Group Financial Performance
Group revenue grew 5% in Q1 2026 and EBITA increased 19% year-over-year, indicating improving top-line growth and stronger profitability.
North America Turnaround Completed
North America returned to profitable growth with revenue up 8% in Q1 and a 50% improvement in profitability versus the prior period; management expects the turnaround to continue and licensing revenue to show year-over-year growth sometime this year.
Strong Europe Performance
BTS Europe delivered 17% organic revenue growth in Q1, driven by high win rates and particularly strong performance in France and Germany (notable demand in defense and aerospace sectors).
AI Momentum and Commercial Adoption
Core AI booking revenue grew 35% in Q1 and AI product bookings increased 3x year-over-year (management noted AI license/product bookings rising from near-zero to ~SEK 6 million in recent bookings), signaling accelerating demand for AI-enabled offerings.
Material Productivity Savings from AI
Internal AI-driven workflow reinvention delivered productivity gains equating to SEK 74 million in annual savings in 2026 (originating from 2025 efforts), with management stating the vast majority of these savings are lower operating costs and net bottom-line gains.
Significant Increase in Delivered Simulations
Faster AI-enabled development expanded capacity: one unit historically delivered ~74 simulations in a year, and produced 55 simulations in Q1 alone, enabling faster, higher-volume client responses and higher margins per project as volume grows.
Capital-Light Model and Strong Cash Metrics
BTS emphasized capital-light growth, a strong net cash position, ~97% cash conversion over the last 12 months, historic growth (12x since IPO, ~2/3 organic) and an average dividend payout of ~50% of profit—underscoring financial discipline.
Middle East Resilience
Despite regional challenges, the Middle East business achieved healthy double-digit growth in Q1 and is expected to continue growing into Q2.