med den växande efterfrågan. Saab har redan börjat med en ny automatiserad produktionslinje i Sverige. Dessa satsningar är en del av strategin för att möta den ökande efterfrågan på moderna försvarssystem. Senast faktagranskad: 2025-09-21.
- Vilka utmaningar står nordiska försvarsbolag inför i den nuvarande marknaden?
- Nordiska försvarsbolag står inför utmaningar som att snabbt öka kapaciteten och säkerställa tillgång till rätt kompetens. Artikeln beskriver behovet av effektiva rekryteringsstrategier och långsiktiga satsningar på interna resurser. Dessa utmaningar kräver innovativa lösningar för att bibehålla konkurrenskraften. Senast faktagranskad: 2025-09-21.
- Hur har Saab och Kongsberg presterat under det senaste kvartalet?
- Saab och Kongsberg har visat starka prestationer under det senaste kvartalet med betydande tillväxt i intäkter och orderböcker. Saab rapporterade en vinstökning på 48 %, medan Kongsberg ökade sina intäkter med 19 %. Dessa resultat visar på deras förmåga att leverera i en tid av förändring. Senast faktagranskad: 2025-09-21.
- Vad är framtidsutsikterna för nordiska försvarsbolag enligt artikeln?
- Framtidsutsikterna för nordiska försvarsbolag är positiva med långsiktig strukturell tillväxt. Artikeln betonar att dessa företag är väl positionerade för att dra nytta av ökade investeringar i militärutgifter. Den starka orderboken och diversifierade kundbasen ger goda förutsättningar för framtida tillväxt. Senast faktagranskad: 2025-09-21.