An interim dividend of 0.90p per share (H1 FY25: 0.90p) in respect of FY26 will be paid on 16 January 2026. The ex-dividend date will be 11 December 2025 and the associated record date 12 December 2025.
Other financial highlights include:
Record H1 revenues, bolstered by the acquisition of the Burrows group in October 2024.
Vertu Motors Plc Group grew total market share in all new vehicle channels (retail, fleet and commercial vehicles) to 4.5% (H1 FY25: 4.4%).
Vertu Motors Plc Group like-for-like retail sales volumes of Battery Electric Vehicles ("BEV") grew 82.4% compared to UK BEV retail sales growth of 55.2%, representing major market share gains in the growing BEV segment - affordability of BEV vehicles has improved markedly.
The UK new car market remains subdued against a very low base, facing continued pressure from the UK Government's Zero Emission Vehicle ("ZEV") mandate and general consumer environment. Pre-registration activity appears elevated.
Growth has been delivered in the Vertu Motors Plc Group's high margin aftersales business due to improved pricing and benefits of initiatives to drive retention and returns. Like-for-like gross profit up £4.0m.
Like-for-like increase of £0.6m in used car gross profit generation.
Reduction in like-for-like gross profits of £4.4m and £1.2m respectively in the new retail (including Motability) and fleet and commercial channels on lower volumes. The Motability market showed anticipated weakness.
The Vertu Motors Plc Group continued its strong focus on cost control with like-for-like operating expenses up just 0.3% on last year in the Period despite significant inflationary pressures.
Adjusted profit before tax for the Period of £20.0m (H1 2025: £22.1m) was delivered. As expected, this was below the prior year, reflecting the relative strength of comparative profits in H1 FY25.
The Vertu Motors Plc Group continues to develop its portfolio of sales outlets with the announcement of the opening of three new BYD sales outlets by 1 November, bringing the total number of BYD outlets operated by the Group to five.
Sale of three surplus properties for £3.3m cash proceeds, 10.7% above book value.
Tangible net assets per share of 76.1p (28 February 2025: 72.9p)
9.4m shares repurchased at a cost of £5.6m in the Period: buyback continues with £7.0m of the current £12.0m authority expended to 30 September 2025. Since share buyback programmes began in July 2017, over £42m has been returned to shareholders through the repurchase of shares, reducing the Vertu Motors Plc Group's shares in issue by over 19%.
