Dassault Systemes posts Q1 profit of 73.7 mn euros

French software group Dassault Systemes posted on Thursday a two percent annualised rise in its first-quarter net profit, confirmed its 2013 targets and announced the acquisition of two European firms for undisclosed amounts.

Dassault Systèmes said that its net profit in the three months from January through March edged up to 73.7 million euros ($95.9 million) on sales that gained six percent to 488.8 million.

The results were in line with the group's targets and chief executive officer Bernard Charles was quoted by a statement as saying: "In addition to our research and development work, we have been furthering our expansion through targeted acquisitions to complement our industry solutions portfolio."

Dassault Systemes said that it would buy the French company Archivideo, which it termed a "3D city modeling pioneer," and the German firm Fe-Design, a specialist in design for early-stage product development.

Financial details of those purchases were not revealed.

Meanwhile, Dassault Systemes confirmed its full-year 2013 sales target of between 2.07-2.10 billion euros, excluding foreign exchange effects.

"Turning to the second quarter, we are setting a revenue objective of about 515 million euros and expect to see new licenses revenue resume a positive growth evolution and recurring software revenue at a more normalized growth rate of about nine percent in constant currencies," the statement quoted finance director Thibault de Tersant as saying.

In the first quarter, its operating cashflow gained 12 percent to 185 million euros, and the group said that its board would ask shareholders to approve a dividend of 80 euro cents per share, an increase of 14 percent from the last quarter of 2012, to be taken in cash or new shares.

(c) 2013 AFP