Development in the year under review
- Personnel expenses increased, mainly as a result of a higher number of employees.
- Digitalization and Group projects advanced.
- Significant income gains drive improved profit.
| SUBSIDIARIES / Other | 2021 | 2020 | Change | 2019 | ||
absolute | % | |||||
Total revenues (€ million) | 5,685 | 5,375 | +310 | +5.8 | 5,192 | |
DB Business Services | 3 | 4 | –1 | –25.0 | 51 | |
DB Operational Services | 6,519 | 6,203 | +316 | +5.1 | 5,994 | |
Other/consolidation | –837 | –832 | –5 | +0.6 | –853 | |
External revenues (€ million) | 593 | 523 | +70 | +13.4 | 581 | |
EBITDA adjusted (€ million) | 113 | –98 | +211 | – | –62 | |
EBIT adjusted (€ million) | –472 | –690 | +218 | –31.6 | –575 | |
DB Business Services | –74 | –85 | +11 | –12.9 | –71 | |
DB Operational Services | 217 | 32 | +185 | – | 18 | |
Other | –614 | –637 | +23 | –3.6 | –522 | |
Gross capital expenditures (€ million) | 815 | 981 | –166 | –16.9 | 714 | |
DB Business Services | 7 | 5 | +2 | +40.0 | 5 | |
DB Operational Services | 414 | 390 | +24 | +6.2 | 429 | |
Other | 394 | 586 | –192 | –32.8 | 280 | |
Net capital expenditures (€ million) | 809 | 981 | –172 | –17.5 | 713 | |
Employees as of Dec 31 (FTE) | 58,345 | 57,878 | +467 | +0.8 | 55,497 | |
DB Business Services | 11,571 | 11,792 | –221 | –1.9 | 12,015 | |
DB Operational Services | 44,299 | 43,330 | +969 | +2.2 | 40,907 | |
Other | 2,475 | 2,756 | –281 | –10.2 | 2,575 | |
Annual average employees (FTE) | 58,255 | 56,847 | +1,408 | +2.5 | 54,973 | |
The increase in total revenues was driven by higher revenues from intra-Group customers of DB Operational Services companies. This resulted mainly from a higher demand for digitalization and cybersecurity solutions (DB Systel), for Covid-19-related cleaning and hygiene services (DB Services), mobility (DB Connect) and security services (DB Security). A higher project volume for DB Vehicle Maintenance and the DBE.C.O. Group also had a revenue-increasing effect.
Revenues from non-Group customers increased slightly. This was mainly the result of recovery-related growth at DB Sales and an increase in project business at the DBE.C.O. Group.
The operating profit figures in the Other area were significantly affected by corporate management functions performed for the business units. There was no cost transfer to the business units by means of intra-Group allocations. The operating profit figures adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EBIT were significantly better, as growth in income exceeded the increase in expenses.
These extra costs were due to higher expenses for personnel, mainly resulting from an increase in the number of employees in response to capacity and quality measures. Rental expenses and IT costs were also above the previous year’s level. In addition to countermeasures, the positive business development at DB Systel, DB Vehicle Maintenance, DB Sales and DB Connect, among others, more than compensated for these effects.
The decline in capital expenditures resulted mainly from less significant effects from extensions of existing rental and lease contracts at DB Real Estate.
The number of employees increased, driven mainly by increased personnel at DB Operational Services companies, in particular in the DBE.C.O. Group, DB Systel, DB Vehicle Maintenance, DB Security, DB Services and DB Bahnbau, resulting from expanded digitalization and quality measures, additional hygiene and safety requirements as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the increase in in-house production levels. Due to changes in demand, on the other hand, the number of employees working for DB Sales and the human resources service providers of DB Group fell. The number of employees at the Group headquarters also fell.
