Jena, April 22, 2026. A strict austerity program has brought the Jena-based software pioneer Intershop out of the red in the first quarter of 2026. Despite a decline in revenue, the listed company was able to record a balanced result.
- Company: Intershop AG (Jena)
- Staff Reductions: 40 positions cut worldwide (currently approx. 220 employees)
- Revenue Q1 2026: 7.9 million euros (previous year: 9.1 million euros)
- Outlook: Introduction of new AI functions in May, balanced annual result targeted
„Rigorous Cost-Cutting Program“
As CFO Petra Stappenbeck announced, expenditures were consistently adjusted to the decreased revenues. The savings program particularly affected the areas of sales as well as research and development. Through terminations and the decision not to fill vacant positions, the workforce shrank by 40 to around 220 employees within one year. The staff reductions also did not stop at the locations in the USA and Canada.
Investment Restraint Weighs on Revenue
Quarterly revenue was expectedly weak at 7.9 million euros, compared to 9.1 million euros in the same period of the previous year. CEO Markus Dränert nevertheless remained cautiously optimistic for the current year. The goal remains an annual financial statement without losses, even if a further slight decline in revenue is likely. „New customer business remains difficult,“ Dränert emphasized. In view of general economic uncertainty, many companies are cutting back their investment budgets.
Focus on AI and Cloud Solutions
Against the general downward trend, Intershop was able to grow slightly in its core business with rental software (cloud solutions). Revenue here rose by three percent to 5.3 million euros, while the order volume grew by eight percent compared to the same period last year. The software provider hopes for new impulses through the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Starting in May, new software functions are to be launched on the market that, for example, automate product descriptions for online shops in databases.
Intershop AG is one of the early East German software pioneers and made Jena a center of the „New Economy“ in the 1990s. The company developed early core technologies for electronic commerce (e-commerce) in the emerging internet. For many years, the company gave its name to the city’s landmark, the Jentower. The rapid rise of Intershop laid an important foundation for Jena’s current role as one of the leading digital and high-tech locations in Thüringen.
Source:
Internet Trade: Intershop: »Rigorous cost-cutting program« implemented
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