Press release: Deutsche Leasing Group - result and dividend reach new record highs
Bad Homburg, 27.03.2025
- Slight increase in new business despite weak economic situation
- Savings banks strengthen Deutsche Leasing’s equity – goal of renewable energy and infrastructure business growth
The Deutsche Leasing Group achieved a volume of new business of EUR 10.3 billion in the financial year 2023/24 (as at 30 September 2024) and thus achieved slight growth despite the lack of economic momentum (previous year: EUR 10.1 billion). The Group’s subsidiary DAL Deutsche Anlagen-Leasing made a substantial EUR 2.4 billion contribution to new business.
The Deutsche Leasing Group once again strengthened its capital base: its net asset value has increased for a fifth consecutive year and now amounts to EUR 2.5 billion (previous year: EUR 2.4 billion). The company also significantly increased its economic result in the past financial year, reaching a new record high of EUR 216 million (previous year: EUR 180 million).
This significantly improved result is due to higher income from leasing and interest. The resale result was at the same high level of the previous year. In view of the difficult economic environment, risk adjustments in Germany and other countries fell short of the previous year’s strong figure as expected.
The consolidated balance-sheet total amounted to EUR 24.7 billion (previous year: EUR 24.2 billion). Expanded Group equity – including provisions under §340g of the German Commercial Code (HGB) – rose slightly to EUR 1.54 billion (previous year: EUR 1.51 billion).
The dividend distribution made to the savings banks, as the Deutsche Leasing Group’s shareholders, was higher than in the previous year at EUR 45 million (EUR 40 million).
“In the financial year 2023/24, we have resolutely forged ahead with strategic projects and charted our course for the future. This includes the capital increase resolved by our shareholders, the savings banks. With our strengthened equity base, we will continue to expand our green finance activities over the next few years,” says Kai Ostermann, Chief Executive Officer of Deutsche Leasing.
A stronger basis for growth in the context of the energy transition
Deutsche Leasing will strengthen its capital base by EUR 300 million thanks to the capital increase which was resolved in the financial year 2023/24. The savings banks, as Deutsche Leasing’s shareholders, will contribute this additional equity over a period of three years. Its primary purpose is to finance green transformation projects. In consortia with savings banks, Deutsche Leasing plans to support energy transition and green infrastructure development projects with a total volume of up to EUR 6 billion.
SKP achieves significant business growth – DFB focuses on profitability
In the calendar year 2024 (as at 31 December 2024), Deutsche Factoring Bank (DFB) registered a 16 per cent decline in its factoring turnover, which amounted to EUR 18.4 billion (previous year: EUR 21.8 billion). This decline in turnover was shaped, in particular, by the weak economic trend and the focus on profitability initiated in the previous year. Deutsche Leasing’s strategic market exploitation with the savings banks is expected to have a positive impact in 2025.
Deutsche Leasing’s joint venture S-Kreditpartner (SKP) can look back on a successful financial year 2024. Its gross volume of new business increased by 30 per cent on the previous year to EUR 5.2 billion. SKP has increased its end-customer base by 9.2 per cent to EUR 11.4 billion and thus considerably exceeded the market growth rate of 1.9 per cent.
Last year, Deutsche Leasing increased its stake in the joint venture to 40 per cent as part of the reorganisation of SKP’s shareholder structure. In addition, the Deutsche Leasing Group has acquired SKP’s dealer purchase finance business for leisure vehicles. This business encompasses a volume of around EUR 650 million and more than 300 dealer relationships.
Issuer ratings from Fitch and Moody’s for the first time
In 2024, Deutsche Leasing received ratings from two well-known rating agencies for the first time. The issuer ratings “A+/Stable Outlook” from Fitch and “A2/Outlook Stable” from Moody’s will help to strengthen its position on the market. DFB likewise received an “A+/Stable Outlook” rating from Fitch last year.
Deutsche Leasing will continue to finance a wide range of change processes in 2024/25
For the first half of the current financial year 2024/25, the Deutsche Leasing Group predicts a business trend slightly below the previous year’s level to reflect the economic environment and, in particular, the weak investment momentum in Germany.
“We are familiar with the complex challenges which our SME customers currently face. At the same time, we feel it is necessary to keep pursuing future-oriented topics which are critical to our success with viable investment concepts and to exploit market opportunities,” says Deutsche Leasing’s Chief Executive Officer Kai Ostermann. He adds: “There have always been processes of change and transformation, and so it will continue. We know how to finance change and provide targeted support here, even in demanding conditions.”
Investments in modern infrastructure and mobility, in digitalisation and renewable energy sources such as wind farms and solar power plants and in energy storage systems and grids remain key segments.
Über die Deutsche Leasing
The Deutsche Leasing Group is a solution-oriented asset finance partner for Germany’s SME sector. For over 60 years, the company has supported investment projects both domestically and internationally, offering comprehensive financing solutions (asset finance) as well as complementary services (asset services) for fixed and current assets. As a central, internationally focused partner within Sparkassen-Finanzgruppe, it assists the German SME sector in financing transformation and innovation – from decarbonisation and digitalisation to sustainable infrastructure. In its international business, Deutsche Leasing operates in more than 20 countries, including key export markets in Europe, China, the USA, Canada and Brazil. In the financial year 2023/24, the company generated a new business volume of EUR 10.3 billion and employed around 3,100 people worldwide.
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