AGM Trading Update
Group trading positively to end-May 2025 with strong agency and brokerage activity; full year expectations unchanged.
- Business brokerage income growth up 29% (prior same period prior year)
- M&A deal pipeline 15% higher (prior 31 May 2024)
- Valuation and Business Appraisal revenues 12% higher (prior a year ago)
- Vennersys net revenues up 17% (prior 2024)
- Vennersys fully installed and live clients 20% more (prior end of May 2024)
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The Board of Christie Group plc (CTG.L) , the leading provider of Professional & Financial Services and Stock & Inventory Systems & Services to the hospitality, leisure, healthcare, medical, childcare & education and retail sectors is pleased to provide the following trading update for the financial year to date (the five months from 1 January 2025 to 31 May 2025 or the "Period") in advance of the Group's Annual General Meeting being held at 10.00 am today.
The Group has continued to benefit from encouraging levels of demand for its services, as lender and investor appetite into its chosen sectors has remained robust despite ongoing geopolitical uncertainty and the increased tax burden on employers in those same sectors. The Group's full year trading expectations are unchanged.
Professional and Financial Services (PFS)
- Agency activity in the UK has been strong in the period, with income from business brokerage up by 29% on the same period in the prior year. The momentum in transactional activity achieved across H2 2024 has continued into 2025 and our pipeline of active M&A deals in solicitors' hands was 15% higher at 31 May 2025 than the same point a year earlier. Investment in our sectors appears resilient and supports a positive outlook for the remainder of 2025.
- Investing to strengthen and broaden our international brokerage and advisory operations into a multi-sector offering remains an ongoing focus. Invoicing from transactional brokerage activity across our continental operations is significantly improved on the equivalent prior year period, and we anticipate a more balanced year than 2024 when international brokerage income was heavily second-half weighted.
- Valuation activity in both Christie & Co and Pinders has also been encouraging, with ongoing demand for both transactionally-led and lending purposes. Valuation and Business Appraisal revenues for the period are 12% higher than a year ago.
- Fee income growth from our finance brokerage activities has been more subdued than our original expectations, after an extremely strong growth performance in 2024. Nonetheless, fee income is marginally ahead of 2024 levels, and we anticipate this being maintained over the remainder of the year.
- Our FCA-regulated insurance brokerage business, Christie Insurance, has continued its own progress and the expansion of its sales team in both its Business Insurance and Life Insurance divisions. Client retention levels remain strong and in line with expectations.
Stock and Inventory Systems & Services (SISS)
- The Group's market leading hospitality stock audit, compliance and consultancy business, Venners, is trading marginally ahead of 2024 revenue levels. Demand for its core stock audit services and quote conversion levels have both remained resilient, but discretionary spend among hospitality operators has been softer as the sector absorbs the impact of increased Employers NI on its workforce.
- The Group's SaaS provider to the UK visitor attraction sector, Vennersys, continues to grow. Net revenues for the period are up 17% on 2024, with a pipeline of pending installations to follow which will bring further new client incomes on stream. Vennersys had 20% more fully installed and live clients generating revenue at the end of May 2025, compared to a year earlier.
The Board remains confident in its commitment to delivering improving medium to longer term value for all stakeholders.
Cleaned text: letterheads, contacts and legal notices removed. View the original announcement ↗ · Company filings. Not investment advice.