The title of inspection and certification specialist has increased by 30% since the start of the year.
This is a consecration for Bureau Veritas, the inspection and certification specialist. Sixteen years after its entry into the Paris Stock Exchange, the group will enter the prestigious CAC 40 index on December 20, which brings together the most important companies on the Paris coast. He will replace Vivendi, following the breakup of the group into four.
Founded in 1828, the company was initially present in the maritime sector, before extending its activities to almost all sectors. Bureau Veritas has taken advantage, in recent years, of the increasingly important need to control and certify the conformity of buildings, factories, ships, equipment and infrastructure. Between 2020 and 2023, its turnover jumped by 30% to approach 5.9 billion euros. And the operating margin is at an excellent level (14%).
Ambitious strategic plan
In March, the company, which employs 83,000 employees worldwide, presented a very ambitious strategic plan, aiming for growth in its activity close to 10% per year and an improvement in its margins. The emphasis was placed on external growth, with the desire to strengthen where it is already very strong (construction, infrastructure, certification) and to enter new businesses (renewable energy).
Investors appreciated these objectives. As proof, since the 1is January, the stock rose by more than 30% in Paris. The group today has a market capitalization of 13.6 billion euros. The main shareholder remains the investment company Wendell, with 26.5% of the capital.
