Bergbahnen Adelboden AG: “Long Year” Ensures Red Numbers

On Saturday, April 6, 2024, the shareholders met for the ordinary general meeting of Bergbahnen Adelboden AG. The company reported a result of -940,197 francs in the long-term accounting year 2022/23.

On Saturday, April 6, 2024, the ordinary general meeting of Bergbahnen Adelboden AG took place in the Adelboden gym. The 2022/2023 financial year lasted from June 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023. Due to the founding of Bergbahnen Adelboden-Lenk AG (BAL AG), the financial year was adjusted. The long year can therefore only be compared to a limited extent with the last regular period.

Two good summer seasons, one solid winter

The present calculation includes two good summer seasons and a very challenging winter. "With

With an above-average number of almost 80,000 guests per summer who used our offer, we generated summer traffic revenue of a total of 2,470,000 francs, which in turn corresponds to a new record," explains Markus Hostettler, Director of Bergbahnen Adelboden AG. The winter of 2023, however, showed that AdelbodenLenk was affected by the consequences of climate change: New Year's and New Year's weeks that fell through, warm temperatures and little snow made the season a challenge. A record-breaking February 2023 could not make up for this. Bergbahnen Adelboden AG reports winter traffic revenue of 10.66 million francs in 2022/23. This is 1,376,196 francs lower compared to 2021/22.

Overall, Bergbahnen Adelboden AG can report an operating result of 3.7 million francs. Compared to a regular financial year, the operational depreciation amounts to 1.5 times as much as a regular year. However, only 4.42 million francs were actually written off. Thanks to the release of hidden reserves, Bergbahnen Adelboden AG “only” reported a loss of 940,197 francs for the turbulent financial year. The Board of Directors is not concerned about this poor result, which is mainly caused by the foreseeable effects of a long year (1x winter and 2x summer). Markus Hostettler: “This result once again illustrates the continued great importance of winter business for our company. We hope that in the coming winter short year we will be able to compensate for this result, build up hidden reserves again and grow strongly again in the summer."

Investments in summer and autumn

2022/23 was peppered with many premieres: The Höchst Trail was opened on July 9, 2022, and in April 2023 the management communicated the plan to establish an operating company - Bergbahnen Adelboden-Lenk AG - together with Bergbahnen Adelboden AG. The new company started operations on October 1, 2023. The reopening of the converted Sillerenbühl restaurant was celebrated on July 8, 2023. At the beginning of August 2023, a new, oversized photo highlight followed with the BirdsNest at the Höchst mountain station and at the end of the same month, the 1st Vogellisi Summer Festival provided fun and action for the whole family on the Sillerenbühl.

Elections were again on the agenda at this year's ordinary general meeting:
After 23 years of service, board member Jakob Schwarz decided not to seek re-election in favor of Markus Gempeler (previous representative of the municipality). Gempeler continues to sit on the committee. Willy Schranz was newly elected, who took over the office of municipal council president from Markus Gempeler in 2024 and will now represent the municipality of Adelboden in the strategic body. The Chairman of the Board of Directors and the members of the Board of Directors were all elected for the next three years. The auditors of Bergbahnen Adelboden AG were confirmed for another year.

The annual report and all figures can be found here: www.vogellisiberg.ch/aktionaere