Integrated Annual Report 2025

19 Borrowings

Accounting policy

Borrowings

Borrowings, including bonds, are not held for trading and are initially recognized at fair value of the proceeds received, net of transaction costs. Subsequently, borrowings are stated at amortized cost using the effective interest method, with any discount or premium on the borrowing amortized over the applicable term. The corresponding interest expenses are recorded as financial expense in profit or loss.

Lease liabilities

The lease liability is initially measured at the present value of the lease payments that are not paid at the commencement date, discounted using the interest rate implicit in the lease or, if that rate cannot be readily determined, the Group’s incremental borrowing rate. Generally, dsm-firmenich uses its incremental borrowing rate as the discount rate. In determining the incremental borrowing rate, we apply the practical expedient to use a single discount rate to portfolios of leases with reasonably similar characteristics, as reflected in the contractual currency and expected lease term of these contracts. In general, dsm-firmenich splits the contractual consideration into a lease and a non-lease component based on their relative stand-alone prices. For vehicle leases, however, we apply the practical expedient not to make this split but rather account for the fixed consideration as a single lease component. Over time, the lease liability increases due to the interest expense related to the unwinding of the lease liability and decreases with the lease payments made. The lease liability is remeasured to reflect reassessments or modifications to contractual terms and lease conditions, including indexation. Payments related to short-term leases (leases with a term shorter than 12 months) are recognized on a straight-line basis in profit or loss.

Borrowings

Agreements governing loans with a residual amount at year-end 2025 of €4,716 million (December 31, 2024: €4,451 million) include negative pledge clauses that restrict the provision of security. At December 31, 2025, there was €2,201 million in borrowings outstanding with a remaining term of more than five years (at December 31, 2024, €2,212 million). dsm-firmenich redeemed in full the 1% EUR bond 2015–2025 of €500 million on the maturity date on April 9, 2025.

On February 25, 2025, dsm-firmenich issued an 11-year €750 million bond. The bond, issued by DSM B.V. and guaranteed by DSM-Firmenich AG, has a coupon of 3.375% and matures on February 25, 2036. Credit institutions comprised a €108 million liability in 2024 for the forward contract to repurchase own shares. This contract matured in April 2025 and the corresponding liability amount is nil at December 31, 2025– see also Note 16 Equity.

Borrowings by type

 

 

2025

 

2024

 

 

Total

 

Of which current

 

Total

 

Of which current

Bonds

 

4,716

 

1,489

 

4,451

 

500

Private loans

 

55

 

51

 

132

 

73

Lease liabilities

 

463

 

77

 

524

 

90

Credit institutions

 

43

 

43

 

173

 

173

Total

 

5,277

 

1,660

 

5,280

 

836

Borrowings by maturity

 

 

2025

 

2024

Less than one year

 

1,660

 

836

One to two years

 

59

 

1,589

Two to three years

 

546

 

71

Three to four years

 

33

 

539

Four to five years

 

778

 

33

More than five years

 

2,201

 

2,212

Total

 

5,277

 

5,280

Borrowings by currency

 

 

2025

 

2024

EUR

 

4,770

 

4,709

USD

 

224

 

216

CHF

 

94

 

104

CNY

 

42

 

98

BRL

 

22

 

19

Other

 

125

 

134

Total

 

5,277

 

5,280

Movements of borrowings

 

 

2025

 

2024

Balance at January 1

 

5,280

 

4,830

 

 

 

 

 

Loans taken up

 

740

 

833

Repayments

 

(561)

 

(623)

Unwinding (interest)

 

42

 

45

Disposals and deconsolidations

 

 

(37)

Reclassification to held for sale

 

(111)

 

Changes in debt to credit institutions

 

25

 

37

Forward contract to repurchase shares

 

(105)

 

105

New lease arrangements (incl. remeasurements)

 

117

 

198

Payment of lease liabilities

 

(109)

 

(110)

Exchange differences

 

(41)

 

2

Balance at December 31

 

5,277

 

5,280

Bonds

The bonds issued by DSM B.V. have a fixed interest rate. The bonds issued in the period 2015–2020 are listed on the AEX (Euronext Amsterdam index). The bonds issued in 2024 and 2025 are listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange.

  • The 1% EUR bond 2015–2025 of €500 million was pre-hedged by means of forward starting swaps, resulting in an effective interest rate for this bond at 3.65%, including the settlement of the pre-hedge

  • The 0.75% EUR bond 2016–2026 of €750 million was pre-hedged by means of a collar, resulting in an effective interest rate for this bond of 1.08%, including the settlement of the pre-hedge

  • The 0.25% EUR bond 2020–2028 of €500 million has an effective interest rate of 0.29%

  • The 0.625% EUR bond 2020–2032 of €500 million has an effective interest rate of 0.70%

  • The 3.625% EUR bond 2024–2034 of €800 million has an effective interest rate of 3.69%

  • The 3.375% EUR bond 2025–2036 of €750 million has an effective interest rate of 3.50%

The bonds issued by Firmenich Productions Participations SAS (guaranteed by Firmenich International SA) have a fixed interest rate and are listed on Euronext Dublin.

  • The 1.375% EUR bond 2020–2026 of €750 million has an effective interest rate of 3.18%

  • The 1.750% EUR bond 2020–2030 of €750 million has an effective interest rate of 3.47%

Bonds

 

 

Coupon rate

 

Term

 

Nominal amount

 

2025

 

2024

EUR loan

 

1.00%

 

2015–2025

 

500

 

 

500

EUR loan

 

0.75%

 

2016–2026

 

750

 

750

 

750

EUR loan

 

0.25%

 

2020–2028

 

500

 

499

 

499

EUR loan

 

0.63%

 

2020–2032

 

500

 

497

 

496

EUR loan

 

1.38%

 

2020–2026

 

750

 

739

 

719

EUR loan

 

1.75%

 

2020–2030

 

750

 

697

 

694

EUR loan

 

3.63%

 

2024–2034

 

800

 

795

 

793

EUR loan

 

3.38%

 

2025–2036

 

750

 

739

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

5,300

 

4,716

 

4,451

Lease liabilities

In addition to the contractual lease commitments, dsm-firmenich has identified explicit renewal options available to the company which are currently not reasonably certain to be exercised and are therefore not included in the measurement of the lease. The associated future lease payments, which are uncommitted and optional for dsm-firmenich, are estimated at around €165 million (undiscounted; 2024: €196 million) and cover future periods until 2063. The interest expense on the lease liabilities was €17 million (2024: €13 million) and the total repayments of the lease liabilities amounted to €109 million in 2025 (2024: €110 million). These cash flows are reported as financing cash flows. dsm-firmenich’s policy regarding financial risk management is described in Note 23 Financial instruments and risks.

Lease liabilities breakdown

 

 

2025

 

2024

Less than one year

 

83

 

99

One to two years

 

70

 

96

Two to three years

 

51

 

65

Three to four years

 

45

 

50

Four to five years

 

41

 

42

More than five years

 

282

 

291

Total undiscounted lease liabilities at December 31

 

572

 

643

Lease liabilities included in the Balance Sheet at December 31

 

463

 

524

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