LPKF Laser: AGM Delivers Near-Unanimous Support for Management and a Board Voice from Elmos Semiconductor

At its AGM, LPKF Laser received over 93% approval on all votes, dismissing DSW concerns on pay and board roles. Dr. Arne Schneider of Elmos Semiconductor joins the supervisory board.

Shareholders of LPKF Laser handed management a sweeping endorsement at the annual general meeting on 4 June, brushing aside governance criticism from the German Association for the Protection of Securities Holdings (DSW) and voting through all resolutions with majorities above 93%. The meeting also marked a boardroom refresh, with the election of Dr. Arne Schneider, the CEO of Elmos Semiconductor, to the supervisory board.

DSW objections fail to dent management’s mandate

The DSW had urged a “no” vote on two key agenda items. It argued that the executive board’s compensation was not aligned with performance, pointing to nearly flat pay despite a sharp EBIT decline in the 2025 financial year. The shareholder association also raised concerns that the chairwoman of the supervisory board simultaneously chaired the audit, risk and ESG committees, a potential conflict under governance guidelines. Yet investors rejected both critiques. The compensation report received 98.13% approval, and the discharge of the supervisory board – the closest vote – still passed with 93.57%. The executive board was discharged with 99.71% in favour.

Semiconductor veteran fills supervisory board seat

The election of Arne Schneider was an even smoother affair, garnering 99.87% support. He takes the seat vacated by Dr. Dirk Michael Rothweiler, who did not stand for re-election. Schneider has been chairman of Elmos Semiconductor, a listed chipmaker, since 2021 and previously served as its CFO for seven years. His expertise in technology development, innovation management, accounting and semiconductor markets adds a targeted industrial skillset that aligns with LPKF’s strategic push into laser-based applications for the chip sector. His mandate runs until the AGM that will vote on discharge for the 2029 fiscal year.

Other routine resolutions also sailed through: auditor Baker Tilly was confirmed with 99.37%, and a change to the company’s articles of association allowing greater flexibility in choosing the venue for future AGMs was backed by 99.78%.

The stock pulls back from its stellar run

While the governance backdrop was quiet, the share price has been anything but. LPKF shares closed at €20.30 on Friday, shedding 4.69% on the day. The weekly decline stands at 7.31% and the monthly drop at 14.35%. At that level, the stock is 32% below its 52-week high of €30.00, touched in early May. The relative-strength index of 47.5 indicates neither oversold nor overbought conditions, suggesting the earlier momentum has cooled.

The longer-term picture is still dramatic: year-to-date the shares have surged roughly 238%. Even after the recent pullback, they remain 280% above the 52-week low of €5.34. That kind of movement comes with extreme volatility – the annualised 30-day figure stands at 141%.

Operating performance remains mixed

The first quarter of the 2026 fiscal year showed a continued squeeze. Revenue fell to €17.1 million from €25.3 million a year earlier, and the EBIT loss deepened to €6.9 million. The bright spot was order intake, which climbed to €24.1 million, lifting the book-to-bill ratio to 1.4. For the full year, management targets revenue of €105 million to €120 million and an adjusted EBIT margin between -3% and +4.5%.

No change to the profit-transfer arrangement or dividend policy was announced. The retained earnings of €7.56 million will be carried forward, keeping the company in a dividend-free phase.

Next hard data point: the half-year report

The AGM formalised the governance and board changes, but the next test for investors comes on 23 July, when LPKF publishes its half-year report. In the meantime, CEO Klaus Fiedler is scheduled to speak at the SdK investor forum on 18 June – an opportunity to provide colour on the order pipeline and strategic execution. With the share price having given up some of its year-to-date gains, the market will be watching closely for signs that operational momentum is catching up with the boardroom ambitions.