Pennant International
Pennant International Group plc

Pennant International Group plc share price, company news, analysis and interviews

Pennant International Group plc (LON:PEN) is a leading global provider of technology-based maintainer training and integrated product support solutions.

The extensive portfolio for Pennant’s training technology solutions and ILS Software (OmegaPS and R4i) is achieved through our two operational divisions: Technical Training and Integrated Product Support.

TECHNICAL TRAINING

Pennant International specialise in generic and engineered (platform specific) solutions based on real or simulated military equipment interfaced with simulation computers and instructor control facilities.

From innovative hardware solutions, to dynamic software, technical publications, consultancy and long-term support and maintenance, Pennant’s technical training division offers leading solutions, services and support to the Defence, Aerospace and safety critical industries across the globe.

INTEGRATED PRODUCT SUPPORT 

Over 20 years Pennant has provided defence department and industry clients with expert ILS consulting services to help them plan and execute an ILS program of work that delivers their optimized support solutions, enabled by our OmegaPS software suite.

Together, they can deliver operational capability and overall system effectiveness throughout the full equipment life cycle, while minimizing the total cost of ownership.

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Pennant International

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Pennant International

Pennant International Posts Revenue Growth and Positive EBITA in Strong H1 2024 Results

Pennant International Group plc (LON:PEN), the systems support software and training solutions company, has announced its Interim Results for the six months ended 30 June 2024.

Commenting on the results, Chairman Ian Dighé said:

“I am pleased to report that the Group has maintained positive earnings before interest, taxation and amortisation for the First Half.”

“We remain firm in our strategic direction, and with the impending launch of our Auxilium software suite, we believe we are well-placed to deliver growth. The necessary restructuring of the Group’s training systems business will allow us to focus on longer-term opportunities for our software, systems and services offerings in the defence space and beyond.”

Financial Summary

ADJUSTED RESULTS (1) – GROUP H1 24 H1 23 Change
 
Revenue £7.4m £7.1m 4%
EBITA £0.6m £0.6m -4%
Loss before tax £(0.4)m £(0.3)m -57%
Loss per share  – basic £(1.11)p £(0.74)p -50%
Net debt (excluding lease liabilities) £1.6m £1.9m 19%
IFRS RESULTS – GROUP H1 24 H1 23 Change
 
Revenue £7.4m £7.1m 4%
EBITA £0.6m £0.5m 17%
Loss before tax £(0.4)m £(0.4)m -12%
Loss per share  – basic £(1.08)p £(1.01)p -7%
Net debt (including lease liabilities) £2.2m £2.6m 14%

(1)     Note: the ‘Adjusted Results’ exclude the impact of (1) circa £0.3 million of exceptional aborted transaction costs and (2) other income from the sale of one the Group’s properties in March 2024 (£0.2m) See note 4 to the Notes for a reconciliation between operating loss and EBITA.

Business Operations & Strategy

·      Continuing investment in the Group’s new Auxilium software suite, funded by a successful placing in May raising £1.36 million (as well as a further share subscription by the Directors post Period end). Auxilium will be a market-leading suite of integrated product support applications.

·      Appointment of a new, highly-experienced Chair, Ian Dighé, and (post Period end) strengthening of the Board through the appointments of Jon Kempster and Klaas van der Leest as independent Non-Executive Directors.

·      Excellent progress on the UK Apache contract (which is scheduled to complete in October 2024) including further contract uplifts bringing the total contract value to £9.2 million.

·    Strong revenue growth in the Indo-Pacific region, up 60% over H1 2023, primarily due to growing services contracts.

·    Post Period end, plan underway to re-shape the UK training systems business, retaining capability within the Group while significantly reducing costs.

Pennant International Group plc (AIM: PEN) is a technology driven, leading global provider of system support software and services, technical services, and training solutions. It supports its global customer base in the design, development, operation, maintenance, and training of complex assets, to maximise operational and maintenance efficiency.

Its key markets include Aerospace, Defence and Rail, and adjacent safety-critical markets such as Shipping, Nuclear and Space.

 The Group addresses the market through three key business lines:

•      Systems support software: a suite of software tools designed to help clients: manage and use complex data; ensure equipment availability at optimal cost; and comply with industry standards.  Its Integrated Product Support (IPS) and Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) software and services equips customers with powerful market-leading toolsets to manage, model and utilise complex equipment data.

•      Training systems: provide hardware, software and virtual solutions, critical skills training for maintainers and operators of aircraft, ships and land systems.

•     Technical services: support all Pennant’s software and training solutions including consultancy, support and maintenance, training and bespoke development.

The Company’s full product suite encompasses consultancy, technical documentation, rail services, training services, and bespoke engineering solutions.

Pennant is strategically focused on sustainable recurring revenue and profitability growth, shifting its model towards high margin software and services. Against a climate of rising defence budgets and the burgeoning technological complexity of military, aviation and rail platforms, the demand for these solutions is expected to grow substantially.

Headquartered in Cheltenham, UK, the Group operates worldwide, with offices in Europe, North America and Indo-Pacific, serving markets with high barriers to entry often in regulated industries.

