The new Kontron AG once again reports strong results in the third quarter of 2023. Revenue in Q3 increased by 14.4% to EUR 300.0 million (Q3 2022: EUR 262.4 million). The gross margin improved significantly to 39.4% (Q3 2022: 34.6%) while EBITDA underwent a very strong increase of 74.4% to EUR 34.9 million. (Q3 2022: EUR 20.0 million). Consolidated net income from continuing operations (after minority interests) attributable to Kontron shareholders rose from EUR 8.5 million in the same period of the previous year to EUR 19.0 million in the third quarter of 2023.
The order intake of EUR 356 million and the resulting book-to-bill ratio of 1.19x show that demand for Kontron products, especially in the “Software + Solutions” segment, is growing significantly despite the current climate of recession. At EUR 26.8 million, operating cash flow could be quadrupled and continued the positive development of the first half of the year. In the same period of the previous year, operating cash flow was EUR 6.1 million. At the end of September 2023, Kontron still had a high level of liquidity of EUR 292 million. This was secured in the current financial year due to a positive operating cash flow and despite already repaying loans of over EUR 108 million, paying out a record dividend of EUR 63 million, and making several acquisitions.
In the first nine months, revenue increased by a total of 14.0% to EUR 860.9 million compared to the same period of the previous year (1-9M 2022: EUR 755.0 million). The gross margin improved from 36.2% in the same period to 39.6% in the first nine months of 2023. EBITDA jumped by 39.9% to EUR 95.9 million (1-9M 2022: EUR 68.5 million), which corresponds to an EBITDA margin of 11.1%. Consolidated net income attributable to Kontron shareholders from continuing operations for the first nine months of 2023 amounted to EUR 52.8 million compared to EUR 24.3 million in the same period of 2022. Earnings per share (undiluted, including discontinued operations) increased significantly to 86 cents in the past nine-month period (1-9M 2022: 51 cents).
Hannes Niederhauser, CEO of Kontron AG: “The strategic realignment of the new Kontron with its own technologies is a resounding success. Despite fears of recession, we recorded continuous growth in order intake in Q3 2023, which increased the order backlog to EUR 1,655 million. That is EUR 195 million more than at the beginning of the year. This means that all planned revenues and growth for 2024 are essentially already covered. With our new high security operating system KOS and solutions in the area of artificial intelligence (AI), growth will accelerate even further. Based on this very positive development, we are raising our outlook for net income for 2023 for the second time from EUR >66 million to EUR >72 million. This represents an increase of more than 30% compared to the previous year.”
