Neckarsulm, 8 May 2026 – Bechtle AG made a very strong start to the 2026 financial year. Business volume in the first quarter rose by 13.2% to €2.2 bn, with all segments contributing to growth. Earnings before tax (EBT) increased by 11.5% year on year to €61.6 m. The order backlog reached a new record high of €3.3 bn at the end of the quarter.
Business volume saw particularly strong growth in the Other Europe segment, up 29.3%. The other three segments posted double-digit or high single-digit growth rates. On an organic basis, the Bechtle Group’s business volume increased by 11.0%. This encouraging development was broadly supported by both business and public-sector customers. Revenue growth of 7.6% lagged behind the increase in business volume, due to accounting effects related to IFRS 15. “The strong growth and record order backlog show that our customers continue to invest in making their IT fit for the future and rely on Bechtle as a trusted partner. The fact that we are seeing this trend consistently across all regions confirms the strength of our European expansion strategy,” said Dr Thomas Olemotz, CEO of Bechtle AG.
Earnings also show double-digit growth
Earnings before tax increased by 11.5% in the first quarter, with the EBT margin improving slightly to 3.9% based on revenue. This outcome is all the more encouraging given the increased level of investment we are currently making in our own IT. However, we were able to offset this effect through moderate cost growth.
Strong financial position
Bechtle’s business model continues to generate robust cash flow. Operating cash flow in the first quarter of 2026 amounted to €10.7 m, compared with −€21.0 m in the prior-year period. Given the strong growth in the quarter, this represents a very positive signal. Higher cash outflows resulting from an increase in inventories were almost fully offset by inflows from trade receivables.
Headcount increases due to acquisitions
As at 31 March 2026, the Bechtle Group employed 16,496 people. The increase of 767 employees, or 4.9%, was entirely acquisition-related and primarily affected the Other Europe segment, where three larger acquisitions were completed over the past twelve months. On an organic basis, headcount across the group declined slightly by 1.7%. Bechtle continues to invest consistently in education and professional development, with 729 young people enrolled in vocational training or dual-study programmes as at 31 March.
Forecast confirmed
The first quarter confirms our positive outlook for the 2026 financial year as a whole. In particular, the record-high order backlog and the continued strong investment activity of our public-sector customers underpin our confidence. While the overall economic environment has become more challenging, the direct impact on Bechtle remains manageable. Price increases in the IT market, particularly for PCs, servers and storage, have not so far dampened demand. “Overall, we are coping well with the challenging framework conditions. Demand for storage components remains high and is driving a very dynamic market environment. We are in close contact with our manufacturing partners. As one of the largest IT providers in Europe, we are well positioned to continue expanding our market share and to grow profitably,” said Christian Jehle, CFO of Bechtle AG.
