Is BMW Going Out Of Business?

A new Z4 is among a long list of vehicles that BMW has decided to discontinue. writer Georg Kacher Jul 29, 2019.

BMW joins other automakers in warning about the Ukraine crisis

  • The crisis in Ukraine has caused BMW to decrease its profit margin projections for its automotive division for 2022, the German automaker said on Wednesday.
  • Due to the consequences of the war on production, BMW Group currently anticipates growth in earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) in its automobile segment in a range of 7-9%.

The latest automaker to issue a warning about issues with continued chip shortages and further supply chain interruptions brought on by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, BMW lowered its 2022 profit margin prediction for its car business on Wednesday.

Due to the impact of the developing Ukraine situation, BMW Group said it now anticipates an earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin for its automotive division of 7-9% rather than 8-10%.

Automakers from Toyota to Tesla have been forced to close plants and boost prices as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and COVID-19-related disruptions in China. Many have also issued warnings about potential adjustments if the situation does not improve.

Even though it was still able to acquire some parts from western Ukraine and was working with suppliers around the world to maintain production, BMW warned that more pauses in service were to be anticipated in the coming weeks.

The German automaker had a 10.3% EBIT margin for 2021, which was its highest since 2017. Despite semiconductor shortages, the company sold a record 2.52 million cars last year.

According to the company, it had anticipated delivering an even greater number of vehicles this year, but now anticipates being on pace with 2021.

BMW claimed that because of the conflict in Ukraine, it was difficult to provide precise guidance for 2022 and that it was unable to account for any potential long-term effects in its prediction.

The automaker said it anticipates a considerable increase in pre-tax profit for the current year as a result of the full consolidation of BMW Brilliance in China, which more than quadrupled pre-pandemic earnings in 2021 to 16 billion euros ($17.67 billion).

Due to growing raw material costs, Tesla increased pricing twice in a single week, while Volkswagen issued a warning that its outlook may be altered within a month if it did not secure alternative suppliers for wire harnesses that were formerly produced in Ukraine.

BMW claims that its 2021 earnings increased as a result of favoring higher-margin vehicles during the chip scarcity.

BMW AG, a German automaker, reported on Thursday that its revenue and net profit both reached record highs in 2021 despite increasing investment on electric vehicle-related research and development.

BMW claimed its full-year net profit increased from just 3.86 billion euros in 2020 to 12.46 billion euros, or nearly $13.7 billion, in a sneak peek at the numbers it will reveal at its annual meeting the following week. Over the previous year, sales increased 12.4% to 111.24 billion euros, or around $122.4 billion.

a summary of prior reporting

In an article titled BMW Is Approaching An Interesting Valuation, But May Suffer From Leasing Headwinds, I began covering the stock about two months ago. In conclusion, I learned through my investigation that BMW has been betting on growing its volumes through a powerful financial branch. It may assert its position as the top premium brand in terms of automobiles sold in this way. Its margins are not particularly great, though, and its return on invested capital is only about 4%, which is not that alluring. Additionally, the financial division can produce positive earnings when the used-car market is expanding, but if a recession starts, the business would incur significant losses. I’d like to mention how I described leasing in my prior essay to help you comprehend this:

The automobile division first sells the manufactured vehicle to the financial services division. There has not yet been a client purchase made. However, the sale is recorded at the usual retail price. A customer leases a car from the financial service division, who then assumes the role of lessor. The consumer pays a monthly charge to use the car, enjoying it while avoiding the whole expense of ownership. The payment yields interest for the lessor. Since finance was accessible and interest rates were cheap, many customers chose to lease rather than purchase an automobile. When the lease is up, the customer has two options: return the vehicle to the lessor and begin a new lease, or buy the vehicle for its residual value. Here’s where things start to get interesting. The auto division recorded both the generated revenue and the cost of the vehicle when it sold it to the financial services on its income statement. The difference between the cost of revenue and the vehicle’s residual value, or depreciation expense, is recorded by the financial services division’s balance sheet at the end of the lease. Reconciliation is required since this occurs internally at BMW in order to balance the revenue and its expense between the two divisions and avoid creating a double account. BMW can thus see the earnings on the car it sold to the financial services right away and then reconcile it after the lease is up. Let’s go on to the crucial section, which is where the risk is. BMW clearly has price control over both its car and financial services businesses. The sale between the two divisions is in line with the genuine retail price for the car if BMW is operating in an environment where car prices are high. There will be a difference between the price of the internal sale and the real price that results from the lease payments and the residual value at the end of the leasing period if the sale price is one that customers won’t accept because they will request a discount. However, if the sale price is one that customers won’t accept because they will ask for a discount.

