itelligence AG remained on its growth path in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, increasing its revenues by 11.3% from MEUR 497.0 to MEUR 553.2. This growth was attributable to both organic growth (6.3%) and the acquired companies ITML GmbH and BIT.Group GmbH (5.0%). Orders on hand climbed by 7.2% to MEUR 673.2 as of September 30, 2016 (September 30, 2015: MEUR 627.7).
Norbert Rotter, CEO of itelligence AG: “The stronger growth in the third quarter was particularly attributable to the newly acquired companies in Germany as well as robust new license business. The fourth quarter of 2016 will be crucial in terms of achieving our targets for the year. We anticipate robust demand as a result of trend such as Industry 4.0 and the digital transformation.”
In the revenue segments, Consulting revenues rose by 7.5% from MEUR 223.0 to MEUR 239.8. License business generated growth of 7.6% in the first nine months, from MEUR 40.7 to MEUR 43.8. Revenues in the Outsourcing & Services segment climbed by 2.1% to MEUR 183.3 in the first nine months of the year after MEUR 179.6 in the previous year. The highest increase was once again posted by the Application Management segment, with significant growth of 57.6% to MEUR 82.9 after MEUR 52.6 in the same period of the previous year.
In terms of geographical distribution, itelligence generated revenue growth of 9.5%, from MEUR 232.8 to MEUR 254.9, in its largest segment of Germany/Austria/ Switzerland (DACH). Western Europe recorded substantial revenue growth of 17.4% in the first nine months, from MEUR 105.7 to MEUR 124.1.
itelligence increased its revenues in Eastern Europe by 22.3%, from MEUR 49.3 to MEUR 60.3. The US segment also posted an increase with growth of 3.5%, generating revenues of MEUR 101.5 after MEUR 98.1 in the previous year. The Asia segment recorded revenues of MEUR 9.2 after MEUR 8.0 in the previous year (+15.0%). Finally, revenues in the Other segment increased slightly year-on-year from MEUR 3.1 to MEUR 3.2.
In terms of earnings performance, itelligence AG did not match the previous year’s figures at the end of the first nine months of 2016. This was due primarily to project start-up costs for IT projects and solutions, as well as to exchange rate losses. EBIT for the first nine months of the current year amounted to MEUR 17.5 after MEUR 20.6 in the previous year (-15.0%). The EBIT margin improved over the course of the year to 3.2% but was lower than the previous year’s figure of 4.2%. EBITA amounted to MEUR 22.6 after MEUR 25.8 in the previous year (-12.4%). The EBITA margin thus came to 4.1% after 5.2% in the same period of the previous year.
The Management Board is also confirming the revenue forecast, which was raised to MEUR 740-750 after the first half of the year, and forecasting an EBIT margin of around 5%.