DGAP-News: Bechtle AG

DGAP-News: Bechtle Reports Excellent Start into the Year

DGAP-News: Bechtle AG / Key word(s): Quarterly / Interim Statement/Quarter Results Bechtle Reports Excellent Start into the Year

13.05.2016 / 07:30 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Bechtle Reports Excellent Start into the Year

- Revenue up 13.2 per cent

- EBT climbs almost 20 per cent

- Headcount grows to 7,269

Neckarsulm, 13 May 2016 - Bechtle AG has made an excellent start into the fiscal year 2016. From January to March, revenue grew 13.2 per cent to EUR704.9 million. The IT solutions offered in the fields of mobility, modern data centre architectures and IT security were among the growth drivers. In the first quarter, EBT amounted to EUR26.9 million, a year-on- year increase of almost 20 per cent. The EBT margin climbed to 3.8 per cent, a very high figure for the beginning of the year. As of 31 March 2016, the headcount increased to 7,269, which is 598 employees or 9.0 per cent more than in the prior year.

"Bechtle AG has started the year with an excellent first quarter. Our competences in the field of sustainable IT architectures provides the business with noticeable stimuli. Our customers want to have a strong partner who can competently assist them in all technology areas of modern IT solutions - and that is exactly what they appreciate about Bechtle," says Dr. Thomas Olemotz, Chairman of the Executive Board of Bechtle AG.

Solution Portfolio Strengthens Domestic System House Business The IT system house & managed services segment stepped up its revenue 16.8 per cent to EUR470.4 million. The domestic system houses, whose revenue climbed 19.5 per cent to EUR423.6 million, were the growth drivers. With its comprehensive IT solution and managed services portfolio, this Bechtle segment effectively addresses the needs of its customers. In the reporting quarter, the segment operating earnings went up to EUR18.3 million (prior year: EUR16.5 million).Though the EBIT margin had benefited from special effects in the corresponding prior-year quarter, it managed to reach a level of 3.9 per cent, a figure very close to the prior-year figure of 4.1 per cent.

Efficient Processes in the Trading Business In the reporting period, the revenue in the IT e-commerce segment went up 6.7 per cent to EUR234.5 million. The domestic and foreign operations each accounted for an almost equal share of the dynamics. The growth was especially significant in the field of servers and mobile devices such as laptops and tablets. EBIT climbed to EUR8.6 million, an increase of 44.8 per cent. This figure reflects the higher workforce productivity and the further optimisation of the processes. The margin improved from 2.7 per cent to 3.7 per cent.

Further Expansion of the International Alliance In the reporting quarter, Bechtle extended the Global IT Alliance (GITA), which had been established in 2014, to Latin America. With new partners in Brazil and Mexico, the GITA now comprises 10 IT enterprises that cover a total of 44 country markets. Thus, Bechtle is able to offer its customers global supply at comparable quality standards. Moreover, via the alliance partners, the GITA increases the opportunities of gaining international enterprises as customers.

More Employees for Future Growth As of the reporting date 31 March 2016, Bechtle had a total of 7,269 employees. This represents a year-on-year increase of 598 employees, i.e. 9.0 per cent. About two thirds of the new employees were newly recruited, and a third joined Bechtle within the scope of acquisitions. Most of the headcount increase took place in the IT system house & managed services segment. As of 31 March 2016, Bechtle had 436 young trainees, 25 (+6.1%) more than as of the corresponding prior-year date.

Annual Forecast Confirmed In view of the excellent start into fiscal year 2016, the Executive Board confirms its forecast for the year as a whole, which was published in March 2016 and according to which the revenue and earnings of the Bechtle Group are to increase significantly in 2016 as well. Bechtle expects the EBT margin to remain at the prior-year level. "The first quarter is an outstanding basis for achieving our targets for the year as a whole. However, we expect the earnings dynamics to approximate the revenue performance in the course of the year," explains Dr. Thomas Olemotz.

Bechtle KPIs for the First Quarter of 2016 Q1/2016 Q1/2015 +/- Revenue EURk 704,905 622,450 +13.2% Domestic EURk 482,842 410,227 +17.7% Abroad EURk 222,063 212,223 +4.6% IT system house EURk 470,430 402,626 +16.8% IT e-commerce EURk 234,475 219,824 +6.7% EBITDA EURk 33,846 28,533 +18.6% IT system house EURk 23,885 21,023 +13.6% IT e-commerce EURk 9,961 7,510 +32.6% EBIT EURk 26,956 22,501 +19.8% IT system house EURk 18,307 16,528 +10.8% IT e-commerce EURk 8,649 5,973 +44.8% EBIT margin % 3.8 3.6 EBT EURk 26,915 22,475 +19.8% EBT margin % 3.8 3.6 Earnings after taxes EURk 19,115 15,734 +21.5% Earnings per share EUR 0.91 0.75 +21.5% Cash flow from operating activities EURk -17,897 390 Employee (as of 31 March) 7,269 6,671 +9.0% 31.03.16 31.12.15 +/- Liquidity* EURk 178,481 206,660 -13.6% Equity ratio % 57.4 53.9 Employees 7,269 7,205 +0.9% *including time deposits and securities ***

The quarterly statement for the first quarter of 2016 is available for download at bechtle.com/reports.

About Bechtle Bechtle AG has 66 IT system houses in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. With its trading companies in 14 countries, Bechtle is one of Europe's leading online dealers for information technology. Founded in 1983, the company is headquartered in Neckarsulm, Germany, and currently has around 7,300 employees. Bechtle offers its more than 73,000 customers from the fields of industry and trade, the public sector and the financial market a comprehensive, cross-vendor portfolio of IT infrastructure and IT operation solutions. Bechtle is listed in the technology index TecDAX. In 2015, the company's revenue amounted to approximately EUR2.8 billion.

Contact Bechtle AG Bechtle Platz 1 D-74172 Neckarsulm Germany

Investor Relations Corporate Communications/Press Martin Link Sabine Brand martin.link@bechtle.com sabine.brand@bechtle.com Phone: +49 7132 981-4149 Phone: +49 7132 981-4115 Fax: +49 7132 981-4116 Fax: +49 7132 981-4116

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13.05.2016 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

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Language: English Company: Bechtle AG Bechtle Platz 1 74172 Neckarsulm Germany Phone: +49 7132 981-0 Fax: +49 7132 981-8000 E-mail: ir@bechtle.com Internet: bechtle.com ISIN: DE0005158703 WKN: 515870 Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart; Terminbörse EUREX End of News DGAP News Service ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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