SAP Announces Q1 2023 Results

Financial Highlights1 First Quarter 2023
Current cloud backlog grew by 25% to €11.15 billion and was up 25% at constant currencies, a sequential growth improvement of 1 percentage point. SAP S/4HANA current cloud backlog was up 78% to €3.42 billion and up 79% at constant currencies.

In the first quarter, cloud revenue was up 24% to €3.18 billion and up 22% at constant currencies, up 1 percentage point sequentially. SAP S/4HANA cloud revenue was up 77% to €716 million and up 75% at constant currencies. Supported by a few major transactions, software licenses revenue decreased by a moderate 13% to €276 million and was down 13% at constant currencies. Cloud and software revenue was up 10% to €6.36 billion and up 8% at constant currencies. Services revenue was up 12% to €1.08 billion and up 11% at constant currencies. Total revenue was up 10% to €7.44 billion and up 9% at constant currencies.

The share of more predictable revenue increased by 1 percentage point to 82% in the first quarter. Cloud gross profit was up 28% (IFRS) to €2.24 billion, up 28% to €2.27 billion (non-IFRS), and up 27% (non-IFRS at constant currencies).

IFRS operating profit decreased 45% to €803 million. The decrease is mainly driven by the increase in share-based compensation which reflects the increase in share price over the first quarter as compared to last year’s decline over the same period. In addition, IFRS operating profit was impacted by restructuring expenses associated with the targeted restructuring program, as well as expenses resulting from a provision for pre-existing regulatory compliance matters (see section (D) Basis of Non-IFRS Presentation). Non-IFRS operating profit was up 12% to €1.87 billion and up 12% at constant currencies.

As a result, IFRS basic earnings per share decreased 60% to €0.35. Non-IFRS earnings per share (basic) increased 8% to €1.08. The effective tax rate was 40.5% (IFRS) and 28.3% (non-IFRS). For IFRS, the year-over-year increase mainly resulted from changes in non-deductible expenses and valuation allowances on deferred tax assets. For non-IFRS, the changes in non-deductible expenses do not apply due to respective adjustments of pre-tax figures. Free cash flow was down 9% mainly due to the impact of sale of trade receivables in the fourth quarter last year which was weighing on Q1.

Impact of War in Ukraine
The wind down of our business operations in Russia and Belarus is almost complete. Should the situation escalate beyond its current scope, our business could potentially be subject to materially adverse consequences.