Hi, good afternoon. This is the corporate call conference operator. Welcome, and thank you for joining the SeSa first half 2024 consolidated results conference call. As a reminder, all participants are on listen only mode. After the presentation, there will be an opportunity to ask questions. Should anyone need assistance during the conference call, they may signal an operator by pressing star and zero on their telephone. At this time, I would like to turn the conference over to Mr. Jacopo Laschetti, IR and Sustainability Manager. Please go ahead, sir.
Good afternoon, and thanks for joining SeSa Group presentation. On behalf of SeSa, are participating, Alessandro Fabbroni, Group CEO, Elisa Gironi, Corporate Governance and M&A Director, and myself as IR and Sustainability Manager. In the late morning, we made available on SeSa website our first half 2024 corporate presentation, that we may follow during the conference call. Today, our board of directors has approved the first half results, reporting again an outstanding set of economic and industrial performance. Alessandro Fabbroni will open the presentation with an overview of our first half strategic achievements.
Good afternoon, and thanks to all of you for joining our call. Today, we disclose our six months results as of October 2023, with an outstanding improvement in digital skills, about 3,300 people, up by 21% year-on-year, and revenues equal to EUR 1.5 billion, up 14.5% compared to the prior half year. Once again, we improved double digit our operating profit by extending our 15 years consecutive long-term growth from 2010 as of today. We continue to strongly overperform the IT market, that now is expected to close year 2023 with a 2.8% annual growth. Thanks to our successful market position in the main areas of digital innovation for the business segment as cybersecurity, cloud, digital platforms, and data science, by combining technology, business applications, and consulting.
First half, a 15% growth in revenues was mainly organic for around 65%, with a double-digit contribution from any of our business sectors, each gaining market share from competitors. VAD revenues grew by 12%, sustained by a strong B2B system integration market position, with over 80% of business deriving from enterprise software, cloud networking, and green technology, and less than 20% coming from physical technology without any exposure to consumer segment. System integration revenues were up by 22%, thanks to the development of the main operating VUs, including digital cloud, security, ERP software and vertical solution, and data science, by capitalizing our enlargement of the customer set from small and mid corporates to mid and large enterprises.
Finally, Business Services reported an outstanding 39% growth year-on-year, driven by the development of proprietary applications and proprietary digital platforms for a customer set that reached over 500 banks, insurance companies, and financial services operators. Also, thanks to the recent acquisition of 130 Servicing, leading Italian company in master servicing for securitization. Consolidated EBITDA reached EUR 113 million, up by 21.3%, with a consolidated EBITDA margin equal to 7.5%, higher than 7.10% year-on-year. BDG EBITDA increased by 13.9%, achieving EUR 58 million, with an EBITDA margin improving to 5.1% compared to 5% year-on-year.
System Integration EBITDA was up by 22%, achieving around EUR 46 million, with an EBITDA margin equal to 12.3%, flat year-on-year, while business services sector EBITDA reached EUR 8 million, increasing by 120%, with an EBITDA margin at 14% compared to 9% year-on-year. Bottom line, group adjusted earnings after taxes, achieved EUR 50 million, up by 9.1%, with an EAT margin equal to 3.3%, slightly decreasing year-on-year, after net financial charges for around EUR 14 million, compared to EUR 4 million year-on-year, due to the increase of market interest rates and our delays in cash management efficiency improvement that now we are managing for the coming quarters.
We confirm a great cash flow generation, achieving an operating cash flow of around EUR 130 million last twelve months, with 60% EBITDA cash conversion confirmed. Consolidating that financial position as of October 2023 was active, that means net liquidity, for EUR 153 million, compared to EUR 189 million of the previous year, as a result of net working capital slight growth from EUR 20 million to EUR 36 million, and in particular, due to M&A investment acceleration, with over EUR 170 million investment.
And dividend distribution and buyback plan by around EUR 20 million over last 12 months. In the first half under review, we significantly enlarged our perimeter of operation, with 13 strategic bolt-on M&As closed since January 2023, as of today, that contributed to group's growth by around 35% in terms of revenues and operating profit, with an outstanding 20% EBITDA margin of the combined perimeter of the M&As. Now, I give the floor to Elisa Gironi, that, as usual, will provide us an overview around our M&A and integration programs.
Thank you, Alessandro. The external leverage continues to contribute in significant way to our growth, with a pace of 35% in the period under review, substantially in line with our historical track record. Since January 2023, we closed 13 new M&As, with about EUR 65 million revenues contribution expected in fiscal year 2024, and accretive EBITDA margin about 20%, by onboarding 500 skilled human resources. We selected the target companies in the group strategic areas of development as security, cloud, digital platforms, data science, representing some of the main digital trends of innovation technology.
In VAD sector, after the start of consolidation of Altinia Distribuzione, reference player and managed printing solution, with annual revenues equal to EUR 50 million, we enlarged the new business unit with the acquisition on July 2023 of Main System, company with EUR 4 million revenues, EBITDA over 20%, and 45 human resources, focused on IT services and solution for the printing segment. In SSI sector, we continue to improve our coverage on consulting, digital security, and proprietary vertical applications. On July 2023, we acquired 51% of Wise Security, company leader of cybersecurity Spanish market, with expected annual revenues over EUR 10 million and EBITDA margin equal to 20% and 120 human resources.
