In response to partly misleading media reports ‒ most recently in the Mittelbayrische Zeitung under the headline "Siemens knew" ‒ regarding the involvement of Siemens in the planned strategic realignment of Osram AG, Siemens comments as follows:
- Three shareholder representatives proposed for early re-election
The Supervisory Board of Siemens AG wants to ensure continuity in the long-term, successful implementation of the company's Vision 2020 strategy beyond the next regular re-election of shareholder representatives to the Supervisory Board in January 2018. Based on the Nominating Committee's recommendation, the Supervisory Board has therefore decided to propose to the Annual Shareholders' Meeting of Siemens AG on January 26, 2016 the early reelection of Dr. Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller, Jim Hagemann Snabe and Werner Wenning for terms extending until the Annual Shareholders' Meeting in 2021 in order to ensure their continued participation in the Supervisory Board beyond 2018.
- New unit to create more space for founder and startup culture
- Innovation funds of €100 million for employee ideas
- New research centers in China and Munich
- Company-wide Sinalytics platform for digital services
- Nine researchers honored for around 650 inventions
In the current fiscal year 2016, Siemens will invest around €4.8 billion in research and development (R&D) – some €300 million more than last fiscal year. R&D investment has thus increased about 20 percent since fiscal 2014. A major part of the additional funds is earmarked for automation, digitalization and decentralized energy systems. In fiscal 2015, research intensity ‒ defined as the ratio of R&D expenditures to revenue ‒ was 5.9 percent, an increase of 0.3 percentage points over the prior year. The company is also launching a bundle of measures to further increase its power of innovation.
- New claim stands for timeless engineering expertise, social values and genius
- Global launch in 2016 – the Werner von Siemens anniversary year
To coincide with the 200th birthday of its founder Werner von Siemens, the company is strengthening its global positioning with a new brand appearance, whose central component is the claim "Ingenuity for life." In the future, this claim will appear under the Siemens logo, whose design and color will remain unchanged. Siemens is combining its logo with a slogan. "Ingenuity for life" sums up what Siemens has stood for ever since its founder produced his trailblazing inventions: engineering expertise, genius, innovation and a sense of responsibility.
Sabine Reichel has been appointed head of Siemens Investor Relations, effective December 1, 2015. In this capacity, she will succeed Mariel von Schumann, who is currently responsible for the company's investor relations activities in addition to heading Governance & Markets. Siemens Investor Relations will continue to be part of Governance & Markets.
- Guidance for fiscal 2015 met
- Ambitious outlook for 2016
- Substantial growth in orders expected despite weakening global economy
- Moderate revenue increase also anticipated
- Managing and Supervisory Boards propose dividend increase to €3.50
- New share buyback program of up to €3 billion over up to 36 months
- €200 million additional in employee profit sharing
Siemens has met its guidance for fiscal 2015 as planned and announced an ambitious outlook for fiscal 2016. In fiscal 2015, orders climbed six percent to €82.3 billion. Revenue was also up six percent to €75.6 billion. Excluding currency translation and portfolio effects, orders and revenue were both down one percent, roughly at the prior-year level. The book-to-bill ratio was 1.09. The profit margin for the Industrial Business was 10.1 percent. Net income totaled €7.4 billion (fiscal 2014: €5.5 billion). At €8.84, basic earnings per share were 39 percent above the prior-year figure. For fiscal 2015, Siemens had anticipated revenue on an organic basis at the prior-year level and a book-to-bill ratio of over one. An increase in basic earnings per share of at least 15 percent above the prior-year value of €6.37 had been forecast. The profit margin for the Industrial Business had been expected to be 10 percent to 11 percent.
- Fourth-quarter orders up 15% year-over-year, at €23.7 billion, and revenue 4% higher at €21.3 billion, for a book-to-bill ratio of 1.11
- Volume development includes strong currency translation tailwinds; excluding currency translation and portfolio effects, orders up 6% and revenue down 4%
- Industrial Business profit up 9%, at €2.5 billion; strong improvements in Energy Management, Wind Power and Renewables, Healthcare and Mobility, more than offset substantial declines in Power and Gas and Process Industries and Drives
- Net income lower, at €1.0 billion, due mainly to Centrally managed portfolio activities; basic earnings per share (EPS) of €1.18 compared to €1.72 in Q4 FY 2014
- Free cash flow from continuing and discontinued operations of €4.4 billion, above the high level in the fourth quarter a year ago
"We delivered what we promised, and are well positioned to deliver on our plans for the year ahead."
- For the first time, maximum number of points in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)
- CDP praises Siemens for high transparency of its environmental reporting
- Signal for COP 21: Business must take the lead in climate protection
For the first time, Siemens has achieved the highest possible score in the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), the world’s largest climate-protection survey. For the transparency of its reporting on the opportunities and risks associated with climate change, the company received 100 (2014: 99) out of 100 possible points. In addition, Siemens’ efforts to achieve energy efficiency and cut CO2 emissions enabled the company to reach Band A, the highest performance range. As a result, the company is also included in the Carbon Performance Leadership Index.
- Construction nearly complete by turn of the year
- Opening ceremony of new headquarters in summer of 2016
- Lighthouse project for Siemens Real Estate
Construction of the new Siemens headquarters building at Wittelsbacherplatz in Munich is now virtually complete. When it opens its doors in 2016, the building will provide a modern, inspiring work environment for up to 1,200 employees on roughly 45,000 square meters of above-ground floor space. Environmental friendliness and energy efficiency are playing a key role: the new building will meet the world's highest sustainability standards.
- Company provides practical support and donations totaling around €2 million
- Paid leave of up to five days a year for voluntary helpers with certain qualifications
- Internships to be offered at additional locations
- Establishment of special classes for refugees planned
- Further facilities to be made available for enabling municipalities to provide accommodations to refugees
Together with its employees, Siemens is launching a multi-stage, long-term program for integrating refugees in Germany. For this purpose, the company is quickly providing donations worth a total of €1 million. This will be supplemented by practical support worth an equivalent amount.