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WIKI ANALYSIS
Daimler AG manufactures upscale cars, trucks, buses, and vans. Its leading automobile brand is Mercedes Benz, while its vans, trucks, and buses carry the Daimler logo.
Daimler has much narrower margins than its Asian competitors because of its unionized German workforce. On the other hand, Mercedes enjoys superior brand recognition in India and China. Daimler's revenues in these areas have been growing at 25%+ annual compounded rates since 2006 despite the economic downturn, helped also by the widening acceptance of Western style vehicle-financing. Daimler trucks, in the meanwhile have been enjoying similar growth rates in Latin America, especially Brazil.
Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India Private Limited Mercedes-Benz’ stands for tradition, innovation and the future of the automobile and represents quality and safety on roads throughout the world. Mercedes-Benz Research and Development India Pvt. Ltd. (MBRDI), a 100% captive unit of Daimler AG. MBRDI is the largest Research and Development center of Daimler AG outside Germany and contributes in the areas of Computer Simulation (CAE), Design (CAD), Electrical/Electronics and IT-Services. Research and development engineers at MBRDI assess the performance and reliability of various sub-systems and contribute to product development in all the stages of the life-cycle. Organised in extended teams, the engineers collaborate with our partners in the Research & Development Centers and Business Units in Germany, Japan and the USA.
Business Overview
Quarterly and Annual Earnings
Q1 FY2011 Quarterly Earnings Summary
Daimler posted first quarter profit of €1.2 billion, almost doubling last year's first quarter earnings of €612 million [1] Revenue similarly increased from €21.2 billion in year-ago earnings to €24.7 billion for the first quarter of 2011.[1] Daimler's cash holdings increased to €12.4 billion for the quarter.[1]
These earnings were driven by a 15% increase in unit sales for the quarter when compared to last year.[1] Daimler sold 461,742 units for the first quarter, an increase from 402,726 in 2010.[1] With the exception of Daimler's Bus segment, growth was also driven by increased sales in each of Daimler's sales sections.[1] Mercedes-Benz cars and vans' sales increased by 12% and 16% respectively for the quarter, whereas sales of Daimler's trucks increased by 27%.[1]
FY2010 Annual Earnings Summary
Daimler announced net profit of 4.7 billion in 2010 as compared to losses of 2.6 billion in 2009.[2] This profit was driven by an increase in total revenue, up from 78.9 billion in 2009 to 97.8 billion in 2010 as well as a 22% increase in unit sales.[2] Daimler also increased R&D expenditures by 16% as compared to 2009 and also increased capital spending by 51% for 2010.[2]
Profits and revenue increases were driven by increased sales across all of Daimler's segments in 2010: unit sales for Mercedes-Benz Cars and Daimler Trucks increased by 17% and 37% respectively.[2] Mercedes-Benz Vans and Daimler Buses followed suit, increasing 35% and 20% respectively as well.[2] This increase in sales volume translated into increased revenues across the segments as well.[2]
Business Segments
Daimler's business segments are Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Daimler Financial Services, Mercedes-Benz Vans, and Daimler Buses. While Daimler Financial Services is dedicated to financial services activities like financing and leasing services for vehicle sales, the other four segments market and sell automotive vehicles. Mereces-Benz Cars is consistently DAI's revenue-driving segment[3]
Trends & Forces
Growing Consumer Interest in Fuel Efficiency
Daimler states that it's goal is: "to make diesel engines as clean as gasoline engines and gasoline engines as efficient as diesels."[4] Although Mercedes' lauded BLUETEC diesel technology certainly reduces diesel emissions considerably, it is unclear that Mercedes' has developed any unique technology or designs to improve the efficiency of gasoline engines. While technology at the Truck Division is certainly state-of-the-art, Daimler's competitors continue to produce trucks with similar fuel efficiency.[5] Daimler's automobiles provide a more difficult comparison because as a luxury marque, buyers often will opt for performance over fuel efficiency. This is especially true in the US market where Mercedes-Benz's smallest engine has 3.0 liters and six-cylinders, larger than the smallest engines sold in the US by other european luxury automakers such as BMW or Audi. In Europe Daimler markets many smaller gasoline and diesel engines, however the fuel efficiency of these models is similar to cars from other automakers, and Daimler has the lowest overall fleet efficiency of any major european automaker.[6] In an attempt to improve this, Mercedes began selling hybrid versions of its s-class and m-class in 2009.[7] Yet on the whole fuel efficiency is not a major selling point for Daimler automobiles.
Consumers are moving towards more environmentally friendly and fuel efficient automobiles. This is for a multitude of reasons including political tension in the Middle East, rising oil prices due to growing demand in the developing world (especially China), and increasing concern over global warming. Daimler's BlueEFFICIENCY program, begun in 2008, seeks to improve fuel economy by 12% for the company's entire fleet of vehicles. This initiative will consider everything from engine efficiency, to aerodynamics, to tire roll resistance.[8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Daimler Announces Q1 Earnings
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 | Daimler Announces Fourth Quarter Earnings
- ↑ DAI 2009 20-F pg. 47
- ↑ stock:Daimler_AG_(DAI)/Filing/20-F/2008/F1253448 Daimler Annual Earnings, 10K Report
- ↑ http://gizmodo.com/354434/most-high-tech-18-+wheeler-ever-almost-puts-optimus-prime-to-shame
- ↑ http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=348990&story_id=10329196
- ↑
- ↑ http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/06/23/daimler-takes-aim-fuel-efficiency-across-entire-fleet
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