"Mobilize Financial Services recorded a good commercial performance in the first half of the year, validating our strategy of focusing on value rather than volumes, with the average financed amount up by 10.8% in the first half of 2023. We are confirming our position as a major player in mobility-related financial services, as demonstrated in particular by the steady increase in the proportion of lease finance offers, which now account for 61% of financing contracts. We also remain the market benchmark in terms of customer satisfaction, with a Net Promoter Score of +57 points. Once again, we have demonstrated the strength of our financial performance. These results are the fruit of the hard work and dedication of all our teams, whom I would like to congratulate," says Frédéric Schneider, interim CEO of Mobilize Financial Services.
a good sales performance that validates the strategy of focusing on value rather than volumes
After two years marked by semi-conductors' shortages, the Alliance brands are seeing a return to normal supply levels in 2023 and growth in sales. Against this backdrop, Mobilize Financial Services saw a sharp 19.0% increase in new financing in the first half of 2023. Excluding companies accounted for by the equity method, the penetration rate was 43.3%, down 3.2 points on the first half of 2022.
Mobilize Financial Services financed 646,739 new financing contracts during the first half of 2023, up by 7.4% compared to the end of June 2022.
Used vehicle financing was down slightly by 2.4% compared with the end of June 2022, with 172,342 contracts financed, due to the shortage of semiconductors over the last two years.
The number of electric vehicles financed reached 35,602 units in the first half of 2023, representing 5.5% of the total number of contracts financed.
Mobilize Financial Services supports the "From volume to value" strategy of the Alliance brands, particularly Renaulution, through the development of leasing and flexible formulas. In the first half of 2023, the proportion of leasing contracts rose by 5.4 points to 61% of new vehicle financing contracts in the retail customer segment, illustrating customers' appetite for increasingly flexible solutions. In addition, the number of customers using car subscription offers (Bipi and Mobilize Lease&Co in Brazil) has risen by 56% compared with June 2022.
New financings (excluding cards and personal loans) rose by 19.0% to10.4 billion euros, driven by a 19.7% increase in registrations of Alliance brands.
Average performing assets related to the Customer business amounted to 39.6 billion euros in the first half of 2023, up 4.2%. Average performing assets related to the Network business, which had reached a low point in 2021-2022 due to semiconductor shortages, returned close to pre-Covid levels and stood at 10.3 billion euros, up 4.6 billion euros. Overall, average performing assets reach 49.9 billion euros, up 14.2% on the first half of 2022.
The number[4] of insurance and service contracts sold in the first half of 2023 was 1.94 million. In relation to the number of vehicles financed, the number of services sold per vehicle is stable, with an average of 3 services sold per vehicle (new and used vehicles).
Mobilize Financial Services maintains a record level of customer recommendation with a Net Promoter Score of +57 points, up by 2 points since November 2022.
Mobilize Financial Services confirms solid financial performance
Net banking income (NBI) stood at 974 million euros, down slightly by 2% compared with the income at the end of June 2022. This decline is due to the negative impact of the valuation of interest rate swaps, following a very strong positive impact in the first half of 2022 in an environment of rising interest rates.
Operating costs amounted to 356 million euros in the first half of 2023, compared with 322 million euros at the end of June 2022. They represented 1.44% of APAs, an improvement of 5 basis points compared with the first half of 2022, due to growth in average performing assets outstripping growth in operating costs.
The cost of risk on Customer business (retail customer and Corporate customer financing) stood at 0.47% of APAs at end-June 2023, compared with 0.57% of APAs at the end of June 2022. This decrease is mainly due to the normalisation of risk parameters. The cost of risk on the dealership business (dealership financing) was stable at 0% of APAs at end-June 2023, compared with a reversal of -0.2116% at end-June 2022. This change is mainly due to the relatively low level of dealership outstandings in the first half of 2022, which has since risen sharply. The global cost of risk was 0.38% of APAs compared with 0.49% at end-June 2022.
Pre-tax income was therefore 487million euros, compared with 441 million euros at the end of June 2022. Income from Corporate customers rose by 86 million euros, as the 2022 financial year was marked by an exceptional write-down of 101.4 million euros on the investment in RN Bank Russia.
an ESG strategy appreciated by the market, with dynamic savings inflows
Against a backdrop of renewed volatility on the financial markets in the first half of the year and periods of risk aversion, Mobilize Financial Services issued the equivalent of 2.5 billion euros in the first half of 2023 and launched its second green bond issue for 750 million euros. The success of this transaction demonstrates that the group's ESG strategy is appreciated by the market and demonstrates its commitment to the fight against climate change. During the first half of 2023, the group also placed a 5-year bond for 200 million Swiss francs and two issues of 750 million euros with maturities of 3.5 and 4-year bonds.
In the securitization market, the group placed 719 million euros of securities backed by car loans granted by its German branch. Private securitizations of car loans in the UK and leasing in Germany saw their revolving periods extended for a further year and their amount increased slightly to 600 million sterling in the UK and 400 million euros in Germany. The savings collection business proved very dynamic and competitive in terms of the cost of the resources collected. Deposits mitigated the impact of the rise in the cost of market financing, demonstrating the relevance of the financing diversification strategy initiated 10 years ago. Savings deposits collected have risen by 2.2 billion euros since the beginning of the year to reach 26.7 billion euros at the end of June 2023.
[1] Excluding equity accounted companies
[2] The Net Promoter Score (NPS) is the percentage of customers who rate their likelihood of recommending a company, product or service to a friend or colleague as 9 or 10 ("promoters") minus the percentage who rate this likelihood as 6 or less ("detractors") on a scale of 0 to 10.
[3] Average performing assets: APA corresponds to the average performing assets plus the assets related to operational leasing activities. For customers, it is the average performing assets at the end of the month. For the dealer network, it is the average of daily performing assets.
[4] Excluding equity accounted companies. The figure of 3 average services sold per vehicle communicated in February 2022 for the 2021 financial year was calculated on a scope including equity accounted companies.
about Mobilize Financial Services
Attentive to the needs of all its customers, Mobilize Financial Services, a subsidiary of Renault Group, creates innovative financial services to build sustainable mobility for all. Mobilize Financial Services, which began operations nearly 100 years ago, is the commercial brand of RCI Banque SA, a French bank specializing in automotive financing and services for customers and networks of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.
With operations in 35 countries and nearly 4,000 employees, Mobilize Financial Services financed nearly 1.2 million contracts (new and used vehicles) in 2022 and sold 3.8 million services. At the end of December 2022, average earning assets stood at 44.7 billion euros of financing and pre-tax earnings at 1,050 million euros.
Since 2012, the Group has deployed a deposit-taking business in several countries. At the end of December 2022, net deposits amounted to 24.4 billion euros, or 49% of the company's net assets.
