SAP SE (NYSE:SAP) Q4 2022 Earnings Call Transcript

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But also even more important we also, with this strategy activate our cross-sell potentially, because the BTP is now de facto standard. S/4HANA is booming. And then we can also increase the win rates of our applications, who are circumventing the core, as we have shown on this one slide. That is working, and this is what we are doubling down on. So, you can definitely expect a further acceleration. But at a certain point, we should really look at the absolute terms because, of course, mathematically, the percentage growth rates, this is just mathematically then at a certain point of time, a question mark.

Johannes Schaller: It’s very clear. Thank you, Christian. Thank you, Luka.

Anthony Coletta: Thank you. We’ll take another question.

Operator: The next question is from the line of Stefan Slowinski from BNP Paribas Exane. Please go ahead.

Stefan Slowinski: Yes. Hi. Thanks for taking my question. And Luka, all the best as well in your next endeavor, I enjoyed working with you over these past few years. So I just wanted to follow-up, I guess, two quick points. Just on the hyperscaler relationships. Obviously, they’re seeing a bit of pressure in terms of consumption. Does that give you an opportunity to negotiate some better bulk transactions? And is that maybe what we saw there in Q4? And can that also be a tailwind to margin? And then just a second one on the backlog, you just talked about the multipliers, the visibility there. How confident are you about getting to double-digit revenue growth? Could that happen as early as 2024, or would that require sort of a much better macro environment in 2024? Thank you.

Christian Klein: On the hyperscaler engagements, I would definitely say, yes, the environment is good. We, of course, in constant talks around our partnership, both technical as well as commercially. And second, about double-digit total revenue growth, 2024, it’s €“ yeah, absolutely. It’s possible. And as you’re going to see the recurring revenue shares growing and growing, we are talking about 83% already in 2023. It’s absolutely feasible to come to double-digit total revenue in 2024.

Luka Mucic: This is clearly our ambition. Yes, Stefan.

Stefan Slowinski: All right. very clear. Thank you very much.

Anthony Coletta: Thank you. And we’ll take one last question.

Operator: The last question is from the line of Toby Ogg from JPMorgan. Please go ahead.

Toby Ogg: Yes, hi. Thanks for taking the question and Luka, all the best for the future. Just thinking about the EBIT growth trajectory that we’re on, clearly, minus 8% in Q3, plus 2% in Q4. How should we think about this phasing as we move through 2023? If I look back through 2022, it looks as though the easiest comps are in Q1 and Q2, but also mindful there are now cost savings in the mix here as well. And there’s a phasing element to that. So, could you just help us understand the exact phasing or the trajectory of the EBIT growth through 2023? Thank you.

Luka Mucic: Yes, absolutely. Thanks for the question. I have actually expected it and waited for it as it’s a very good one. So, we actually believe that our easiest compares and therefore, the best performance will be in Q2 and Q3. In Q2 for the obvious reason that last year, we had the significant impact of the exit of Russia. Most of it was realized in Q2. And why Q3? Well, because it will be the first quarter where we will be entirely free of the cloud delivery harmonization expenses, and that will be a significant help to the P&L then. The difficult, the toughest compares are actually Q1 and Q4 for different reasons. In Q4, it’s because last year, we had the Litmos divestiture, which broad one-time gain of €109 million in non-IFRS results.

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