The CENIT Group continues to be on course for growth. Continued strong consulting and service business (vs. previous year: +40.2%) as well as increased recurring sales (vs. previous year: +5.9%) determined the sales growth after nine months (vs. previous year: +EUR 17,442 k/+15.1%). The consulting and service business was able to grow both through acquisitions as well as organically. CENIT was consequently able to continue the positive trend from the previous quarters 2023 in both segments. While the EIM segment, mainly due to inorganic factors, was able to increase external sales by 59.4% compared to the same period of the previous year sales in the PLM segment increased by 7.0%.
After nine months, CENIT Group has generated sales revenues of EUR 133,305 k (previous year: EUR 115,863 k/+15.1%). Sales revenues in the CENIT consulting and services segment increased by 40.2% to EUR 53,757 k (previous year: EUR 38,352 k). Sales of third-party software increased by 3.5% to EUR 67,607 k (previous year: EUR 65,351 k). Sales of CENIT's own software decreased slightly primarily due to postponed customer orders in the areas of DFS and EIM from EUR 12,105 k to EUR 11,605 k (-4.1%). In addition, a shift in sales from licences to recurring sales is evident in the area of third-party and own software, due to the trend away from the classic licence model to the rental model.
Gross profit (operating performance less cost of materials) amounted to EUR 78,970 k (previous year: EUR 64,100 k) and thus increased by 23.2%. CENIT achieved EBITDA of EUR 9,471 k (previous year: EUR 6,132 k/+54.5%) and EBIT of EUR 4,599 k (previous year: EUR 2,582 k/+78.1%). Earnings per share amounted to Cent 28.6 (previous year: Cent 14.7).
Asset and Financial Situation
As of the balance sheet date, equity amounted to EUR 43,120 k (Dec. 31, 2022: EUR 44,783 k). The equity ratio amounted to 29.8% (Dec. 31, 2022: 35.3%). Bank balances, cash and cash equivalents amounted to EUR 30,072 k as of the balance sheet date (Dec. 31, 2022: EUR 19,914 k). The operating cash flow reached EUR 8,500 k (previous year: EUR 11,316 k) in particular due to a change in working capital.
Employees
As of September 30, 2023, the number of employees in the Group was 899 (Dec. 31, 2022: 861). personnel expenses amounted to EUR 58,198 k in the CENIT Group in the reporting period (previous year: EUR 48,956 k).
Outlook
We confirm our updated forecast for the CENIT Group for the current fiscal year 2023, according to which we expect consolidated sales of around EUR 180.0 million and consolidated earnings (EBIT) of around EUR 9.5 million. This forecast is subject to the express proviso that the global economic and industry-specific conditions do not deteriorate significantly in the current fiscal year 2023, particularly with regard to the growing inflation and economic risks.
