For full year 2018, revenue amounted to EUR 10.1bn, the EBIT margin before special items was 9.5 percent, total investments* were EUR 603m, and free cash flow* amounted to EUR 418m – in line with the expectations to revenue of EUR 10.0bn-10.5bn, an EBIT margin before special items of 9.5-10.5 percent, total investments* of approx. EUR 600m, and free cash flow* of approx. EUR 400m. Compared to 2017, earnings and free cash flow decreased in 2018, but remained at a healthy level, despite highly competitive markets. Order intake increased in 2018 compared to 2017, and the value of the combined order backlog continued to grow during the year. 

The wind turbine order intake increased from 11,176 MW in 2017 to 14,214 MW in 2018 and the value of the service order backlog increased by EUR 2.2bn to EUR 14.3bn.  

For 2019, Vestas expects revenue to range between EUR 10.75bn and 12.25bn, including service revenue, which is expected to grow by approx. 10 percent. Vestas expects to achieve an EBIT margin before special items of 8-10 percent, with a service EBIT margin approx. 24 percent. 

Total investments** are expected to amount to approx. EUR 700m in 2019. As a result of the performance during the year, the Board of Directors of Vestas Wind Systems A/S proposes to the Annual General Meeting that a dividend of DKK 7.44 per share, compared to DKK 9.23 last year, and equivalent to 30.0 percent of the net profit for the year, be distributed to the shareholders.

*) Excl. the acquisition of Utopus Insights, Inc., any investments in marketable securities, and short-term financial investments.
**) Excl. any investments in marketable securities and short-term financial investments.