Upcoming Dividend • Jun 18
Upcoming dividend of UK£0.011 per share Eligible shareholders must have bought the stock before 25 June 2026. Payment date: 24 July 2026. Payout ratio is a comfortable 44% and this is well supported by cash flows. Trailing yield: 2.7%. Lower than top quartile of British dividend payers (5.6%). Lower than average of industry peers (3.6%). New Risk • Jun 04
New minor risk - Earnings quality The company has large one-off items impacting its financial results. One-off items were 413% of the size of the rest of the company's trailing 12-month earnings before tax. This is considered a minor risk. One-off items are incomes or expenses that the company does not expect to repeat in future periods. Examples include profits from the sale of a business or expenses from a restructuring or legal settlements. If the company's reported statutory earnings include a large proportion of one-off items it means they may be an unreliable indicator of its true business performance as the earnings were skewed by these incomes or expenses. Currently, the following risks have been identified for the company: Minor Risks Unstable dividend paying track record with dividend experiencing an annual drop of over 20% in the past. Large one-off items impacting financial results. Significant insider selling over the past 3 months (UK£1.1m sold). Recent Insider Transactions • May 17
COO & Executive Director recently sold UK£650k worth of stock On the 13th of May, David Crane sold around 1m shares on-market at roughly UK£0.65 per share. This transaction amounted to 78% of their direct individual holding at the time of the trade. This was the largest sale by an insider in the last 3 months. This was David's only on-market trade for the last 12 months. Declared Dividend • May 15
Final dividend of UK£0.011 announced Dividend of UK£0.011 is the same as last year. Ex-date: 25th June 2026 Payment date: 24th July 2026 Dividend yield will be 3.2%, which is lower than the industry average of 3.7%. Sustainability & Growth Dividend is well covered by both earnings (30% earnings payout ratio) and cash flows (15% cash payout ratio). The dividend has increased by an average of 4.7% per year over the past 10 years. However, payments have been volatile during that time. EPS is expected to grow by 46% over the next 3 years, which should provide support to the dividend and adequate earnings cover. Announcement • May 15
Vertu Motors plc Recommends Final Dividend for the Year Ended 28 February 2026, Payable on 24 July 2026 Vertu Motors plc recommended a final dividend in respect of the year ended 28 February 2026 of 1.15 pence per share to be approved at the Annual General Meeting on 24 June 2026. This dividend will be paid, subject to shareholder approval, on 24 July 2026. The ex-dividend date will be 25 June 2026 and the associated record date 26 June 2026. This final dividend brings the total dividend in respect of FY26 to 2.05p per share (FY25: 2.05 pence). Against adjusted, fully diluted EPS of 5.30 pence, the total dividend for the year is covered 2.6 times. Reported Earnings • May 14
Full year 2026 earnings: EPS exceeds analyst expectations while revenues lag behind Full year 2026 results: EPS: UK£0.046 (down from UK£0.055 in FY 2025). Revenue: UK£4.83b (up 1.5% from FY 2025). Net income: UK£14.6m (down 19% from FY 2025). Profit margin: 0.3% (down from 0.4% in FY 2025). The decrease in margin was driven by higher expenses. Revenue missed analyst estimates by 3.2%. Earnings per share (EPS) exceeded analyst estimates by 5.9%. Revenue is forecast to grow 2.5% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 2.9% growth forecast for the Specialty Retail industry in the United Kingdom. Over the last 3 years on average, earnings per share has fallen by 19% per year but the company’s share price has increased by 1% per year, which means it is well ahead of earnings. Announcement • May 13
Vertu Motors plc, Annual General Meeting, Jun 24, 2026 Vertu Motors plc, Annual General Meeting, Jun 24, 2026. New Risk • May 13
New minor risk - Financial data availability The company's latest financial reports are more than 6 months old. Last reported fiscal period ended August 2025. This is considered a minor risk. If the company has not reported its earnings on time, it may have been delayed due to audit problems or it may be finding it difficult to reconcile its accounts. Currently, the following risks have been identified for the company: Minor Risks Latest financial reports are more than 6 months old (reported August 2025 fiscal period end). Unstable dividend paying track record with dividend experiencing an annual drop of over 20% in the past. Large one-off items impacting financial results. Buy Or Sell Opportunity • Mar 04
Now 21% overvalued Over the last 90 days, the stock has fallen 6.0% to UK£0.60. The fair value is estimated to be UK£0.49, however this is not to be taken as a sell recommendation but rather should be used as a guide only. Revenue has grown by 8.2% over the last 3 years. Earnings per share has declined by 26%. Revenue is forecast to grow by 6.2% in a year. Earnings are forecast to grow by 101% in the next year. Buy Or Sell Opportunity • Feb 04
