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BMW AG

BMW Group reports second-quarter jump in earnings

(PresseBox) (Munich, )
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- Rise in second quarter EBT to euro 1,299 million Automobiles segment increases EBIT to euro 1,317 million EBIT margin of 9.6% for Automobiles segment in Q2 Sixmonth EBIT margin of 6.6% for Automobiles segment Strong step in 2010 towards achieving profitability targets Aiming for fullyear sales volume growth of around 10%

The BMW Group recorded a significant increase in sales volume, revenues and earnings in the second quarter 2010. Group revenues increased by 18.3% to euro 15,348 million (2009: euro 12,971 million) while the profit before financial result (EBIT) rose to euro 1,717 million (2009: euro 169 million). This corresponds to an EBIT margin of 11.2%. The profit before tax jumped to euro 1,299 million (2009: euro 151 million), with the profit after tax improving to euro 834 million (2009: euro 121 million). The number of vehicles sold during the period from April to June increased by 12.5% to 380,412 units (2009: 338,190 units).

"Sharp sales volume growth on major markets and a highvalue model mix are the main reasons for the strong secondquarter performance. We have also used the economic crisis as a source of opportunity and have improved efficiency significantly in all areas of the company", stated Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG on Tuesday in Munich. "We have made good progress towards achieving our profitability targets for the year 2012. But we have no intention of resting on our laurels. We are determined to remain on track to make the company sustainably fit for the future", he continued.

Sixmonth revenues increased by 13.5% to euro 27,791 million (2009: euro 24,480 million). EBIT for the period amounted to euro 2,166 million (2009: euro 114 million) and the profit before tax was euro 1,807 million (2009: loss before tax of euro 47 million). The Group EBIT margin was therefore 7.8%. The profit after tax was euro 1,158 million (2009: loss of euro 31 million). The total number of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand vehicles delivered to customers during the first six months of the year rose by 13.1% to 696,026 units (2009: 615,454 units).

Targeting EBIT margin of over 5% in Automobiles segment in 2010

The strong demand for new models such as the BMW 5 Series and BMW X1 alongside the sharp growth achieved with other models - including the BMW 7 Series - suggest that earnings will continue to rise dynamically during the remainder of the year. In view of the market success enjoyed by our products and the generally improved climate on international car markets, the BMW Group raised its fullyear earnings and sales volume forecasts in mid-July.

The company now expects to achieve an even greater improvement in pretax earnings than originally forecast. "We are aiming to achieve significantly higher group earnings in 2010 than in 2009, thus making an important step towards achieving the targets we have set for 2012", stated Reithofer. The aim is to achieve an EBIT margin of over 5% in the Automobiles segment as well as sharply improved pretax earnings and a return on equity of over 18% in the Financial Services segment.

Attractive products and the worldwide economic recovery will help to boost sales volumes in 2010: "We intend, as the world's leading manufacturer of premium cars, to increase our sales volume in the current year by around 10% to over 1.4 million vehicles", commented Reithofer.

"That said, we still need to keep in mind that some economic risks could persist during the second half of the year", continued Reithofer. For this reason, the forecast is given with the proviso that the economic recovery continues and that general business conditions are not significantly dampened.

In 2012, the BMW Group aims - as part of its Strategy Number ONE - to achieve an unchanged EBIT margin of eight to ten percent in the Automobiles segment and a return on equity of at least 18% in the Financial Services segment.

Sharp improvement in Automobiles segment's EBIT margin

The Automobiles segment put in an extremely dynamic secondquarter performance. The segment's profit improved sharply on the back of higher sales volumes worldwide, a highervalue modelmix and better selling prices. Benefits are also already coming through from the increased use of modular components.

The secondquarter EBIT rose to euro 1,317 million (2009: negative EBIT of euro 31 million) on revenues of euro 13.669 million (2009: euro 10,827 million/+26.2%), giving an EBIT margin of 9.6%. The secondquarter profit before tax increased to euro 938 million (2009: loss before tax of euro 158 million). Sixmonth revenues of the Automobiles segment rose to euro 24,341 million (2009: euro 20,432 million/+19.1%). The segment EBIT for the sixmonth period turned from a loss of euro 282 million to a profit of euro 1,608 million, corresponding to an EBIT margin of 6.6%. The segment profit before tax improved to euro 1,158 million (2009: loss before tax of euro 629 million). Adjusted for the further externalisation of pension obligations (euro 410 million), free cash flow generated by the Automobiles segment amounted to euro 1,199 million (2009: euro 623 million/+92.5%) for the sixmonth period.

The total number of cars sold by the BMW brand during the first half of the year rose by 14.1% to 585,755 units (2009: 513,591 units). Models contributing to this growth included the BMW X1, the BMW X5 und X6, the BMW 7 Series and BMW Z4. The new BMW 5 Series Sedan has also had a good start: since the introduction to the European markets in mid-March, some 25,000 units have been sold. The new model has been available in the USA since June and is receiving a similar level of acclaim amongst customers there.

Further attractive new models going on sale in the coming months are the new BMW 5 Series Touring, the extendedwheelbase version of the BMW 5 Series Sedan for the Chinese market, the BMW X3 and the MINI Countryman.

During the first half of the year, sales of the BMW X1 and BMW 5 Series GT totalled 46,705 units and 11,803 units respectively. The sales volume of all 5 Series models taken together rose by 10.8% to 94,699 units (2009: 85,476 units), thanks, amongst other factors, to the successful start of the new 5 Series Sedan.

