NECKARSULM (dpa-AFX) - The IT service provider Bechtle is lowering its growth plans for this year due to the reluctance to invest among medium-sized companies and the restrained business with public authorities. CEO Thomas Olemotz now assumes that revenue and pre-tax earnings will be at the previous year's level, as the MDax company announced in Neckarsulm on Thursday. The company had previously expected significant growth in revenue and operating profit, which at Bechtle means an increase of between 5 and 10 percent. The pre-tax margin is expected to remain stable as before. Following the announcement, the Bechtle share fell by more than 4 percent to a low since August.

After the first quarter, Olemotz had already complained about customer reticence. According to preliminary figures, revenue fell by around 2 percent in the second quarter. Pre-tax earnings amounted to around 83 million euros and were therefore well below the market expectations that the Group had set itself. The pre-tax margin is expected to amount to 5.6 percent./men/jha/