Now 24% overvalued after recent price rise Over the last 90 days, the stock has risen 4.0% to UK£0.65. The fair value is estimated to be UK£0.52, however this is not to be taken as a sell recommendation but rather should be used as a guide only. Revenue has grown by 8.2% over the last 3 years. Earnings per share has declined by 26%. Revenue is forecast to grow by 6.5% in a year. Earnings are forecast to grow by 101% in the next year. Buy Or Sell Opportunity • Jan 03
Now 21% overvalued after recent price rise Over the last 90 days, the stock has risen 3.8% to UK£0.63. The fair value is estimated to be UK£0.52, however this is not to be taken as a sell recommendation but rather should be used as a guide only. Revenue has grown by 8.2% over the last 3 years. Earnings per share has declined by 26%. Revenue is forecast to grow by 6.5% in a year. Earnings are forecast to grow by 101% in the next year. Declared Dividend • Oct 10
First half dividend of UK£0.009 announced Shareholders will receive a dividend of UK£0.009. Ex-date: 11th December 2025 Payment date: 16th January 2026 Dividend yield will be 3.4%, which is lower than the industry average of 3.7%. Sustainability & Growth Dividend is well covered by both earnings (40% earnings payout ratio) and cash flows (11% cash payout ratio). The dividend has increased by an average of 6.9% per year over the past 10 years. However, payments have been volatile during that time. EPS is expected to grow by 33% over the next year, which should provide support to the dividend and adequate earnings cover. Buy Or Sell Opportunity • Oct 03
Now 21% undervalued The stock has been flat over the last 90 days, currently trading at UK£0.61. The fair value is estimated to be UK£0.77, however this is not to be taken as a buy recommendation but rather should be used as a guide only. Revenue has grown by 11% over the last 3 years. Earnings per share has declined by 37%. Revenue is forecast to grow by 9.2% in 2 years. Earnings are forecast to grow by 127% in the next 2 years. Announcement • Sep 18
Vertu Motors plc to Report First Half, 2026 Results on Oct 08, 2025 Vertu Motors plc announced that they will report first half, 2026 results on Oct 08, 2025 Announcement • Sep 04
Vertu Motors plc Provides Earnings Guidance for the Full Year 2026 Vertu Motors plc provided earnings guidance for the full year 2026. For the year, the company expects first half profits will be lower than prior year reflecting the relative strength of comparative profits in first half last year compared to the year as a whole. Buy Or Sell Opportunity • Jul 21
Now 20% undervalued Over the last 90 days, the stock has risen 6.3% to UK£0.63. The fair value is estimated to be UK£0.79, however this is not to be taken as a buy recommendation but rather should be used as a guide only. Revenue has grown by 11% over the last 3 years. Earnings per share has declined by 37%. For the next 3 years, revenue is forecast to grow by 3.7% per annum. Earnings are also forecast to grow by 18% per annum over the same time period. Buy Or Sell Opportunity • Jul 01
Now 20% undervalued Over the last 90 days, the stock has risen 23% to UK£0.62. The fair value is estimated to be UK£0.78, however this is not to be taken as a buy recommendation but rather should be used as a guide only. Revenue has grown by 11% over the last 3 years. Earnings per share has declined by 37%. For the next 3 years, revenue is forecast to grow by 3.7% per annum. Earnings are also forecast to grow by 18% per annum over the same time period. Upcoming Dividend • Jun 19
Upcoming dividend of UK£0.011 per share Eligible shareholders must have bought the stock before 26 June 2025. Payment date: 25 July 2025. Payout ratio is a comfortable 37% and this is well supported by cash flows. Trailing yield: 3.3%. Lower than top quartile of British dividend payers (5.5%). Lower than average of industry peers (3.9%). Major Estimate Revision • May 21
Consensus EPS estimates increase by 12%, revenue downgraded The consensus outlook for fiscal year 2026 has been updated. 2026 revenue forecast fell from UK£5.11b to UK£5.03b. EPS estimate rose from UK£0.055 to UK£0.062. Net income forecast to grow 14% next year vs 47% growth forecast for Specialty Retail industry in the United Kingdom. Consensus price target up from UK£0.75 to UK£0.80. Share price fell 5.9% to UK£0.61 over the past week. Declared Dividend • May 16
Final dividend reduced to UK£0.011 Dividend of UK£0.011 is 23% lower than last year. Ex-date: 26th June 2025 Payment date: 25th July 2025 Dividend yield will be 3.3%, which is lower than the industry average of 3.7%. Sustainability & Growth Dividend is well covered by both earnings (29% earnings payout ratio) and cash flows (19% cash payout ratio). The dividend has increased by an average of 12% per year over the past 10 years. However, payments have been volatile during that time. EPS is expected to grow by 43% over the next 3 years, which should provide support to the dividend and adequate earnings cover. Announcement • May 16
Vertu Motors plc Recommends Final Dividend in Respect of the Year Ended 28 February 2025, Payable on 25 July 2025 Vertu Motors plc recommended a final dividend in respect of the year ended 28 February 2025 of 1.15 pence per share to be approved at the Annual General Meeting on 25 June 2025. This dividend will be paid, subject to shareholder approval, on 25 July 2025. The ex-dividend date will be 26 June 2025 and the associated record date 27 June 2025. This final dividend brings the total dividend in respect of 2025 to 2.05 pence per share (FY24: 2.35 pence). Reported Earnings • May 15