Pennant International Group plc

Interim Report for the six months ended 30 June 2024

Chairman’s Statement

Results and dividend

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am pleased to report the Group’s Interim Results for the six months ended 30 June 2024.

The Group recorded revenues for the Period of £7.4 million (H1 2023: £7.1 million), generating adjusted EBITA of £0.6 million (H1 2023: £0.6 million). The gross profit margin for the Period was 48% (H1 2023: 47%) .

The adjusted pre-tax loss for the Period was £0.4 million which compares with a pre-tax loss of £0.3 million in H1 2023.

Administrative costs for the Period were £4.0 million (H1 2023: £3.6 million), although this includes £0.3 million of exceptional costs relating to aborted corporate activity, so a modest net increase.

At the Period-end net debt stood at £2.2 million (H1 2023: net debt of £2.6 million), inclusive of £0.7 million of liabilities relating to leasing. Total assets at Period end stood at £17.9 million (H1 2023: £20.5 million).

The adjusted basic loss per share for the First Half was (1.11)p compared to a loss of (0.74)p for the same period last year.

Corporation taxes payable for the full year are expected to be reduced by unrelieved tax losses of £6.8 million as at Period end (H1 2023: £7.1 million) and with R&D tax credit claims in progress.

The Directors have concluded that it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to retain cash at this time for expected working capital requirements, particularly as the Auxilium software development reaches its critical later stages.

The Board will therefore not be declaring an interim dividend but will continue to review the Group’s dividend policy based on performance, cash generation and working capital and investment requirements.

Board evolution

With Phil Cotton departing the Board at the recent AGM, I assumed the role of Chair on 14 May 2024, and was delighted to secure the services of Jon Kempster as chair of the Audit & Risk Committee, whose appointment commenced in July, and (more recently) Klaas van der Leest as an independent Non-Executive Director who has a great track record in successfully growing software businesses. As Chair, I am committed to keeping the Board’s composition and skills under review, to ensure we have the best mix of experience and abilities to help Pennant realise its full potential. With the departure of Michael Brinson post Period end, we also welcome as interim CFO, Darren Wiggins, a chartered accountant with extensive financial and operational experience in executive roles.

Performance Review

The contribution made by each region and business line during the Period is shown in the tables below:

  H1 2024 H1 2023
Revenue by Region £ m £ m
UK & Europe 4.1 3.7
North America 1.4 2.2
Indo-Pacific 1.9 1.2
Total 7.4 7.1

Revenues in the UK & Europe region were strong, reflecting significant progress on the UK Apache contract as it moved into its final stages. Similarly, the Indo-Pacific region saw respectable revenue growth through growing services contracts. North American revenues reduced, which was expected given that the long-standing overarching consultancy contract with Canadian Defence had expired in the second half of 2023, with the Group in the process of re-building that workstream through individual contract wins during the Period.

  H1 2024 H1 2023
Revenue by business line £ m £ m
Software Licences 0.2 0.7
Software Maintenance 1.0 0.7
Software Services 2.1 1.9
Engineered-to-order training solutions 2.4 1.9
Generic training solutions 0.1 0.5
Technical Services 1.6 1.4
Total 7.4 7.1

All business lines saw revenue growth, bar (1) software licensing (with the new Auxilium suite in the process of development, minimal licence income was expected from the legacy OmegaPS and Analyzer products in the meantime), and (2) generic training solutions, reflecting lower-than-expected sales of smaller generic training aids such as the GenSkills.

I would like to thank all Pennant employees for their efforts during the First Half. 

Post Period End

As detailed in the ‘Business Update’ announcement on 14 May 2024, the Group was engaged in significant bid activity during the First Half, although increasingly protracted procurement timeframes were identified as a risk in that announcement.  

Since then, this challenge has persisted and it seems clear that the recently-announced Strategic Defence Review in the UK has resulted in contract awards being deferred pending the outcome of the review (expected mid-2025), and this includes prospective programmes for which Pennant is a potential supplier.

In light of this situation and the imminent conclusion of the UK Apache programme (and taking into account the Group’s focus on its Auxilium software suite), management has undertaken a comprehensive review of the UK training systems business, and determined a plan to reshape it to reflect the much-reduced workflow while retaining the skills, intellectual property and know-how to enable the delivery of future programmes, training software and associated services contracts in the UK and overseas.  

As a result, the Group has entered into collective consultation with its UK workforce re potential redundancies and (subject to consultation) is expecting to reduce headcount by approximately 20 roles. It is anticipated that this will generate annualised cost savings of circa £1.2 million. Furthermore, the Group will imminently commence marketing of its freehold properties in Cheltenham with the intention of reducing its real estate footprint given its decreased focus on space-intensive equipment programmes, and thereby further reducing operating costs. The one-off cash cost of implementing this plan is currently estimated to be in the region of £0.4 million and the Company’s bankers have agreed in principle to provide a short term facility to assist with this expenditure, if required.

