Vusion S.A. (EPA:VU)
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May 8, 2026, 5:35 PM CET
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Earnings Call: Q1 2025

Apr 23, 2025

Olivier Gernandt
Head of Investor Relations, VusionGroup

Good afternoon, everyone, and welcome to our First Quarter 2025 Sales Presentation. With me today are Thierry Gadou, our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, as well as Thierry Lemaitre, our Deputy CEO, Finance and Corporate. Thierry Gadou will make some remarks on the group's business performance and financial performance in the first quarter, as well as our full-year outlook. After these remarks, we will be happy to take your questions. As a reminder, some of the information to be discussed on our call today is forward-looking and subject to important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially.

For these, I refer you to the Safe Harbor statement included in our press release and on slide three of this presentation. This evening's release was issued a short while ago and is available in French and in English on VusionGroup's website, vusion.com.

The slides of this presentation can also be found on our website in the regulated information section. A replay and a transcript will also be available on our website after the call. It is my pleasure to hand you over to Thierry Gadou for his opening remarks.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Thank you, Olivier. Good afternoon, everyone. Thanks for joining our conference call, and very happy to present our sales figures for the first quarter. In a nutshell, VusionGroup achieved an excellent Q1, slightly ahead of our guidance, with 31% growth in adjusted sales. Order entries nearly doubled in the first quarter to € 532 million, driven by the strong momentum in the United States. VAS sales reached € 33 million, up 71% versus Q1 last year. We reiterate our full-year outlook of 40% adjusted sales growth and improved profitability. Let's now go into a bit more detail. The group's IFRS revenue reached € 215 million in the first quarter and € 233 million on an adjusted basis.

That is up 31% compared to the first quarter of 2024. This is slightly above the guidance that we communicated during the presentation of the 2024 annual results, which was around 25%.

By the way, it's also our best first quarter ever. In terms of geography, in this first quarter, growth was driven by the Americas and Asia-Pacific region. In this region, adjusted sales reached € 143 million, up 100% compared to the first quarter of 2024. This performance was driven by the rapid expansion in the U.S., our first market today, and particularly the deployment at Walmart U.S., which is continuing according to plan. The fluctuating tariff situation was, of course, discussed with our U.S. customers, and that led to unchanged rollout plans due to the strategic importance of digitizing stores in a context of increasing price volatility.

Our forecasts for the year are kept unchanged and confirmed. In Europe, we achieved adjusted sales of € 90 million, and it's down -15% compared to the first quarter of 2024.

The business in Europe is, again, not yet benefiting in Q1 from the contracts that we signed at the end of last year and more recently due to normal manufacturing lead times. Deliveries will increase sequentially in Q2 and over the following quarters. We do confirm our target of resuming growth in Europe for the full year. The pipeline is strong, and we see increasing focus from retailers on improving the efficiency of stores across Europe. If we now look at order entries, Q1 was a very strong quarter, with new orders increasing by 94% year on year to € 532 million. Over the last 12 months, that represents € 1.9 billion.

This record figure is in large part explained by the recent Walmart contract extension, and this number includes a part of the new € 1 billion order announced at the end of the year, and which will be booked in our orders over the next quarters of 2025. The group expects this good momentum in order entries to continue for the full year, also driven by signing of new contracts in both the United States and Europe. Let's look at VAS now. Revenue from software services and non-ESL solutions reached € 33 million in the first three months of the year, up sharply by 71% compared to the first three months of 2024.

Both recurring and non-recurring revenues grew strongly. Recurring revenues, in particular, reached € 17.2 million, up 38% year on year, and represented about 52% of the total VAS revenues.

Note that our cloud install base grew rapidly during the first quarter of the year to reach approximately now 26,000 stores and 188 million labels. This dynamic will accelerate in the coming quarters. As a reminder, the cloud install base was around 19,000 stores and 94 million labels a year ago at the end of March 2024. Our outlook for 2025 is confirmed. I'd like to just comment a little bit on the situation.

On the one hand, for sure, the fluctuating tariff environment may lead to slower investment decisions for some retailers, those who are still in pilots or just evaluating business case, those who have not yet measured the benefits at scale, and those may wait until there is less uncertainty on tariffs and costs of the technology.

