05/13/2024
q.beyond increases EBITDA by € 3.3 million to € 2.0 million in Q1 2024
- Good start to 2024 with revenues of € 47.1 million and free cash flow of € 0.6 million
- Outlook confirmed: EBITDA planned to rise by at least 40% to between € 8 million and € 10 million
Profitability has priority over growth
The marked improvement in profitability has been driven in particular by standardising and simplifying processes and structures, as well as by systematically expanding the share of nearshoring and offshoring activities within the 2025 Strategy. In addition, staff capacity utilisation rates have been optimised and the company has focused on higher margin business fields. “Profitability has priority over growth”, stresses q.beyond’s CEO, Thies Rixen. At the same time, the 2025 Strategy was taking effect as expected. Adds Rixen: “q.beyond is developing into a company with strong earnings and strong finances.”
Profitability rose in both of the company’s segments in the past quarter. In the Managed Services business relating to IT operations, gross profit improved by 27% to € 7.1 million, with revenues of € 32.9 million (Q1 2023: € 31.1 million). The gross margin increased by 4 percentage points to 22%. In the Consulting segment, comprising the consulting and development business, gross profit quadrupled to € 1.2 million, with revenues here of € 14.2 million (Q1 2023: € 15.5 million). The gross margin rose to 8%, up from 2% in the previous year. Across the company as a whole, gross profit grew by 37% to € 8.2 million. Consolidated net income also improved significantly and amounted to € -1.1 million, as against € -5.0 million in the previous year.
Growing earnings strength in 2024 and beyond
Following its good business performance at the start of the year, q.beyond can confirm its outlook for the 2024 financial year. The company has budgeted for its EBITDA to increase to between € 8 million and € 10 million, with a resultant EBITDA margin of 4% to 5%, and for revenues of between € 192 million and € 198 million and sustainably free cash flow.
For the coming year, the company has set itself the target within its 2025 Strategy of raising its EBITDA margin to between 7% and 8%, and generating sustainably positive consolidated net income. The measures to reach this target include raising the share of nearshoring and offshoring activities from 12% currently to at least 20%, and pressing ahead with automating processes with the assistance of artificial intelligence.
Key figures at a glance
| € million | Q1 2023 | Q1 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenues | 46.6 | 47.1 |
| - Managed Services (“Operations”) | 31.1 | 32.9 |
| - Consulting (“Consulting & Development”) | 15.5 | 14.2 |
| Gross profit | 6.0 | 8.2 |
| EBITDA | (1.3) | 2.0 |
| EBIT | (4.6) | (1.1) |
| Consolidated net income | (5.0) | (1.1) |
| Free cash flow | 1.1 | 0.6 |
| Net liquidity at 31 March | 37.0 | 38.2 |
| Equity ratio at 31 March | 74% | 66% |
| Employees at 31 March | 1,090 | 1,109 |
Notes:
This Corporate News contains forward-looking statements that are based on current expectations and forecasts on the part of the management with regard to future events. Due to risks or erroneous assumptions, actual results may deviate materially from these forward-looking statements. The complete Quarterly Statement is available at www.qbeyond.de/en/investor-relations.
About q.beyond AG
q.beyond AG is the key to successful digitalisation. We help our customers find the best digital solutions for their business and then put them into practice. Our strong team of 1,100 people accompanies SME customers securely and reliably throughout their digital journey. We are experts in Cloud, SAP, Microsoft, data intelligence, security and software development. With locations throughout Germany, as well as in Latvia, Spain and India, and its own certified data centres, q.beyond is one of Germany’s leading IT service providers.
Contact
q.beyond AG
Arne Thull
Head of Investor Relations/Mergers & Acquisitions
T +49 221 669 8724
invest@qbeyond.de