Full year 2025 earnings: EPS and revenues miss analyst expectations Full year 2025 results: EPS: UK£0.055 (down from UK£0.076 in FY 2024). Revenue: UK£4.76b (flat on FY 2024). Net income: UK£18.1m (down 30% from FY 2024). Profit margin: 0.4% (down from 0.5% in FY 2024). Revenue missed analyst estimates by 3.1%. Earnings per share (EPS) also missed analyst estimates by 11%. Revenue is forecast to grow 3.7% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 3.8% growth forecast for the Specialty Retail industry in the United Kingdom. Over the last 3 years on average, earnings per share has fallen by 37% per year but the company’s share price has increased by 6% per year, which means it is well ahead of earnings. Announcement • May 15
Vertu Motors plc, Annual General Meeting, Jun 25, 2025 Vertu Motors plc, Annual General Meeting, Jun 25, 2025. New Risk • May 04
New minor risk - Financial data availability The company's latest financial reports are more than 6 months old. Last reported fiscal period ended August 2024. This is considered a minor risk. If the company has not reported its earnings on time, it may have been delayed due to audit problems or it may be finding it difficult to reconcile its accounts. Currently, the following risks have been identified for the company: Minor Risks Latest financial reports are more than 6 months old (reported August 2024 fiscal period end). Unstable dividend paying track record with dividend experiencing an annual drop of over 20% in the past. Large one-off items impacting financial results. Profit margins are more than 30% lower than last year (0.4% net profit margin). Announcement • Apr 11
Vertu Motors plc to Report Fiscal Year 2025 Results on May 14, 2025 Vertu Motors plc announced that they will report fiscal year 2025 results on May 14, 2025 Price Target Changed • Feb 09
Price target decreased by 19% to UK£0.75 Down from UK£0.93, the current price target is provided by 1 analyst. New target price is 47% above last closing price of UK£0.51. Stock is down 21% over the past year. The company is forecast to post earnings per share of UK£0.057 for next year compared to UK£0.076 last year. Buy Or Sell Opportunity • Feb 06
Now 21% undervalued after recent price drop Over the last 90 days, the stock has fallen 21% to UK£0.53. The fair value is estimated to be UK£0.67, however this is not to be taken as a buy recommendation but rather should be used as a guide only. Revenue has grown by 13% over the last 3 years. Earnings per share has declined by 35%. Announcement • Jan 02
Vertu Motors plc Appoints Amanda Jane Cox as Independent Non-Executive Director Member of the Audit, Nomination and Remuneration Committees Vertu Motors plc announced that, with effect from 2 January 2025, Amanda Jane Cox has joined the Board as an independent Non-Executive Director. Amanda is the current Chief People Officer and Stores Director at Dunelm Group plc, the UK's leading homewares retailer. Amanda has previously worked at Marks and Spencer and spent 15 years at Asda in various human resource roles, latterly as Vice President - People. Amanda will sit as a member of the audit, nomination and remuneration committees. Recent Insider Transactions • Nov 01
COO & Executive Director recently sold UK£130k worth of stock On the 29th of October, David Crane sold around 197k shares on-market at roughly UK£0.66 per share. This transaction amounted to 41% of their direct individual holding at the time of the trade. This was the largest sale by an insider in the last 3 months. David has been a net seller over the last 12 months, reducing personal holdings by UK£121k. Announcement • Oct 30
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) acquired Burrows Motor Company Limited for an enterprise value of £23 million Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) acquired Burrows Motor Company Limited for an enterprise value of £23 million on October 29, 2024. Consideration for the acquisition will be funded from the Group's existing borrowing facility and cash resources. For the period ending December 31, 2023, Burrows Motor Company Limited reported total revenue of £168.9 million and EBIT of £1.4 million.
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) completed the acquisition of Burrows Motor Company Limited on October 29, 2024. Announcement • Oct 23
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) commences an Equity Buyback Plan for 30,750,000 shares, representing 9.11% of its issued share capital, under the authorization approved on June 25, 2024. Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) commences share repurchases on October 22, 2024, under the program mandated by the shareholders in the Annual General Meeting held on June 25, 2024. As per the mandate, the company is authorized to repurchase up to 30,750,000 shares, representing 9.11% of issued share capital. The price payable must not be more than 5% above the average market value of an ordinary share for the five business days before the purchase is made and, in any event, not less than £0.1 share, being the nominal value of each ordinary share. The shares repurchased will be cancelled or held in treasury. Unless previously renewed, varied or revoked, the authority conferred shall expire on September 24, 2025 or, if earlier, at the conclusion of the company's next annual general meeting. As of May 14, 2024, the company has 337,602,150 shares issued.
