In the last fiscal report, VWFS contributed nearly 30% of the Group's total operating profit. That means every time you see a Volkswagen logo, nearly one-third of the profit the company makes from that sighting comes not from the engine or the chassis, but from the paperwork.
"We are no longer the default option; we are the best option," a senior VWFS treasury executive told Finance Forward on condition of anonymity. "If we don't beat the rate of a direct bank, we lose the customer forever. It keeps us honest, but it keeps us lean." For investors, VWFS is the ultimate hedge. When new car sales fall, people hold onto their cars longer, extending leases and paying maintenance fees (often financed through VWFS). When sales rise, financing volume explodes.
In Germany, as energy prices soared, late payment rates on auto loans ticked up to levels not seen since the 2008 financial crisis. Furthermore, the transition to direct sales (agency model) is forcing VWFS to compete with independent banks for the first time. When a customer buys a car online from VW, the law requires VWFS to offer them a loan from a competitor as an option. The monopoly on captive finance is cracking.