Ingolstadt: The Audi Group once again set records for deliveries, revenue and earnings data in the fiscal year 2011. The German carmaker sold more than 1.3 million cars in the past year, with an increased revenue up to €44.1 billion. Audi’s operational profit gain was about €5.3 billion in the past fiscal year. The operating return on sales climbed from 9.4 per cent to 12.1 per cent.
Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG: “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.”
The year 2011 was a record year for Audi in terms of revenue, profit and sales. The number of Audi vehicles delivered increased by 19.2 per cent or approximately 2,10,000 to 13,02,659, in comparison to the sales in 2010 of 10,92,411. Company’s revenue increased at a much higher rate, by 24.4 per cent to €44.1 (35.4) billion. Experts predict the overall car market worldwide to grow by around 4 percent this year.
The Audi Group improved its operating profit for more than 60 per cent about €5.3 (3.3) billion. Operating return on sales rose from 9.4 percent in 2010 to 12.1 percent in 2011. Axel Strotbek, Member of the Board of Management of AUDI AG for Finance and Organization, confirms the qualitative growth strategy: “With this 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 role to play on revenue and profit development. The share revenue of C-Segment and D-Segment cars, including Audi A6, A7, A8, Q7 also saw rise from 25 to 38 percent between 2009 and 2011. Moreover, the German automaker has successfully continued expanding its model range in the lower segments since last year with introduction of the A1.
Cost of sales, distribution costs and administration expenses did not see a steep rise in the past fiscal year, with all regards to ongoing process and cost optimizations. In addition to higher revenue quality, the significant increase in operating profit is attributable in particular to overall improvement in cost structures.
As the result of an increase in the financial result to €692 million from €293 million in 2010, the Audi Group’s profit before tax saw an improvement of 66 per cent, a new record level of over €6.0 (3.6) billion.
Return on sales, before tax climbed to 13.7 per cent following 10.3 per cent in the prior year. The Audi Group enhanced the return on investment – in figures, the return on the average capital invested to 35.4 (24.7) per cent.
The Company’s gives recognition to Audi employees for its financial success as well. The Audi profit sharing agreement yields an average of €8,251 for each employee in Germany.
With regards to the underlying economic situation, the Company plans to generate an operating profit for 2012 in line with the level attained in the record-breaking year 2011. Precisely, 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 German brand with the four rings wants to continue on this path with successfully launched new models such as the Audi Q3 SUV and A6 Sedan.
Moreover, the Company is boasting by introducing 18 models on the market this year, ranging from the A1 Sportback to the latest generation of the high-volume model .
The Company plans on investing about €13 billion between 2012 and 2016. This investment includes, Audi expanding the site in Gyor (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 till the year 2017. The investment program is focusing particularly on new line of products and technical innovations.
Audi is also expanding its production capacity in Asian market, including 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. Operations at the plant in Foshan are scheduled to begin in 2013.
The Company will also be hiring new employees in Germany in 2012. An additional 1,200 experts will join the team, in particular in the future-oriented fields of lightweight construction and electric mobility.