On the other hand, though, retailers who have already decided and launched rollouts are clearly determined to move forward and are not changing plans despite the current tensions in global trade. More than ever, this proves that in today's environment, our solutions are providing retailers with measurable benefit, efficiency, and resilience, enabling them to increase the return on capital employed of their most important asset, their stores. Our technology perfectly fits to the present challenges of our customers.

With an order book at an all-time high, with strong visibility, and we reiterate our growth and profitability improvement objectives announced on February 26, which are a revenue growth rate of around 40%, an annual adjusted revenue target of € 1.4 billion, split between around € 600 million in the first half and € 800 million in the second, an 80% growth in VAS revenue for the full year, an adjusted EBITDA margin improvement of 100-200 basis points in 2025, and a positive free cash flow generation. With this, I thank you for your attention and give you back the floor for questions.

Operator

Thank you. As a reminder, to ask a question, you will need to press star 1 1 on your telephone and wait for your name to be announced. To withdraw your question, please press star 1 1 again. Please stand by while we compile the Q&A roster. We will take our first question. Your first question comes from the line of Ben Thielmann from Berenberg. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Benjamin Thielmann
Equity Research Analyst, Berenberg

Yeah. Hey, good evening, guys. Can you hear me?

Olivier Gernandt
Head of Investor Relations, VusionGroup

Yes, we can.

Benjamin Thielmann
Equity Research Analyst, Berenberg

Okay. Perfect. Hi, Thierry. Hi, Olivier. I have a couple of questions, if I may. The first one would be on the Walmart rollouts. Thierry, you already mentioned regarding the US customers that are currently in pilots, but I was wondering, how do your conversations with Walmart go? I remember when I met them in New York, they seemed to be very bullish in rolling out the ESL and the VAS solutions. Has that changed in the last couple of months because of the tariffs? Any color on the Walmart rollouts in particular? Thank you.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yes. Not at all. No change. I think, as I said, I made a general statement on those customers who had already decided and launched rollouts. Those are typically the customers who have already measured at scale the benefits of our technology. The message is very clear. We've been discussing with all of them, including the largest one you mentioned. There is no change in rollout plans. We are, as I said, continuing the rollout as planned with an acceleration throughout the year. No change. That is a very clear message.

Benjamin Thielmann
Equity Research Analyst, Berenberg

Okay.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

This is why we're able to be sort of confident on our guidance for the year because we have a very strong backlog and strong visibility. There is no change on this side. I think it's very telling, to be frank. I mean, it's very telling because it shows the very strong benefits if there is no change in rollout plans with the type of situation. I think it's a stress test that is quite a confirmation of the very strong value of the technology we provide.

Benjamin Thielmann
Equity Research Analyst, Berenberg

Yeah. Makes sense. Thank you very much, Thierry. Maybe another question regarding tariffs. I mean, over 2025, you're ramping up capacity to manufacture the EdgeSence for particularly Walmart. I was wondering, how does the current tariff environment affect your decision-making where to ramp up basically that production capacity? Because if I look at your competitive landscape and I look at Hanshow and I look at Solum, everybody is very much focused in producing or working with EMS that are manufacturing in China, in Vietnam, in Mexico.

I was wondering, given that you work together, for example, with Jabil, what is actually the real likelihood that you would decide to not ramp up the capacity with them in, let's say, Mexico or in Vietnam, but maybe in the United States? You probably have a little bit of higher wages, but you probably save a bit on the lead times.

You as the global number one, is there a real likelihood that you would be the first one to actually manufacture ESL for the U.S. market in the United States?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

It is true that we have a very, I mean, we consider to be in an environment like we have today, we consider that we are by far the safest choice because we have a very balanced now, very balanced geography, diversification in the supply chain, and a very strong set of partners who are also a balanced geography, including, as you pointed out, the U.S. as a very strong geography where they have many, many factories. For us, this flexibility is a real strength. We are sort of ramping up capacity. We have some flexibility to decide.

With all the partners, both Foxconn, Jabil, you mentioned Jabil, but there is also Foxconn, both have capacity in Vietnam, in Mexico, in the U.S. All the scenarios are on the table.

