SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) announced today its financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

Christian Klein, CEO:
Q4 was a strong finish to the year, with half of our cloud order entry including AI. Looking at the full year, we exceeded our cloud goals, accelerating cloud revenue and current cloud backlog growth against a much larger base. Total cloud backlog now stands at €63 billion, up 40%. Revenue growth has returned to double-digits. Looking ahead, our strong position in data and Business AI gives us additional confidence that we will accelerate revenue growth through 2027.

Dominik Asam, CFO:
We are pleased with the strong close to 2024, where we exceeded our cloud and software revenue, non-IFRS operating profit, and free cash flow outlook. With current cloud backlog growth of 29%, we've demonstrated the strength of our strategy and our ability to deliver on our commitments. This progress solidly aligns with the Ambition 2025 we set four years ago and positions us well for continued growth this year and beyond.

Financial Performance

Group results at a glance – Fourth quarter 2024

Group results at a glance – Full year 2024

Financial Highlights¹

Fourth Quarter 2024

In the fourth quarter, current cloud backlog grew by 32% to €18.08 billion and was up 29% at constant currencies. Cloud revenue was up 27% to €4.71 billion and up 27% at constant currencies, fueled by Cloud ERP Suite revenue, which was up 35% to €3.95 billion and up 35% at constant currencies.

Software licenses revenue decreased by 18% to €0.68 billion and was down 19% at constant currencies. Cloud and software revenue was up 12% to €8.27 billion and up 11% at constant currencies. Services revenue was up 2% to €1.11 billion and up 2% at constant currencies. Total revenue was up 11% to €9.38 billion and up 10% at constant currencies.

The share of more predictable revenue increased by 4 percentage points to 81% in the fourth quarter.

IFRS cloud gross profit was up 29% to €3.43 billion. Non-IFRS cloud gross profit was up 30% to €3.46 billion and was up 29% at constant currencies. IFRS Cloud gross margin was up 1.0 percentage points to 72.8%, non-IFRS cloud gross margin up 1.3 percentage points to 73.5% and up 1.4 percentage points at constant currencies.

IFRS operating profit was up 6% to €2.02 billion and IFRS operating margin decreased by 1.0 percentage points to 21.5%. Non-IFRS operating profit was up 24% to €2.44 billion and was up 24% at constant currencies, non-IFRS operating margin increased by 2.7 percentage points to 26.0% and was up 2.9 percentage points to 26.1% at constant currencies. IFRS and non-IFRS operating profit was mainly driven by a strong performance in SAP's software licenses and support business as well as disciplined execution of the 2024 transformation program. In addition, IFRS operating profit was negatively impacted by restructuring expenses associated with the 2024 transformation program.

IFRS earnings per share (basic) increased 31% to €1.37. Non-IFRS earnings per share (basic) increased 24% to €1.40. IFRS effective tax rate was 26.8% (Q4/2023: 33.6%) and non-IFRS effective tax rate was 30.0% (Q4/2023: 32.5%). For IFRS, the year-over-year decrease mainly resulted from changes in tax-exempt income and prior-year taxes. For non-IFRS, the year-over-year decrease mainly resulted from prior-year taxes.

Free cash flow in the fourth quarter came in at –€0.92 billion (Q4 2023: €1.67 billion). The year over year decline was mainly attributable to a €1.7 billion payout under the 2024 transformation program.

Full Year 2024

SAP performed against its financial outlook as follows:

As of December 31, total cloud backlog was up 43% to €63.29 billion and up 40% at constant currencies.

For the full year, cloud revenue was up 25% to €17.14 billion and up 26% at constant currencies. Software licenses revenue was down 21% to €1.40 billion and down 21% at constant currencies. Cloud and software revenue was up 11% to €29.83 billion and up 11% at constant currencies. Services revenue was up 1% to €4.35 billion and up 2% at constant currencies. Total revenue was up 10% to €34.18 billion and up 10% at constant currencies.

The share of more predictable revenue increased by 3 percentage points year over year to 83% for the full year 2024.

IFRS cloud gross profit was up 28% to €12.48 billion. Non-IFRS cloud gross profit was up 28% to €12.56 billion and was up 28% at constant currencies. IFRS cloud gross margin was up 1.2 percentage points to 72.8%, non-IFRS cloud gross margin up 1.4 percentage points to 73.3% and up 1.4 percentage points at constant currencies.

IFRS operating profit was down 20% to €4.66 billion and IFRS operating margin decreased by 4.9 percentage points to 13.6%. The decline in IFRS operating profit was due to restructuring expenses of approximately €3.1 billion associated with the 2024 transformation program. Non-IFRS operating profit increased 25% to €8.15 billion and increased 26% at constant currencies, non-IFRS operating margin increased by 3.0 percentage points to 23.9% and was up 3.1 percentage points to 24.0% at constant currencies.

IFRS earnings per share (basic) decreased 14% to €2.68 and non-IFRS earnings per share (basic) increased 22% to €4.53. IFRS effective tax rate was 33.9% (FY/2023: 32.6%) and non-IFRS effective tax rate was 32.3% (FY/2023: 30.3%). For IFRS, the year-over-year increase mainly resulted from a temporary inability to offset withholding taxes in Germany due to tax losses in 2024 resulting from restructuring, which was partly compensated by changes in tax-exempt income. For non-IFRS, the year-over-year increase mainly resulted from a temporary inability to offset withholding taxes in Germany due to tax losses in 2024 resulting from restructuring.