On October 16, 2024, the company announced a share repurchase program. Under the program, the company will repurchase up to £3 million worth of its shares, pursuant to an agreement with Stifel Nicolaus Europe Limited. The repurchases will be funded using the Company's existing cash resources. All Ordinary Shares repurchased under the Buyback program will be cancelled. Share repurchases under the program may be undertaken until the earlier of the Maximum Amount being repurchased and February 28, 2025. Declared Dividend • Oct 21
First half dividend increased to UK£0.009 Dividend of UK£0.009 is 5.9% higher than last year. Ex-date: 12th December 2024 Payment date: 17th January 2025 Dividend yield will be 3.7%, which is about the same as the industry average. Sustainability & Growth Dividend is well covered by both earnings (42% earnings payout ratio) and cash flows (18% cash payout ratio). The dividend has increased by an average of 12% per year over the past 10 years. However, payments have been volatile during that time. Earnings per share has grown by 2.2% over the last 5 years. Unless this trend reverses, it should provide support to the dividend and adequate earnings cover. Reported Earnings • Oct 16
First half 2025 earnings released: EPS: UK£0.048 (vs UK£0.066 in 1H 2024) First half 2025 results: EPS: UK£0.048 (down from UK£0.066 in 1H 2024). Revenue: UK£2.49b (up 2.9% from 1H 2024). Net income: UK£16.0m (down 29% from 1H 2024). Profit margin: 0.6% (down from 0.9% in 1H 2024). Revenue is forecast to grow 4.3% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 5.4% growth forecast for the Specialty Retail industry in the United Kingdom. Over the last 3 years on average, earnings per share has fallen by 35% per year but the company’s share price has remained flat, which means it is well ahead of earnings. Price Target Changed • Sep 03
Price target increased by 15% to UK£0.91 Up from UK£0.79, the current price target is provided by 1 analyst. New target price is 32% above last closing price of UK£0.69. Stock is up 2.7% over the past year. The company is forecast to post earnings per share of UK£0.091 for next year compared to UK£0.076 last year. Announcement • Jul 13
Vertu Motors plc to Report First Half, 2025 Results on Oct 16, 2024 Vertu Motors plc announced that they will report first half, 2025 results on Oct 16, 2024 Recent Insider Transactions • Jun 30
CEO & Executive Director recently sold UK£1.5m worth of stock On the 27th of June, Robert Forrester sold around 2m shares on-market at roughly UK£0.76 per share. This transaction amounted to 27% of their direct individual holding at the time of the trade. This was the largest sale by an insider in the last 3 months. This was Robert's only on-market trade for the last 12 months. Announcement • Jun 26
Vertu Motors plc Announces Ken Lever Steps Down from the Board Vertu Motors plc announced that, as mentioned in the May announcement, Ken Lever, the Senior Independent Director and Chair of the Audit Committee, stepped down from the Board of the Company at the Annual General Meeting held 25 June 2024. Ken joined the Company in 2015 and has served 9 years on the board. New Risk • May 27
New minor risk - Earnings quality The company has large one-off items impacting its financial results. One-off items were 64% of the size of the rest of the company's trailing 12-month earnings before tax. This is considered a minor risk. One-off items are incomes or expenses that the company does not expect to repeat in future periods. Examples include profits from the sale of a business or expenses from a restructuring or legal settlements. If the company's reported statutory earnings include a large proportion of one-off items it means they may be an unreliable indicator of its true business performance as the earnings were skewed by these incomes or expenses. Currently, the following risks have been identified for the company: Minor Risks Unstable dividend paying track record with dividend experiencing an annual drop of over 20% in the past. Large one-off items impacting financial results. Declared Dividend • May 17
Final dividend increased to UK£0.015 Dividend of UK£0.015 is 3.4% higher than last year. Ex-date: 27th June 2024 Payment date: 26th July 2024 Dividend yield will be 3.0%, which is lower than the industry average of 3.7%. Sustainability & Growth Dividend is well covered by both earnings (21% earnings payout ratio) and cash flows (13% cash payout ratio). The dividend has increased by an average of 13% per year over the past 10 years. However, payments have been volatile during that time. EPS is expected to remain steady over the next year, which should provide adequate earnings cover for the dividend. Reported Earnings • May 16
Full year 2024 earnings: EPS misses analyst expectations Full year 2024 results: EPS: UK£0.076 (up from UK£0.074 in FY 2023). Revenue: UK£4.72b (up 18% from FY 2023). Net income: UK£25.7m (flat on FY 2023). Profit margin: 0.5% (down from 0.6% in FY 2023). The decrease in margin was driven by higher expenses. Revenue was in line with analyst estimates. Earnings per share (EPS) missed analyst estimates by 7.7%. Revenue is forecast to grow 4.1% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 4.7% growth forecast for the Specialty Retail industry in the United Kingdom. Over the last 3 years on average, earnings per share has fallen by 13% per year but the company’s share price has increased by 20% per year, which means it is well ahead of earnings. Announcement • May 16
Vertu Motors plc Proposes Final Dividend for the Year 2024, Payable on 26 July 2024 Vertu Motors plc announced that final dividend of 1.50p per share is to be proposed at the Annual General Meeting on 25 June 2024. The ex-dividend date will be 27 June 2024 and the associated record date 28 June 2024. The dividend will be paid, subject to shareholder approval, on 26 July 2024 and these financial statements do not reflect this final dividend payable. New Risk • Apr 21
