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SAP falls less than expected, makes changes

SAP's fourth quarter software and software-related service revenues were approximately €2.56bn (2008: €2.67bn), a decrease of around 4%. Preliminary figures released today show that the operating margins were negatively impacted by €10m (0.3 percentage points) in restructuring charges resulting from a previously announced reduction of positions.

 Full year 2009 revenues were around €8.19bn (2008: €8.46bn), a decrease of around 3%. EMEA Full year 2009 figures saw revenues of €4.33bn, a decrease of around 5%. SAP will provide further details of its 2009 preliminary results and outlook for the full-year 2010 on January 27th.

After the completion of the Business Objects integration, SAP has further adjusted its organizational structure to address customer needs more effectively through product development, and bring the right solutions more rapidly to its customers. Consequently, SAP will create a new Industry and Solution Management Board area under the leadership of John Schwarz, which will translate market requirements faster into SAP's future portfolio of solutions designed for their respective industry needs. Similarly, to develop scalable innovations and bring "best in class" products based on state-of-the-art technology faster to market, SAP will create a new Product Design and Development Board area under the leadership of Jim Hagemann Snabe.

"Our goal is to enable SAP to bring the right innovations and solutions to all of our customers in a much shorter timeframe. With these changes, we become more responsive to customer feedback, and can leverage collaboration and synergies across our organization more effectively. They will enable us to expand our industry leadership and successfully execute against our strategy for sustainable growth," said Leo Apotheker, chief executive officer, SAP. The organizational changes will become effective in April 2010.

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