Regulatory Announcement
|
||||||||||||
RNS Number:
0166M
SQS Software Quality Systems AG
14 November 2006
Embargoed until 0700 14 November 2006
SQS AG (the 'Company')
Client Wins
SQS Software Quality Systems AG (AIM:SQS.L), the leading independent
pan-European provider of quality management and testing services for software
development, is today pleased to announce that it has won a record 59 new
clients in the third quarter to 30 September 2006. This number equates to
approximately 20% of SQS's total client base and is the highest number of new
client wins achieved in the last four years.
In particular, the UK and Ireland have performed strongly since the acquisition
of Cresta in May 2006, growing its client base by 30% from new business wins.
This demonstrates the positive reception to the integration of Cresta and SQS UK
in the UK and Irish market. The SQS-UK/Ireland business now accounts for
approximately 40% of total Group turnover.
The new clients are spread across a number of sectors, including industry,
logistics, retail, public sector, insurance and technology, reducing the Group's
exposure to any one sector and further underpinning SQS's policy to continue to
diversify its business into further verticals.
SQS will update the market with a trading statement for the year ending December
2006 in early January 2007.
Commenting on the contract wins, Rudolf van Megen, CEO of SQS said: "We are
delighted with these customer wins which demonstrate significant contract
momentum, helping to underpin expectations for the full year."
For further information please contact:
| SQS Software Quality Systems AG | www.sqs.de |
| Rudolf van Megen (CEO) / Rene Gawron (CFO) | +49 (2203) 91 54 50 |
| Altium | 020 7484 4040 |
| Garry Levin / Nick Tulloch | |
| Smithfield | 020 7360 4900 |
| Sara Musgrave / Tania Wild | |
Print resolution images are available for the media to view and download from
www.vismedia.co.uk
Notes to Editors:
SQS is the largest independent European provider of software testing and quality
management services. SQS consultants design and oversee quality management
processes during software and IT systems development, and test the resulting
products for errors and omissions.
Headquartered in Cologne, Germany, SQS now has operations across Europe and in
South Africa with over 700 employees. SQS has a strong presence in Germany
(Cologne, Munich, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and Hamburg) and in the UK (London,
Woking, Birmingham, Manchester), Ireland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria and
South Africa. SQS also has a minor stake in an operation in Portugal and a
partnership operation in Spain.
In May 2006, SQS made its first acquisition after its AIM flotation, buying
Cresta Group Ltd in the UK for a consideration of up to £18m. The acquisition
increased SQS' UK revenue threefold and secured its position as the largest
independent software testing and quality management company in the UK.
With over 3,000 completed projects under its belt, SQS has a strong customer
base including half of the DAX 30 companies and 30% of the STOXX-50. They
include names like Dresdner Bank, Lloyds TSB, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone,
Daimler Chrysler, and Airbus spread across the full range of industries.
SQS is the first German company with a primary listing on AIM and completed its
IPO in September 2005, having raised £10.8m before expenses at an issue price of
190p. SQS is included in the Software and Computer Services sector (9530) within
the Computer Services subsector (9533) and has a RIC code of SQS.L. SQS
completed a secondary listing on the Deutsche Boerse in Frankfurt on 2nd
December 2005. For further information, please visit www.sqs-uk.com.
This information is provided by
RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END