The history of BMW is checkered and interesting to follow, but they are still here today, and looking forward to more to come. BMW celebrated its 100th\u00a0birthday in Munich this week by reveling in past achievements and suggesting some important ones to come, but investors only asked, what has the company done for us lately.<\/p>\n
And surprisingly, given the 100 years covered some parts of history best forgotten; BMW bravely came up with a full frontal apology.<\/p>\n
In a long statement headlined \u201cBMW Group\u00a0The\u00a0Next\u00a0100 years,\u201d the company pointed to the 1930s and 1940s, when under the National Socialist regime it operated exclusively as a supplier to the German arms industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs demand for BMW aero engines increased, forced laborers, convicts and prisoners from concentration camps were recruited to assist with manufacturing them.\u00a0To this day, the enormous suffering this caused and the fate of many forced laborers remains a matter of the most profound regret,\u201d\u00a0BMW said.<\/p>\n
BMW is organizing a world tour to talk about future opportunities and change for it and the auto industry in general in the next 100 years. The BMW Vision 100 tour will end in the Los Angeles in October. The tour will discuss \u2013<\/p>\n
The opportunities opened up through digitalization and connectivity<\/p>\n
The increasing role of technology in our lives<\/p>\n
BMW Group\u2019s vision of a sustainable future<\/p>\n
The company\u2019s commitment to expand its efforts as a good corporate citizen<\/p>\n
Investors though have more pressing concerns.<\/p>\n
Morgan Stanley\u00a0analyst Harald Hendrikse worried that in the fourth quarter of 2015, BMW\u2019s profit margin may have slipped beneath the long-term target of eight to 10 per cent.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe forecast an Auto EBIT (earnings before interest and tax) margin of 7.7 per cent for Q4 2015, below the eight per cent lower limit of the target range,\u201d Hendrikse said.<\/p>\n