In This Article:
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Revenue Growth: Business volume growth of 2.0%, with organic growth remaining at the previous year's level.
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Gross Margin: Record-high gross margin of 18.1% due to increased share of software and services.
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Earnings: Earnings declined by about 8% year on year.
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Personnel Costs: Increased by 7.6%, considered high in the context of declining revenue.
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Operating Cash Flow: Reached a new all-time high of EUR558 million.
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Free Cash Flow: Record level at EUR377 million.
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Workforce: Total employees at 15,801, an increase of 642 employees or 4.2% from the previous year.
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Dividend Proposal: EUR0.70 per share, maintaining the previous year's level.
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EBIT Margin: Expected to be around the previous year's level, with potential decline up to 5%.
Release Date: March 14, 2025
For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript.
Positive Points
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Bechtle AG (BHTLF) achieved a solid 2.0% growth in business volume, with organic growth remaining at the previous year's level.
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The company reported a record-high gross margin of 18.1%, driven by an increasing share of software and services.
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Operating cash flow reached a new all-time high of EUR558 million, nearly EUR100 million more than the previous year.
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Bechtle AG (BHTLF) maintained a stable dividend of EUR0.70 per share, demonstrating financial strength and confidence in future development.
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The company is successfully mitigating weaknesses in certain national markets through its internationalization and M&A strategy, with strong performances in Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Spain.
Negative Points
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Bechtle AG (BHTLF) faced significant pressure on earnings, which declined by about 8% year on year due to insufficient topline growth.
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The company experienced investment reluctance from SME customers and public sector clients, particularly in Germany and France.
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Personnel costs increased by 7.6%, which was too high in the context of declining revenue.
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The company anticipates a high single-digit million euro negative impact from changes in Microsoft's incentive structure over the next three years.
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Bechtle AG (BHTLF) expects a challenging first half of 2025, with potential EBIT decline by up to 5% due to macroeconomic uncertainties and limited visibility.
Q & A Highlights
Q: Given the current challenges, do you anticipate any changes in your guidance or potential economic stimulus from policy changes in Germany? A: We had a slow start to the year, but there is potential for improvement in the second half. The first six months are expected to be weak, but we hope for a positive shift once public sector budgets are adopted. Our guidance remains unchanged, heavily dependent on public sector business and SME investments.