At the same time, the Group is ensuring that the appropriate skilled resource is in place to accelerate and complete the development of the Auxilium suite (including through redeployment of software engineers from other parts of the business where possible) and to enable the roll out and deployment of the suite to customers.

The integration of the GenS and updated Analyzer applications will be previewed to industry at the IPS User Forum later this month. The fully integrated suite (comprising GenS, Analyzer and R4i) is now expected to be released in the first quarter of 2025 and will, we believe, address significant industry demand for an integrated, data-driven enterprise solution which supports capital equipment programmes through life.  

Outlook

The Group has contracted revenue for the full year in the region of £13 million, and has a high level of confidence of generating revenue of not less that £0.5m in the fourth quarter, and on that basis the Board considers that the Group is currently on track to meet market expectations for the year as a whole.

While we pro-actively address the short-term challenges of restructuring and re-positioning the Group, we remain firm in our strategic direction and the growth opportunity we are targeting. With the impending launch of the Auxilium suite, we believe we are extremely well-placed to capitalise on the longer-term opportunities for our software, systems and services offerings in the defence space and beyond.

Ian Dighé

Chairman

PENNANT INTERNATIONAL GROUP plc

CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT for the six months ended 30 June 2024

  Six months ended 30 June 2024       Unaudited Six months ended 30 June 2023      Unaudited Year ended              31 December 2023          Audited
Notes
 
  £000s £000s £000s
Revenue   7,382 7,092 15,535
Cost of sales (3,871) (3,750) (7,808)
Gross profit   3,511 3,342 7,727
Administration expenses (3,828) (3,516) (7,516)
Exceptional costs (218) (100) (325)
 Profit on sale of land and buildings 231
Other income   75 75 209
Operating (loss)/profit   (229) (199) 95
Finance costs (190) (176) (463)
Finance income 1
(Loss) before taxation   (419) (375) (367)
Taxation    (566)
(Loss) for the period   (419) (375) (933)
Loss per share 2
Basic (1.08p) (1.01p) (2.53p)
Diluted (1.08p) (1.01p) (2.53p)

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

for the six months ended 30 June 2024

Six months ended 30 June 2024 Unaudited Six months ended 30 June 2023 Unaudited Year ended              31 December 2023     Audited
£000s £000s £000s
(Loss) attributable to equity
holders of the parent (419) (375) (933)
Other comprehensive income
Exchange differences on (79) (124) (120)
translation of foreign operations
Net revaluation gain 113
Deferred tax credit – property, plant and equipment and intangibles (28)
(Loss) attributable to equity (498) (499) (968)
holders of the parent

PENNANT INTERNATIONAL GROUP plc

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION as at 30 June 2024

Six months ended 30 June 2024              Unaudited Six months ended 30 June 2023               Unaudited Year ended              31 December 2023Audited
£000s £000s £000s
Non-current assets
Goodwill 2,574 2,459 2,595
Other intangible assets 5,216 5,251 5,335
Property plant and equipment 3,974 3,958 4,155
Right Of use asset 618 624 860
Deferred tax asset 400 1,530 399
Total non-current assets 12,782 13,822 13,344
Current assets
Inventories / work-in-progress 1,013 1,207 980
Trade and other receivables 2,238 4,204 2,647
Cash and cash equivalents 1,282 749 1,099
Current tax asset 629 492 641
Total current assets 5,162 6,652 5,367
Total assets 17,944 20,474 18,711
Current liabilities
Trade and other payables 3,487 5,871 4,099
Current tax liabilities 151 1
Lease liabilities 141 351 420
Bank overdraft 2,844 2,668 2,978
Deferred consideration on acquisition 245 615 468
Total current liabilities 6,717 9,656 7,966
Net current (liabilities) / assets (1,555) (3,004) (2,599)
Non-current liabilities
Lease liabilities 534 323 501
Deferred consideration on acquisition 152 283
Warranty provisions 159 108 144
Total non-current liabilities 693 583 928
Total liabilities 7,410 10,239 8,894
Net assets 10,534 10,235 9,817
Equity
Share capital 2,116 1,840 1,844
Share premium 6,291 5,366 5,383
Capital redemption reserve 200 200 200
Retained earnings 1,618 2,508 1,990
Translation reserve 136 211 215
Revaluation reserve 173 110 185
Total equity 10,534 10,235 9,817

PENNANT INTERNATIONAL GROUP plc

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS for the six months ended 30 June 2024

Six months ended     30 June 2024             Unaudited Six months ended     30 June 2023              Unaudited Year ended              31 December 2023Audited
 
  £000s £000s £000s
Net cash generated from operating activities  144 159 1,294
Investing activities
Interest received 1
Payment for acquisition of subsidiary, net of cash acquired (643) (214)
Deferred consideration paid in respect of prior year acquisition (511) (352) (352)
Purchase of intangible assets (703) (730) (1,453)
Purchase of property plant and equipment (226) (107) (305)
Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment 465
Net cash used in investing activities (975) (1,832) (2,323)
Financing activities
Proceeds from issue of ordinary shares 1,358 21
Issue costs (178)
Net repayment of lease liabilities (38) (97) (195)
Net cash generated from/(used) in financing activities 1,142 (97) (174)
Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 311 (1,770) (1,203)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period (1,879) (426) (426)
Effect of foreign exchange rates 6 277 (250)
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period (1,562) (1,919) (1,879)

