Press Releases

AUTO1 Group SE: AUTO1 Group reports record Q4 and full year 2021 results; guidance for 2022 reflects healthy growth

Berlin, 23 March 2022

• AUTO1 Group’s Q4 2021 revenue up 99% YoY to EUR 1.6 billion, gross profit rose 56% to EUR 129 million
• AUTO1 Group’s full-year 2021 revenue increased by 69% to EUR 4.8 billion, gross profit rose 51% to EUR 431 million
• Autohero increased deliveries in Q4 2021 by 231% YoY to 13,875 units while continuing to invest into creating the best customer experience
• AUTO1 Group purchased over 180,000 cars in Q4 2021, more than ever before, leveraging its market leading platform to source the best cars for its consumer and merchant customers
• Guidance provided for 2022 reflects healthy growth and stronger Autohero GPU

Berlin, 23 March 2022 – AUTO1 Group, Europe’s leading platform for buying and selling used cars online, today announced its fourth quarter and full-year 2021 results, showing strong growth across all key metrics amid a huge increase in customer demand, demonstrating its platform leadership.

AUTO1 Group’s Q4 revenue increased by 99% year-on-year to EUR 1.55 billion (Q4 2020: EUR 779 million). Gross profit rose 56% year-on-year to a record EUR 129 million (Q4 2020: EUR 83 million).

Driven by a 31% increase of units sold to 596,731 in FY 2021 from 457,431 in the previous year, AUTO1 Group grew full-year revenue by 69% to EUR 4,775 million (FY 2020: EUR 2,830 million). Gross profit rose by 51% to EUR 431 million (2020: EUR 286 million). The Group ended 2021 with a very strong balance sheet, including EUR 721 million in cash and liquid investments.

Christian Bertermann, CEO and co-Founder of AUTO1 Group: “2021 was a hugely strong year for us - a year that started with our successful initial public offering and ended with record performance, both in terms of revenue and gross profit. We have kept the promises we made in our IPO and have delivered significant revenue increases every quarter, with substantial improvements in gross profit. Our unique business model allows us to create outstanding customer experiences and leverage our platform to source the best cars for consumers and dealers – and that’s exactly how we will continue to build the best way to buy and sell cars online.”

Autohero, AUTO1 Group’s retail segment, offers consumers an easy, hassle-free option to purchase used cars online, including home delivery, making it the leading fully digital car retailer in the EU. On the back of AUTO1 Group’s strong sourcing capabilities and its desirable customer experience, Autohero achieved another record quarter, increasing the number of units delivered in Q4 to 13,875, a 231% increase from 4,187 units in Q4 2020. GPU grew to EUR 418 in Q4 2021, up from EUR 290 in the year-earlier period. AUTO1 Group expects GPU growth to accelerate further in the coming quarters. The ongoing ramp-up of in-house production centers, including the four centers with up to 90,000 cars annual capacity announced in 2021, will play a significant part in the expected GPU growth.

AUTO1 Group’s Merchant business, Europe’s largest wholesale platform for used cars, remains the powerful engine behind the Group's financial performance and its sourcing strength. AUTO1’s Merchant segment grew revenue in the quarter by 85% year-on-year to EUR 1,342 million (Q4 2020: EUR 726 million), while gross profit increased by 51% year-on-year to EUR 123 million (Q4 2020: EUR 82 million). The Merchant segment is profitable with a 2021 full year segment contribution of EUR 125 million.

AUTO1 Group provides the following full-year guidance for 2022, reflecting its financial priorities of growing units in both segments, increasing total gross profit and moving towards profitability on the group level.

• Full-year revenue guidance at EUR 5.7-6.8 billion (2021: EUR 4.8 billion)
• Gross profit guidance at EUR 470-580 million (2021: EUR 431 million)
• Guidance for units in the Merchant segment at 580,000-680,000 units (2021: 555,351 units)
• Guidance for units in the Retail segment at 70,000-90,000 (2021: 41,380 units)
• Combined total units at 650,000-770,000 cars (2021: 596,731 units)
• AUTO1 Group expects an adjusted EBITDA margin for the full year between -2.0% and -3.0%.

While AUTO1 Group is not active in Russia and only has a de minimis exposure to Ukraine, the company has seen an increase in volatility and a dampening of consumer sentiment in some of its markets, which may continue. While any future impact on AUTO1 Group’s business will depend on the duration, extent, and intensity of the conflict, the Company believes it is well positioned to manage further market changes.

Markus Boser, CFO of AUTO1 Group: “We have achieved yet another exceptional quarter, demonstrating the continued success of our business model. Equipped with a rock-solid balance sheet, we are well on track to grow our profitable and cash flow generating Merchant business, increase total GPU and invest efficiently towards Group profitability. We will continue to invest in Autohero as we put all our focus into creating Europe’s largest and most profitable car dealer.”

AUTO1 Group will publish the consolidated financial statements and full financial report for the 2021 financial year on 8 April 2022.

AUTO1 Group – key figures:

About AUTO1 Group
Founded in 2012, AUTO1 Group is a multi-brand technology company that is building the best way to buy and sell cars online. Its local European consumer brands like wirkaufendeinauto.de offer consumers the fastest and easiest way to sell their car. Its merchant brand, AUTO1.com, is Europe’s largest wholesale platform for car trading professionals. With its retail brand Autohero, AUTO1 Group is using its technology, scale and operational excellence to develop the best consumer experience to buy a car online. AUTO1 Group is operating in over 30 countries. Following its successful IPO in February 2021, the group’s shares are trading on the regulated market (Prime Standard) of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the trading symbol AG1 and the ISIN DE000A2LQ884.

For more information please visit www.auto1-group.com

Investor Relations contact
Alexander Enge
Senior Manager Investor Relations
Phone: +49 (0)30 - 2016 38 213
Email: ir@auto1-group.com

Media contact
Knut Engelmann
Kekst CNC
Phone: +49 174 234 2808
Email: Knut.Engelmann@kekstcnc.com

AUTO1 Group SE | Bergmannstrasse 72 | 10961 Berlin | Germany

This publication contains forward-looking statements based on current views and assumptions of AUTO1 Group’s management and made to the best of such management’s knowledge. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause AUTO1 Group’s revenues, profitability or the degree to which it performs or achieves its targets to materially deviate from what is explicitly or implicitly stated or described in this publication. Therefore, persons who obtain possession of this publication should not rely on such forward-looking statements. AUTO1 Group accepts no guarantee or responsibility regarding forward-looking statements and will not adjust them to future results or developments.