2016: Porsche Holding Salzburg Continues Its Impressive Growth

• EUR 21.1bn turnover (+ 11.8 %)
• 1,030,450 new and used cars sold (+ 11.2 %)
• Headcount reaching 35,600 (+ 7.6 %)
• New markets - new missions

Salzburg, March 21, 2017 - Porsche Holding Salzburg (PHS) closes 2016 as another record year in terms of turnover, sales, headcount and number of dealerships and stays well on track for further international growth.

Consolidated turnover reached EUR 21.1bn, an increase of 11.8 % compared to 2015.

For the first time in its history, the company sold more than a million new and used cars (1,030,450) through its wholesale and retail operations.
New car sales totalled 750,660 (+11.6 %), while used car sales reached 279,790 (+ 9 %).

Aside from the positive development of the Austrian passenger car market, it has been continued rebound in CEE as well as the sound sales development in the remaining European countries where PHS operates in retail, which considerably contributed to growth in 2016.

At year-end 2016, Porsche Holding Salzburg was operating in wholesale and retail in 26 countries counting 35,600 employees, some 2,500 more than the previous year.

New record for automotive wholesale operations

Porsche Holding Salzburg has automotive wholesale operations in 18 countries. Aside from Austria, PHS represents the various Volkswagen Group brands in entire CEE, Colombia and Chile and since September 1, 2016 also in Malaysia.

In 2016, PHS succeeded in increasing sales again, setting a new record with 326,860 new vehicles sold (+ 12.7 %). 

Turnover for this business unit grew 15.7 % to EUR 7.5bn. 

PHS delivered 120,450 new cars (+ 6.9 %) in Austria. The Volkswagen Group passenger car brands achieved a market share of 34.5 % (+ 0.1 points). The Volkswagen brand is the undisputed market leader with a market share of 17.2 % and a volume growth of 5.9 %. Four brands of the Volkswagen Group ranked among the top 10. Once again, Audi was the most successful premium brand in Austria.

Motorcycle brand Ducati for which PHS has been given market responsibility in Austria since October 2014, grew again hitting a new record with 778 registrations (+ 4.3 %). 

In automotive wholesale operations in Austria, PHS generated EUR 3.2bn in turnover in 2016 (+ 9.6 %).

CEE remains growth engine 

"Over the last year, we have been benefitting from the continued positive development in CEE where passenger car markets grew by more than 17 %", says Alain Favey, PHS CEO, adding: "We were able to grow with the market and to increase volume and turnover in all those countries. Even in Ukraine, we succeeded in doubling our new car sales from last year's low level."

In its 14 markets in CEE, PHS recorded a passenger car market share of 18.8 % matching the positive market trend.

PHS new car deliveries in these markets totalled 185,700 (+ 15.5 %). 30 % of this volume come from the Czech Republic alone, the second most important PHS subsidiary after Austria. PHS automotive wholesale operations turnover in CEE rose by 19 % to EUR 3.8bn in 2016. 

South America

PHS import operations in Colombia were launched in 2012 and its import and retail operations in Chile in 2013. PHS succeeded in selling 20,740 new vehicles (+ 25.3 %) in both countries generating EUR 468m (+ 36 %) in turnover.

Record values for retail business

PHS was able to increase its new car sales in retail business in 15 countries throughout the world, and as a result set a new record. The 639 dealerships sold 415,500 new vehicles (+ 11.1 %) generating EUR 15.7bn (+ 12.1 %) in turnover. As at the end of 2016, there were 30,460 people (+ 7.6 %) employed in PHS retail activities.

Austria

In Austria, Porsche Inter Auto (PIA) is present with 56 retail dealerships which delivered 47,700 new vehicles (+ 7.9 %) to customers in 2016. 4,102 employees (+ 2.8 %) made EUR 1.6bn (+ 8.4 %) in turnover.

PIA retail business in CEE and Italy

PIA was able to considerably grow on the international markets through its 56 locations in CEE and Italy. 71,700 new vehicles sold (+ 15.1 %) and 3,491 employees (+ 1.7 %) generated EUR 1.9bn (+ 17.8 %) in turnover confirming the positive upward trend in this region.

