Financial position

The principles and objectives applicable to financial management as at June 30, 2021 were largely the same as those described in the 2020 combined management report.

Analysis of capital structure

Non-current and current liabilities amounted to €10,008.1 million as at June 30, 2021, which was €223.3 million higher than the figure as at December 31, 2020 of €9,784.8 million. This was primarily due to the growth in trade payables and liabilities from the leasing business in line with the volume of business.

Non-current and current financial liabilities fell by a total of €163.1 million to €1,031.4 million (December 31, 2020: €1,194.5 million). The decline was predominantly due to the repayment of the variable-rate tranche of the promissory note with a face value of €167.0 million in April 2021. As a result of this repayment, the carrying amount of non-current promissory notes stood at only €326.8 million as at June 30, 2021 (December 31, 2020: €590.0 million). Alongside this, non-current financial liabilities largely comprise the corporate bond issued, which has a carrying amount of €495.0 million (December 31, 2020: €494.5 million).

Current financial liabilities rose to €171.0 million as at June 30, 2021 (December 31, 2020: €77.1 million). This is mainly because the fixed-rate tranche of the promissory note maturing in May 2022 and with a nominal amount of €92.5 million is now recognized under current financial liabilities. Net financial debt (non-current and current financial liabilities less cash and cash equivalents) decreased to €717.6 million as at June 30, 2021 (December 31, 2020: €880.0 million). This equated to 0.4 times adjusted EBITDA on an annualized basis (December 31, 2020: 0.6 times). To reconcile the net financial debt to the industrial net operating debt of €1,722.3 million as at June 30, 2021 (December 31, 2020: €1,912.6 million), the liabilities from the short-term rental business of €481.7 million and the liabilities from procurement leases of €523.0 million are added to net financial debt.

Industrial net operating debt

in € million

Jun. 30, 2021

Dec. 31, 2020

Change

Promissory notes

419.2

590.0

–28.9%

Bonds

495.0

494.5

0.1%

Liabilities to banks

84.3

77.1

9.4%

Other financial debt

32.8

32.9

–0.5%

Financial debt

1,031.4

1,194.5

–13.7%

Less cash and cash equivalents

–313.8

–314.4

0.2%

Net financial debt

717.6

880.0

–18.5%

Liabilities from short-term rental business

481.7

505.6

–4.7%

Liabilities from procurement leases

523.0

527.0

–0.8%

Industrial net operating debt

1,722.3

1,912.6

–10.0%

Non-current and current liabilities from the leasing business rose to €2,942.1 million as at June 30, 2021 (December 31, 2020: €2,739.3 million). Of this total, €2,707.0 million was attributable to financing of the direct leasing business (December 31, 2020: €2,483.6 million) and €235.1 million to the repurchase obligations resulting from the indirect leasing business (December 31, 2020: €255.7 million).

Non-current and current liabilities from the short-term rental business, which totaled €481.7 million (December 31, 2020: €505.6 million), declined in line with the rental assets.

Non-current and current other financial liabilities stood at €641.4 million as at June 30, 2021 (December 31, 2020: €646.9 million). This item included liabilities from procurement leases amounting to €523.0 million (December 31, 2020: €527.0 million), for which right-of-use assets were recorded. Contract liabilities, of which a large proportion related to the long-term project business in the Supply Chain Solutions segment, stood at €562.0 million (December 31, 2020: €550.8 million).

The retirement benefit obligation and similar obligations fell to €1,275.5 million owing to higher discount rates (December 31, 2020: €1,450.3 million).

Consolidated equity rose to €4,761.0 million as at June 30, 2021 (December 31, 2020: €4,270.8 million). The net income of €291.2 million earned during the period under review contributed to the rise in equity, as did the actuarial gains and losses arising from the measurement of pensions, which amounted to a net gain of €151.8 million (after deferred taxes) and were recognized in other comprehensive income. The currency translation gains of €103.3 million, also recognized in other comprehensive income, had a positive impact on equity too. KION GROUP AG’s dividend payout reduced equity by €53.7 million. Overall, the equity ratio improved to 32.2 percent (December 31, 2020: 30.4 percent).