FRANKFURT, Germany: Booming sales in China and new versions of key models pushed automaker BMW AG's earnings higher by 18 percent in the first quarter to 1.35 billion euros ($1.77 billion).
Sales were flat in Europe where the economy is slack, but the Munich-based maker of luxury cars and SUVs saw a 36 percent jump in deliveries in China, where it now sells more vehicles than it does in the United States.
Revenue rose 14 percent to €18.29 billion, the company said.
Sales worldwide rose 11 percent to 425, 528. Top performers were new versions of the 1-series compact and the X3 smaller SUV. The larger X5 SUV and the large 7-series sedan, both of which reap big profit margins, also saw better sales.
Sales in China outpaced those in the United States, 80,218 to 75,931. But deliveries in Europe, which is struggling with a slow economy and a crisis over too much government debt, only edged up 0.5 percent.
Analyst Max Warburton said a strong product mix emphasizing expensive vehicles with high profit margins helped alongside the higher sales numbers. He said more profitable vehicles, defined as the mid-size 5-series sedan and up, represented 50 percent of sales.
"BMW's sales mix, pricing and profitability remain superb," Warburton said.
BMW's profit margins — measured as earnings before interest and taxes as a percentage of sales — came in at 11.6 percent, down slightly from 11.9 percent but ahead of 11.4 percent posted by Volkswagen unit Audi AG and 8.4 percent for Daimler AG's Mercedes brand.
Germany's luxury carmakers are making fat profits, much of it on export sales to emerging markets and the United States, while Europe's mass-market carmakers such as GM's Adam Opel AG and Fiat are struggling with tough competition and weak sales and pricing.
BMW's workforce grew by 5.4 percent over the past year and it employed 101,260 people at the end of the quarter. Part of the increase came from the acquisition of the ICL Group car leasing unit, but the company said that "skilled workers and engineers continue to be recruited in order to keep pace with persistently strong demand for BMW Group vehicles, to push innovations and to focus on the development of new technologies."
BMW makes cars under the BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands. It also sells BMW and Husqvarna motorcycles.
FROM: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BMW profit up 18%
BMW profit up 18%
Closing Bell: Saudi main index closes in red at 10,847
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index dipped on Wednesday, losing 58.51 points, or 0.54 percent, to close at 10,847.93.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR3.78 billion ($1 billion), as 73 of the listed stocks advanced, while 187 retreated.
The MSCI Tadawul Index decreased, down 7.09 points or 0.48 percent, to close at 1,472.98.
The Kingdom’s parallel market Nomu lost 178.75 points, or 0.77 percent, to close at 22,916.83. This comes as 30 of the listed stocks advanced, while 37 retreated.
The best-performing stock was the Power and Water Utility Co. for Jubail and Yanbu, with its share price surging by 8.47 percent to SR31.24.
Other top performers included Saudi Paper Manufacturing Co., which saw its share price rise by 6.13 percent to SR53.70, and Jamjoom Pharmaceuticals Factory Co., which saw a 4.58 percent increase to SR137.
On the downside, the worst performer of the day was CHUBB Arabia Cooperative Insurance Co., whose share price fell by 5.14 percent to SR17.53.
Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. and Arabian Internet and Communications Services Co. also saw declines, with their shares dropping by 4.87 percent and 4.43 percent to SR4.88 and SR181.40, respectively.
On the announcement front, Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Co. announced its annual financial results for 2025, with sales dropping 3.06 percent year-on-year to SR8.45 billion. The company also recorded a net loss of SR893.86 million.
In a Tadawul statement, the company said the net loss and decline in annual sales were driven by a drop in average selling prices, despite higher sales volumes.
