Finance

This first-quarter performance holds a great deal of promise for another year of growth. Despite particularly high prior-year comparatives and an economic environment disrupted by the crisis in Ukraine, we delivered sustained like-for-like revenue growth of +6.5%, and of +11.1% before the expected decline in revenue from the Covid support contracts.

Quarterly revenue was lifted by robust business development, particularly in the Ibero-LATAM region and in India, in a rapidly transforming, fast-growing market. The particularly strong like-for-like growth during the quarter reflected the very robust sales momentum in the Core Services & D.I.B.S. activities, driven by accelerating market digitalization, particularly in the social media ecosystem, and a recovery in certain sectors that had suffered during the health crisis, such as hospitality and online travel. Specialized Services revenue also rose sharply over the period, led by strong growth in the TLScontact visa application management business, which benefited from highly favorable prior-year comparatives and the steady upturn in its business volumes.

The recent strategic acquisitions of Health Advocate and Senture in the United States also made a significant contribution to the Group’s expansion during the quarter.

Based on this encouraging first quarter, and despite an increasingly destabilized global context, we can confirm our full-year guidance, with in particular a like-for-like increase in revenue of more than +5%, and of more than +10% excluding the impact of Covid support contracts. We also remain committed to pursuing targeted acquisitions to strengthen our high value-added businesses.