In the 2022 financial year, Bertelsmann achieved the highest revenues in the company’s history. Group revenues passed the €20 billion mark and increased by 8.3 percent to €20.2 billion (previous year: €18.7 billion), driven by organic growth of 4.1 percent. Revenues increased in almost all corporate divisions, above all in the service, education, entertainment and music businesses. The Bertelsmann Education Group more than doubled its revenues, mainly due to portfolio-related effects. Bertelsmann’s operating EBITDA of €3,192 million remained on a high level (previous year: €3,241 million). Strong earnings growth in the education and music businesses as well as in the service businesses nearly offset higher start-up losses for RTL streaming businesses and lower profits at Penguin Random House and the Bertelsmann Printing Group. The EBITDA margin was 15.8 percent (previous year: 17.3 percent). Group profit amounted to €1,052 million, compared to €2,310 million in the previous year. The previous year figure included high earnings contributions from company disposals and from Bertelsmann Investments.
Chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann
CFO of Bertelsmann
| in € millions | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business Development | |||||
| Group revenues | 20,245 | 18,696 | 17,289 | 18,023 | 17,673 |
| Operating EBITDA | 3,192 | 3,241 | 3,143 | 2,887 | 2,586 |
| EBITDA margin in percent 1) | 15.8 | 17.3 | 18.2 | 16.0 | 14.6 |
| Bertelsmann Value Added (BVA)2) | 109 | 474 | 355 | 89 | 121 |
| Group profit | 1,052 | 2,310 | 1,459 | 1,091 | 1,104 |
| Investments 3) | 1,672 | 1,954 | 920 | 1,240 | 1,434 |
| Consolidated Balance Sheet | |||||
| Equity | 15,036 | 13,606 | 10,725 | 10,445 | 9,838 |
| Equity ratio in percent | 45.8 | 42.8 | 36.1 | 38.2 | 38.8 |
| Total assets | 32,818 | 31,769 | 29,704 | 27,340 | 25,343 |
| Net financial debt | 2,249 | 959 | 2,055 | 3,364 | 3,932 |
| Economic debt 4) | 4,785 | 3,475 | 5,207 | 6,511 | 6,619 |
| Leverage factor | 1.8 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 2.6 | 2.7 |
| Dividends to Bertelsmann shareholders | 220 | 180 | – | 180 | 180 |
| Distribution on profit participation certificates | 44 | 44 | 44 | 44 | 44 |
| Employee profit sharing | 63 | 89 | 88 | 96 | 116 |
| The figures shown in the table are, in some cases, so-called Alternative Performance Measures (APM), which are neither defined nor described in IFRS. Details are presented in the section “Alternative Performance Measures” in the Combined Management Report.
Rounding may result in minor variations in the calculation of percentages. The prior-year comparatives have been adjusted. Further details are presented in the section “Prior-Year Information.” | |||||
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RTL Group is a leading entertainment company across broadcast, streaming, content and digital, with interests in 56 television channels, eight streaming services and 36 radio stations. The Group’s families of TV channels are either number one or number two in six European countries, while RTL Group owns or has interests in radio stations in France, Germany, Spain and Luxembourg. RTL Deutschland is the Group’s largest business unit and Germany’s first cross-media champion, operating across TV, streaming, radio, digital and publishing. RTL Group‘s streaming services include RTL+ in Germany and Hungary, Videoland in the Netherlands and 6play in France. Fremantle is one of the world’s largest creators, producers and distributors of scripted and unscripted content, responsible for more than 12,000 hours of programming per year, alongside an international network of teams operating in 27 countries. Bertelsmann is the majority shareholder of RTL Group, holding 75 percent of its shares.
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Penguin Random House, the world’s largest trade book publisher, is dedicated to its mission of nourishing a universal passion for reading by connecting authors and their writing with readers everywhere. The company employs more than 10,000 people globally. With more than 300 imprints and brands on six continents, Penguin Random House comprises adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction print and digital English-, German- and Spanish-language trade book publishing businesses in more than 20 countries worldwide. With over 16,000 new titles and more than 700 million print, audio and e-books sold annually, Penguin Random House’s publishing lists include more than 80 Nobel Prize laureates and hundreds of the world’s most widely read authors. Penguin Random House is wholly owned by Bertelsmann.
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BMG – established in 2008 – is the world’s fourth-biggest music company, the first new global player in the music business of the streaming age, and a record label and music publisher in one. Named in 2020 as one of the world’s most innovative companies by Fast Company, BMG’s pitch is unique – a relentless focus on fairness, transparency and service to its artist and songwriter clients. BMG’s 22 offices across 13 core music markets now represent over 3 million songs and recordings, including many of the most renowned and successful catalogs in popular music history. BMG’s fresh approach includes production music, films, books, artist management, merchandise, neighboring rights and live as well as music publishing and recordings off the same service platform. With its multi-platform perspective, integrated technology platform and commitment to help artists maximize their income, BMG aims to be the best company in music to do business with. BMG is wholly owned by Bertelsmann.
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Arvato is an internationally active services company that develops and implements innovative solutions for business customers from around the world. These include SCM solutions, financial services and IT services, which are continuously developed with a focus on innovations in automation and data/analytics. Globally renowned companies from a wide variety of industries – from telecommunications providers and energy providers to banks and insurance companies, e-commerce, IT and Internet providers – rely on Arvato’s portfolio of solutions. Arvato is wholly owned by Bertelsmann. The services business also includes the global customer experience company Majorel, which is listed on Euronext Amsterdam and in which Bertelsmann holds a stake of around 40 percent.
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The Bertelsmann Printing Group (BPG) unites Bertelsmann’s printing and direct marketing activities. This includes the German offset printing companies Mohn Media, GGP Media and Vogel Druck, the Prinovis gravure printing operations in Germany and the United Kingdom, and offset and digital printing plants in the United States specializing in the production of books. The Group combines a wide range of print and service offers. Campaign, DeutschlandCard and the Dialogue business are also part of BPG. The Bertelsmann division also includes the advertising agency MBS, RTV Media Group and Sonopress. BPG is wholly owned by Bertelsmann.
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Bertelsmann Education Group is home to leading providers of education and workforce management solutions. The group’s companies focus on the healthcare sector, in particular education and training, and deliver innovative ways of teaching and learning for students and professionals, and performance management solutions for organizations. Portfolio companies include the leading US continuing education and workforce management solution provider Relias, the professional practice-oriented Alliant University, Brazil’s number one medical education group Afya; and further venture fund investments. The Bertelsmann Education Group is wholly owned by Bertelsmann.
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Bertelsmann Investments (BI) comprises Bertelsmann’s global venture capital activities as well as the Bertelsmann Next growth unit. The venture capital arm includes the Bertelsmann Asia Investments (BAI), Bertelsmann India Investments (BII) and Bertelsmann Digital Media Investments (BDMI) funds, as well as selected fund and direct holdings in markets including Europe, the United States, Brazil, Southeast Asia and Africa. The Bertelsmann Next unit advances the entrepreneurial development of new growth sectors and business areas, including digital health, mobile gaming and HR Tech. To date, around €1.7 billion has been invested in more than 400 innovative companies and funds through Bertelsmann Investments. Bertelsmann Investments currently holds over 300 active investments worldwide through its network of start-ups and funds.
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