So far, we are not changing our plans because, as I said, the customers who are essentially in our backlog, and we have a very big backlog, have said, "No delays," even if it's so right now, we're flexible. We probably would be the first one to do what you mentioned if we were to. We're not announcing anything. We just have very strong flexibility because we also, as you know, we own our equipment, so we can move it easily, etc. There are plenty of factors that are sort of favorable for our flexibility. The main message we receive from our customers right now is, "No delays. Continue. Keep up with the rollout plans. No delays for relocation."

We have flexibility because some of our sort of capacity is not yet decided, the geography.

We keep very close to all the stakeholders of this conversation, including officials in the U.S., and to see how it unfolds. Having said that, in any scenario, we see no change in the growth plan.

Benjamin Thielmann
Equity Research Analyst, Berenberg

Okay. Sounds good. Maybe third question from my side. Order intake numbers look actually pretty good. I think it's the highest book to bill you have at least since my model reaches back. That's quite encouraging. I know you don't disclose numbers on a per-customer level, but could you maybe guide us a little bit? How much of the Q1 order intake was driven by Walmart?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

As you said, I mean, you said the answer in the beginning of your question. We do not disclose specific. But what you know is that we just got a very, very big order at the end of the year, and we said we were booking it in the firm orders as we received sort of nominative store orders. It would be spread over the whole 2025, so year of 2025. It gives an indication. I think, again, it is a big part, of course. It is a very big customer. It is a big part. We have part of this € 1 billion order in here. That is what I can say because we do not disclose customer-specific data.

Benjamin Thielmann
Equity Research Analyst, Berenberg

Yeah. Fair point. Maybe final question, and then I go back into the queue, would be on IFRS 15. The adjustments you have, we currently have the situation that adjusted revenues is larger than reported revenues. At a certain point in time, that should basically reverse, right? If I assume that you're capable of doing 100% of the Walmart US stores by the end of 2027, let's say, is it fair to say that those IFRS 15 adjustments will basically reverse somewhere in late 2025, early 2026, so that we should expect that maybe by Q3 or Q4 numbers, that adjusted revenues will be lower than reported revenues?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Hi Ben, Thierry speaking. Just be careful because within the adjusted revenues, you've got two impacts, one coming from the Walmart and another one coming from the price decrease. That's relating to the price decrease. We said it's going to reverse in the course of H2 this year. Yes, you're right. In H2 this year, you should see this amount reversing. We don't disclose the split between the two adjustments. Yes, of course, the part on the Walmart will keep having impact until the end of 2030, sorry, 2029. The impact relating to the price decrease will reverse in the course of H2 this year.

Benjamin Thielmann
Equity Research Analyst, Berenberg

Okay. Okay. Cool. That's it from my side for now. Thank you, guys.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Thanks, Ben. Going back into the queue.

Operator

Thank you. We will take our next question. Your next question comes from the line of Valentin-Paul Jahan from Stifel. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Valentin-Paul Jahan
Equity Research Analyst, Stifel

Good evening, everybody. Do you hear me well?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

We do.

Valentin-Paul Jahan
Equity Research Analyst, Stifel

Yes. Perfect. Three kind of questions for me, please. First, could you please give us a more granular view about the order intake's momentum in Europe, like which countries are driving it, and also what is your feeling about the momentum in the U.K. market? Is it starting to take off from your point of view? If so, what tangible evidence do you have to share to back this up?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yes. As I said, Europe is again, there are good signs in Europe since already a number of months. We were already happy with the performance in Q4. We had sort of a growth in order entries overall last year. There are several geographies which are in sort of good. You specifically, and you're probably right to point out the U.K. because it's a country where there is a bit more, I mean, it's a bit more lagging behind continental Europe in terms of adoption and penetration. It's where we see a catch-up sort of dynamic. It's true that those who have been, for instance, at the recent RTS event, the retail trade show event, could see the very significant interest of all the retailers.

I think those who follow a little bit the press know that we've been mentioned by a lot of journalists who've seen our pilots here and there. We are expecting sort of things to unfold clearly this year, a number of sort of deals. We are quite optimistic on the U.K. There are other regions where the pipeline is big. I think so far, I mean, the tariff situation is not impacting, let's say, the decision time. At least we won't have that topic. The DACH region has also a good, strong pipeline. Even in France, supposedly a mature market, we see growth opportunities. Plenty of things going on. When we will announce, we will announce. Right now, we are, let's say, positive about the momentum.