On October 2023, we acquired 100% of Trias Microelectronics GmbH, based in Germany and operating in electronic design automation software solutions, with EUR 3 million revenues, EBITDA over 10%, and 15 human resources. In the same month, we expanded our proprietary software solutions, thanks to the 60% stake acquisition of Softsystem, company with 15 skilled human resources, annual revenues of EUR 2.5 million, and an EBITDA margin of about 20%. Finally, on December 2023, we closed our 13th M&As by acquiring the majority stake of SDD Consulting, company with EUR 1.5 million revenues, EBITDA over 20%, and 20 human resources, focused on solutions and services on the SAP S/4HANA platform.
In the Business Services sector, after the acquisition of the majority stake of 130 Servicing, reference player in Italy in the master servicing for the securitization industry, based in Milan, with a team of about 130 people, annual revenues of EUR 50 million, and an EBITDA margin of around 20%. We signed a partnership agreement with Gellify, reference player in the innovation and digital transformation consulting, to develop an open finance platform for wealth management, thanks to the establishment of the 66%-controlled company, DataCoreX.
Thanks to its organic growth, the long-term agreements with some strategic partners and customers, such as Crédit Agricole Italia and Banca Sella Group, and the integration of last M&As, our business services sector targets in the fiscal year 2024, revenues for around EUR 120 million, compared to EUR 84 million year-on-year, 800 human resources, and about 13% EBITDA margin. We will continue to work on a wide pipeline of M&As, in order to attract, on industrial basis, small mid-companies with skilled human resources under a sustainable 5x EBITDA multiple evaluation, with earn-out mechanism and progressive residual stakes acquisition to commit, in the long term, the key people of the target companies. Now, I give the floor to Jacopo to provide an updated overview about our HR and sustainability path.
Thank you, Elisa. After a great improvement of our ESG performance on fiscal year 2023, in the first half, SeSa Group strengthened ESG programs and continued to increase the activities aimed at reducing its environmental impact and consumption of natural resources. We also continue to constantly monitor all ESG growth dynamics and key sustainability ratings. We underline again the recent achievement of gender equality certification, the extension of the ISO 14001 environmental certification to the main group companies, and in particular, the improvement of MSCI Composite Index score to BBB level, combined with increase of CDP rating to B level. Thanks to our recent achievements, SeSa has been included among the top 7 companies in the ESG Observatory, developed by the University of Milan-Bicocca, based on a panel of over 140 Italian-listed companies.
In the first half, we also extended our group ability to attract digital skills and human resources, with about 5,400 skilled human resources, up by 21% year-on-year, with about 850 new hires last twelve months as of October 31st, 2023, of which 60% below 30 years old. Our long-term growth and development trend, driven by M&A's industrial pipeline and our intensive recruiting programs. We improved by 50% our human capital compared to two years ago, and now target at least the line of 5,500 people at the end of fiscal year 2024. To enhance our loyalty rate, we continue to reinforce our welfare programs with wider and specific measures to support parenting, diversity, wellbeing, and work-life balance of human resources. Thanks also to dedicated programs in favor of diversity and inclusion.
We will continue to work intensively to develop our environmental programs, by focusing on energy and natural resources efficiency and energy production for renewable sources, to further improve our scores and drive out carbon neutrality agenda. We remember also that according to the resolution of our last shareholders meeting, as of August 28, we distributed in the month of September, a dividend equal to EUR 1 per share, compared to EUR 0.90 per share of the previous year, in the light of the strong set of financial results, and we started our new buyback plan, targeting annual amount of EUR 10 million.
As we have just celebrated our 50 years anniversary from our foundation in 1973, it's great to share with our shareholders that we rank first among the top Italian performers, with over EUR 1 billion stock in the market capitalization from 2013 as of today, according to the Italian Champions Panel, published by Equita, and reported last week on Il Sole 24 Ore, Italian National Leading Finance Newspaper. In the 10-year period under review, our total return was equal to 987%. The group's human resources went from 900 to over 5,000, revenues improved from EUR 800 million to around EUR 3 billion, carrying out over 75 industrial M&As. Now, I give the floor again to Alessandro for his conclusions.
Thank you, Jacopo. So after a four year period, 2020 to 2023, of outstanding growth by improving revenues from EUR 1.5 billion up to EUR 3 billion, human resources from 2,000 up to 5,000 people, and EBITDA from EUR 75 million - EUR 210 million, we closed the first half of the fiscal year 2024 by reporting again, a great set of economic results, in line with our expectations, and despite the worsening market scenario.