BMW has made volume growth its primary goal over the past few years. Additionally, it has made China one of its biggest markets, opening itself up to potential geopolitical issues like many German automakers have done.

Is BMW financially successful?

In the three months from July to September 2021, the BMW Group continues to show off its high level of profitability, with third-quarter records for revenues, profit before taxes, and net profit. The Group’s impressive performance at this time was primarily fueled by favorable product mix elements, favorable pricing impacts for new cars, and consistent selling prices for used cars.

At the quarterly press conference, the BMW Group confirmed its outlook for the entire year in light of the nine-month period’s robust performance and the new records it set for customer deliveries, revenues, and profit before tax. The Group’s underlying profitability was amplified in an ad hoc release dated September 30 that raised the outlook for the current year.

The Group is steadfastly moving toward becoming a premium automaker that is climate neutral at the same time.

“The BMW Group is a perfect example of how profitability and change can coexist. We regard technological advancement as a fantastic chance to improve our business model over the long term. We are always moving the business forward to make it future-proof with our focus on climate-neutral mobility “Oliver Zipse, the chairman of the board of management at BMW AG, made this statement on Wednesday in Munich.

The introduction of the BMW I Vision Circular concept car at the IAA in Munich in September served as further evidence of the BMW Group’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, which will ultimately result in a circular economy. The BMW Group’s first totally recyclable and recycled vision vehicle offers a view of sustainable premium mobility in the year 2040.

“How large is a vehicle’s carbon footprint over the course of its full life cycle, taking into account the effects of raw materials, industrial production, active usage, and recycling, is the pertinent query in terms of climate protection. That is the measure of our performance and the currency that ultimately matters, “Zipse made a point. “Because of this, we understand sustainability in much more depth than just designing e-drive systems. In order to achieve the highest level of climate protection, we utilize circular economy principles, beginning with the ethical selection of specific raw materials for production and taking into account the whole life cycle of our cars.”

What does BMW’s future hold?

13 fully electric vehicles will be available from our firm by 2023, putting us on target to deliver more than 25% of BMW Group automobiles as electric vehicles by 2025, a percentage that is anticipated to rise to 50% by 2030. Likewise, MINI will go all electric by 2030.

Do 2022 BMWs already exist?

A brand-new generation of BMW 2-Series cars will debut for the 2022 model year, with the 230i and the M240i xDrive serving as the inaugural models. Both are set to be on sale in November 2021 and offer potent performance, sporty styling, and cozy interiors. The 2022 model will have a rear-wheel drive setup, just like the first-generation cars, but owners can expect a lot more innovative features.

Is BMW switching to all-electric vehicles?

The high-performance automotive division of BMW M, a German automaker, is testing a brand-new electric “M Series” EV concept. The renowned BMW M team is developing an electric vehicle to add to its lineup of high-performance automobiles.

BMW’s high-performance “M Series” series, which was first developed 50 years ago to support the automaker’s racing goals, has now evolved into a status symbol and a favorite among racing enthusiasts. Like the majority of established automakers, BMW is making the switch to an electric future by releasing a number of EV vehicle types.

The BMW iX, an EV SUV, and the BMW i4, an electric vehicle, are the company’s two current all-electric models. In addition, the company will introduce the BMW i7 sedan in 2023, which will be offered in the US and China.

The automaker has been less eager to switch to all-electric vehicles than many of its competitors. However, by 2030, BMW hopes to have 50% of its total sales come from electric vehicles.

BMW will supply over 104,000 all-electric vehicles in 2021. BMW does add, though, that “from 2025, we will be ruthlessly moving the fundamental BMW brand into a new all-electric dimension with the “Neue Klasse.”

In other words, a “new class” of EVs from the BMW brand is on the way; today’s statement reveals the M Series line, which is known for its great performance, will be the next to go electric.

BMW is still produced in Germany?

So, where are BMW’s factories and is BMW foreign? The answer to the query “Where is BMW made?” is not singular. BMW factories can currently be found in Germany, China, South Africa, Mexico, and the U.S., where parts and vehicles for this German brand are produced and put together.

Are BMWs trustworthy?

Fortunately, ratings of BMW dependability from several organizations support that excellent reputation: Customer Reports Every BMW in the lineup received a score above average in the 2020 rankings. The i3 electric car and the X6 midsize SUV are BMW’s most reliable models, and the brand as a whole is ranked seventh.