Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BAMXF) Q3 2024 Earnings Call Highlights: Navigating Market ...

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Release Date: November 06, 2024

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.

Positive Points

  • Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BAMXF) reported a growing market presence in the United States, with sales exceeding 290,000 vehicles, marking a growth of nearly 7,000 units.

  • The company has a strong manufacturing footprint in the U.S., producing high-demand vehicles like the X3, X5, X6, X7, and XM, which provides a natural hedge against potential tariffs.

  • Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BAMXF) is committed to electrifying its Spartanburg plant, with an investment of EUR1.7 billion, enhancing its production capabilities for electric vehicles.

  • The company is strategically targeting an 8% to 10% EBIT margin, indicating a focus on improving profitability.

  • Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BAMXF) is expanding its electric vehicle offerings in China, with a 15% share of BEVs in the market, and plans to introduce the fully electric MINI produced locally.

Negative Points

  • The company's Q3 profitability was impacted by high warranty provisions and lost sales, leading to a lower auto margin of around 5%.

  • There are ongoing challenges in China, with a shrinking market and financial difficulties faced by some dealers, impacting overall performance.

  • Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BAMXF) faces pressure from elevated inventory levels and a negative pricing impact, affecting its financial results.

  • The financial results for Q3 were negatively impacted by the evaluation of fair value derivatives, influenced by decreasing interest rates.

  • The company is dealing with significant warranty costs related to past issues, such as airbags and EGR, which continue to affect its financial performance.

Q & A Highlights

Q: Is the underlying profitability of BMW's auto segment around 5% to 7% for Q4, considering the IBS provisioning impact? A: Walter Mertl, Member of the Management Board, Finance, confirmed that the Q4 margin is expected to be between 5% and 7%, aligning with the full-year guidance of 6% to 7%. The impact of IBS provisioning is still present, affecting profitability.

Q: Can you provide insight into BMW's manufacturing flexibility in the U.S., particularly at the Spartanburg plant? A: Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Management Board, highlighted BMW's strong U.S. manufacturing presence, producing high-demand models like the X3, X5, X6, X7, and XM. The plant's flexibility and local production help mitigate potential tariff impacts.

Q: What is BMW's strategy for addressing the current weakness in the Chinese market? A: Walter Mertl noted that BMW is focusing on growing its BEV market share in China, with a 15% share of BEVs. The company is also launching new models like the MINI and X3 to regain momentum, viewing the situation as part of the usual market cycles.