Status: 03/31/2022 12:31 p.m
Mainly thanks to its logistics subsidiary DB Schenker, Deutsche Bahn was able to reduce its loss in 2021. In the current year, she now wants to make a profit – with a new infrastructure board.
After strong sales growth in 2021, Deutsche Bahn wants to overcome the period of losses in the current year. “We want to be operationally in the black again from 2022. That is an ambitious but achievable goal,” said Chief Financial Officer Levin Holle at the balance sheet press conference.
However, the uncertainties caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine have not yet been factored into this forecast. A turnover of more than 48 billion euros is targeted. According to Bahn boss Richard Lutz, the railway started the year well and more passengers and goods were transported than in the same period last year.
Sales record last year
Deutsche Bahn reduced its loss significantly last year thanks to its profitable logistics subsidiary Schenker. The deficit fell to 900 million euros – after 5.7 billion euros in the corona year 2020. The operating loss (EBIT) also fell from 2.9 billion euros to 1.6 billion euros.
In addition, the group reported a sales record, among other things due to increased passenger numbers. Accordingly, revenue climbed by 18.4 percent to EUR 47.3 billion, which had never been achieved before. Around 82 million travelers used the long-distance trains in 2021, around a million more than in the previous year – despite the flood disaster in the Ahr Valley and in North Rhine-Westphalia and regardless of the strikes by the GDL train drivers’ union.
The second year of the pandemic showed that people wanted to take the train, said CEO Lutz. “Companies want to shift more traffic to the rails, and politicians want to continue to consistently support this path.”
DB Schenker benefited from high tariffs
The logistics subsidiary Schenker shines above all in the Deutsche Bahn balance sheet. The company reacted quickly to the problems in the supply chains during the Corona crisis and benefited from the high tariffs, especially for air and sea freight. On the occasion of its 150th company anniversary, it reaped a record turnover of 23 billion euros.
This should also fuel the debate about a possible sale. According to financial circles, proceeds of up to 20 billion euros could be achieved for Schenker. That would be good for the parent company, which is still sitting on a mountain of debt of almost 30 billion euros. Politicians from the FDP and the Greens also recently spoke out in favor of this.
There will also be an important personnel change at Deutsche Bahn in the near future. Infrastructure board member Ronald Pofalla leaves the state-owned company at the end of April. Berthold Huber is considered the favorite for the post of the former head of the Chancellery, who was also responsible for the controversial billion-euro project Stuttgart 21. The current group board member for passenger transport could be responsible for the entire infrastructure of the network, train stations and energy supply.