Bechtle has reported notable growth in Q3 2023, with business volume up 6% to €1.9bn and EBT increasing 6.4% to €93.9m, boosting its EBT margin to 6.3%.
The company's workforce grew by 1,051 to 14,840, accompanied by an 18.3% jump in incoming orders.
Dr. Thomas Olemotz, Chairman of the Executive Board of Bechtle AG, said: “Although our medium-sized customers, in particular, are still rather reluctant to invest, we are able to compensate for this situation by means of the positive performance of our software and service business as well as the stable demand of our large customers and public-sector clients.
“Moreover, the trend observable in incoming orders supports our positive outlook for the coming months.”
Significant growth was seen in the IT system house and managed services segment, with a 10.8% increase in business volume, primarily from software and service projects.
This segment's revenue grew organically by 5.8% to €996.2m, and EBIT rose by 13.8% to €66.3m.
The IT e-commerce segment, however, experienced a 3.5% decline in business volume and a 7.5% decrease in revenue, with a slight 3.3% drop in EBIT but an improved EBIT margin of 6.2%.
Bechtle's European workforce expanded by 7.6% mainly through acquisitions, and the company welcomed 299 apprentices, contributing to a total of 865 trainees. Operating cash flow in the first nine months was €190.2m.
Looking ahead, Bechtle remains optimistic about aligning with its full-year expectations.
Olemotz added: “Although we currently still lack positive economic impulses spanning all business segments, we are ready to accompany our customers in all aspects of the digital transformation.
“Our acquisitions in recent months have further strengthened our market position and our competitive position in Europe. I am therefore convinced that, despite the challenging economic framework conditions that exist at the moment, we will continue to grow and gain market shares.”
