SAP SE - SAP STOCK NEWS

SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) announced a recommended dividend of €1.85 per share for fiscal year 2020, marking a 17% increase from the previous year. If approved, this would distribute approximately €2.18 billion to shareholders, with a payout ratio of 41%. The dividend is set for payment on or after May 18, 2021. CFO Luka Mucic emphasized strong financial performance despite 2020's challenges. The upcoming Annual General Meeting is scheduled for May 12, 2021, where two shareholder representatives will be elected.

According to a recent study by SAP and Oxford Economics, only 23% of procurement executives can view overall spend in real time, with 49% still relying on manual data analysis. The survey included 1,000 executives and highlights significant gaps in digital adoption. Notably, leaders in procurement achieve better operational efficiency and supplier performance through technology investments. However, 38% of executives still use manual processes. The study emphasizes the need for organizations to digitalize spend management and improve supplier collaboration for better business results.

SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) has announced a reduction in subscription fees for partners' test and demonstration environment licenses, enhancing support for customer engagement. The initiative builds on their 2019 commitment to equip partners with essential resources. SAP has introduced new features in the 'SAP for Me' portal and expanded demo scenarios to over 350, aiming to facilitate cloud adoption. Additional offerings include reduced fees for dedicated test environments and a free tier model for SAP Business Technology Platform, set to launch later in 2021.

On February 2, 2021, SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) announced over 1,100 successful deployments of its SAP Ariba and Fieldglass solutions in 2020. Notable clients include Home Shopping Europe GmbH, LANXESS AG, and Swiss Federal Railways, which utilized these services to enhance efficiency and compliance. The fourth quarter saw companies like Chevron and General Motors also adopting these solutions to streamline procurement processes and drive digital transformation amidst the pandemic. SAP's technology aims to help organizations achieve better spend management, cost savings, and improved supplier collaboration.

SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) has consolidated its SAP App Center and SAP Store into a single marketplace called SAP Store. This new platform enhances the purchasing experience for customers by integrating over 1,700 partner applications alongside SAP's own solutions. New features include an intelligent search function, an updated category menu, and personalized favorites. The unified platform aims to improve accessibility and navigation, offering equal visibility for all products based on customer needs. Additionally, for each purchase, SAP will plant a tree, promoting environmental sustainability.

Lumen Technologies (LUMN) has partnered with SAP (SAP) to integrate SAP HANA into the Lumen platform, streamlining cloud services for small and medium-sized enterprises. This collaboration targets 75,000 global customers, enabling quicker deployment and management of SAP Business One in the cloud. Lumen will provide a cost-effective, monthly service-based pricing model, enhancing its platform with a hybrid deployment option. As the first cloud management platform to host SAP HANA, Lumen aims to position itself strategically in the digital economy.

SAP SE reported strong financial results for FY 2020, demonstrating resilience amid the pandemic. IFRS Cloud Revenue rose 17% to €8.08 billion, with a current cloud backlog of €7.2 billion, up 14% year-over-year. Gross margins improved, with IFRS Cloud Gross Margin at 66.5%. The company achieved an IFRS Operating Profit of €6.62 billion, a remarkable 48% increase, and EPS surged 56% to €4.35. Despite a decline in software licenses revenue by 6%, SAP's strategic cloud transition and new offerings like 'RISE with SAP' position it for continued growth.

SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) has announced its agreement to acquire Signavio, a leader in enterprise business process intelligence and management. This acquisition aims to enhance SAP's capabilities in helping businesses transform and manage their processes efficiently. The deal, expected to close in Q1 2021 pending regulatory approval, aligns with SAP's Intelligent Enterprise strategy. The integration of Signavio's cloud-native management suite with SAP's offerings is set to provide customers with comprehensive tools for process design and improvement. Financial details of the transaction remain undisclosed.

SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) launched RISE with SAP, a comprehensive offering designed to facilitate digital transformation for businesses. This subscription-based service enables customers to redesign processes and achieve better outcomes without significant upfront investments. CEO Christian Klein emphasized the need for agility in operations amidst global challenges. The initiative aims to support companies at various stages of transformation, leveraging SAP's extensive ecosystem and advanced technology, including AI and RPA.