Neckarsulm, 12 August 2026 – Bechtle AG reported a very strong second quarter in 2026, with consistently double-digit growth once again demonstrating the resilience of its business model. The European IT service provider’s business volume rose by 18.1% to €2.3 billion, driven by growth across all regional segments and customer groups. Revenue increased by 16.5% to €1.7 billion, while earnings before tax (EBT) grew by 20.1% to €80.2 million. The EBT margin based on business volume remained stable at 3.5%. The order backlog increased further from the first quarter, reaching a new record high of €3.5 billion at the end of the reporting period. Given this very strong performance, Bechtle AG’s Executive Board has significantly upgraded its forecast for the 2026 fiscal year.
Germany, France and Benelux each delivered business volume growth of more than 10% entirely on an organic basis. In the Other Europe segment, acquisitions in Spain, Italy and Portugal contributed positively to growth. Even on an organic basis, however, the segment led the group with growth of more than 20%. Across the Bechtle Group, business volume grew organically by 12.9% and revenue by 10.3%, with growth once again broadly driven by both business and public-sector customers. “The second quarter is compelling evidence of how successfully we are navigating the challenging conditions surrounding the memory crisis and the wider economic environment. Our close customer relationships and deep understanding of their needs, strong ties with all key technology partners and extensive European presence are proving invaluable,” says Dr Thomas Olemotz, CEO of Bechtle AG.
Earnings increase by more than 20%
Earnings before tax rose by 20.1% to €80.2 million in the second quarter. The EBT margin based on business volume remained unchanged at 3.5%, while based on revenue it edged up to 4.6%, also reflecting our successful cost management.
Cash flow reflects operating performance
Strong growth, particularly towards the end of the quarter, had a significant impact on operating cash flow, which amounted to -€101.7 million in the first half of 2026 compared with €24.2 million in the prior-year period. The decline largely reflects a temporary increase in working capital as of the reporting date due to a build-up of inventory backed by customer orders. By contrast, days sales outstanding (DSO) fell further in the second quarter, while working capital as a percentage of annualised business volume improved from 7.3% to 6.8% year on year. Bechtle continues to expect operating cash flow to remain firmly positive for the full year.
Headcount rises due to acquisitions
As of 30 June 2026, the Bechtle Group employed 16,418 people. an increase of 810, or 5.2%, entirely attributable to acquisitions and largely concentrated in the Other Europe segment. On an organic basis, headcount across the group declined by 1.4%, and was also down slightly on the previous quarter, by 78 employees. Bechtle nevertheless remains committed to investing in education and professional development. As at 30 June, 672 young people were enrolled in vocational training or dual-study programmes.
Forecast raised significantly
At the end of the first half of 2026, Bechtle was ahead of the forecast published in March across all key performance indicators. The particularly strong second-quarter results confirmed Bechtle’s ability to deliver profitable growth even in a challenging environment, while the record order backlog provides greater visibility for the second half of the year. As previously announced, Bechtle AG’s Executive Board has therefore significantly upgraded its full-year forecast. Bechtle now expects business volume to grow by more than 10%, up from the previous range of 5% – 10%, while the forecast for revenue and EBT growth has been increased from 0% – 5% to 5% – 10%. “Our excellent performance during the first six months and record order backlog give us every confidence that we can maintain this momentum for the remainder of the year. Business and public-sector customers value the comprehensive support Bechtle provides, particularly in challenging times, and demand for future-ready IT solutions remains as strong as ever,” says Christian Jehle, CFO of Bechtle AG.