PENNANT INTERNATIONAL GROUP plc

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY for the six months ended 30 June 2024

  Share capital Share premium Capital redemption reserve Retained earnings Translation reserve Revaluation reserve Total equity
At 1 January 2024 1,844 5,383 200 1,990 215 185 9,817
(Loss) for the period (419) (419)
Other comprehensive (loss) (79) (79)
1,844 5,383 200 1,571 136 185 9,319
Issue of new ordinary shares 272 1,086 1,358
Issue costs (178) (178)
Recognition of share based payment 35 35
Transfer from revaluation reserve 12 (12)
At 30 June 2024 2,116 6,291 200 1,618 136 173 10,534

  Share capital Share premium Capital redemption reserve Retained earnings Translation reserve Revaluation reserve Total equity
At 1 January 2023 1,840 5,366 200 2,844 335 110 10,695
(Loss) for the period (375) (375)
Other comprehensive (loss) (124) (124)
1,840 5,366 200 2,469 211 110 10,196
Recognition of share based payment 39 39
At 30 June 2023 1,840 5,366 200 2,508 211 110 10,235

  Share capital Share premium Capital redemption reserve Retained earnings Translation reserve Revaluation reserve Total equity
At 1 January 2023 1,840 5,366 200 2,844 335 110 10,695
(Loss) for the period (933) (933)
Other comprehensive (loss) (120) 85 (35)
1,840 5,366 200 1,911 215 195 9,727
Issue of new ordinary shares 4 17 21
Recognition of share based payment 69 69
Transfer from revaluation reserve 10 (10)
At 31 December 2023 1,844 5,383 200 1,990 215 185 9,817

PENNANT INTERNATIONAL GROUP plc

NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL INFORMATION for the six months ended 30 June 2024

1.   Basis of preparation

This condensed set of financial statements has been prepared using accounting policies expected to be adopted for the year ending 31 December 2024.

The interim financial information in this report has been prepared using accounting policies consistent with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as adopted by the United Kingdom.

The comparative figures for the year ended 31 December 2023 set out in this Interim Report are not statutory accounts within the meaning of section 434 of the Companies Act 2006 (“the Act”). A copy of the statutory accounts for that year has been delivered to the Registrar of Companies. The auditors reported on those accounts; their report was unqualified and did not contain a statement under s498 (2) or s498(3) of the Companies Act 2006. The audit report drew attention by way of emphasis to a material uncertainty relating to going concern. Whilst the underlying conditions behind that uncertainty remain, the Directors have, at the time of approving these interim results, a reasonable expectation that the Group has or will have adequate resources to continue in operational existence for at least the next 12 months.

AIM-quoted companies are not required to comply with IAS34 ‘Interim Financial Reporting’ and the Company has taken advantage of this exemption.

2. Loss per share

Basic loss per share are calculated by dividing the loss for the period attributable to the shareholders by the weighted average number of shares in issue. The calculation of diluted loss per share does not take into account the potentially diluting effect of share options as this impact would be antidilutive to the losses attributable to equity shareholders.

  Six months ended 30 June 2024Unaudited Six months ended 30 June 2023Unaudited Year ended 31 December 2023Audited 
  £000s £000s £000s
Loss
Loss attributable to equity shareholders (419) (375) (933)
Adjusted loss attributable to equity shareholders (432) (275) (608)
 
Number of shares Number Number Number
Weighted average number of ordinary shares 38,693,027 36,790,447 36,836,443
Diluting effect of share options 1,655,000 1,626,667 1,610,000
Weighted average number of ordinary shares for the purpose of dilutive loss per share           40,348,027 38,417,114 38,446,443
Loss per share (basic) (1.08p) (1.01p) (2.53p)
Loss per share (diluted) (1.08p) (1.01p) (2.53p)
Adjusted loss per share (basic) (1.11p) (0.74p) (1.65p)
Adjusted loss per share (diluted) (1.11p) (0.74p) (1.65p)

3.  Cash generated from operations

  Six months ended    30 June 2024Unaudited Six months ended     30 June 2023Unaudited  Year ended               31 December 2023Audited
  £000s £000s £000s
(Loss) for the period (419) (375) (933)
Finance income (1)
Finance costs 190 176 463
Income tax credit 566
Depreciation of property, plant and equipment 164 151 305
Depreciation of right of use assets 108 91 200
Profit on disposal of property (231)
Amortisation of other intangible assets 822 705 1,330
Reversal of impairment on land and building valuation (39)
Other income – RDEC (75) (75) (205)
Share-based payment 35 39 69
Operating cash flows before movement in working capital 594 712 1,755
Decrease / (increase) in receivables 409 (75) 1,482
(Increase) / decrease in inventories (33) (206) 21
(Decrease) / increase in payables and provisions (596) 85 (1,726)
Cash generated from operations 374 516 1,532
Tax (paid) / received (142) 117
Interest paid (230) (215) (355)
Net cash generated from operations 144 159 1,294