Valentin-Paul Jahan
Equity Research Analyst, Stifel

Okay. Understood. Maybe about value details, could you please give us more detailed explanations of the factors behind the strong growth in non-recurring value details? I mean, is it coming from the expansion of VusionOX licenses or from computer vision camera that you can sell before or from other services and hardware? Is it possible to have more details on it?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Details, I don't know. Clearly, there is something that we've been talking about, which is the fact that EdgeSense is a vast, rich platform. This is why one of the things we're doing nowadays is to transition as many pilots as we can from ESL pilots to HSense pilots. As you know, VusionOX is the operating system, so the software that powers this solution, which is the next-generation operating system. This is a big contributor to the increase of the so-called non-recurring, but it's not one-off because it's going to continue. Yes, the ramp-up of VusionOX, generally speaking, the whole growth in VAS is really driven by software.

Whether it is recurring or embedded one-off licenses of software like VusionOX, it's still essentially software that drives really the growth of VAS. It's a very positive momentum and a momentum that's going to stay. It does include also a number of other things, by the way, but I just the key driver in Q1 is around this type of software. That's why I mentioned also the cloud, the growth of the cloud install base.

Valentin-Paul Jahan
Equity Research Analyst, Stifel

Okay. Understood. Maybe last one about tariff. In terms of profitability, tariffs are a factor of uncertainty as they could affect the gross margin in the coming, I don't know, quarters. You can manufacture in Mexico, Vietnam, or in the U.S., like you said, thanks to your EMS. Could you tell us maybe what proportion of your purchases correspond to components versus the proportion that corresponds to the payment of the assembly work, I would say? Maybe among components, what proportion of components you buy from Chinese companies located in China and which will not benefit from another source of supply from another country?

I mean, what I mean is that even if you manufacture in the U.S., you will need to buy components from China, right? It can still be cheaper to produce in Mexico than in the U.S., given the price of components and the share of components within the total cost of your solutions.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

There are several aspects to your question. Maybe, Thierry, on the first aspect, which is the impact of gross margin, I understand it's because of the reinvoicing of taxes that you're talking about, the sort of mechanical impact on the gross margin. Is that what you were talking about? I mean, the first part of your question seemed to be related to that, that if we reinvoice because of the increase in tariffs. Is it that mechanical impact?

Valentin-Paul Jahan
Equity Research Analyst, Stifel

My question is basically the fact that within the total cost of your electronic shelf labels or digital shelf labels, there are some components and there is assembly work.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Okay. No, I understood that was part of your second—I understood the second part of the question, but I thought the first part was relating to something that is more the mechanical effect of reinvoicing a component, which is no margin, obviously, is tariffs. So reinvoicing tariffs to customers, maybe putting a little pressure, a small pressure on the total margin rate, which is true because you have a part of the—so I just wanted Thierry to comment on this if you took the question. In fact, your question is all about the component versus finished product. It's okay. I may have misunderstood. Tell me.

Thierry Lemaitre
Deputy CEO, Finance and Corporate, VusionGroup

Yes. I think that maybe, Valentin, just to answer your question, because first of all, you know that the largest customer, which is currently subject to tariffs, is Walmart in the U.S. With Walmart, you've got a pass-through clause. Currently, for the next coming months and, of course, for the full year 2025, tariffs should have no impact on our profitability. The only impact that could potentially raise from the tariff is the fact that, yes, we're going to recharge at zero margin, the cost of the tariffs to the customers. That is a very limited impact. We do not consider that it should have any impact on the profitability target that we have already guided the market with.

We confirm the capacity to deliver the profitability improvement that we are targeting for the full year, even in the current context of the tariff. That's the situation so far. Of course, no one knows what the tariff is going to be in the next coming three or four months. Currently, from what we know and from what we see of the situation, we confirm the capacity to deliver the expected improvement of the profitability.

Valentin-Paul Jahan
Equity Research Analyst, Stifel

Yes. My question was more about beyond Walmart because then in the U.S., you have.

