6. Income Taxes

The taxes paid and due on earnings and income as well as the tax deferrals are presented as income taxes.

The tax expenses are composed as follows:

In Germany, the statutory corporation tax rate for the assessment period 2025 was 15.0 per cent. Including the trade tax and solidarity surcharge, the tax encumbrance amounted to 30.22 per cent (previous year: 30 per cent) on average. The current taxes of subsidiaries abroad are determined on the basis of the respective national tax law and at the tax rate applicable in the country of domicile. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured at the tax rates that are expected to be valid at the time of realisation of the asset or fulfilment of the liability.

In the reporting period, legislation was enacted in Germany providing for a gradual reduction in the corporation tax rate. The reduction will apply to Bechtle AG and its German subsidiaries from the 2028 fiscal year onwards, in five annual steps from 15 per cent to 10 per cent. To the extent that deferred taxes are expected to reverse prior to the rate change, they are measured using an average tax rate of 30.22 per cent. The reduction in the corporate income tax rate is reflected in the measurement of the remaining deferred taxes. This adjustment resulted in deferred tax income of €3,220 thousand.

As in the previous year, deferred tax income from temporary valuation differences was significantly influenced by differences in the depreciation of leased assets. As a general rule, these are depreciated on the basis of the term of the leasing agreements. For tax purposes, the useful life is determined on the basis of the official tables describing allowances for depreciation.

The following reconciles the actual income tax expense to the amount derived by applying a weighted domestic and foreign tax rate of approximately 28.0 per cent (previous year: 27.7 per cent) to profit before income taxes for the reporting period:

The group applied the temporary exemption from the accounting requirements for deferred taxes in IAS 12 published by the IASB in May 2023. Accordingly, no deferred taxes were recognised in relation to Pillar 2 income taxes and no related information was disclosed.

In the 2025 fiscal year, Bechtle AG as the parent company – and consequently the Bechtle Group as a whole – fell within the scope of the Pillar Two rules, under which a supplementary minimum tax could arise on the profits of the parent and its subsidiaries where the effective tax rate in a given jurisdiction fell below 15 per cent and no qualified domestic minimum top-up tax (QDMTT) was levied. For Bechtle, the most important jurisdictions in which a minimum tax can be levied are – as before – Switzerland and Ireland. In the reporting period, a group-wide review concluded that the effective tax rate in all relevant jurisdictions of residence exceeded 15 per cent, that relief was available under the applicable (transitional) safe harbour rules, or that qualified domestic minimum top-up taxes were in place. Consequently, no additional minimum tax was recognised.