4.  Reconciliation of operating loss to EBITA for the Period

Six months ended30 June 2024Unaudited Six months ended30 June 2023Unaudited Year ended31 December 2023Unaudited
£’000s £’000s £’000s
Loss for the period (419) (375) (933)
Exceptional costs 218 100 325
Profit from sale of land and buildings (231)
Adjusted loss for the period (432) (275) (608)
Interest (net) 190 176 462
Taxation 566
Amortisation 822 705 1,330
Adjusted EBITA 580 606 1,750
Exceptional costs (218) (100) (325)
Income from sale of land and buildings 231
EBITA 593 506 1,425

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Pennant International

Pennant International appoints Klaas van der Leest as Non-Executive Director

Pennant International Group plc (LON:PEN), the systems support and training solutions company, has announced the appointment of Klaas van der Leest as Non-Executive Director with immediate effect. Mr van der Leest has an extensive track record of growing software-led businesses and has significant expertise in product delivery, sales development, and marketing strategies.

Mr van der Leest is currently Chief Executive Officer of Intercede Group PLC, an AIM-quoted cybersecurity business which has seen revenue growth of 100% since his appointment in 2018. Prior to Intercede, he was Managing Director at Intelecom UK Ltd., an independent private equity-backed communications SaaS business, leading the organisation’s transformation, and trebling subscription licence sales over a three-year period. Mr Van der Leest has held various other senior executive positions for UK technology businesses with a focus on product development and sales strategies.

The Company also announces the appointment of Darren Wiggins as Interim CFO on an eight-month fixed term contract with effect from 16 September 2024 (a non-Board appointment). Mr Wiggins is a chartered accountant and an experienced executive having previously held senior finance and operational roles within Meggitt Aerospace and Melrose plc. With strong experience in strategic financial planning, Mr Wiggins will be providing full support to the Board as the Group heads towards year-end and into 2025.

Ian Dighé, Pennant International Chairman, commented:

“We are delighted to welcome Klaas to the Board as a Non-Executive Director. His considerable public market experience together with his track record of supporting growing technology-led businesses will undoubtedly be an invaluable asset to Pennant as it evolves its proprietary integrated software suite. The Board looks forward to working with Klaas and leveraging his knowledge and experience to support the Company through its next stage of growth.”

“The Board also welcomes Darren as interim CFO, whose significant operational, financial and industry expertise will further strengthen and complement the skillsets of the existing senior management team.” 

Klaas Peter van der Leest is currently or has previously been a director or partner of the following companies or partnerships within the past five years.

Current directorship/partnership Previous directorship / partnership within the past five years
Intercede Group PLC n/a
Intercede Limited
Intercede 2000 Limited
Authlogics Limited
Thorley Close Management Company Limited
Puzzel Limited

Mr van der Leest does not hold an interest in the Company’s share capital.

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Pennant International Group

Pennant International continues investment in its proprietary integrated software suite, Auxilium

Pennant International Group plc (LON:PEN), the systems support and training solutions company, has provided a trading update for the six months ended 30 June 2024.

Unaudited financial summary

Subject to review, the Group currently expects to report performance in H1 2024 as follows.

·       Revenues of £7.4 million (H1 2023: £7.1 million);

·       Increased gross margin of 48% (H1 2023: 47%);

·       Adjusted EBITDA (1) of £0.9 million (H1 2023: EBITDA of £0.8 million);

·       Adjusted EBITA (2) of £0.6 million (H1 2023: EBITA of £0.5 million);

·       Net debt at 30 June 2024 of £1.6 million (H1 2023: £1.9 million).

Strategic Software Investment

Further to the Company’s announcement of 14 May 2024, investment continues in the Group’s proprietary integrated software suite, which has now been branded ‘Auxilium’, with circa £0.7 million invested during the First Half. Unveiling of the suite to industry will take place during Q4 2024, with release of the full suite expected by year-end.  

Order Intake

As outlined in the May Update, the Group is continuing to progress several material sales prospects with a view to converting these into orders in the second half of the year. The timing and quantum of these potential awards remains subject to contract and, in certain cases, the completion of processes at defence department and prime contractor level.

The Board notes the UK Strategic Defence Review recently announced by the new Labour government, and is pleased to see that the new government has committed to increasing UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.

Pennant International Chief Executive Officer, Philip Walker commented:

I am pleased to report ongoing progress in the business, and in particular, the investment in and development of our new Auxilium software suite, which we expect to launch in the second half of this financial year.”

1.   Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization and prior to circa £0.4 million of exceptional professional and other costs associated with aborted corporate activity and share placing fees. Profit relating to the purchase and sale of a leased property of circa £0.2 million is also excluded.