New minor risk - Financial data availability The company's latest financial reports are more than 6 months old. Last reported fiscal period ended August 2023. This is considered a minor risk. If the company has not reported its earnings on time, it may have been delayed due to audit problems or it may be finding it difficult to reconcile its accounts. Currently, the following risks have been identified for the company: Minor Risks Latest financial reports are more than 6 months old (reported August 2023 fiscal period end). Unstable dividend paying track record with dividend experiencing an annual drop of over 20% in the past. Large one-off items impacting financial results. Profit margins are more than 30% lower than last year (0.6% net profit margin). Announcement • Jan 02
Vertu Motors plc Appoints David James Gillard as an Independent Non-Executive Director Vertu Motors plc announced that, with effect from 2 January 2024, David James Gillard has joined the board as an independent non-executive director. David is currently a Non-Executive Director and the Chair of Audit Committee at Bradford and Sons Limited, a builders' merchant, and was previously the Group Finance Director and Deputy to the Managing Partner at DAC Beachcroft LLP, the international law firm. Earlier, David held a variety of senior finance positions in a number of organizations, operating across several sectors, in the U.K. and overseas. David will sit as a member of the audit committee, nominations committee and remuneration committee. The following Information on David James Gillard (aged 61) is provided in accordance with AIM Rule 17and Schedule Two (g) of the AIM Rules for Companies. Current Directorships/Partnerships: Bradford and Sons Limited. Past Directorships/Partnerships in the last 5 years: DAC Beachcroft Services Limited - resigned 31 October 2021; DAC Beachcroft LLC (United States) - resigned 10 January 2021; DAC Beachcroft SLPU (Spain) - resigned 31 October 2019. New Risk • Dec 07
New minor risk - Share price stability The company's share price has been volatile over the past 3 months. It is more volatile than 75% of British stocks, typically moving 5.9% a week. This is considered a minor risk. Share price volatility indicates the stock is highly sensitive to market conditions or economic conditions rather than being sensitive to its own business performance, which may also be inconsistent. It also increases the risk of potential losses in the short term as the stock tends to have larger drops in price more frequently than other stocks. Currently, the following risks have been identified for the company: Minor Risks Unstable dividend paying track record with dividend experiencing an annual drop of over 20% in the past. Share price has been volatile over the past 3 months (5.9% average weekly change). Large one-off items impacting financial results. Profit margins are more than 30% lower than last year (0.6% net profit margin). Price Target Changed • Dec 07
Price target decreased by 7.9% to UK£1.04 Down from UK£1.13, the current price target is an average from 2 analysts. New target price is 59% above last closing price of UK£0.66. Stock is up 19% over the past year. The company posted earnings per share of UK£0.074 last year. Announcement • Nov 02
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) acquired Rowes Garage Limited. Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) acquired Rowes Garage Limited on October 31, 2023. The net of cash acquired is estimated at £6.2 million. Rowes Garage has reported operating profit of £0.745 million and revenue of £30.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2022. Jamie Peel, Andrew Jones and Dominic King of Zeus Capital Limited acted as financial advisor and Broker to Vertu Motors.
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) completed the acquisition of Rowes Garage Limited on October 31, 2023. Reported Earnings • Oct 05
First half 2024 earnings released: EPS: UK£0.066 (vs UK£0.062 in 1H 2023) First half 2024 results: EPS: UK£0.066 (up from UK£0.062 in 1H 2023). Revenue: UK£2.42b (up 21% from 1H 2023). Net income: UK£22.4m (up 4.2% from 1H 2023). Profit margin: 0.9% (down from 1.1% in 1H 2023). Revenue is forecast to grow 5.9% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 5.9% growth forecast for the Specialty Retail industry in the United Kingdom. Over the last 3 years on average, earnings per share has increased by 23% per year but the company’s share price has increased by 32% per year, which means it is tracking significantly ahead of earnings growth. Upcoming Dividend • Jun 22
Upcoming dividend of UK£0.015 per share at 3.1% yield Eligible shareholders must have bought the stock before 29 June 2023. Payment date: 28 July 2023. Payout ratio is a comfortable 29% and this is well supported by cash flows. Trailing yield: 3.1%. Lower than top quartile of British dividend payers (5.9%). In line with average of industry peers (3.2%). Announcement • Jun 05
Vertu Motors plc Appoints Jonathan Mark Mewett as Independent Non-Executive Director Vertu Motors plc announced that, with effect from 5 June 2023, Jonathan Mark Mewett has joined the Board as an independent Non-executive Director. John is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Screwfix, part of the Kingfisher plc group. John is a member of the Executive team at Kingfisher plc, responsible for the development of the Screwfix business across the UK, Ireland and France. With over 25 years retail experience he has held previous roles as Screwfix's Marketing Director and Digital Director, and as Group Digital Director of its parent Kingfisher plc. Announcement • May 14
