Volkswagen
has announced sales revenue for the 2012 financial year of €192.7 billion
(prior year: €159.3 billion),
The Group’s operating
profit of €11.5 billion (€11.3 billion) exceeded the prior-year record level.
“The economic environment
for our business became noticeably more difficult as the year progressed.
Nevertheless, we succeeded in meeting the targets we set ourselves for 2012,”
said Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen
Aktiengesellschaft.
Winterkorn remained
guardedly confident about 2013: “We, too, are not completely immune to the
intense competition and the far-reaching crisis in key European markets.
Furthermore, uncertainty in the economic environment continues. Nevertheless,
we see good opportunities for the Volkswagen Group to once again outperform
competitors this year thanks to our sound financial strength and earning power,
a broad-based and attractive model range, an expanding presence on all major
global markets and our comprehensive financial services.”
Given the pressures
resulting from the difficult environment the Volkswagen Group’s goal for
operating profit is to match the prior-year level in 2013. Deliveries to
customers and sales revenue are to increase year-on-year.
“If we can meet these
targets, then 2013 will be another good year for the Volkswagen Group,”
Winterkorn commented.
Total production for the
year was 9,255,000 vehicles compared with 8,494,000 in 2011, a rise of 9.5 nine
per cent. Vehicle sales amounted to 9,345,000 compared with 8,361,000, a rise of
nine per cent. Employee level at 31 December 2012 was recorded at 549,763
compared with 501,956 a year earlier, a rise of 9.5 per cent. ∎