Revenue +24%, EBITDA +35% EBITDA margin 11.6% Acquisition strategy continued

Pliezhausen, May 14, 2018. DATAGROUP SE (WKN A0JC8S) today publishes its figures for the first half of FY 2017/2018, in which the sales and earnings momentum was continued. The further increase in revenue and earnings was driven in large part by the companies acquired over the last years, which have been successfully integrated into the Group. Another chapter was added to this strategy in the current fiscal year with the acquisition of Almato.

In the first half of the fiscal year (01.10.2017-31.03.2018) revenue was up 23.6% to EUR 133.5m (previous year: EUR 108.1m). The proportion of service revenue was 81.7% (81.5%). Operating earnings before taxes, interest, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) improved disproportionately to revenue by 35.4% to EUR 15.6m (EUR 11.5m), the EBITDA margin increased from 10.6% to 11.6%.

Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) grew at a slightly lower rate than revenue, as expected, and was up 13.2% to EUR 8.6m (EUR 7.6m). This corresponds to an EBIT margin of 6.5% (7.1%). In line with expectations, amortisation and depreciation increased from EUR 3.9m to EUR 6.9m driven by investments in the establishment of data centres for the CORBOX infrastructure, by acquisitions made in 2017, and in connection with investments in operating and business equipment as part of the takeover of 306 SAP experts from DXC. PPA amortisation amounted to some EUR 2m.

At 60 cents, earnings per share exceeded the previous year’s figure of 59 cents despite the implemented capital increase.

Acquired companies contribute substantially to increase in revenue and earnings

“DATAGROUP has continued its path of growth in the first half of the current fiscal year in the usual dynamic manner”, commented CEO Max H.-H. Schaber the interim result. “We are exactly in line with the expectations set and are fully satisfied with the business performance up to date.”

The two companies acquired in 2017, ikb Data and HanseCom – today DATAGROUP Financial IT Services GmbH and DATAGROUP Operate IT GmbH – have contributed substantially to revenue growth. The recently acquired ALMATO GmbH, a value-added reseller of robotic process automation software specialised in optimising standard business processes, was consolidated as of January 1, 2018. All three companies have contributed positively to an increase in operating profitability.

Order intake of the entire group was again pleasing in the first six months, new contracts with volumes up to a double-digit million euro range were concluded. A renowned new customer has been won with the Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration (Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung des Bundes, WSV). DATAGROUP Consulting Services will develop a new system to document the technical inspection and calibration of inland water vessels. The order has a volume of EUR 1.8m and runs for 16 months. As an option, a follow-up maintenance contract can be concluded for a term of up to ten years.

“As expected, business with Cloud and outsourcing services also has developed strongly in the first half of the year”, said DATAGROUP COO Dirk Peters. Overall, 21 CORBOX contracts have been concluded, twelve of which with new customers; the scope of services has been significantly extended for nine existing customers. The total number of CORBOX customers now adds up to 152. The dynamics of the CORBOX business have further improved compared to the previous year.

To establish the infrastructure needed for the Cloud services investments in fixed assets have increased from EUR 4.8m to EUR 7.6m yoy.

Positive outlook for the full year

At the Annual General Meeting, which took place on March 8 at the company’s headquarters in Pliezhausen, the Management Board has specified its expectations for the current fiscal year. Management expects revenue to grow to over EUR 265m (EUR 223.1m). EBITDA, as the key performance indicator of the operating profitability, is to increase to over EUR 30m (EUR 27.0m).

The semi-annual report featuring detailed figures on H1 2017/2018 is available for download on www.datagroup.de/en/investor-relations.

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