Vertu Motors plc, Annual General Meeting, Jun 28, 2023 Vertu Motors plc, Annual General Meeting, Jun 28, 2023. Announcement • May 11
Vertu Motors plc Recommends Final Dividend for 2023 Vertu Motors plc recommended Final Dividend of 1.45 pence per share, bringing full year dividend to 2.15 pence per share (FY22: 1.70 pence) an increase of 26.5%. Reported Earnings • May 10
Full year 2023 earnings released: EPS: UK£0.074 (vs UK£0.17 in FY 2022) Full year 2023 results: EPS: UK£0.074 (down from UK£0.17 in FY 2022). Revenue: UK£4.01b (up 11% from FY 2022). Net income: UK£25.5m (down 57% from FY 2022). Profit margin: 0.6% (down from 1.7% in FY 2022). The decrease in margin was driven by higher expenses. Revenue is forecast to grow 5.2% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 6.2% growth forecast for the Specialty Retail industry in the United Kingdom. Over the last 3 years on average, earnings per share has increased by 58% per year but the company’s share price has only increased by 30% per year, which means it is significantly lagging earnings growth. Announcement • Feb 11
Vertu Motors plc to Report Fiscal Year 2023 Results on May 10, 2023 Vertu Motors plc announced that they will report fiscal year 2023 results on May 10, 2023 Announcement • Dec 09
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) acquired Helston Garages Group Limited for £182 million. Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) agreed to acquire Helston Garages Group Limited for £182 million on December 8, 2022. The gross consideration includes a further anticipated cash and cash equivalent acquired of £26.2 million. The transaction has been financed through a combination of re-negotiated and new debt facilities. The deal is subject to FCA regulatory approval. Completion of the transaction will be subject to applicable FCA regulatory approvals and is anticipated within the next five weeks.
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) completed the acquisition of Helston Garages Group Limited on December 8, 2022. Price Target Changed • Nov 16
Price target increased to UK£1.00 Up from UK£0.90, the current price target is an average from 2 analysts. New target price is 111% above last closing price of UK£0.48. Stock is down 25% over the past year. The company posted earnings per share of UK£0.17 last year. Board Change • Nov 16
Insufficient new directors No new directors have joined the board in the last 3 years. The company's board is composed of: No new directors. 5 experienced directors. 1 highly experienced director. CFO & Executive Director Karen Anderson was the last director to join the board, commencing their role in 2019. The company’s insufficient board refreshment is considered a risk according to the Simply Wall St Risk Model. Announcement • Nov 10
Vertu Motors in Talks to Buy Helston Garages Dealership Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) is in talks to acquire Helston Garages Group Limited. This would be funded by debt. The controlling party of the company is the executors of the estates of former directors David Stanley Carr and Betty Vera Carr. Helston Garages is based in south west England and it focuses on premium automotive marques. It has 37 dealerships, plus two used car sites. There are five dealerships for BMW, Peugeot and Volvo. Other manufacturers include Land Rover, Mini, Skoda and Jaguar. Announcement • Nov 02
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) acquired Business and Assets of two BMW Motorrad outlets in Yorkshire from Saltaire Motor Company Limited for approximately £4.2 million. Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) acquired Business and Assets of two BMW Motorrad outlets in Yorkshire from Saltaire Motor Company Limited for approximately £4.2 million on October 31, 2022. The consideration includes a freehold property value of £1.85 million and a payment in respect of goodwill of £0.5 million. This consideration will be paid from the Vertu Motor's existing cash resources. For the year ended 29 September 2021, the Business achieved revenue of £20.5 million and an operating profit of £0.5 million. Jamie Peel, Andrew Jones and Dominic King of Zeus Capital Limited acted as financial advisor to Vertu Motors plc. Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) completed the acquisition of Business and Assets of two BMW Motorrad outlets in Yorkshire from Saltaire Motor Company Limited for approximately £4.2 million on October 31, 2022. Reported Earnings • Oct 05
First half 2023 earnings released: EPS: UK£0.062 (vs UK£0.10 in 1H 2022) First half 2023 results: EPS: UK£0.062 (down from UK£0.10 in 1H 2022). Revenue: UK£2.00b (up 3.9% from 1H 2022). Net income: UK£21.5m (down 43% from 1H 2022). Profit margin: 1.1% (down from 1.9% in 1H 2022). The decrease in margin was driven by higher expenses. Revenue is forecast to grow 2.5% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 5.4% growth forecast for the Specialty Retail industry in the United Kingdom. Over the last 3 years on average, earnings per share has increased by 72% per year but the company’s share price has only increased by 11% per year, which means it is significantly lagging earnings growth. Announcement • Jul 02
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) acquired Wiper Blades Limited for £3.5 million. Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) acquired Wiper Blades Limited for £3.5 million on July 1, 2022. Under the terms, cash consideration of £3.5 million, which includes £1.1 million of cash, subject to finalizing the completion accounts. Consideration includes a payment in respect of goodwill of £2.4 million. For the year ended 31 August 2021, the business achieved revenues of £2.2 million and an unaudited profit before tax of £0.5 million. The acquisition is expected to be earnings enhancing in the current year.
