The combined Sopra Steria group saw a combined turnover in 2014 of €3.4bn. Growth at constant currency and constant perimeter over the twelve months of 2014 amounted to 4.7% on the Sopra Group structure and 6.0% on the larger Steria side.
With a turnover of €482.0m for the year ended 31 December 2014, Sopra group achieved a total growth of 9.9%. Organic growth was strong and amounted to 4.7%, ranking in the top end of the initial annual guidance (between 3.0% and 5.0%). In Q4, organic growth in revenues was particularly strong with an increase of 8.8%. In France, revenue amounted to €786.6m over the year, with organic growth of 2.8%. Sopra perimeter once again outperformed the market remained difficult in this area based on its strategic approach focused on major customers, it claims.
The activity was particularly strong in the financial services sector which proved dynamic over the year. In Q4, revenues amounted to € 210.7m, which is the best quarter of the year in terms of organic growth (+ 4.3%). In Europe, organic growth in revenues was 4.1% to reach € 262.5 million.
The situation, however, was contrasted between the strong growth recorded by the Spanish, Swiss and Belgian subsidiaries, and challenges in Germany and the UK. The fourth quarter was a continuation of the previous quarters, with organic growth of 3.4%. Sopra Banking Software has achieved a turnover of € 258.2m, representing organic growth of 7.6%. The fourth quarter was marked by the signing of a major industrial partnership with La Banque Postale which has chosen the following Sopra Banking Platform to streamline and modernize its information system.
It has also been marked by a steady stream of general license sales that allowed growth of 31.7% of sales in the last quarter of the year. This performance lends credibility to the investment strategy adopted several years to build innovative solutions for core banking, comprehensive and integrated, to support banks in their digital transformation. Solutions, which includes the subsidiary Sopra HR Software and products dedicated to property management, recorded in 2014, a significant increase in sales, with organic growth of 10.9%. After a slowdown in the third quarter 2014, the organic growth rebounded to 5.0% in the last quarter of the year.
For Steria the turnover in 2014 amounted to € 1.9bn, representing total growth of 7.5%. At constant exchange rates and scope of consolidation, revenue growth was sustained and amounted to 6.0%, below the initial annual guidance range (between 6.0% and 8, 0%). The fourth quarter, marked by a higher comparison base, recorded organic growth of 3.0%. In the UK, growth was very significant in 2014 with an increase in turnover of 18.2% at constant exchange rates and perimeter. This trend, driven by Business Process Services business (42.7% for the year), was supported in the public sector where SSCL3 has grown strongly and has been reinforced by the decision of the British justice ministries and interior, joining the platform of shared services.
In France, organic growth was 3.1% over the year. The slight growth recorded in the sectors of Energy / Utilities and the Bank did not offset the negative trends Telecommunications, Transport, Insurance and Public Sector. Areas.
In Germany, the situation has been difficult throughout the year with an annual decrease in revenue of 11.2%. This loss of revenue is explained by the company as being through departures following the implementation of a new management team in 2013 and the evolution of the historic business model of the entity. In this situation, the fourth quarter sales saw a decrease of 12.9% after having decreased from 15.1% in the third quarter.