Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the q.beyond conference call regarding the second quarter results 2021. At this time, all participants have been placed on a listen-only mode. The floor will be open for questions following the presentation. Let me now give the floor to Mr. Jürgen Hermann.
Thank you very much, a warm welcome from my side to our Q2 conference call. Together with me, like always, is Arne Thull, our Head of Investor Relations and M&A. Ladies and gentlemen, in a nutshell, our profitable growth is increasingly gaining momentum. With this growth, as always mentioned from my side, our profitability is rising. Order entry is developing well, and the sales pipeline is there also. On top of that, we are on track concerning the execution of our M&A transactions, as well as on track concerning the sale of our colocation business. With that, I would like to start with the presentation on page three, where you can see the results of this quarter compared to the Q2 last year. You can see that revenues increased by EUR 4.3 million, and 77% of this revenue in the second quarter are recurring.
Based on the EUR 4.3 million increase in revenues, EBITDA rose by EUR 2 million- EUR 1.2 million in the second quarter. Like in the last quarter this year, the marginal return came to more than 40%. Coming to our order entry as an important KPI on the next slide. In the second quarter this year, new orders even more than doubled to EUR 87.5 million. For the first six months, we achieved EUR 160 million, which is an increase of 67% compared to the first six months of last year. Of course, you know that Röhlig Logistics, as a new customer and a new focus sector, played a big role in this order entry. This was a driver as well for the fact that almost 90% of orders in the second quarter involve new customers or new projects, meaning new business with existing customers.
This is, from my point of view, a strong foundation for ongoing strong and profitable growth. When we look at the segments on the next slide, the split in segment shows the great demand for cloud solution and digital workplaces. For this segment, the increase in revenue was EUR 4.6 million, which means +19%. The segment margin already rise to 14% and is with that on track concerning our target for next year of 18%-19% segment margin in the Cloud & IoT segment. SAP, next slide, was affected far more severely by restrictions on contact, but it's stable, not more and not less. I am very confident that we can increase this figure for the second half of this year. With then, let's say at least EUR 43 million revenues, we would then show a growth rate compared to last year of 5%+ .
Which is due to the fact that we are still in a pandemic situation, a good result from my point of view. Let's have a view and on the full P&L. It demonstrates again. It shows improvement in all relevant figures. Let me highlight the increase in gross profit by 50% and the increase in segment contribution by more than 100%. It shows, ladies and gentlemen, that our business model is healthy and supporting our growth strategy 2020plus. This is as well concerning our balance sheet. It's still financed very solid. Net liquidity as of end of second quarter was EUR 30.7 million. This number, you know that does not include the sale of the first part of the colocation business to DATEV, which has been closed a few days ago.
With that strong balance sheet, we are on track concerning the execution of our growth strategy. The five columns, you know this chart shown on the next slide. The fact that you know this chart shows also that we have a clear strategy, and this is unchanged since we published it in May 2019. Against the backdrop of corona, we consistently implement our strategy. I will do everything to execute this until next year. We will show you our new targets beyond 2022. For this new target, so the strategy beyond 2022, the focus on platform-based innovations will play a key role. Therefore, we are preparing, even today, this development. We are pooling our expertise in different locations, which are the basis for these new services.
Although these new platform-based services, as of today, are very, very small in revenues, they will be very important for our future, for the future of q.beyond. You can see that for the first half, we expanded EUR 4.2 million in research and development, which represents, in a certain way, the make part of our business. On the next slide, you can see that the buy part is part of our strategy as well. You can see the three columns of our M&A strategy, which is still unchanged, expanding in the focus sectors, extending our product portfolio, and investing in unique technologies. On the next slide, you can see an example for extending our product portfolio, which was the takeover of 100% of shares of datac, which is a modern workplace and collaboration specialist.
It is, from my point of view, very important in these times of corona that we strongly believe in the extent of workplaces, and datac is, as mentioned here, specialist with a clear focus on Microsoft, which is in our point of view, the leading technology, especially with the Teams solution. On the next slide, you can see the latest transaction concerning our M&A strategy with this acquisition of 25.4% of Snabble. Snabble is a specialist in self-checkout solutions for our focus sector retail. Let me say this, it's not a startup anymore. It is a proven technology with existing customers, let me tell you, with revenues north of EUR 1 million for this year. This was the main reason why we already negotiated an option to take over the majority stake from 2023.
As mentioned, we are on track concerning the execution of our M&A strategy, but we are on track as well concerning the sale of our colo business. On the next slide, you can see as already published, the key messages concerning the sale of the first part of colo business, which was the existing customer DATEV with its, let's say, isolated data center, which we gave back in a certain way to DATEV. This is representative for roughly 10% of the whole colocation business in revenues. A very successful transaction from my point of view, which leads, as you can see on the next slide, this transaction to a raise of EBITDA and free cash flow concerning our guidance.