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) completed the acquisition of Wiper Blades Limited on July 1, 2022. Upcoming Dividend • Jun 23
Upcoming dividend of UK£0.011 per share Eligible shareholders must have bought the stock before 30 June 2022. Payment date: 29 July 2022. Payout ratio is a comfortable 10% and this is well supported by cash flows. Trailing yield: 3.8%. Lower than top quartile of British dividend payers (5.2%). Higher than average of industry peers (3.2%). Announcement • May 21
Vertu Motors plc, Annual General Meeting, Jun 22, 2022 Vertu Motors plc, Annual General Meeting, Jun 22, 2022, at 09:00 Coordinated Universal Time. Location: Vertu House, Fifth Avenue Business Park, Team Valley, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE11 0XA Gateshead United Kingdom Agenda: To consider re-appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditors of the Company, to hold office until the conclusion of the next general meeting at which accounts are laid before the Company; to consider receive the accounts for the financial year ended 28 February 2022, together with the reports of the directors and of the auditors thereon; to consider authorise the directors of the Company to determine the remuneration of the auditors of the Company; to consider declare a final dividend for the financial year ended 28 February 2022 of 1.05 pence per ordinary share of 10p in the capital of the Company, to be paid on 29 July 2022 to members whose names appear on the register of members in respect of such shares at the close of business on 1 July 2022; to consider re-elect as a director Andrew Goss, who retires in accordance with the Company's articles of association and who is eligible for re-election; and to consider other matters. Reported Earnings • May 12
Full year 2022 earnings released: EPS: UK£0.17 (vs UK£0.044 in FY 2021) Full year 2022 results: EPS: UK£0.17 (up from UK£0.044 in FY 2021). Revenue: UK£3.62b (up 42% from FY 2021). Net income: UK£60.0m (up 268% from FY 2021). Profit margin: 1.7% (up from 0.6% in FY 2021). The increase in margin was driven by higher revenue. Over the next year, revenue is forecast to grow 9.3%, compared to a 11% growth forecast for the retail industry in the United Kingdom. Over the last 3 years on average, earnings per share has increased by 62% per year but the company’s share price has only increased by 8% per year, which means it is significantly lagging earnings growth. Announcement • May 12
Vertu Motors plc Recommends Final Dividend for Year Ended February 28, 2022, Payable on July 29, 2022 Vertu Motors plc announced that the Board recommends a final dividend in respect of the year ended 28 February, 2022 of 1.05 pence per share to be approved at the annual general meeting on 22 June, 2022. This dividend will be paid, subject to shareholder approval, on 29 July, 2022. The ex-dividend date will be 30 June, 2022 and the associated record date 1 July, 2022. Board Change • Apr 27
Insufficient new directors No new directors have joined the board in the last 3 years. The company's board is composed of: No new directors. 5 experienced directors. 1 highly experienced director. CFO & Executive Director Karen Anderson was the last director to join the board, commencing their role in 2019. The company’s insufficient board refreshment is considered a risk according to the Simply Wall St Risk Model. Buying Opportunity • Apr 20
Now 21% undervalued after recent price drop Over the last 90 days, the stock is down 17%. The fair value is estimated to be UK£0.70, however this is not to be taken as a buy recommendation but rather should be used as a guide only. Revenue has been flat over the last 3 years. Meanwhile, the company has become profitable. Revenue is forecast to grow by 21% in 2 years. Earnings is forecast to decline by 49% in the next 2 years. Announcement • Apr 19
Vertu Motors plc Appoints Bruce Clark as Chief Technology Officer Vertu Motors announced the appointment of Bruce Clark as Chief Technology Officer, a newly created role within the senior management of the Group. Bruce Clark, was previously IT Director. Bruce joined the Group in 2013 and has been the IT Director for the last 2 years. Bruce's promotion into the newly created CTO role gives him a place on the Group's CEO Committee and marks a further step change in the Group's focus on technology strategy and the management bandwidth to deliver the Group's strategic technology plans. Further recruitment will now commence to replace Bruce's previous role and for a new Head of Data. These two recruits will join a team of 110 colleagues charged with equipping Vertu with robust internal systems and delivering a sector leading omni-channel retail environment encompassing sales and aftersales operations. Announcement • Apr 15
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) acquired land and buildings in Derby for £7.1m plus fee. Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) acquired land and buildings in Derby for £7.1m plus fee on April 6, 2022.
