Groupe Renault’s revenues of €10,125 million in the first quarter of 2020
COMMERCIAL RESULTS: FIRST QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS
Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic in the first quarter of 2020, the Global Automotive market experienced a decline of -24.6% compared to the first quarter of 2019. In order to protect its employees, and in compliance with the measures taken by the various governments, Groupe Renault suspended its commercial and production activities in most countries during the month of March and saw its global sales drop by -25.9%, to 672,962 units in the first quarter of 2020, compared to the previous year.
In Europe, in a market down by -26.2%, Groupe Renault’s sales fell by -36.0% to 321,756 units, with a sharp acceleration of this decline at the end of the quarter due to the shutdown of most of the Group’s industrial and commercial activities.
The Dacia brand, selling mainly to retail customers on a sharply declining channel, particularly in France (-41.7%), was strongly impacted and recorded a decline of -44.5% in its registrations. The Renault brand, meanwhile, fell by -32.3%.
In the electric vehicle segment in Europe, the Renault brand sold 22,810 vehicles in the first quarter with a market share of 17.3% mainly thanks to New ZOE.
In regions outside Europe, Group sales were down -13.4% in the first quarter.
In this crisis context, the new models launched in the second half of 2019 are delivering good performances in some countries. In Russia, the Renault brand recorded an increase in sales of +9.2% thanks to the success of Arkana, in a market up by +1.8%. In India, Triber enabled the Group to increase its sales by +3.5% despite a market down by -22.8%. In South Korea, Group sales increased by +20.1% thanks to the success of XM3 launched in February 2020, in a market down by -6.8%.
FIRST QUARTER REVENUES BY OPERATING SECTOR
In the first quarter of 2020, Group revenues amounted to €10,125 million (-19.2%).
At constant exchange rates and perimeter[3], Group revenues would have decreased by -18.3%.
Automotive excluding AVTOVAZ revenues amounted to €8,591 million, down -21.3%. This variation was mainly due to a decrease in volumes (-14.1 points). Sales to partners had a negative impact of -6.1 points due to the sharp decline in the production of vehicles and components for Nissan, Daimler and Opel. The negative -1.4 points currency effect was mainly due to the devaluation of the Argentinian Peso and Brazilian Real. The price effect was positive by +2.8 points as a result of price increases to cover devaluations and product enrichment.Mix effect and the others effect weighed respectively for -1.0 point and -1.5 points.
AVTOVAZ’s contribution to Group revenues amounted to €701 million in the quarter, down -8.6% after taking into account a positive currency effect of €14 million.
Mobility Services are now presented in a specific business segment and posted revenues of €6 million in the first quarter of 2020.
Sales Financing (RCI Banque) revenues amounted to €827 million in the first quarter, down -2.0% compared to 2019, mainly due to a negative currency impact of -€19 million related to the Argentinian Peso and the Brazilian Real. The number of new financing contracts fell by -10.4% as a result of sales drop. Given the average duration of the financing contracts in the portfolio of more than three years and the good commercial performance in 2019, average performing assets have continued to increase (+6.1% compared to the first quarter of 2019) and reached €49.3 billion at the end of March 2020.
At March 31, 2020, total inventories (including the independent network) represented 660,000 units, compared to 656,000 at end March 2019.
The Automotive activity at March 31, 2020 held €10.3 billion of liquidity reserves (€15.8 billion at December 31, 2019).
In the current context linked to the Covid-19 pandemic and in a spirit of responsibility towards all of the Group’s stakeholders who are making efforts or are experiencing the effects of an unprecedented crisis, Renault’s Board of Directors has decided, on April 9, 2020, to no longer propose the distribution of a dividend at the Annual General Meeting of June 19, 2020.
OUTLOOK 2020
As stated on March 20, 2020 in the publication of the Universal Registration Document, the Group suspended its 2020 guidance due to the uncertainties related to the Covid-19 pandemic and the closure of plants and commercial establishments in many countries. The Group undertakes to restart commercial and production activities in countries where safety and regulatory conditions permit and will implement all necessary measures to respond effectively to commercial demand.
To date, the impact that this pandemic will have on the Group’s results is still impossible to assess. Groupe Renault will communicate a new guidance as soon as it considers that it is in a position to do so.