We stay with our revenue guidance with EUR 160 million-EUR 170 million, but after this transaction, we expect an EBITDA from EUR 8 million-EUR 13 million, which is EUR 3+ million, and the free cash flow from EUR -2 million to EUR 3 million, which is EUR 8+ million. On top of that, we expect the positive free cash flow one quarter earlier than planned already next quarter. This is our plan on page 16, published as mentioned in May 2019. We are still on track to reach our guidance for this year as well as the EUR 200 million revenues for next year. It's always important to mention and to repeat that we have a scalable business model that leads to rising EBITDA margins as targeted more and north of 10% for next year.
Thank you very much so far for your patience, and I'm happy to take your questions. Thank you very much.
Ladies and gentlemen if you would like to ask a question please press nine and star on your telephone keypad. Incase you wish to cancel your question press nine to dial again. The first question comes from Jonas Blum from Warburg Research. Please go ahead with your question.
Yeah, good afternoon. Thanks for taking the questions. I got three, please. Firstly, with regards to the Röhlig order you acquired in Q2. Just wondering if you could give us a segment revenue split and when you expect first revenues from this order to be booked. Is it also fair to assume, since this is a key customer to you, that they have received favorable margins, or is it just a regular group margin contribution?
I got two questions, Jonas. Where were the third one?
I know, but that was basically one, but I will follow up.
That was one. Fair enough. Let's start with Röhlig. Yeah, as mentioned, signed in the second quarter. We are now in the, let's say, in the transition phase to take over the business of Röhlig as customers, which will show first revenues in Q3, which is a fast transition. Normally it takes us at least six months to take over the business. On top of that, we are very good on track concerning the preparation and the start of even, and this was always part of our strategy, to attract further customers in the sector logistics, which will start in Q3 as well. Concerning the margins, yeah, of course, you do not expect that we give precise numbers here in the call, but I can tell you that we are generating good margins out of that deal.
Okay, great. Just following up on the cloud and the IoT business overall. You're again mentioning investments in future growth. I was just wondering, when do you expect those investments to fade out in your P&L?
Yeah. When we look at the R&D expenses, which are mainly responsible for the new platform-based innovation business, the new services environment, I expect the first revenues definitely this year, and increasing number next year. I think that you can really have impact on the P&L, I think it will be second half of next year.
Okay. That's on the revenue side. Do you also expect then the costs to phase out over the next year?
The cost concerning R&D, I think this is something we will keep on a stable level to make sure that we always have the right innovation and the best preparation for our future business.
Okay, great. Just one last one, if I may. With regards to the SAP business, you're mentioning some customers opting for later appointments in H2. I was just wondering if your internal assumption is that you will see some sort of sequential revenue growth in H2 in the SAP segment, or is it too early to assume a recovery?
Fact is that driven by corona, we see some restrictions on contact, and this was the impact on the revenue side for Q2. I can tell you, as I mentioned in my introduction, that we expect higher number in revenues concerning the second half of this year than in the first half. Whatever it is, but definitely higher than the first six months.
Okay, got it. Thanks a lot.
The next question comes from Lukas Spang from Tigris Capital. Please go ahead with your question.
Yes. Hi, good afternoon. My first question is concerning the colocation business. What is the deconsolidation date of this business?
The deconsolidation date is twofold. One is already done for the part of DATEV, which is included in all the numbers and the new guidance that we published. The second date will happen once we have signed the agreement for the sale of IP Exchange GmbH, which is, let's say, the remaining part of all our colocation business. We expect, if all the offers will be acceptable for us, is it fair enough to say, if this is the case and we have finally negotiated, we expect a date of end of Q3 for the deconsolidation and the transaction.
This would be for both colocations?
No, for the first one, it already happened. With the date we signed, which was 10 days ago, I guess, it's already included in our numbers, which is the smaller part of that business. The larger part will be included once we have signed the contract, which has still to be negotiated, and we expect that end of Q3.
The first part is consolidated seven months?
Yes.
Okay. Can you give us a number for revenue and EBITDA contribution from this part for the first half of the year?
Let's say, as I mentioned already, that the whole colocation business is about, and this is what I always said, about EUR 20 million in revenues and a 25% EBITDA margin. The part for DATEV, which has already been sold, is in revenues concerning 10% of that part. EBITDA was a little bit higher, but mainly in the same area.
Okay. You confirmed now the EUR 200 million for next year. Do you need further M&As for this, or can you reach this from today's base?
