Spread the love

The Audi Group has seen new records for deliveries, revenue and key earnings data in 2011 fiscal year.

The brand sold more than 1.3 million cars in the past year, and increased revenue to €44.1 billion. Operating profit for the Group rose to over €5.3 billion in the past fiscal year. The operating return on sales climbed from 9.4 to 12.1 per cent.

Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG said: “Never before have we had such a large increase in deliveries in a single year. 2011 was the most successful year in the history of our company. We want to continue on this path in 2012 and grow more strongly than the market as a whole.” Experts expect the overall car market worldwide to grow by around 4 per cent this year.

2011 was a record year for Audi in various key performance indicators. The number of Audi vehicles delivered increased by 19.2 per cent or approximately 210,000 to 1,302,659 (2010: 1,092,411). Company revenue increased at a much higher rate than sales, by 24.4 per cent to €44.1 (35.4) billion.

The Audi Group improved its operating profit by a little over 60 per cent to more than €5.3 (3.3) billion. Operating return on sales rose from 9.4 per cent in 2010 to 12.1 per cent in 2011. Axel Strotbek, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Finance and Organization, confirms the qualitative growth strategy: “With these rate of return ratios, the Audi Group is one of the most profitable companies in the automotive industry.”

In addition to the increase in volume, the higher-quality model mix also had a very positive impact on revenue and profit development. For example, the share of revenue generated by the A6, A7, A8 and Q7 model series, also known as the C- and D-segments (full-size and luxury segments), rose from 25 to 38 per cent between 2009 and 2011. At the same time, Audi has successfully continued expanding its model range in the lower segments since last year with the A1.

Cost of sales, distribution costs and administration expenses rose at a lower rate than revenue development in the past fiscal year because of ongoing process and cost optimisations. In addition to higher revenue quality, the significant increase in operating profit is attributable to overall improvement in cost structures.

As a result of an increase in the financial result to €692 (2010: 293) million, the Audi Group’s profit before tax reached a record level of over €6.0 (3.6) billion – an increase of 66 per cent.

Return on sales before tax climbed to 13.7 per cent following 10.3 per cent in the prior year. The Audi Group improved the return on investment – the return on the average capital invested – to 35.4 (24.7) per cent.

Audi’s financial success has paid off for employees as well. The Audi profit sharing agreement yields an average of €8,251 for each employee in Germany.

Assuming that there are no major changes in the underlying economic situation, Audi plans to generate an operating profit for 2012 in line with the level attained in the record-breaking year 2011. In particular, the attractive, young product range will have a positive impact on earnings performance here.

“We have been following a strategy of sustainable and qualitative growth for several years, and this is reflected once again in the key financial indicators for the 2011 fiscal year,” says CFO Strotbek. The brand with the four rings wants to continue on this path with successfully launched new models such as the Audi Q3 and A6.

In addition, Audi is introducing 18 models on the market this year, ranging from the A1 Sportback to the latest generation of the high-volume model Audi A3.

Audi plans on investing some €13 billion between 2012 and 2016. For example, Audi is expanding the site in Győr (Hungary) into a full-scale car plant which will build a new member of the A3 family from 2013. Audi is also investing heavily in Germany, planning to spend just under €8 billion at the Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm sites in the coming five years. The investment program is focusing in particular on new products and technical innovations.

Audi is also expanding its production capacity in China within the framework of the joint venture FAW-Volkswagen Automotive Company, Ltd. In addition to the site in Changchun in northern China, the Company is currently building a new facility in the south of the country. Production at the plant in Foshan is scheduled to begin in 2013.

Got a spare 30 seconds?

 Help us to provide you with better market insight by completing a very short survey. It is anonymous and only takes 30 seconds. You will get free access to the quarterly results.

Thinking of the switch to electric?

Need help in finding the right electric vehicle for you? Compare driving range, battery capacity, charging time, price, and features to find the perfect EV for you.