NECKARSULM (dpa-AFX) - Despite reluctant customers, the IT service provider Bechtle increased revenues and profits last year. On the basis of preliminary key data, revenue rose by 6.8 percent to around 6.4 billion euros, as the MDax-listed company announced on Tuesday. Pre-tax profits amounted to around 374 million euros. The IT service provider, which offers software and hardware, thus also achieved the targets it had set itself for 2023. Bechtle did not publish an outlook for 2024 on Tuesday.

The Bechtle share rose by 1.3 percent at midday in a somewhat weaker market environment. Analyst Knut Woller from Baader Bank spoke of a solid end to the year with regard to the fourth quarter.

In a very challenging economic environment, Bechtle once again succeeded in growing significantly faster than the market, said CEO Thomas Olemotz according to the press release. This proves the resilience of the business model - especially in difficult times. In particular, business with public-sector clients and major customers has developed very positively.

At the end of 2023, Bechtle employed around 15,200 people. This was 7.9 per cent more than a year earlier. Bechtle plans to publish the full results for the 2023 financial year in mid-March./jwe/ngu/men