2.   Earnings before interest tax and amortization (“EBITA”) and prior to circa £0.4 million of exceptional professional and other costs associated with aborted corporate activity and share placing fees. Profit relating to the purchase and sale of a leased property of circa £0.2 million is also excluded.

The Group addresses the market through three key business lines:

• Systems support: software tools designed to help clients: manage and use complex data; ensure equipment availability at optimal cost; and comply with industry standards.  Its Integrated Product Support (IPS) and Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) software and services equips customers with powerful market-leading toolsets to manage, model and utilise complex equipment data.

• Training solutions: provide hardware, software and virtual solutions, critical skills training for maintainers and operators of aircraft, ships and land systems.

• Technical services: support all Pennant’s software and training solutions including consultancy, support and maintenance, training and bespoke development.

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Interviews

Pennant International on track as momentum continues (VIDEO)

Pennant International Group (LON:PEN) CEO, Phil Walker joins DirectorsTalk Interviews to discuss interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2023.

In this interview Phil talks us through the highlights from interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2023, describes the outlook for the next 12 to 18 months and explains what a strategic partnership with Aquila Learning means for the business and its customers.

https://vimeo.com/873968019

Pennant provides a suite of market leading software solutions and technical services that support the design, development, operation, maintenance and training of assets (“Integrated Product Support”) in defence, rail, commercial aerospace, space and shipping.

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Question & Answers

Pennant International Group

Pennant International buoyant pipeline and solid contracted revenues (LON:PEN)

Pennant International Group plc (LON:PEN) Chief Executive Officer Phil Walker caught up with DirectorsTalk for an exclusive interview to discuss highlights from the interim results, the outlook, and the strategic partnership with Aquila Learning.

Q1: Phil, having released your interim results now, what were the key headlines from the period?

A1: In terms of the period under review to the 30th of June, the results were pleasing, if not spectacular for us.

The main headlines really are that it’s the fourth consecutive trading period where we’ve reported a positive EBITDA. So, had a couple of difficult years, the business continued to improve, momentums building and results are in line with what people expected. Even more pleasing for me, sat here today, as I’m able to say that the results are on track to meet the full-year expectations so we’re very much on track to deliver the year’s results as per the forecast.

A couple of noteworthy points to pull out from those results, people may have noted, is in particular the gross margin. The Pennant International’s gross margin is at 47% for the first half, we’re expecting that to go slightly better in the second half, but that’s significantly better than prior periods.

Our net debt position, the cash position is much improved. If you look back at the same period, six month period in 2022, our net debt was around £4.1 million, at this point in time, it’s down to £1.9 million and improving so the key metrics are starting to look much better.

In terms of business winning, we announced £6.5 million of new business in the first half of the year so the order book at the period-end is pretty stable, it’s about £25 million so winning business and keeping the momentum going.

There’s a couple of other things just to really highlight. We obviously secured a big contract last year with Boeing Defence UK on the Apache, in the RNS it highlights the fact that excellent progress we made on that. That programme continues to perform well, it’s on track to deliver on time, which is good news.

We also made an acquisition during the period. In a previous interview, we discussed the acquisition of Track Access Productions, that rail integration is fully complete now, and that rail operation, alongside with our existing rail business is going well.

From the investment point of view, also, we’ve been putting a lot of time and effort into the creation of our new software suite. With the IPS software suite, our GenS product, which is the engineering product that captures the data and is used for the modelling, that LSAR tool (version 2 was released in May), I’m pleased to say having released the product in May, we achieved our first commercial sale of that product in June.

So, it’s been a really solid six months of the business, and results are in line, continued momentum, better cash, improved margins, strong order book, and good acquisition. On the whole, a very good healthy picture for the business.

Q2: How would you describe the outlook for the company over the next 12-18 months?

A2: I think for me, I’m cautiously optimistic. If you look at the macro picture in terms of the uncertainty in the world at the moment, clearly as a defence SME providing a niche solution into a lot of defence customers, this backdrop for us is healthy. We’ve probably got unprecedented level of activity at the moment in the UK, in the Pacific, in North America, with customers wanting to explore ways of improving their training systems, managing their data, so the macro environment is very, very strong.

In terms of actual specifics, we’ve got a revenue forecast for 2023 of £16 million, at the half year, we announced £7 million revenue and we’ve got £8.1 million contracted so we’re about 95% covered for the current year, so we’re on track for the year.

I mentioned the rail acquisition, rail actually is performing well, recently announced the termination of the northern part of HS2 in the rail sector, actually we do nothing on HS2, the products we work on tend to be more regional infrastructure projects. That redistribution of those funds into Northern Rail, Midlands Main Line etc. is good news for us because that’s the type of projects we work on. That rail entity is on track to do £1 million annualised revenue and about £400,000 operating profit annualized, and we’ve got good coverage in terms of order book for 2024. As I sit here today, we’ve got just north of £10 million pounds of revenue contracted so about 65% covered for next year.

So, with a buoyant pipeline, a very positive macro environment for us, and solid contracted revenues, we’re looking very healthy.

