Atos H1 operating loss widens after impairment charge

By Charlotte Eugenie Yvette Bawol and Olivier Sorgho

(Reuters) -French technology company Atos said on Thursday its first-half operating loss widened due to impairment charges and lower sales, as demand in the Americas and parts of Europe was soft.

Demand for IT services has been generally weak in the Americas, while in Europe there was a sharp slowdown in public sector orders, especially in Germany, Chief Financial Officer Jacques-François de Prest told reporters.

The company posted an operating loss of 1.70 billion euros ($1.84 billion) for the six months to end-June, versus a loss of 434 million euros in the same period a year earlier.

It booked impairment charges of 1.57 billion euros on some of its assets, related to a financial restructuring of the group and as some customers terminated contracts.

Atos recently secured 1.67 billion euros in funding from banks and bondholders as it pursues a financial restructuring.

The group handles cyber-security for the Paris Olympics currently underway and communications for France's army.

It has granted France's government the option of purchasing a preferred share to protect strategic assets.

"I can confirm that there are no other disposals under consideration other than WorldGrid and (discussions with) the State on the scope of sensitive sovereign activities," de Prest told reporters.

The group's new CEO Jean Pierre Mustier said his priorities are completing the restructuring, growing the company and regaining the trust of clients.

He also said he would put in place a new governance structure after the restructuring process, which would include a new shareholding structure, had been completed.

It is important for someone with an industrial rather than financial background to eventually come in and replace him, the CEO said.

By the end of June, Atos had net debt if 4.22 billion euros, compared to 2.23 billion at the end of 2023.

($1 = 0.9236 euros)

(Reporting by Charlotte Eugenie Yvette Bawol, Olivier Sorgho, Pauline Foret; Editing by Sharon Singleton)