DGAP-News: Bechtle AG / Key word(s): Quarter Results/Interim Report Bechtle Reports Revenue Increase in First Quarter 14.05.2013 / 07:29 --------------------------------------------------------------------- Bechtle Reports Revenue Increase in First Quarter - Revenue up 5.4 per cent to EUR514 million - Domestic system houses grow above average - E-commerce regains strength abroad - EBIT EUR14.5 million, less than in prior year Neckarsulm, 14 May 2013 - In the first quarter of 2013, Bechtle AG generated revenues of EUR514.0 million, an increase of 5.4 per cent. Apart from the domestic system houses, the European e-commerce companies also made a disproportionately high contribution to the revenue growth. At EUR14.5 million, earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) were 16.0 per cent lower than in the prior year. This figure was greatly impacted by the substantial headcount increase in the financial year 2012. As of 31 March 2013, the group had a total of 5,959 employees, 375 more than in the corresponding prior-year quarter. 'Following an outstanding fourth quarter of 2012, we are satisfied with the revenue performance in the seasonally rather restrained first quarter. We have reached our goal to grow faster than the market. However, we are not satisfied with the earnings positions, though I am confident that it will improve in the remaining part of the year', explains Dr. Thomas Olemotz, Chairman of the Executive Board of Bechtle AG. German System Houses with Significant Revenue Growth In the first quarter, the IT system house & managed services segment generated revenues of EUR341.4 million (prior year: EUR321.6 million), a growth of 6.2 per cent. The domestic system houses went up 7.2 per cent to EUR295.7 million (prior year: EUR275.7 million). The revenues of the system houses abroad amounted to EUR45.7 million, almost the same as in the prior year (EUR45.9 million). In the first quarter of 2013, EBIT dropped 30.9 per cent to EUR7.4 million (prior year: EUR10.7 million). The EBIT margin thus amounted to 2.2 per cent, compared to 3.3 per cent in the prior year. This development mainly resulted from the significant headcount increase in the prior year. IT E-Commerce Strong Abroad In the reporting period, the IT e-commerce segment pushed up its revenues 3.9 per cent from EUR166.0 million to EUR172.5 million. Domestic revenues underwent a slight decline of 1.3 per cent from EUR51.5 million to EUR50.8 million. In contrast, the European e-commerce companies reported a disproportionately high growth of 6.3 per cent to EUR121.7 million (prior year: EUR114.5 million). EBIT amounted to EUR7.1 million, an increase of 8.5 per cent over the prior year (EUR6.5 million). The margin climbed from 3.9 per cent to 4.1 per cent. Comfortable Liquidity As of 31 March, cash and cash equivalents including time deposits and securities amounted to a comfortable EUR151.4 million. Thus, the total liquidity exceeded the total financial liabilities by EUR82.9 million. As of the balance sheet date, the equity increased to EUR469.2 million. The equity ratio improved from 54.4 per cent to an outstanding 58.4 per cent. Headcount Growth in Germany As of the reporting date 31 March 2013, the Bechtle Group had a total of 5,959 employees, including 404 trainees. While the number represents a slight drop compared to 31 December 2012 (5,970 employees), it constitutes a year-on-year increase of 375 (31 March 2012: 5,584 employees). The increase was caused mainly by the domestic system houses, whose number of employees increased 10.2 per cent to 4,102 (31 March 2012: 3,723). In total, 4,558 persons or more than three quarters of the workforce were employed in Germany. Currently, the training ratio in Germany is 8.1 per cent. Annual Forecast Confirmed As previously, Bechtle expects the revenues in 2013 to outperform the market. As far as the earnings before taxes are concerned, Bechtle holds fast to its communicated goal of reaching or exceeding the prior-year value. 'The performance of the first quarter motivates all of us to use the remaining months to reach our ambitious targets for the year', says Dr. Thomas Olemotz. Bechtle KPIs for the First Quarter of 2013

                                               Q1/2013   Q1/2012   Change
Revenue                                 EURk   513,950   487,607    +5.4%
 Domestic                               EURk   346,518   327,228    +5.9%
 Abroad                                 EURk   167,432   160,379    +4.4%
 IT system house & managed services     EURk   341,408   321,609    +6.2%
 IT e-commerce                          EURk   172,542   165,998    +3.9%
EBIT                                    EURk    14,493   17,248*   -16.0%
 IT system house & managed services     EURk     7,395   10,706*   -30.9%
 IT e-commerce                          EURk     7,098    6,542*    +8.5%
EBIT margin                                %       2.8      3.5*
EBT                                     EURk    14,086   17,019*   -17.2%
Earnings after taxes                    EURk    10,075   12,254*   -17.8%
Earnings per share                       EUR      0.48     0.58*   -17.8%
Cash flow from operating activities     EURk    18,461    14,122   +30.7%
Number of employees (average)                    5,963     5,570    +7.1%

*Prior-year figures adjusted pursuant to IAS 19R

                                       31.03.2013     31.12.2012     Change
Cash and cash equivalents     EURk        151,378        146,155      +3.6%
Equity ratio                     %           58.4           54.4
Employees                                   5,959          5,970      -0.2%

*** The interim financial report for the first quarter of 2013 is available for download at www.bechtle.com/reports. About Bechtle As a one-stop IT provider, Bechtle AG is active with 65 system houses in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and is one of Europe's leading dealers for information technology, with subsidiaries in 14 countries. This combination forms the basis of Bechtle's trend-setting business model, which links IT services to the direct marketing of IT products. Established in 1983 and headquartered in Neckarsulm, Germany, the company offers a one-stop, vendor-independent, comprehensive IT portfolio to its more than 75,000 customers from the fields of industry and trade, the public sector and the financial industry. Bechtle has been quoted at the stock exchange since 2000 and has been listed in the TecDAX technology index since 2004. In the fiscal year 2012, the group generated revenues of more than EUR2 billion. Bechtle AG Bechtle Platz 1 74172 Neckarsulm Investor Relations Martin Link Telephone: +49 7132 981-4149 [email protected] Corporate Communications Sabine Brand Phone: +49 7132 981-4115 Fax: +49 7132 981-4116 [email protected] End of Corporate News --------------------------------------------------------------------- 14.05.2013 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a company of EquityStory AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. DGAP's Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap-medientreff.de and www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: Bechtle AG Bechtle Platz 1 74172 Neckarsulm Germany Phone: +49 7132 981-0 Fax: +49 7132 981-8000 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.bechtle.com ISIN: DE0005158703 WKN: 515870 Listed: Regulierter Markt in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Freiverkehr in Berlin, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, München, Stuttgart End of News DGAP News-Service --------------------------------------------------------------------- 210714 14.05.2013