Bosch Group increases sales revenues to EUR 77.9 billion - New employments planned

The Bosch Group is continuing on its successful course: despite the difficult economic conditions and weak markets, sales and result in 2018 once again reached last year’s level, which was an all-time high. According to preliminary figures, the supplier of technology and services generated sales from operations of EUR 77.9 billion last year.

Sales results were hit hard by exchange-rate effects to the tune of EUR 2.1 billion. Adjusted for exchange-rate effects, revenue rose 4.3%.

– Despite the economically harsh environment, Bosch performed well in 2018. Sales and result are once again on a record level – said Volkmar Denner, chairman of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH, speaking at the press briefing on preliminary figures.

Bosch sold a total of 52 million web-enabled products in 2018, 37% more than in the previous year. In 2018, EBIT (earnings before financial result and tax) from operations reached some EUR 5.3 billion. This is likely to yield an EBIT margin from operations of 6.9%.

– Bosch aims to develop better than its markets and secure its high level of earnings, despite the difficult economic conditions expected – said Stefan Asenkerschbaumer, the deputy chairman of the board of management and chief financial officer. – We plan to make all our business sectors even more competitive so we can finance the expansion of our technology leadership, and with it, the future of our company.

In the period up to 2022 alone, Bosch expects its upfront investments in automated driving to total EUR 4 billion, Denner said. By 2025, the company aims to increase its sales in the area of electromobility tenfold, to a total of EUR 5 billion. Bosch also plans to quadruple the number of its in-house AI experts from 1,000 to 4,000 by 2021.

For 2019, Bosch expects the global economy to grow at a rate of 2.3%.

– Our cautious forecast is due to the numerous ongoing geopolitical developments, such as the unresolved Brexit issue and various trade conflicts. In addition, aggressively protectionist economic policies in the form of punitive tariffs or withdrawal from free-trade agreements are undermining consumer spending and investment – Asenkerschbaumer said.

Nonetheless, Bosch hopes to develop better than its markets in the current year and, despite substantial upfront investments, to continue to secure its high level of earnings, the press release says.

Robert Bosch GmbH Gerlingen

Robert Bosch d.o.o. Beograd

Bosch operations

Bosch 2018 results

Volkmar Denner

Stefan Asenkerschbaumer

Bosch financial results

automated driving