294 BMW Group Report 2024 To Our Stakeholders Combined Management Report Group Financial Statements Responsibility Statement and Auditor’s Report Remuneration Report Other Information Notes to the Group Financial Statements 14 Earnings per share 2024 2023 Net profit attributable to the shareholders of BMW AG € million 7,290.0 11,290.3 thereof profit attributable to common stock € million 6,629.6 10,250.3 thereof profit attributable to preferred stock € million 660.4 1,040.0 Average number of common stock shares in circulation number 570,599,065 579,941,360 Average number of preferred stock shares in circulation number 56,741,178 58,776,197 Basic/diluted earnings per share of common stock € 11.62 17.67 Basic/diluted earnings per share of preferred stock € 11.64 17.69 Dividend per share of common stock € 4.30* 6.00 Dividend per share of preferred stock € 4.32* 6.02 * Proposal by the Board of Management. As in the previous year, diluted earnings per share correspond to basic earnings per share. 15 Personnel expenses The income statement includes personnel expenses as follows: in € million 2024 2023 Wages and salaries 12,394 12,170 Pension and welfare expenses 1,480 1,377 Social insurance expenses 1,248 1,174 Personnel expenses 15,122 14,721 Personnel expenses include € 54 million (2023: € 44 million) of costs relating to workforce measures. The total pension expense for defined contribution plans of the BMW Group amounted to € 189 million (2023: € 179 million). Employer contributions paid to state pension insurance schemes totalled € 859 million (2023: € 806 million). The average number of employees during the year was: 2024 2023 Average number of employees 157,110 152,111 Automotive 144,605 139,779 Motorcycles 4,043 3,794 Financial Services 8,367 8,440 Other 95 98 Of the average number of employees, 966 (2023: 995) are at- tributable to one proportionately consolidated entity within the Automotive segment. 16 Leases a As lessee In terms of accounting for leases as a lessee, the following ex- penses are included in the income statement: in € million 2024 2023 Expenses for leases of low-value assets and short-term leases 79 81 Expenses relating to variable lease payments not included in the measurement of lease liabilities 16 12 Interest expense arising on the measurement of lease liabilities 66 66 Most of the expenses for leases of low-value assets and short- term leases relate to low-value assets.