(AOF) – Sopra Steria has finalized the acquisition of EVA Group, a company specializing in cybersecurity. The acquisition project was previously announced on October 12, 2021. “This acquisition will significantly increase the strike force in the very promising and critical field of cybersecurity and will strengthen the offer of information systems security services to customers. major customers of the group “, explains the specialist in digital transformation. It will act as an acceleration lever to position the group as one of the three leaders in the cybersecurity market in France.
EVA Group enters the Sopra Steria consolidation scope on December 21, 2021.
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– One of the 5 European leaders in digital transformation born from the merger in 2014 of Sopra and Steria;
– Company organized into 4 business lines generating € 4.3 billion in revenue: consulting and systems integration (60%), publishing solutions (15%), business process services (15%) and management of infrastructure and cloud (10%);
– European presence, in France (48% of revenues), in the United Kingdom (18%), the Other Europe division with strong positions in Germany (32%) and the rest of the world (2%);
– Business model: to be, in Europe, the strategic partner of large administrations, financial and industrial operators and strategic companies by supporting them in their digital transformation and preserving their digital independence;
– Shareholders’ agreement between the founding families Odin and Pasquier and the directors, ie 22.3% of the capital and 33.6% of the voting rights, in front of the employees (6.3% and 8.5%); Pierre Pasquier being chairman of the 14-member board of directors and Vincent Paris managing director;
– Healthy balance sheet with debt reduced to € 423 million compared to € 1.6 billion in capital at the end of June 2021.
– Strategy focused on a strong positioning in Europe, on the development of solutions (objective of 20% of revenues in publishing and integration of solutions), on consulting (objective of 15% of revenues), integration of digital and aiming in the medium term for annual revenue growth of between 4% and 6%, an operating margin of 10% and free cash flow between 5% and 7% of revenues;
– Innovation strategy: monitoring the technologies and their uses provided by Digital Champions, innovation missions given to project teams, hackathons open to customers and partners, demonstration, ideation, codesign / targeted partnerships spaces (startups, universities, research laboratories, major publishers such as Axway and GAFAM / entry into the capital of young shoots / establishment of 2 development platforms, one for the cloud, the other for blockchain, artificial intelligence and machine learning;
– Environmental strategy, validated by Science Based Targets and rated A: objective of zero net GHG emissions by 2028/5 major projects: strengthening of the Environmental Management System (EMS), optimization of resource consumption, increase in renewable energies in the electricity consumption and waste management / offer of digital systems for achieving sustainable objectives;
– One of the best positioned players in the promising segments of cloud computing and big data (management of data volumes), as well as in co-transformation projects such as Ecomouv or Transactifs and in the cybersecurity;
– Integration of acquisitions: EEGS Design and EVA Group after Sodifrance (making the group the French leader in digital insurance and social protection services), Cxpartners, SAB and Fidor.
– Increase in the recurring share of turnover thanks to partnerships and close relationships with strategic clients such as public services;
– 2021 objectives, noted, of a minimum increase of 6% in turnover and an operating margin of between 7.7 and 8% and free cash flow of € 150 to 200 million.
IT / Software: the consecration of the cloud
In 2020, for the first time, companies spent more globally with cloud players (or cloud computing) such as Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure, than with manufacturers of equipment and software (servers, routers). , …).
By accelerating the digitization of trade and production methods, the health crisis has had a positive effect on the top 100 French software publishers. The cumulative turnover of the Truffle 100, ranking of French software publishers, increased by 6.6%, from 10.9 billion euros in 2019 to 11.6 billion euros in 2020. Only 33% of these publishers posted declining revenues, well below expectations (62%). For the publishing activity alone, the total income of the Truffle 100 increased by 4.6%. 87% of these players offer SaaS (Software as a Service) and 63% wish to increase their international projects, where 76% of them are already present.
Dassault Systèmes is still the leading French publisher, with revenues of 4.024 billion euros (+ 12.6%), followed by Sopra Steria (658.5 million), Murex (580 million) and Cegid (498 million euros, ). With growth of 56%, Claranova relegates Cegedim to sixth place.
The cloud bolstered by the health crisis
According to research firm Synergy Research, for the first time last year, companies around the world have outsourced their data and software hosting more online, spending nearly $ 130 billion in the cloud ( + 30% unanimously). They have invested “only” 90 billion dollars in their computer rooms. First, the servers available online allowed massive remote use. In addition, the influx of new users on tools like Zoom or Teams has pushed publishers of these software to spend more on cloud platforms. With 5G, being deployed, new uses will appear.
Telework opportunities with better prospects
After the “offshore” engineers employed in India or in Eastern Europe for low added value missions, it is now the most specialized functions that are concerned. Capgemini believes that the development of remote working will enable it to generate additional cost savings and to mobilize its employees more effectively on an international level. The group, whose organization should be based on 40 to 50% of teleworking, assesses the potential medium-term gain of 1 to 1.5 points on the margin rate (11.9%). Sopra-Steria and Atos are also looking into this method of organization
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The actors are nevertheless aware of the limits because teleworking will not suit all employees.