Free cash flow for the full year was down 19% to €4.11 billion. While higher payouts for restructuring of €2.5 billion and share-based compensation of €1.3 billion weighed on free cash flow, the performance was supported by SAP's increased profitability and improvements in working capital. At year end, net liquidity was €1.70 billion.

Non-Financial Performance 2024

Customer Net Promoter Score (NPS) increased 3 points year over year to 12 in 2024, at the upper end of the outlook range.

After dropping to 72% in the first half of the year, the employee engagement index recovered to 76% in the second half of 2024. As a result, the employee engagement index for the full-year 2024 decreased 6 percentage points year-over-year to 74%, at the upper end of the revised outlook range.

The proportion of women in executive roles increased 0.3 percentage points to 22.5%, in line with the outlook.

Total carbon emissions were flat at 6.9 Mt in 2024, while we initially guided for a steady decrease.

Share Repurchase Program

In May 2023, SAP announced a share repurchase program with an aggregate volume of up to €5 billion and a term until December 31, 2025. As of December 31, 2024, SAP had repurchased 18,429,480 shares at an average price of €162.46 resulting in a purchased volume of approximately €3.0 billion under the program.

2024 Transformation Program: Focus on scalability of operations and key strategic growth areas

In January 2024, SAP announced a company-wide restructuring program which is anticipated to conclude in early 2025. Overall expenses associated with the program are estimated to be approximately €3.2 billion. Restructuring payouts amounted to €1.7 billion in the fourth quarter and €2.5 billion for the full-year 2024. In 2025, approximately €0.7bn are expected to be paid out.

Business Highlights

In the fourth quarter, customers around the globe continued to choose "RISE with SAP" to drive their end-to-end business transformations. These customers included: BASF, BERNMOBIL, BP International, Brose, Chevron Corporation, Colgate-Palmolive, Conagra Brands, dm-drogerie markt, EY, Ford Motor Company, Fressnapf, Freudenberg, FrieslandCampina, Hannover Medical School, K+S, Lanxess, Menasha Corporation, Mitie, NTPC, NTT DATA, Red Bull, Robert Bosch, Schaeffler Technologies, Schindler Group, The South Carolina Department of Administration, STADA Arzneimittel, and voestalpine.

Coles Group, Commerz Real, General Motors, H.B. Fuller, Hyundai Glovis, MAHLE International, SKF Group, and Trent Limited went live on SAP S/4HANA Cloud in the fourth quarter.

ACTUM Digital, CiboVita, Databricks, Inetum, Medical University of Vienna, msg systems, North Yorkshire Council, Outreach, and Warrington Borough Council chose "GROW with SAP", an offering helping customers adopt cloud ERP with speed, predictability, and continuous innovation.

Key customer wins across SAP's solution portfolio included: ABB, AOK Federal Association, B. Braun Group, Bayer, Digital China, KNAPP, Mengniu, Migros, Mondi, PwC Germany, SA Power Networks, Salling Group, SICK, and Unity Programme.

Ayala Land, Carlisle Companies, CP Foods, IBM, and Tchibo went live on SAP solutions.

In the fourth quarter, SAP's cloud revenue performance was particularly strong in APJ and EMEA and robust in the Americas region. China, France, India, Italy, South Korea and the Netherlands had outstanding performances, while Canada, Germany, Japan and the U.S. were particularly strong.

For the full year, China, Germany, India, Japan, and Spain all had outstanding performances in cloud revenue while Brazil, Canada and Saudia Arabia were particularly strong.

On October 8, SAP announced powerful new capabilities that complement and extend Joule, including collaborative AI agents imbued with custom skills to complete complex cross-disciplinary tasks.

On December 3, SAP and AWS announced GROW with SAP on AWS, which will allow customers of all sizes to rapidly deploy SAP's enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution while leveraging the reliability, security and scalability of the world's most broadly adopted cloud.

On December 16, SAP announced the general availability of the SAP Green Ledger solution, the most comprehensive carbon accounting system globally that integrates directly with customers' financial data.

Outlook 2025

The outlook 2025 replaces SAP's former Ambition 2025.

Financial Outlook 2025

For 2025, SAP now expects:

• €21.6 – 21.9 billion cloud revenue at constant currencies (2024: €17.14 billion), up 26% to 28% at constant currencies.
• €33.1 – 33.6 billion cloud and software revenue at constant currencies (2024: €29.83 billion), up 11% to 13% at constant currencies.
• €10.3 – 10.6 billion non-IFRS operating profit at constant currencies (2024: €8.15 billion), up 26% to 30% at constant currencies.
• Approximately €8.0 billion free cash flow at actual currencies (2024: €4.22 billion), based on updated free cash flow definition (see section (N) 2025 Reporting Changes).
• An effective tax rate (non-IFRS) of approximately 32% (2024: 32.3%)².

The company also expects current cloud backlog growth to slightly decelerate in 2025.

While SAP's 2025 financial outlook for the income statement parameters is at constant currencies (including an average exchange rate of 1.08 USD per EUR), actual currency reported figures are expected to be impacted by currency exchange rate fluctuations as the company progresses through the year, as reflected in the table below.

Currency Impact Assuming December 31, 2024 Rates Apply for 2025

This includes an exchange rate of 1.04 USD per EUR.

Non-Financial Outlook 2025

For 2025, SAP now expects:

• A Customer Net Promoter Score of 12 to 16.
• The Employee Engagement Index to be in a range of 74% to 78%.
• To steadily increase the share of women in executive roles.
• To steadily decrease carbon emissions across the relevant value chain.