So far, we always told the market that our growth plan, and the EUR 200 million as well, is based on organic growth, which may change. This is fair enough, if we really sell the colocation business, the larger part in Q3. We have to compensate this portion, let's say, with M&A, which is fair enough because it's organic. Both sides are touched.
If we assume the deal will be closed, then we have to reduce the EUR 200 by EUR 20 million?
From a arithmetic point of view, yes. On the other side, we are still a contract concerning M&A transactions, and I'm pretty confident that we will find something to compensate that in revenues and in margin as well, and on top of that, which better suits to our strategy in the long term.
Okay. The new M&A transaction with the EUR 6.5 million you would not include in this?
Look at it fair enough, which is part of that, but it's not as big as the colocation business, which is part of that as well.
Sure.
Yeah.
Yeah. Okay. Yeah, that's from my side.
The next question comes from Klaus Brune from PLATOW. Please go ahead with your question.
Yeah. Good morning, everyone. No, good afternoon, actually. I have two questions. Number one is, basically, you already pointed at that, but basically maybe you can reiterate it and strengthen it a bit. Where do you see the sales growth coming from in the second half, mostly because you're quite a bit behind on your annual target from the first half? The second question is, what I can see is quite nice margin expansion. If I looked at the numbers, and if I did my math correctly, then your EBITDA margin was 1.9%, roughly, in the first quarter. It's now at 3.1% in the second quarter. For the full year goals, in the mid of the goals, you are still aiming for 6.4%, which is twice as good as the second quarter.
Where do you see the margin expansion coming from? Thank you.
First of all, concerning sales growth, as mentioned, one of our main, let's say, indicator for growth is our published KPI order entry. We have a very good development in the first six months. This is the basis for our confidence to reach our target for the full year. That's it. Concerning margin, we have guided, not guided, but we have communicated to the market that we will achieve more than 10% for next year. For this year, after the one-time effect of the sale of the colo business, the first part of the colo business, we have a new guidance of EUR 8 million-EUR 13 million. As mentioned, I'm fully convinced that we reach these targets.
Where will the margin expansion come from? Is it coming from all parts of the business or?
It is always the question, and this is what I mentioned before, that the increase in revenues, as I said, EUR 4.3 million increase in revenues for the second quarter, shows an EBITDA increase by EUR 2 million- EUR 1 .2 million. The marginal return is 40%, and this is something that will further continue. With other words, due to the fact that we have everything in place, workforce, infrastructure, everything in place, each and every euro growth in revenues is paying really on the increase of profitability. That's the main reason.
Okay. Thank you.
The next question comes from Sebastian Weidhüner from Montega. Please go ahead with your question.
Good afternoon, and thanks for taking my question. I have got three left, one for each long-standing focus market. The first one is, in how many retail stores, including tests, is the StoreButler currently used? The second one is, in the half-year report, you mentioned a corresponding platform for the manufacturing industry in the trial phase. Does this include the already announced solutions, or are there new product plans? The last one is, why is your revenue in the energy industry declining? What are the main challenges here? In view of the Röhlig order, the logistics sector should already be more important, right?
Thank you for your question, Sebastian. Let's start with the first one concerning the retail sector. What we can see here is, and this is what we mentioned, that the StoreButler is well accepted by Fressnapf, one of our main customers, and we are just in very deep talks in the negotiations to implement each and every store of Fressnapf with that solution. It's not signed yet, to be honest. After we have won the award of, let's say, the Retail Board, yeah, in this sector focus. We have been addressed by a lot of customers, and they're doing pilots so far. I expect the first revenues in this year concerning StoreButler, but the main impact when we really rise the solution will be seen next year. Concerning manufacturing, we are talking about not new solutions.
We are talking about our, let's say, operating platform for edge devices, which is called Edgizer, and we are in talks to implement that as well. The third one was energy, it's stable, let's put it this way. What we can see here is that it's highly regulated. It's a little bit more difficult to get a footprint with the new solutions in that environment. I still think that it's a very attractive sector, and therefore we are working on this very hard to rise revenues in this segment as well. Concerning Röhlig, definitely when we have finished the transition of Röhlig as customer, it will be a huge number starting Q3 and Q4 definitely. Once we have implemented all the procedures to attract even new customers in this sector, it will definitely play a major role in the future.
Okay, thanks. Thank you very much.
There are no further questions.
Maybe I'll wait another 10 seconds. Actually, there are no further questions. Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much for being part of our call, for your questions, and maybe we will see you on one of the upcoming conferences in August and in September as well. If not, of course, I'm looking forward to see or to hear you in the Q3 conference call on November 8th. I'm sure until then, until November, we will have a decision on the remaining part of our colo business in a certain way. We will have a clear view on the full year 2021, and I hope that we have some more information on the execution of our M&A strategy. Thank you very much, and take care and stay healthy.