SWATCH Group Key Figures 2018
• Group net sales increased by 6.1% to CHF 8 475 million at current exchange rates (+5.7% at constant rates).
• Operating result increased by 15.2% to CHF 1 154 million. Operating margin increased from 12.5% in the previous year to 13.6%.
• Net income increased by 14.8% to CHF 867 million, with a net margin of 10.2% (previous year: 9.5%).
• Dividend proposal: increase of 6.7% to CHF 8.00 per bearer share and CHF 1.60 per registered share.
• Business slowed in the last three months of the year under review. The month of December in particular was slow, due in part to the very high comparison basis.
• Production companies in the Habillage sector (cases, dials, watch hands, etc.) worked at or even above capacity limits, which led to significant delivery delays, mainly for products for Omega and Longines.
• Record number of 212 new patent applications in 2018.
• Creation of over 1,700 new jobs, mainly in Switzerland.
• January 2019 started with solid growth, even in comparison with the very strong January in the previous year. The Swatch Group expects a positive trend in 2019, both in demand and in elimination of capacity bottlenecks.