Q3: Finally, you recently announced a strategic partnership with Aquila Learning Limited, what does the relationship mean for Pennant International and its customers?

A3: We’ve been working with Aquila Learning, a UK-based SME, for a period now exploring the opportunity to partner. So, we have an IPS integrated product support software and services business has a core tool set so we have a suite of software that’s used to support design, development, operation, maintenance, and training of assets, predominant defence, but it’s also used in aerospace, rail, and other safety critical industries. So we’ve got this core set and the GenS product I alluded to earlier is a key part of that set so we have this toolkit. Using that data, that data is then used in publications for the business, it’s used in modelling, but actually it’s also used in the training system.

So, Aquila Learning, what they’ve got is they’ve got a software capability that allows companies, organisations like defence companies, like the RAF, like BA Systems, like Boeing Defence to make sense of their complex training and the risks through that system and consultancy. So, they’re effectively taking engineering data, technical data and turn it into the training system.

So, we’re both UK SMEs, we’ve both got similar customers, we’ve got an addressable market that’s huge.

The key thing for this is that it’s all geared around a particular industry standard, which would be S-Series, and by working together, we effectively give our users and operators an end-to-end solution. So, from the point where the OEM gives us the data to the end, where they’ve got the training management system and training system in place.

Between Pennant and Aquila, we can offer that integrated end-to-end solution, and we do not believe there’s anyone else on the market that can do that.

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Pennant International Group

Pennant International positive FY23 outlook with continuing momentum (LON:PEN)

Pennant International Group plc (LON:PEN) Chief Executive Officer Phil Walker  caught up with DirectorsTalk for an exclusive interview to discuss key financial highlights, the progress of the rail business and the outlook for FY23.

Q1: Pennant International released a trading update on 19th July, what are the key financial highlights?

A1: First and foremost, I’m pleased to report the company reported results in line with expectations so as the year is shaping up, we are more confident of delivering the results that are in the market, which is great news.

For the first half itself, revenues were £7 million which is in a par with the prior year, of which 56% is recurring so continuing to build and maintain that software as a service growth.

The most pleasing thing is the gross margin so we’ve reported a gross margin of 47% for the period which compares favourably with the 41%for the same period last year. That’s definitely a record for the company and the transformation we’ve been making in terms of changing the business mix and the quality of those earnings is really starting to come through, probably quicker than we expected.

So, whilst revenues are flat, costs have been maintained, margin improving so a good story.

In terms of underlying profits, we reported an earnings before tax and amortisation of 0.5 so half a million, that compares favourably with an EBITDA of £100,000 for the same period so on the same revenue, a much better performance. On an EBITDA basis, we’ve delivered EBITDA of 0.8 for the period, the run rate for the year, the target of the year is 1.9 so we’re well on track and that’s almost double what we did last year.

The final point I would like to make is around cash net debt so we saw the net debt improve significantly year on year, we’ve ended the period with about £1.9 million net debt which again when compared to the same period last year, we were about £4.1 million net debt, a £2.2 million improvement.

So, as a whole, a good positive set of results, momentum is building and I’m pleased with the progress we’re making.

Q2: When we last spoke, we talked about Track Access Production and the acquisition of it, how is that progressing now?

A2: We completed the acquisition of Track Access Production in April, I’m pleased to say that the integration is complete. It’s great having the Track Access Production team and their capability as part of our offering which is going down well.

The business itself is delivering revenues in line with what we expected, in fact, they’re probably trading ahead of where we thought they’d be. The combined Pennant Track Access and Track Access Production businesses brought together have had a very good first half, especially turnover.

So, in the first half, the businesses probably outperformed where we thought they’d be, there’s been a number of good joint bids and activity levels are high. As a Pennant Rail offering, that part of the group is now on track to deliver a revenue for the year od about £900,000 and generating operating profit of almost £400,000 for the unit, which is ahead of, like I said, of where we thought we’d be.

So, so far so good, and we hope to continue to bring good news on the rail front.

Q3: We also noted the post-period end contract win that you had. Based on this news and other recent contract wins, how do you see the outlook for Pennant International for FY23?

A3: As I said at the start, I think momentum is with us and we’re on track for the year as a whole. We’ve had a particularly strong end to Q2 so the business has secured £5.52 million worth of contracts in the second quarter which means year to date, we’ve got about £6.5 million of business so that’s a good solid performance.

The order book stood at £27 million at the year end, it now stands at £25 million, it’s slightly down but straight after the year end, as always happens, we won another two contracts, one for services in Australia for AU$1.2 million and another software licence. So, year to date, we won about £7.5 million so the order book is nearer £26 million so pretty much level.

I think the key point to note with the order book is that of that £25/26 million we’ve got contracted, about £8.1 million is scheduled for delivery in the second half of this year. If you add that on top of the revenue generated in the first half, it means that we’re on track for a revenue of about £15.2 million without any contract wins.

So, we’re pretty much 95% plus secured in terms of contracted revenue and the corollary of that is we’re pretty much 95% secured in terms of performance so the year is shaping up well, the outlook for the year is positive and the momentum continues to build in the business.