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) completed the acquisition of land and buildings in Derby for £7.1m plus fee on April 6, 2022 Board Change • Apr 02
Insufficient new directors No new directors have joined the board in the last 3 years. The company's board is composed of: No new directors. 5 experienced directors. 1 highly experienced director. CFO & Executive Director Karen Anderson was the last director to join the board, commencing their role in 2019. The company’s insufficient board refreshment is considered a risk according to the Simply Wall St Risk Model. Announcement • Mar 03
Vertu Motors plc to Report Fiscal Year 2022 Results on May 11, 2022 Vertu Motors plc announced that they will report fiscal year 2022 results on May 11, 2022 Price Target Changed • Mar 02
Price target increased to UK£1.00 Up from UK£0.91, the current price target is an average from 2 analysts. New target price is 61% above last closing price of UK£0.62. Stock is up 65% over the past year. The company posted earnings per share of UK£0.044 last year. Announcement • Dec 15
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) acquired Farmer & Carlisle Holdings Ltd for £9.2 million. Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) acquired Farmer & Carlisle Holdings Ltd for £9.2 million on December 13, 2021. The business includes two freehold dealership properties, which have been included in the purchase consideration at a value of £6.0 million. Consideration includes a payment in respect of goodwill of £2.35 million. For the year ended 31 December 2020, the business achieved revenues of £29.2m and a statutory reported profit before tax of £0.6m. The Group's systems and processes will be implemented immediately and the Business will be branded Vertu, reflecting the continued growth of the Vertu brand in the UK. The new business will be supported by the increasingly successful website, vertumotors.com. The acquisition increases the Group's representation of the sought-after Toyota brand to a total of 3 locations across the East Midlands. Post this acquisition, the Group represents 13 Manufacturer partners across 39 sales outlets in the East Midlands. The East Midlands represents the most significant region operated by the Group in terms of sales outlets. The acquisition is expected to be earnings enhancing for the year ending 28 February 2023.
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) completed the acquisition of Farmer & Carlisle Holdings Ltd on December 13, 2021. Announcement • Dec 10
An unknown buyer acquired an unknown stake in Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) from CIP Merchant Capital for approximately £1 million. An unknown buyer acquired an unknown stake in Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) from CIP Merchant Capital for approximately £1 million on December 9, 2021. James Bellman, Matthew Chandler and Ritchie Balmer of Strand Hanson Limited acting as a financial advisor to CIP Merchant Capital Limited for the transaction.
An unknown buyer completed the acquisition of an unknown stake in Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) from CIP Merchant Capital on December 9, 2021. Recent Insider Transactions Derivative • Oct 23
CFO & Executive Director exercised options and sold UK£99k worth of stock On the 20th of October, Karen Anderson exercised 400.00k options at around UK£0.28, then sold 282k of the shares acquired at an average of UK£0.62 per share and kept the remainder. Since June 2021, Karen has owned 1.01m shares directly. Company insiders have collectively bought UK£123k more than they sold, via options and on-market transactions, in the last 12 months. Reported Earnings • Oct 15
First half 2022 earnings released: EPS UK£0.10 (vs UK£0.007 in 1H 2021) The company reported a strong first half result with improved earnings, revenues and profit margins. First half 2022 results: Revenue: UK£1.92b (up 72% from 1H 2021). Net income: UK£37.5m (up UK£35.0m from 1H 2021). Profit margin: 1.9% (up from 0.2% in 1H 2021). The increase in margin was driven by higher revenue. Over the last 3 years on average, earnings per share has increased by 19% per year whereas the company’s share price has increased by 20% per year. Announcement • Aug 28
Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) commences an Equity Buyback Plan for 36,900,000 shares, representing 10% of its issued share capital, under the authorization approved on June 23, 2021. Vertu Motors plc (AIM:VTU) commences share repurchases on August 26, 2021 under the program mandated by the shareholders in the Annual General Meeting held on June 23, 2021. As per the mandate, the company is authorized to repurchase up to 36,900,000 shares, representing 10% of issued share capital. The price payable must not be more than 5% above the average market value of an ordinary share for the five business days before the purchase is made and, in any event, not less than £0.1 share, being the nominal value of each ordinary share. The shares repurchased will be cancelled or held in treasury. Unless previously renewed, varied or revoked, the authority conferred shall expire on September 23, 2022 or, if earlier, at the conclusion of the company's next annual general meeting. As of May 12, 2021, the company has 369,173,981 shares issued and no treasury shares.
On August 20, 2021, the company announced a share repurchase program. Under the program, the company will repurchase up to 30,000,000 shares for £3.0 million. The program will be funded from existing cash resources of the company. The purpose of the program is to allocate some capital to buyback as the company has a low level of debt and is considerably cash generative. The program is valid till February 28, 2022. Announcement • Aug 20
Vertu Motors plc Provides Earnings Guidance for the Full Year 2021 Vertu Motors plc provided earnings guidance for the full year 2021. The Board remains cautiously optimistic and is upgrading the estimate for profit before tax for the current financial year to be in the range of £50 million to £55 million (previously £40 million to £45 million). Reported Earnings • May 13
Full year 2021 earnings released: EPS UK£0.044 (vs UK£0.008 in FY 2020) The company reported a decent full year result with improved earnings and profit margins, although revenues were weaker. Full year 2021 results: Revenue: UK£2.55b (down 17% from FY 2020). Net income: UK£16.3m (up 446% from FY 2020). Profit margin: 0.6% (up from 0.1% in FY 2020). The increase in margin was driven by lower expenses. Over the last 3 years on average, earnings per share has fallen by 52% per year but the company’s share price has only fallen by 3% per year, which means it has not declined as severely as earnings. 