Key Takeaways SAP's cloud revenues rose 27% in Q1, with Cloud ERP Suite accounting for 85% of total cloud sales. RISE with SAP is expanding with new tools like LeanIX, Signavio and WalkMe to boost transformation. Over 30,000 developers are advancing SAP's AI push, aiming to lift productivity 30% by end of 2025.SAP SE ((SAP) is scheduled to post results for the second quarter of 2025 on July 22.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter earnings is pegged at $1.63 per share, implying a 38% increase fr ...

Core Insights - smartShift has developed an AI-powered solution to assist SAP customers in transitioning to a Clean Core by identifying and replacing custom ABAP code with standard SAP functionality [1][3] - The need for simplification in ERP environments has made reverting to standard SAP processes a strategic imperative, although identifying alternatives for custom-built functionality remains a complex challenge [2][3] - The use of Large Language Model (LLM) agentic AI allows for the automation of legacy custom code analysis, enabling organizations to evaluate the necessity of custom logic versus modern SAP capabilities [3][4] Company Positioning - smartShift emphasizes that simplification is key to innovation, responding to customer demands for efficient elimination of unnecessary custom code while embracing SAP standards [4] - The company claims to have a long-standing history of addressing SAP custom code challenges, asserting that their platform has delivered thousands of solutions over more than a decade, well before the Clean Core concept gained traction [5] - With AI at the center of its strategy, smartShift aims to lead in enabling SAP customers to simplify and future-proof their ERP landscapes, turning Clean Core ambitions into operational realities [5][6] Market Impact - smartShift's automated AI solutions are designed to reduce technical debt, lower total cost of ownership, and accelerate digital transformation for SAP customers [4] - The company has modernized over 3,300 SAP systems and converted more than 3.5 billion lines of code, showcasing its proven track record in the industry [6]

Core Viewpoint - The company is facing significant challenges in its transition to cloud services, as evidenced by declining revenues and profits, highlighting the risks associated with its transformation strategy [1][2][5]. Group 1: Financial Performance - In 2024, the company's revenue was 9.153 billion, a year-on-year decline of 6.57%, with a net profit attributable to shareholders of -2.061 billion, an increase of 113.13% in losses [1]. - Cloud service revenue was 6.85 billion, down 3.4% year-on-year, despite accounting for over 75% of total revenue [2]. - The overall gross margin was 47.54%, down 1.7 percentage points year-on-year, indicating a decline in profitability despite the increase in cloud service revenue [3]. Group 2: Customer Structure and Market Position - The company is heavily reliant on large enterprise clients, which contributed 5.864 billion, over 64% of total revenue, but saw a 10% decline year-on-year [2]. - The performance of competitors is concerning, with Kingdee International's cloud subscription revenue growing by 34.7% in 2024, while SAP continues to pressure the company's market share [2]. Group 3: Operational Challenges - The company is experiencing a cash flow crisis, with a net cash outflow from operating activities of 274 million, worsening by 201.1% year-on-year [5]. - The asset-liability ratio increased to 59.43%, up 10.57% year-on-year, indicating rising debt pressure [5]. - The company has faced significant management instability, with three different presidents in the past three years and over 3,000 employees laid off in 2024, exacerbating operational uncertainty [5]. Group 4: Strategic Misalignment - The company's cloud service transformation is hindered by a mismatch between its public cloud subscription strategy and large clients' preference for private cloud deployments [4]. - Research and development investment was 2.122 billion, only a 0.76% increase year-on-year, failing to achieve scalable reuse due to high customization in private cloud projects [4]. - The company has only 342 effective patents as of 2025, with no new patents added since 2022, indicating a lack of technological advancement [4]. Group 5: Industry Context - The ERP industry is undergoing a generational shift towards cloud-native architectures and AI-driven decision-making, with the company lagging behind competitors like SAP and Kingdee [6]. - The cost of training global AI models is increasing by 30% annually, while the company's R&D investment growth is below 1%, raising concerns about its competitive position in AI [6]. - The company's transformation challenges stem from a conflict between traditional software thinking and cloud service logic, necessitating a restructuring of its approach to customer engagement and technology development [7].