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(Sharecast News) - Kier Group said on Tuesday that its 2027 earnings were set to be at the top end of the board's expectations, as it announced it will not be making any more investments in new property developments as it focuses on its core businesses of infrastructure and construction.
In the year to 30 June, adjusted pre-tax profit rose 8.8% to £136.4m on revenue of £4.4bn, up 7.5% on the previous year and reflecting "significant" momentum in the core infrastructure and construction divisions. Adjusted operating profit was 6.7% higher at £169.8m and the full-year dividend was lifted 8% to 7.8p a share.
Kier said it closed the year with £10.7m of average net cash, versus £49.2m of net debt a year earlier.
The order book grew 8% to a record £11.9bn, securing more than 95% of forecast FY27 revenues. Kier said activity levels were particularly high in water, supported by its in-house design management, which enables early-stage customer engagement and integrated solution delivery.
"This momentum was supported by key framework positions across the justice & borders, education, healthcare and defence sectors, combined with a strong, well established footprint in the London private sector commercial market," it said.
Kier announced that going forward, it will not commit capital to new property developments. It said this will allow it to focus on its core businesses and enhances the group's quality of earnings, with lower exposure to the cyclicality inherent in property.
In addition, it will provide the company with greater capital optionality, governed in line with its capital allocation framework.
Chief executive Stuart Togwell said: "I am pleased to report that Kier has delivered another year of strong performance, achieving excellent revenue and profit growth. We continued to bolster the group's financial profile, reaching an average net cash position for the first time in over a decade, a significant milestone from which to build.
"We are building a stronger, more focused Kier, concentrating our expertise, resources and talent where we can create the greatest value for customers, shareholders, communities and colleagues. We enter FY27 with strong foundations and clear strategic priorities, to make the most of the sizeable opportunity in front of us.
"In particular, we bring good momentum into the new financial year, with recent significant contract and framework awards, strong order book growth and an expanding pipeline. This gives us confidence, looking at FY27, that earnings will be at the top end of the board's prior expectations. Reflecting this confidence, we have updated our medium-term financial targets to underline our ambition and the value creation opportunity at hand for our shareholders."
At 0935 BST, the shares were up 2.7% at 254.60p.
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