By Shivani Tanna and Lina Golovnya
(Reuters) -French software maker Dassault Systemes reported mixed results for the first quarter on Thursday after software license sales outperformed but subscription growth lagged.
The French group's first-quarter revenue, boosted by improved sales of its 3DEXPERIENCE software platform, rose 6% to 1.5 billion euros ($1.6 billion), just below the 1.51 billion euros expected by analysts in an LSEG poll.
Shares in Dassault, which sells software for carmakers, planemakers and industrial companies, were down about 5% at 0953 GMT.
Software revenue growth, which includes licence and subscription revenue, was dragged down by a decline in sales of Medidata - analytics software that supports clinical research - even after stellar growth in sales of 3DEXPERIENCE.
Revenue from the platform, which offers 3D modelling, data management and project management tools, jumped 29% in the quarter on continuing adoption by the transport, aerospace and defence industries.
Brokerage JP Morgan said Dassault had reported a "mixed quarter" while Jefferies called the results underwhelming and disappointing.
"For Medidata, we see progress towards recovery in the second half, supported by the stabilisation of the clinical trial market," Dassault Chief Executive Pascal Daloz said on a call with analysts.
Finance chief Rouven Bergmann said that performance is expected to be stronger at the back end of the year but that the first quarter provided increasing visibility of the 3DEXPERIENCE pipeline.
First-quarter revenue from the Americas, which represents 41% of the company's software revenue, grew 5%.
Dassault Systemes confirmed its full-year targets and forecast revenue growth of 7% to 9% in the second quarter.($1 = 0.9325 euros)