We capitalized our competitive advantages and capability to gain market share from competitors in the phases of market deceleration, and we increased our main industrial KPIs with over 40,000 customers, of which 4,000 abroad, 15% revenue growth compared to 3% IT market trend, and human resources that achieved a record line of 5,400 people, up by 50% compared to two years ago. Corporate and enterprises' demand of digitalization are confirmed solid, with higher focus on the most innovative areas of IT, as cloud security, data management, data science, and Generative AI in growing way. These digital enablers are polarizing most of IT investment and represent SeSa Group core focus of investments, with a unique business model across Italy and continental Europe, by combining technology, business applications, and consulting.
Considering our strong first half results, the contribution expected from the pipeline of M&As, as well as our resilience and capability to outperform the market, we confirm the positive outlook for the full year 2024, with a renewed commitment on the targets already announced, with consolidated revenues expected in the range of EUR 3.2 billion-EUR 3.3 billion, and EBITDA increase in the upper of the range between EUR 240 million-EUR 250 million, growing around 20% year-on-year. SeSa will continue to invest in the long-term development of digital skills, human resources, and business application, by leveraging on our strong competitive advantages, reinforcing our role of reference player in the digital industry, and generating, finally, sustainable value for all stakeholders. Thank you very much for your attention. Now, we stay available as usual for the Q&A final session.
Excuse me, this is the conference call operator. We will now begin the question and answer session. Anyone who wishes to ask a question may press star and one on their telephone. To remove yourself from the question queue, please press star and two. Please pick up the receiver when asking questions. Anyone who has a question may press star and one at this time. One moment for the first question. The first question is from Andrea Randone of Intermonte. Please go ahead.
Thank you and good afternoon to everybody. I have three questions, if I may. The first one is if you can provide us with an update on your current trading. We are aware that December is particularly significant, so if you can comment on that, also in regards to the rest of the market. The second question is specifically on the Business Services segment. Again, you confirmed the target of EUR 120 million revenues. I wonder if you can comment on your qualitative achievements and also about the marginality you are expecting, because the quarter was particularly favorable in for this segment. The third question is about the M&A pipeline. You announced a large number of deals. What you expect in the next months in terms of size, in terms of regional area, and in terms of skills you are targeting? Thank you.
Andrea, thanks for the questions. So first of all, the update on the trend of the business over the month of November and December, our operations went really well, in line with our expectations. So, the first half show our great capability to overperform the market. Now we expect a significant improvement of the market trend, in particular, starting from January 2024, we expect an IT market growing by around 5% compared to 3% of the year that is closing, as of December. So very, very, very positive scenario for us. During the first half, we performed really well in the business segment of Base Digitale Group, that I remember is covering the financial services industry.
So that is a division we opened three years ago, and going forward through several small business combination, we built up a new sector that now is targeting EUR 130 million revenue, so that is confirmed, and in particular confirmed our target to achieve a line over 150-160 through the year after 2025, with the same perimeter in terms of number of companies. I highlight that starting from May we improved the perimeter of this segment, thanks to the business combination, so the acquisition of the new company, 130 Servicing, that is a company leading Italy in services, digital platform providing for the industry of securitization. That is a company that added EUR 15 million euro revenues at this division in that fiscal year with an average EBITDA marginality over the line of 20%-25%. As for the M&A, Elisa Gironi, that is the head of the department, may help us help us to provide some more details.
Thanks, Alessandro. About our part of M&A, we are working on several targets in the area of, the main digital trends, like, data science, digital engineering, business services sector, digital platform. We are working on target that has a bigger size in terms of, revenues and skill human resources, than in the that we made in the past.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thanks.
The next question is from Diego Esteban of TIFO.
Hi, so good evening. Yeah, congratulations for the results. I just had one question, mainly on the B2B segment. Could you please give some color on the demand environment? And yeah, if you could give us some color on the demand environment, given the maybe challenging or a little more challenging macro. Thanks.
So the trend of the demand in 2023 was characterized by a decline, so the growth rate that we achieved in 2022, after the COVID 2020, was a trend of demand over the line of 5%. Now in Italy, we are closing the year with around 2.8%. So we face down in physical technology. In particular, we face a slowdown in hardware because the hardware went down 6.9% in 2023, after a down of 5.6% in 2022.
Now, we are closing the 2023 year with a growth in the managed services over the line of 10%, in software, over the line of 1.2%. For the new year, we expect an acceleration, so with a growth rate over 6%, driven by managed services, really strong, 12.4% improvement, and software, again, over the line of 3%. In general, what we are observing is that the demand of digital services, the digitalization, is really strong, in particular in the business segment. So that is the reference area we are covering with the slowdown in the consumer segment. So thanks to our great market positioning, we are moving forward. We are really confident to be able to continue to grow in organic way, double digit.
Thank you very much, and congratulations on the results.
Thank you.
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Okay, thank you very much, for, again, for joining our conference call. We would like also to invite you to our investor day, that will be organized during the month of May 2024, in order to discuss of our long-term strategic path, and to have the opportunity to present you our team and our headquarters of Empoli, near Florence. Further details will be provided at the beginning of the new year. Thank you again, and we wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas, everybody.
Merry Christmas. Bye.
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining. The conference is now over. You may disconnect your telephones. Thank you.