Thierry Lemaitre
Deputy CEO, Finance and Corporate, VusionGroup

Yes. Valentin, we are on Q1 2025 revenue from H2. Yes, we can try to give an estimate of what the profit will be in the context of tariffs that no one can already anticipate. I'm afraid that it's a little bit fiction so far.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yeah. For sure, we confirm our guidance for the year, which is, I remind, relatively precise when I compare the guidance of other companies, frankly. That is confirmed. What you need to have in mind is that because we would be on equal, I would say, basis here, we need to stay very humble about what will be the outcome because you seem to have already a certainty about what's going to happen with China. I'd be a little more careful because we've seen a number of things over the past six weeks, including this morning. We do not know where things are going to end up.

Making plans depending on the relative cost of components and the relative tariff on components versus finished goods, depending on whether you put your, you know, these cases of some manufacturing products where the suppliers and the assembly line is crossing the border of Canada seven times before the finished goods. You can't make simulations on that. What I think is really interesting about the stress test that we went through is that so many customers say, "Don't change anything." Why? Because this world that we enter is a fundamental world of volatility.

I don't want to disclose any of our customers' data, but I can tell you the cost of volatility, managing volatility in the store, the manual cost of that is massive. What is the only protection? It is the digitization and the automation.

At the end of the day, you need to make sort of choices not on sort of super short-term volatility of decisions around tariffs because that's not an industrial policy. We have gotten closer and closer to the U.S. We may operate in the U.S. That will not be for it will be for many reasons if we do. And it will be for reasons that will stay. It may happen. We will do it, maybe. We will certainly get closer and closer to America, for sure, in many ways. We're taking decisions in a sort of reasonable way. Those things are not volatile. Production is a big decision.

The good news is right now, none of these things are going to sort of impact the growth plan that we have for this year. That's the good news, really. We're staying flexible. We're looking at things. Right now, nobody knows where the tariffs will land for any country, including China.

Valentin-Paul Jahan
Equity Research Analyst, Stifel

Okay. Understood. Thank you for your answers.

Operator

Thank you. We will take our next question. Your next question comes from the line of Adam Gildea from Bank of America. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Adam Gildea
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of America

Hi. Good evening, guys. Can you hear me okay?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yes, we can.

Adam Gildea
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of America

Oh, perfect. Thank you so much for taking my question. I really appreciate it. This is also sort of on the timing. You mentioned that it's possible and it's very flexible to move production around, whether it's to the U.S. or to another third country outside Vietnam or Mexico. I was wondering if you can just elaborate a little bit on the timeline there because, as I understand it, the new Walmart pre-finance lines that are going live throughout this year are located in Vietnam and Mexico. Presumably, the process of getting those up and running is already ongoing now.

Does that mean that that's essentially committed for 2025 if, let's say, tariffs were going to go into effect two to three months from now after the 90-day pause? How quickly could you react and move that to the U.S. in terms of keeping the 2026 and 2027 timelines together?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yeah, sure. You're absolutely right. The flexibility, we're still in the process of setting up these lines. Some of them still have a bit of flexibility in terms of the final location, given it's the same EMS on both ends, right, Vietnam and Mexico. If we were to go to the U.S., it would be the same EMS. That provides another element of flexibility. It's true that if we were to decide, and we haven't done that, to move as soon as this year in America, it would delay some of the ramp-up of this capacity. That's why, even though it would be possible, there would be a delay. That delay, you remember I mentioned no delay was the answer of our customers.

Precisely those who are already expecting sort of rollouts to happen because those decisions have been taken, they said no delays for the reasons I mentioned. No delays means not relocating, right? Now, it does not mean that for 2026 we would take a different decision. Right now, we are not planning to relocate. We already have a dual location. We have a bit of flexibility of load balancing between those locations, by the way, and still now. For 2025, all the discussions have taken place. Every scenario has been analyzed, shared with our customers. The answer is no change in plans, and we deliver. That is what they expect us. We will deliver our growth.

Adam Gildea
Equity Research Analyst, Bank of America

Okay. That's very clear. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. We will take our next question. Your next question comes from the line of Flavien Bourdmont from Bernstein. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Flavien Bourdmont
Equity Research Analyst, Bernstein

Hello. Can you hear me?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

We can. Yes.

