AutoWallis Revenue Up by 20% in the First Quarter

Despite a volatile macroeconomic environment, AutoWallis Group increased its revenue by more than 20% to reach HUF 107 billion in the first quarter while the company’s EBITDA dropped to HUF 3.3 billion, primarily because of the unfavorable operating environment. This record revenue was primarily driven by recent acquisitions and business development initiatives, the company says on the website of the Budapest Stock Exchange.

AutoWallis is continuing to execute its growth strategy, exploring new opportunities for acquisition and business development in the region, and focusing on improving operational efficiency while exploiting the possibilities afforded by synergies in earlier transactions.

The revenue of AutoWallis Group, present in 16 countries in the region and representing 27 brands, grew by 20% to reach HUF 107 billion in the first three months of the year, setting a new record. Growth is both organic (3%) and is also attributed to the effects of acquisitions and business developments. While European Union markets saw a 1.9% drop in the sale of new vehicles*, the majority of the region saw growth of 1-4%, typically
with stabilizing inflation and economic growth that is slowly trending upwards.

The Group sold 1.8% more vehicles in the first three months of this year to reach a total of 11,814. Dealership and importer stocks increased as a result of normalized manufacturing capacities and the slowdown of customer acquisitions seen in certain brands on various Central and Eastern European markets. The company’s EBITDA saw a decline of 31% to reach HUF 3.3 billion, primarily due to the disadvantageous operating environment (e.g. unpredictability of the market impact of tariff measures) and the rise of other fixed costs that promote growth, while earnings per share dropped to HUF 1.21 (-55%) in the first quarter. The Group has efficiency-improving measures in place to offset these effects, the positive effects of which will be felt in the coming period.

AutoWallis Group continued to improve its sales performance, though growth was mitigated by the continued normalization of margins, the mainly inflation-driven growth of operating costs, and the effects of wage increases. The fact that 64% of the first quarter’s revenue was generated abroad illustrates the Group’s increasing role in the region and the diversification of its operations.

Year-on-year, the Distribution Business Unit sold 5% fewer vehicles, mainly due to one-off effects, primarily the delayed market introduction of two Opel models (the positive effects of which are expected in the coming quarters). Nevertheless, the Unit increased its revenue by 3% to a total of HUF 49 billion thanks to a change in the composition of sold vehicles and an interim change in prices. A one-off effect also impacted the Unit’s results: it sold, at cost value, 540 vehicles affected by an insurance event, the compensation for which is expected to improve its results in a later period.