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Analyst Notes & Comments

Pennant International

Pennant International Positive Results and Building Momentum

Pennant International Plc (LON:PEN), a leading provider of software, integrated product support, and complex training systems, continues to make strides towards its ambitious transformation. In a report released by Zeus Capital, analysts Nick Spoliar and Charlie Cullen highlight how the company is turning a corner with promising results for the first half of 2024, setting the stage for continued progress into the future.

The company’s half-year results showcase an encouraging picture. Revenues reached £7.4 million, a 4% year-on-year increase, with a significant boost coming from the final instalments of a major Boeing contract. Software-related revenue now accounts for nearly half of all sales, a significant shift for Pennant, which historically focused on engineering contracts. Gross margins also saw an increase to 47.6%, up by 50 basis points from the prior period, indicating improved profitability as the company enhances its business model.

According to Nick Spoliar, Pennant’s ability to shift its focus towards higher-margin, recurring software revenues is a key driver for future growth. He explained, “The continued shift towards software is not only exciting but positions Pennant for sustainable long-term profits. As software revenues rise, we expect this to underpin stronger margins and more predictable income streams.”

One of the most promising aspects of Pennant’s strategy is the focus on recurring revenues through subscription models. With software expected to represent up to three-quarters of future sales, this move will significantly improve the predictability of earnings. Additionally, cost-saving initiatives are already yielding results, with an expected £1.2 million in annualised savings from restructuring, which will support the company’s ongoing transformation.

The company’s efforts to strengthen its balance sheet have also been highlighted. A notable example is the sale of a freehold property in Cheltenham, which is expected to release meaningful value and further support the business’s long-term goals.

While the UK government’s spending slowdown is acknowledged, Charlie Cullen remains optimistic, noting that the slowdown is unlikely to impact Pennant’s major software launches slated for late 2024 and early 2025. “The upcoming software launches should accelerate Pennant’s progress, and the company is already well-positioned to capitalise on these opportunities,” Cullen said.

On a cautious note, Zeus Capital has slightly adjusted its revenue forecast for the full year 2024 to £14.4 million (from £14.8 million) due to the changing landscape, but the analysts remain confident in the company’s strategic direction. The transition towards a software-driven model, alongside efforts to streamline operations, points to an exciting future for Pennant International.

Final Thoughts

With positive momentum building, Pennant International is taking the necessary steps to reposition itself for long-term success. The shift towards software and recurring revenues, coupled with strong cost-saving measures, will likely enhance both profitability and stability. As Nick Spoliar noted, Pennant is now “undertaking the hard yards” of its transformation, and the results are already beginning to show. Investors can look forward to further positive developments as the company continues its journey towards a more sustainable, profitable future.

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Pennant International Group

Pennant International Gross, EBITDA, and EBITA margins progressed strongly in H1

Pennant International Group (LON:PEN) is the topic of conversation when we caught up with Nick Spoliar, Analyst at WH Ireland.

Q: Can you tell us about Pennant International’s strategy and how it has evolved?

A: The company’s strategy has been evolving to keep pace with the demand for higher value-added business streams. Pennant supplies software and integrated product support solutions to a wide range of clients, including OEMs and governments. Software licenses and related streams are increasingly key to the mix, while in general the products are also becoming more software-orientated. Related to these shifts, the company is focused on generating increasing levels of recurring revenues which are able to provide a robust revenue base.

Q: What can you tell us about the company’s financial performance?

A: Gross, EBITDA, and EBITA margins progressed strongly in the first half, an encouraging outcome. Net debt is less than half the levels of the prior period, and we continue to forecast net cash by the year end, bearing in mind the cash-generative qualities of the business as programmes unwind.

Q: How does the company’s order book look?

A: The company’s order book looks well-underpinned, with £15m-plus revenue cover for the current year (£15.5m FY23E forecast), based on H1 revenues plus the order book for the second half. The recent acquisition of the rail services business, Track Access Productions (TAP), lends further support / momentum.

Q: Can you tell us about the company’s contract with Boeing Defence UK (BDUK)?

A: This is a major contract (Apache helicopter training device upgrade) which is helping to drive CY performance and includes a significant underlying software component. Valued at £8.8m, the contract was announced in March 2022 and we note from the update that good progress is being made – good news.

Q: How do you see the forecast for the future?

A: H2-23E will benefit from progress with Boeing as well as a range of other contracts / projects plus the TAP acquisition. With gross margin upside, revenue forecasts are pared without impinging on profit forecasts, which are maintained, as is our 65p fair value threshold assessment. We continue to anticipate a net cash outcome to the year, while allowing for the costs of TAP. We see progressive forecasts and generally smaller but more profitable contracts in the wings (including software bids in the pipeline and the upcoming full launch of a new software suite. In more general terms, it is important to note the surge in global defence spending; as well as Pennant’s ability to supply the commercial sector in parallel (eg Rail).

Pennant International Group plc (LON:PEN) is a leading global provider of technology-based maintainer training and integrated product support solutions.

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