Flavien Bourdmont
Equity Research Analyst, Bernstein

Okay. Thank you. Hello to all of us. I'd like to have a bit more color on one of your comments. You said that there is a wait-and-see attitude for your clients that are currently in pilot phase. Do their decisions are motivated by weaker pure return on investment projection or more on higher uncertainty on future real sale prices? If I had to say my question differently, does this wait-and-see attitude from retailers will disappear once the U.S. tariff will be settled? If not, what is the main concern currently from U.S. retailers?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

No, I think, yes. I mean, you did understand me correctly in the sense that the fluctuation in tariff is creating uncertainty on a lot of, let's say, on the cost of technology, on the future cost of technology. When you are at early stage in pilots or even before sort of evaluating business case and you have to put in your model cost and everything, and all of a sudden, you do not know if it is this level or 40% plus, etc., all these are indicating to creating an uncertainty on the models. We expect, and we may be wrong, but we expect on these type of customers that there will probably, there may be a slowdown in the speed of decisions. Also, there is another factor.

The current situation is not only creating an uncertainty on cost, but it's also creating an uncertainty on recession, on inflation. Those are very significant concerns for retailers in general. This is pushing for that. That is why I said it's a contrasted situation because, on the one hand, we had this incredible good news that those who were already sort of planned rollouts want to absolutely either stay on plan or even go faster. There is, on the other hand, this situation, which is creating uncertainty on, I would say, the macroeconomic growth or recession and also on the cost of technology that is imported. Those uncertainties will logically defer some decisions.

Now, we're on the right side of the market because we happen to have, as I mentioned, a lot of our sort of revenue plan is in backlog or in customers that have already sort of made decisions. That is why we're able to have our guidance confirmed. Having said that, it's true. There is this reality, this contrasted reality. Let's say the good news is we're on the right side of the market right now.

Flavien Bourdmont
Equity Research Analyst, Bernstein

Okay. Great. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. We will take our next question. Your next question comes from the line of Laurent Gelebart from BNP Paribas. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Laurent Gelebart
Managing Director, BNP Paribas

Yes. Good evening, gentlemen. Laurent speaking from BNP Paribas. A couple of questions on my side. The first one regards your exposure to the U.S. market. Can you share with us what is the first question? Are you shielded from tariffs with all your U.S. clients or only Walmart? If not Walmart, I mean, if others are not shielded from tariffs, what is the size of the backlog you have still to deliver at, let's say, past prices? That is the first question. The second one relates to Walmart and Captana. Could you share with us where you stand in terms of the pilot regarding this technology and if you expect them at some point to sign a contract with you?

The third one relates to VAS services. Recurring VAS are up 38% in the first quarter. Do you expect the level of growth for recurring VAS to accelerate throughout the year?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yeah. Regarding, I do not know if Thierry wants to, but the first question was about the tariff. I think the situation is relatively the same in a lot of our customers that I described. In fact, we described the situation of the customers who had already decided rollouts as roughly the same, regardless of the impact, which is not fully known at the moment. They are asking us essentially to continue as planned, even though they might incur some pass-through of those. In most cases, we have the same provisions. There are, I would say, no difference here. Yeah, we have seen most situations, and that is why I would not make a different statement here for a given customer.

Mostly, the difference is really the customers who had already decided or already launched their rollouts, and they are not changing plans.

It's also true for a retailer we had mentioned in December, like the Freshmarket, etc. Regarding Captana, I mean, the computer vision projects, we have several computer vision projects which are sort of developing on plans. They are still in pilot mode. It's too early to say if we're going to sign a contract. They are very, very important projects. They are very sort of they are developing well. We'll certainly talk about it when we can. Right now, they're just developing well.

Thierry Lemaitre
Deputy CEO, Finance and Corporate, VusionGroup

Just regarding the next point regarding the recurring VAS, yes, we said that we wanted to grow the VAS approximately 80% in 2025 versus 2024. Given the 31% increase in Q1, yes, you're right. That should probably accelerate over the course of the year 2025.

Flavien Bourdmont
Equity Research Analyst, Bernstein

Okay. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. We will take our next question. Your next question comes from the line of Gilles Crespel from Alizés. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Gilles Crespel
Investment Manager, Alizés

Good evening, Thierry and Thierry. Can you hear me?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yes, we can.

Gilles Crespel
Investment Manager, Alizés

Great. Thank you very much for all your comments and congratulations for the results. Few questions if I allow me. One is there has been great development in the U.S. backed on Walmart developments. It's a little more muted or a little less recovery on the European side. Could you give us a little color on this? That would be my first question and how you expect the following quarters to evolve. The second question is there had been some strong recruitments in 2024. Could you give us an idea where we stand at the end of the first quarter 2025? Has these, well, where does the headcount stand, or how has your recruitment program been continuing or more stabilizing?

