Development in the year under review
- Operating profit improvements, in particular as a result of the introduction of Group charges.
- Digitalization and Group projects were driven forward.
- Number of employees has risen, primarily in line with performance development.
Subsidiaries/Other | 2023 | 2022 | Change | |
absolute | % | |||
Total revenues (€ million) | 6,829 | 6,123 | +706 | +11.5 |
DB Business Services | 3 | 2 | +1 | +50.0 |
DB Operational Services | 7,807 | 7,035 | +772 | +11.0 |
Other/consolidation | –981 | –914 | –67 | +7.3 |
External revenues (€ million) | 775 | 696 | +79 | +11.4 |
EBITDA adjusted (€ million) | 291 | 37 | +254 | – |
EBIT adjusted (€ million) | –338 | –546 | +208 | –38.1 |
DB Business Services | –161 | –93 | –68 | +73.1 |
DB Operational Services | 110 | 130 | –20 | –15.4 |
Other | –287 | –583 | +296 | –50.8 |
Gross capital expenditures (€ million) | 784 | 724 | +60 | +8.3 |
DB Business Services | 3 | 5 | –2 | –40.0 |
DB Operational Services | 581 | 438 | +143 | +32.6 |
Other | 200 | 281 | –81 | –28.8 |
Net capital expenditures (€ million) | 781 | 717 | +64 | +8.9 |
Employees as of Dec 31 (FTE) | 61,876 | 59,992 | +1,884 | +3.1 |
DB Business Services | 11,626 | 11,455 | +171 | +1.5 |
DB Operational Services | 47,608 | 46,045 | +1,563 | +3.4 |
Other | 2,642 | 2,492 | +150 | +6.0 |
| Employees annual average (FTE) | 60,806 | 59,193 | +1,613 | +2.7 |
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 construction projects (DB Rail construction and DB E.C.O.) and vehicle projects (DB Vehicle Maintenance). In addition, the performance of DB Services, DB Security and DB Connect improved, partly as a result of the recovery in demand for passenger transport and price-related factors. This was partly offset by the intra-Group transfer of activities from DB Sales to DB Long-Distance, among other things.
Revenues from non-Group customers increased considerably at a low level. This was mainly due to an increase in project business (DB Rail construction and DB E.C.O.). Lower external revenues at DB Sales had an offsetting effect.
The operating profit figures in the Other area are significantly affected by Group management functions performed for the business units. Since 2023, the allocable costs have been passed on to the business units via Group charges (shown in other operating income). Operating profit figures improved significantly as a result. Adjusted for the positive effect of the introduction of Group charges in 2023, profit growth was not as strong.
Burdens resulted, among other things, from higher cost of materials (mainly due to performance; in particular, DB Vehicle Maintenance and DB Rail construction) and human resources (mainly as a result of collective bargaining agreements and an increase in the average number of employees). The intra-Group transfer of activities from DB Sales to DB Long-Distance had a partially offsetting effect.
The increase in capital expenditures was mainly attributable to DB Vehicle Maintenance, particularly with regard to the depot infrastructure. Following supply difficulties in the previous year, improved vehicle availability at DB Connect also led to an increase in capital expenditure activity. This was accompanied by capital expenditures in digital end devices and the network infrastructure at DB Systel.
The number of employees increased, driven mainly by increased personnel at DB Operational Services companies, in particular in DB Systel, DB E.C.O., DB Rail construction, DB Services and DB Vehicle Maintenance, resulting from expanded digitalization and quality measures and an increase in the vertical range of production. This was offset by a decrease in the number of employees, due, among other things, to the intra-Group transfer of activities from DB Sales to DB Long-Distance and the personnel service providers of DB Group.
