Investor Relations activities

With offices in Wolfsburg, London and Beijing and the liaison office in Herndon (USA), Volkswagen Investor Relations covers the most important regions for the capital markets. Its international orientation allows the Investor Relations team to maintain close contact with investors and analysts and to hold efficient discussions and events locally, for which there is growing demand. This broad base also ensures that the team maintains a deep understanding of the markets in question and intensive contact with the Volkswagen Group’s operating business, both of which are essential conditions for compelling investor relations activities with a long-term focus.

International analysts and investors remained keenly interested in the business development and products of the Volkswagen Group during fiscal year 2014. The Investor Relations team provided extensive information at roughly 900 one-on-one discussions, roadshows and conferences at all key financial centers worldwide about the strategic focus, current business performance and future prospects of the Volkswagen Group and its brands. Many of these discussions involved an exchange of ideas between capital market participants and members of the Board of Management and Group senior executives.

The Investor Relations team also briefed Volkswagen’s private shareholders on the Company’s performance at numerous events. The team was represented at the Annual General Meeting in Hanover, among other events, and was available to answer shareholders’ questions in detail in many personal discussions. In 2014, once again, Investor Relations also provided support for Group Treasury’s extensive global capital market activities.

In addition to direct dialog, capital market participants were supplied with the latest news and publications using the Internet. Interest in our website was again high, underlining the tremendous importance of digital media as an information channel and a means of maintaining contact with private and institutional investors alike. The Annual Media and Investor Conference held in March, the Annual General Meeting in May and the conference calls of the Volkswagen Group on the quarterly results for 2014 and on the announcement of the voluntary tender offer for the acquisition of all outstanding Scania shares in February were again broadcast live on the Internet in 2014.

We also promptly published online all presentations given in connection with events that were of interest to investors on our investor relations website.

HIGHLIGHTS IN THE INVESTOR RELATIONS CALENDAR

The investor relations calendar began 2014 with one of the most important events: on February 21, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft resolved to make a voluntary tender offer to the shareholders of Scania AB for the acquisition of all outstanding shares. In a conference call, the Group CFO and the Board of Management member responsible for the Group’s Commercial Vehicles Business Area explained the structure of and the strategy for the planned transaction, as well as its financing, to analysts and investors.

The Annual Media and Investor Conference was held on the site of the former Berlin-Tempelhof airport on March 13. The Group’s Board of Management looked back on a successful fiscal year in 2013, answered questions from media representatives, analysts and investors, and gave its outlook for the development of the Company. This event was part of “electrified! – the e-mobility weeks by Volkswagen”. At an interactive exhibition, conference participants were able to find out about electric mobility and test-drive electric vehicles manufactured by the Volkswagen Group. The day before, on March 12, members of the Board of Management of AUDI AG presented analysts and investors with information on the premium brand’s performance and strategy at Audi City Berlin.

The Capital Markets Day held in Leipzig in mid-April 2014 focused on presenting the Porsche brand and showcasing the new Porsche Macan. The CEO of Porsche and other members of the brand board of management provided a comprehensive overview of the sports car manufacturer’s development and strategy.

Another high point in the investor relations calendar followed mid-year: on July 11, 2014, we hosted a Capital Markets Day at the new Foshan production site in Southern China. Brand representatives and Group senior executives briefed the large numbers of attendees comprehensively on the current development, strategy and prospects of the brands and companies in China, the Group’s largest sales market, and answered the attendees’ questions in detail. The emphasis was on Audi’s positioning in the Chinese premium segment, the brand and product strategy, as well as the results of operations of Volkswagen Group China and the growing importance of the financial services business.

At an event for investors and analysts held on Sardinia at the beginning of October 2014, the spotlight was on the new Passat. The CEO and CFO of Volkswagen AG gave presentations to capital market experts on the Group’s strategy in light of the current challenges facing the automotive industry, the Group and, above all, the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand. In particular, they explained the forward-looking “Future Tracks” efficiency program. The two Board of Management members and the chief development officer of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand were then available for more in-depth discussions and to answer questions. In addition, attendees had the opportunity to test-drive the new Passat and see its merits for themselves. Product experts from Volkswagen also provided detailed insights into the design, drivetrains and digitization.

The Volkswagen Group was named “Company of the Year 2013” by the Schutzgemeinschaft der Kapitalanleger e.V. (SdK – German Association for the Protection of Investors) on May 13, 2014. The SdK cited sustained growth rates in the Group’s operating business combined with a shareholder-friendly corporate policy and outstanding investor relations. The selection process involved the members of the SdK, readers of its publications and ING-DiBa securities account clients.