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Dassault Systèmes Delays Earnings Target to 2029, Cuts Revenue Growth Outlook

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French software firm Dassault Systèmes announced on Friday that it has extended the timeline for achieving its medium-term earnings target by one year, now expecting to reach it in 2029 instead of 2028. The company also lowered its revenue growth forecast amid weakening demand in the automotive sector and ongoing tariff-related uncertainties.

Previously, Dassault Systèmes aimed to double its non-IFRS diluted earnings per share (EPS) to between €2.20 and €2.40 by 2028 under its 2023–2028 strategy. The new timeline shifts this goal to 2029.

At its capital markets day event, the company revised down its medium-term revenue growth target to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% to 8% from 2024 to 2029. This is a reduction from the previous forecast of double-digit growth of 10% for the 2023–2028 period.

The company cited a prolonged slowdown in the global automotive industry and market volatility linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs as key challenges. Dassault Systèmes had already lowered its 2025 operating margin growth forecast in April and revised its 2024 forecasts twice last year.

These repeated downward adjustments have raised investor concerns about Dassault Systèmes’ ability to meet its medium- and long-term financial goals. Following the announcement, the company’s shares fell 1.7% as of 15:30 GMT.

TikTok Shop Expands to France, Germany, and Italy Amid U.S. Uncertainty

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TikTok Shop, the e-commerce division of the popular social media app, is set to launch operations in France, Germany, and Italy starting Monday, marking a major step in its European expansion. The move comes as TikTok’s future in the U.S. remains in jeopardy due to mounting political pressure on its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest the platform.

The shopping feature has been live in the UK since 2021 and entered the U.S. market in September 2023, where it saw robust holiday sales. Despite that momentum, TikTok could face a ban in the United States unless ByteDance secures a deal to transfer ownership to an American buyer.

Accelerated European Growth
Jan Wilk, head of operations for TikTok Shop UK, said the company plans to grow more aggressively in the EU compared to its UK rollout.

“In the UK, this model was very new, and we had to do a lot of education. In Europe, we’re launching with much more speed,” Wilk told Reuters.

In the new markets, TikTok Shop is already onboarding merchants. Notably, supermarket chain Carrefour will sell on the French platform, while AboutYou and Cosnova will participate in Germany.

Beyond Bargain Buys
While TikTok Shop has become known for selling low-cost, direct-from-China goods, the company is working to diversify its product range and price points. Wilk highlighted a UK-based merchant selling second-hand luxury Birkin bags as an example of TikTok Shop’s expanding inventory scope.

The platform’s format allows sellers to host livestreams showcasing products, earning commissions on real-time sales. With a strong influencer ecosystem and built-in entertainment factor, TikTok Shop is pushing for a unique blend of content and commerce.

Strategic Timing
TikTok’s deeper push into Europe could serve as a hedge against potential losses in the U.S., where the platform’s fate hinges on ByteDance’s ability to negotiate a deal. The European expansion also reflects TikTok’s broader ambition to transform from a content-sharing app into a full-fledged e-commerce player in global markets.

French Publishers and Authors Sue Meta for Alleged Copyright Infringement in AI Training

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France’s leading publishing and authors’ associations have filed a lawsuit against Meta, accusing the U.S. tech giant of using copyrighted content without permission to train its artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The lawsuit was filed earlier this week in a Paris court, with the plaintiffs alleging copyright infringement and economic “parasitism.”

The groups behind the lawsuit include the National Publishing Union (SNE), the National Union of Authors and Composers (SNAC), and the Society of Men of Letters (SGDL), which represent authors and publishers in France. They argue that Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has been illegally using copyright-protected material to enhance its AI models.

Maia Bensimon, general delegate of SNAC, described the actions as a form of “monumental looting.” Renaud Lefebvre, Director General of SNE, referred to the lawsuit as “David versus Goliath,” emphasizing that the legal action aims to set a precedent for the protection of copyright in the face of rapidly advancing AI technologies.

This lawsuit marks the first of its kind in France against an AI giant, though similar legal actions are already underway in other countries, particularly in the United States. In 2023, Sarah Silverman, an American actress and author, along with other plaintiffs, sued Meta for allegedly misusing their works to train its Llama language model. Other authors, including Christopher Farnsworth, have also filed lawsuits against Meta for similar claims.

In addition to Meta, OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, faces similar copyright lawsuits in the United States, Canada, and India over the data used to train its generative AI systems.