Also registering good growth were the BMW 7 Series with 30,711 units sold (2009: 20,479 units /+50.0%) and the BMW X5 and X6 models with a combined total of 68,632 units sold (+7.1%/2009: 64,078 units). Sales of the BMW Z4 Roadster grew by 74.7% to 14,236 units (2009: 8,148 units) for the sixmonth period. As a result, the BMW 7 Series, the BMW X5 and X6 as well as the BMW Z4 all remained market leaders in their respective segments. The traditionally best selling model also increased its sales volume during the period under report: sixmonth sales of the BMW 3 Series were up by 3.0% to 199,027 units (2009: 193,186 units).

MINI brand sales climbed by 7.6% in the first half of the year to 109,301 units (2009: 101,534 units). Once the MINI Countryman comes onto the market from autumn onwards, the MINI brand will then have four variants. The BMW Group is confident that the first MINI Crossover model, plus model revisions of the remainder of the model range, will generate good sales momentum over the course of the second half of the year.

Rolls-Royce sold more cars during the first half of 2010 than it has in any sixmonth period since making its return to the market in 2003. With 970 units (2009: 329 units) handed over to customers, the sales volume almost tripled in the first six months of the year.

The BMW Group recorded sales volume growth in virtually all markets during the first half of the year, with China, the Americas and Europe registering the highest growth rates. In Europe, the number of cars sold rose by 4.0% to 389,831 units. The company also remained on a growth course in its largest international market during the period under report, with sales of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand cars rising in the USA by 6.4% to 121,912 units. The BMW Group therefore remained the bestselling European premium car manufacturer in the US market.

Sales in Asia during the period from January to June climbed by 57.7% to 128,845 units. The Chinese market continued to grow dynamically, with the number of cars sold during the sixmonth period more than doubling to 75,615 units (2009: 37,627 units/+101.0%). The sales volume including Hong Kong and Taiwan was 81,807 units (+99.5%).

BMW Motorrad reports sharply improved secondquarter earnings

BMW Motorrad's earnings increased sharply in the second quarter on the back of a good sales volume performance despite otherwise unfavourable business conditions. Sixmonth segment revenues rose by 30.7% to euro 439 million (2009: euro 336 million). EBIT for the period rose to euro 54 million (2009: euro 26 million) and the result before tax improved to euro 53 million (2009: euro 24 million). Sixmonth revenues increased to euro 790 million (2009: euro 626 million/+26.2%). The segment reported an EBIT for the first half of the year of euro 86 million (2009: euro 54 million) and a profit before tax of euro 83 million (2009: euro 50 million).

Sales of BMW brand motorcycles in the second quarter increased by 21.6% to 36,175 units (2009: 29,742 units). During the first half of the year, BMW Motorrad sold 57,015 units (2009: 46,974 units). This corresponds to an increase of 21.4%. The bestseller list was headed by the large, longdistance enduro R 1200 GS, making it the bestsold bike in the 500 cc plus motorcycles segment worldwide. Sales of the S 1000 RR - the first supersport bike manufactured by BMW Motorrad - reached a total of 6,459 units worldwide in the sixmonth period from January to June (of which 1,223 were sold in June).

Two new luxurious BMW Touring motorcycles, the K 1600 GT and the K 1600 GTL, will be presented to the public for the first time in autumn. For the first time in the segment's history, both of these models will be fitted with sixcylinder inline engines.

Sharp rise in Financial Services segment earnings

The Financial Services segment again performed well during the period from April to June 2010. Secondquarter segment revenues, at euro 4,198 million (2009: euro 4,224 million), were virtually identical to the previous year. The pretax profit improved to euro 379 million (2009: euro 81 million) thanks to the economic recovery and significantly lower refinancing costs. The secondquarter segment EBIT jumped to euro 379 million (2009: euro 75 million). The sixmonth segment profit before tax rose to euro 601 million (2009: euro 153 million), while the segment EBIT improved to euro 592 million (euro 145 million).

At 30 June 2010, the Financial Services segment was managing a portfolio of 3,119,340 lease and credit financing contracts, 3.0% more than in the previous year. The number of new contracts rose worldwide by 8.5% to a total of 527,044 contracts. The growth of credit financing (up 10.3% on the first half of the previous year) contributed especially to this performance. The leasing business recorded a growth of 4.3%. Lease contracts and credit financing accounted for 28.4% and 71.6% of new business respectively. The proportion of new cars of the BMW Group financed or leased by the Financial Services segment was 46.6%, 0.4 percentage points below the proportion recorded one year earlier.

Workforce of 95,502 employees at the end of second quarter

The BMW Group had a workforce of 95,502 employees at the end of the second quarter (2009: 98,261 employees), 2.8% fewer than one year earlier. Compared to the beginning of the year, the number of employees remained more or less stable (-0.7%). As part of a forwardlooking approach to skills management, the BMW Group will recruit approximately 1,000 new employees over the course of 2010, of which roughly one half will be based in Germany. Most of the new staff are being taken on to work in the areas of research and development as well as purchasing and sales. In addition, some 1,080 apprentices will be joining BMW AG in autumn 2010.

BMW AG

The BMW Group is one of the most successful manufacturers of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 24 production facilities in 13 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

The BMW Group achieved a global sales volume of approximately 1.29 million automobiles and over 87,000 motorcycles for the 2009 financial year. Revenues totalled euro 50.68 billion. At 31 December 2009, the company employed a global workforce of approximately 96,000 associates.

The success of the BMW Group has always been built on longterm thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. As a result of its efforts, the BMW Group has been ranked industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for the last five years.

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The publisher indicated in each case (see company info by clicking on image/title or company info in the right-hand column) is solely responsible for the stories above, the event or job offer shown and for the image and audio material displayed. As a rule, the publisher is also the author of the texts and the attached image, audio and information material. The use of information published here is generally free of charge for personal information and editorial processing. Please clarify any copyright issues with the stated publisher before further use. In case of publication, please send a specimen copy to service@pressebox.de.