TRATON GROUP records highest incoming orders in a quarter in the Company's history in the first quarter of 2021
· *TRATON brands increase their incoming orders in the first quarter to 81,700 vehicles, **51% more than in the same period last year*
· *Incoming orders for trucks, including MAN TGE vans, up 62% at 78,700 vehicles*
· *Incoming orders in the bus business 46% lower at 3,000 vehicles as a result of the pandemic*
· *“A year ago, we saw how quickly the pandemic hit the commercial vehicle business. Now, we are seeing our customers’ orders pick up again just as quickly. One of the reasons for this is how well our new truck generations have been received by our customers. **81,700 orders in just one quarter is the best result the TRATON GROUP has achieved so far,” said TRATON CEO Matthias Gründler.*
*Munich, May 10, 2021* – With 81,700 orders received between January and March 2021, the TRATON GROUP has reported its best quarter so far, achieving an increase of more than 50%. This is attributable to the truck business, which has recently been strong. 78,700 orders for trucks, including MAN TGE vans, correspond to an increase of 62% in the first quarter. Incoming orders for trucks over 6t in Europe (EU27+3), an important market for the Company, rose by 65% year-on-year. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continued to weigh sharply on the bus business, particularly on coaches, in the first quarter, with bus orders declining by 46% to 3,000 vehicles. Starting in March of the prior-year quarter, the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic led to substantial uncertainty, which was reflected in the incoming orders.
“A year ago, we saw how quickly the pandemic hit the commercial vehicle business. Now, we are seeing our customers’ orders pick up again just as quickly. One of the reasons for this is how well our new truck generations have been received by our customers. 81,700 orders in just one quarter is the best result the TRATON GROUP has achieved so far,” said TRATON CEO Matthias Gründler. The TRATON GROUP had already reported on key financial indicators of the first quarter of 2021 on the basis of preliminary figures on April 19. Today, it has published its Interim Statement as of March 31, 2021.
*Unit sales* were up 31% at 60,300 vehicles, the Group’s *sales revenue* increased by 15% to €6.5 billion (3M 2020: €5.7 billion), and the Group’s *adjusted operating profit* tripled to €516 million (3M 2020: €161 million). *Adjusted operating return on sales* rose by 5 percentage points to 7.9% (3M 2020: 2.8%), a figure that TRATON confirmed in this Interim Statement. This means that all key performance indicators have already surpassed the figures seen in the first quarter 2019, thus going over and above the level reported before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The TRATON GROUP had revised its *outlook* for the current fiscal year upward on April 19. The raised outlook is now confirmed: the TRATON GROUP’s *operating return on sales* is expected to range between 5.0 and 7.0% (before revision: 5.0 to 6.0%). The *cash conversion rate* in the current fiscal year is no longer considered a meaningful indicator due to the planned restructuring of MAN Truck & Bus. The TRATON GROUP is expecting *net cash flow in the Industrial Business segment* to range between €500 million and €700 million for the current year.
The forecast does not contain any expenses or payments for the MAN Truck & Bus restructuring program and does not include the impact of the planned Navistar takeover. The ranges reflect the continuing high level of uncertainty regarding the further course of the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated countermeasures taken by the affected countries, as well as their potential impact on production and supply chains.
Contact:
*Julia Kroeber-Riel*
Head of Group Communications, Governmental Relations & Sustainability
T +49 152 58870900
julia.kroeber-riel@traton.com*
*
*Matthias Karpstein*
Business Media Relations
T +49 172 3603 071
matthias.karpstein@traton.com
TRATON SE
Dachauer Str. 641
80995 Munich, Germany
With its brands Scania, MAN, Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus, and RIO, TRATON SE is one of the world's leading commercial vehicle manufacturers. Its range comprises light-duty commercial vehicles, trucks, and buses, at 29 production and assembly sites in 17 countries. The Group aims to reinvent transportation — with its products, its services, and as a partner to its customers. For TRATON, sustainable economic growth always includes treating people and nature with respect. The People, Planet, and Performance triad will shape the future of our Company.