Then technical question is I have in mind that the whole of Walmart rollout would be something like 4,600 stores. Could you give us or remind us the date for completion of the rollout as it was signed per the last contract? Thank you very much.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

The first question was about the European recovery. Yeah. I hope I'm not sort of paraphrasing something I already said. Let me say it differently. The European situation is good. It's still a modest quarter in Q1 after a good quarter in Q4. The thing is we have usually six-nine months sort of manufacturing lead time. When all the Q4 order entries in Europe are going to be visible towards the end of Q2 and in H2. That's the thing. We have also other entries in Q1 that also will impact more H2.

That's why we're absolutely confirming one of the things we mentioned about our guidance. In our guidance was that Europe in the full year would be coming back to growth. It would be more visible in H2.

However, sequentially, growth is going to quarter after quarter is going to be growing. Increased deliveries will increase sequentially in Q2 and then in Q3 and then in Q4. That is the dynamic we see. Will still be the plan of deliveries is lower in H1 than in H2. In total, we will be resuming growth in H2 and for the full year. That is what I can say. I gave a bit of color on some regions in Europe which have a good momentum and where we expect new wins in the coming quarters to continue to fuel growth not only in 2025 but also in 2026.

That is for Europe. Regarding H no, I think HR was the third one.

Thierry Lemaitre
Deputy CEO, Finance and Corporate, VusionGroup

The second one was HR.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yeah, yeah. HR, yeah. We have passed, I think not long ago, our thousand employees. I think we finished the year at something like 960 or something like that. We are going to.

Thierry Lemaitre
Deputy CEO, Finance and Corporate, VusionGroup

960, 950.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yes, 960. Yeah.

Thierry Lemaitre
Deputy CEO, Finance and Corporate, VusionGroup

960, 950. Yeah.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

950, 950. Yeah. In the meantime, we've passed our thousand. We should be recruiting like last year, another 200 this year. It is 200-300. It is moving well, and it is particularly growing the team in the U.S. Finally.

Thierry Lemaitre
Deputy CEO, Finance and Corporate, VusionGroup

Walmart timing, completion?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Oh, yeah. This is something we didn't, I mean, precisely disclose. We did say, I think, when we signed the framework contract, which was in 2023, that it would be around five to seven years. That is still the case. We're still sort of on the planning phase of all the years. Right now, obviously, the plan for 2025 is completed, but plan for 2026 and 2027 are still. Right now, we should be done. I would say roughly we should be done in 2027, right?

Gilles Crespel
Investment Manager, Alizés

Thank you very much.

Operator

Thank you. We will take our next question. Your next question comes from the line of Aurélien Sivignon from ODDO BHF. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Aurélien Sivignon
Equity Research Analyst, ODDO BHF

Yes. Good evening, gentlemen. Two questions on my side. Firstly, I just wanted to touch on the impact of a weaker US dollar. I was wondering if that could change how you see VCM evolving for the rest of the year and perhaps with higher stagflation risks in the U.S. Do you see this as a tailwind for further adoption of VAS with the retailers you are currently rolling out in the U.S.? Thank you.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Maybe just on the first point, Aurélien . Yes, you're right. It can have a limited impact, actually, because the impact is more on the revenues, s ince. You're getting value or the dollar is losing value against euro, it's true that the revenues in dollars are a bit less significant. Nonetheless, we are still very comfortable with the € 600 million revenue guidance for H1 and the 40% revenue growth for the full year. On the profitability, yes, it can have a limited impact. We said that we had quite a natural hedge between the revenues and also the cost in dollars. We consider the impact to be quite limited on the gross margin. That's the impact. The second question.

Thierry Lemaitre
Deputy CEO, Finance and Corporate, VusionGroup

Natural recession impact on U.S. retailers?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

I mean, again, Aurelién, this is something I touched on just before, the fact that the current situation is not only a tariff situation. It is also a macroeconomic uncertainty about the evolution of consumption and purchasing power and GDP growth. In theory, as I said, it might delay decisions of investment, not specifically affecting one or the other components of our business, but maybe delaying some other entries. Again, this does not call into question our guidance because, on the other hand, a number of other things are absolutely confirmed, and they are, and I do not think it is something that would affect the course of business in 2025. We have taken it into account.