Group retail in Germany and Spain

In 2012, Volkswagen's own retail networks in Germany and Spain were transferred to PHS and regrouped into the subsidiaries VGRD (Volkswagen Group Retail Deutschland) and VGRS (Volkswagen Group Retail Spain). 

PHS operates 152 dealerships in both countries and sold 119,600 new vehicles in 2016 (+ 3.1 %). Turnover grew 7.3 % to reach EUR 4.8bn. As at the end of 2016, staffing headcount of VGRD and VGRS altogether totalled 9,744.

China business still booming

Also in China, PHS continued to grow with its 26 dealerships which sold a total of 22,600 new vehicles (+ 12.9 %). Turnover reached EUR 1.7bn (+ 2.4 %). 

Multi-brand automotive distribution group PGA had 319 points of sale in France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland in 2016 selling a total of 153,900 new vehicles in these countries (+ 17 %). With its 11,241 employees (+ 20.4 %), PGA achieved EUR 5.6bn (+ 21 %) in turnover.

Porsche Bank consolidates its position as leading financial services provider

With over 966,000 contracts*) in its portfolio, Porsche Bank hits a record in 2016 - the year of its 50^th anniversary since foundation. As a result, the financial services provider was able to further consolidate its market leadership. 

Today the traditional Austrian company is the clear number 1 on the leasing market in 15 countries throughout the world. 

In 2016, Porsche Bank's leasing contracts in Austria grew 7.7 % to 143,779 underlining its clear market leadership with a solid market share of 27.1 % (+ 0.4 points).

^*) 326,000 financing contracts, 571,000 insurance contracts and 69,000 maintenance contracts

New markets - new missions

Porsche Holding Salzburg consequently pursued its growth strategy in 2016, not only by an improved performance on existing markets but it also sets the foundation for its future development by taking over new markets and missions combined with the envisaged realignment of its retail business in France.

New markets for automotive wholesale operations

In September 2016, PHS took over import business for Volkswagen Passenger Cars in Malaysia, entering the ASEAN region for the first time. This South-East Asian country has approximately 32 million inhabitants and a passenger car market of roughly 511,000 vehicles. Volkswagen delivered some 6,000 passenger car models in 2016. 

As at April 1, 2017, PHS will be taking over import business for the Volkswagen passenger car brand in Singapore, a small market with a strong purchasing power within the ASEAN region.

Retail: Focusing in Europe on Volkswagen Group brands

Since 2012, dealerships belonging to Volkswagen's own retail network in Europe have gradually been integrated into Porsche Holding Salzburg. As at the end of 2016, PHS was responsible for all dealerships of the Volkswagen retail networks in Austria, Germany, Spain, Southeast Europe and in Italy distributing Volkswagen passenger cars and commercial vehicles, Audi, SEAT, ŠKODA, as well as for a number of Porsche and Bentley dealerships. 

Take-over of Volkswagen Group Firenze

In January 2017, PHS took over six dealerships from Volkswagen Group Firenze situated in Florence, further complementing Porsche Inter Auto's (PIA) existing five retail operations in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.

Porsche Holding Salzburg acquires VW own retail network in Sweden with 37 locations

As at April 1, 2017, Porsche Holding Salzburg will be acquiring automotive distribution group Din Bil Sverige AB from Volkswagen Group Sverige, Volkswagen's importer in Sweden. Din Bil Sverige AB has over 1,900 employees and operates 37 retail dealerships selling VW, Audi, SEAT, SKODA and Porsche in the agglomerations of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö-Helsingborg. It is the most important automotive retail chain in Sweden with new vehicles sales totalling 46,500 units.

Envisaged realignment of retail operations in France

As previously communicated, Porsche Holding Salzburg is planning its next logical step in the realignment of its dealer network in France: Presumably as from July 2017, Volkswagen's own dealerships in France are to be integrated into the newly founded company Volkswagen Group Retail France (VGRF), a Porsche Holding Salzburg (PHS) subsidiary. Along with these realignment measures, PHS wants to sell PGA Group SAS including all corresponding dealerships distributing non-Volkswagen Group brands. The envisaged transaction is subject to approval by the Competition Authority as well as to the information and consultation process of the representation bodies of the employees. 

Volkswagen Group Retail France (VGRF) is expected to employ 1,900 people in its 63 locations. Sales in new vehicles are to reach some 30,000 units per year.

PHS key figures for 2016