For the half year to 31 March 2025, Benchmark Holdings reported revenue from continuing operations (post disposal of the Genetics business area) of £40.6m, -22%YoY (-17% CER), primarily resulting from the pause in sea-based sales of Ectosan®Vet and CleanTreat® in the Health business area. The Group recorded an operating loss of £8.4m (H1 24, £7.2m loss), and (adj.) EBITDA of £4.2m, down 56%YoY.
On 23 May, the Group announced its intention to cancel its Admission to trading on AIM and Euronext Oslo, subject to approval from shareholders and the Norwegian regulator. As part of the process, CEO Trond Williksen will step down from the Board and CFO Septima Maguire will resign.
The planned disposal of the Genetics business was completed on 31 March, realising gross proceeds of £194.0m, from which the Group repaid the outstanding green bond, RCF and hedging instruments to the value of £87m, leaving net cash reserves of £117m.
It is proposed to return c.£95m to shareholder via: (i) a c.£56.7m tender offer for up to 226,934,325 Ordinary Shares at 25.0p/share, and (ii) a special dividend, conditional on the outcome of the General Meeting on 18 June. The rationale for de-listing from AIM includes implied annual cost savings totalling an estimated £8.0m (specific AIM-related, £2.4m, and arising from streamlined operations, £5.6m), and reduced management, legal and regulatory responsibilities.
In light of the decision to de-list subject to shareholder ratification, we have suspended our Fair Value.