Aurélien Sivignon
Equity Research Analyst, ODDO BHF

My question was more about if with a higher stagflation risk, it could be a tailwind for further adoption of VAS with the retailers you are currently rolling out in the U.S.?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

A tailwind for the retailers who are so you mean the.

Benjamin Thielmann
Equity Research Analyst, Berenberg

Yeah, for Captana, for instance.

Aurélien Sivignon
Equity Research Analyst, ODDO BHF

Yeah, absolutely.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

You mean recession would be a tailwind for yeah, I think, I mean, I hadn't thought of that. You're right. It could be. No, I think we have already sort of included a very positive momentum on VAS. As I said, we expect to grow very rapidly VAS, and already in Q1, it's happening. It should, as we said before, it should accelerate. Already, we are anticipating a strong demand on VAS and a strong acceleration. No doubt, this is happening. Even more, I wouldn't go as far as that in a pure sort of improvisation. We try to stick to the course of our business and to our plan right now.

Aurélien Sivignon
Equity Research Analyst, ODDO BHF

Okay. I appreciate the call. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. We will take our next question. Your next question comes from the line of Hubert Mathet from Mathet & Cie . Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Hubert Mathet
Investment Professional, Mathet & Cie

Good evening, Thierry. Just one clarification with EdgeSense. Do you still have pilots running in Europe with EdgeSense or not yet?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

No. We have.

Hubert Mathet
Investment Professional, Mathet & Cie

You have. Okay. What is your, let's say, normal scenario to convert those pilots in orders? Is that end of 2026 or sooner than that without making any forecast, of course?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yes. I mean, we are hoping to convert pilots to rollouts in, I mean, maybe towards the end of the year or kind of next year. Yeah, I mean, we do not see a big difference between Europe. It came later. We started projects later, but it should happen. We already have sort of pilots which are in the phase of expansion to many stores. Yeah, there should be decisions towards the end of the year and during next year, for sure. We have several.

Hubert Mathet
Investment Professional, Mathet & Cie

Okay. Technically, do you have the extra capacity to fulfill these orders given the fact you will be at nearly full blast for Walmart at that period of completion of their order?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yeah. We have dedicated capacity to other customers. Yes, we have dedicated capacity.

Hubert Mathet
Investment Professional, Mathet & Cie

Okay. That's all for me. Thank you.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Thank you.

Operator

Thank you.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

One last question.

Operator

Thank you. We will take our next question. The question comes from the line of Valentine- Paul Jehan from Stifel. Please go ahead. Your line is open.

Valentin-Paul Jahan
Equity Research Analyst, Stifel

Thank you. It's me again, sorry. Just the last one. I have the feeling that Trump tariffs between Mexico and Canada and the U.S. apply to non-USMCA compliant products as well as automotive and steel. It seems that there are lots of product categories that are USMCA compliant. Among these product categories, there is one category which could eventually be used to cover ESL-type products, in my view. Do you think you could make your products USMCA compliant just to avoid, finally, just to avoid tax tariffs? Is this something your legal teams are working on? What is your opinion on this subject?

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yeah. It is something we are definitely working on. At the moment, for sure, there is a list which is called an HTS list, Harmonized Tariff Schedule. HTS codes are covered by a number of HTS codes are covered by the exemption, and our products are not imported under those codes. That is the current situation. Now, we are working on, I mean, those lists and those codes are not stabilized. We need to, and they are still moving. We, of course, are doing everything we can to justify a number of exemptions. We are working on it. Right now, it is not exempted.

Valentin-Paul Jahan
Equity Research Analyst, Stifel

Okay. Okay. Perfect. Thank you.

Operator

Thank you. This concludes today's question and answer session. I'll now hand back for closing remarks.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yes. Thank you for your attention and all your great questions. We wish you a very good evening, and we will meet you, I think, next now is at our.

Thierry Lemaitre
Deputy CEO, Finance and Corporate, VusionGroup

July.

Thierry Gadou
CEO, VusionGroup

Yes.

End of July. And of course, for our shareholders at the AGM on June 17th. There is going to be thank you very much. Bye-bye.

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