REG - 3i Group PLC - Action Capital Markets Seminar & portfolio update

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RNS Number : 1608Y  3i Group PLC  26 March 2026

 
26 March 2026

 

3i Group plc

Action Capital Markets Seminar and portfolio update

 

3i Group plc ("3i", or "the Group") will be holding a capital markets seminar
this morning, involving a presentation from the management team of Action, our
largest portfolio company. A live webcast of the seminar will take place at
10:00 (UK time). To register for the webcast, please visit
https://www.3i.com/investor-relations (https://www.3i.com/investor-relations)
. An on-demand webcast of the seminar will also be available by the end of the
day.

 

In its 2025 financial year Action generated net sales of €16,000 million and
operating EBITDA of €2,367 million, 16% and 14% respectively higher than in
2024. Like-for-like ("LFL") sales growth was 4.9% and the business added 384
stores in the year. The operating EBITDA margin for the year was 14.8%. After
adding back the one-off payment of €26 million made to staff during the year
to celebrate Action's 3,000th store, the EBITDA margin was 15.0%.

 

In the period to the end of week 12, Action's net sales were €3.7 billion,
14.5% ahead of the same period in 2025. LFL sales growth in the first 12 weeks
of the year was 4.0%, driven mainly by transaction growth in all markets. Both
sales growth and LFL in the period to the end of week 12 showed a positive
trajectory compared to Q4 2025. The LFL sales growth ex-France to the end of
week 12 was 5.8% (Q4 2025: 4.6%), with France delivering 0.9% LFL sales growth
(Q4 2025: -2.7%). Performance ex-France YTD is above expectations, with France
slightly below. Store traffic in Northern Europe was impacted by snow and cold
weather at various points, particularly in P2. The business added 24 stores in
the year to the end of week 12, in line with expectations but below prior year
due to phasing which is more weighted to the second quarter of 2026. Cash and
cash equivalents as at 22 March 2026 were €900 million. Action is planning
to make another dividend payment to shareholders in the coming weeks.

 

The following guidance for Action's year to December 2026 will be set out
during the presentation.

 

 Like-for-like sales growth  4-5%
 Net store opening target    At least 400
 EBITDA margin               Maintained at 14.8%

 

During the presentation, Action's estimate of white space potential in
existing and identified in-scope countries in Europe will be updated to
c.4,650 stores in addition to the 3,302 existing stores at the end of 2025.
This represents an increase of c.200 from the European white space estimate
given last year. Action has also completed an in-depth market study of the
United States, which demonstrated clear potential for the Action format. The
company aims to open its first store in the South-East of the United States by
the end of 2027 or early 2028.

 

We recently completed our semi-annual portfolio company review meetings.
Overall, portfolio performance was encouraging. Our other long term hold asset
Royal Sanders, and the vast majority of our Private Equity portfolio
companies, continue to trade well. Our Infrastructure portfolio is also
delivering solid overall performance.

 

Across the portfolio, the repercussions of Middle East situation have the
potential to present further challenges, but history suggests that Action and
the broader 3i portfolio will continue to show resilience in the most likely
scenarios. We also continue to monitor the development of AI in our portfolio
but see little downside impact and continue to see opportunities to apply AI
across a number of portfolio companies.

 

Our full year results are due to be published in May.

 

 

- Ends -

 

For further information, contact:

 

 3i Group plc

 Silvia Santoro          Tel: +44 20 7975 3258

 Investor enquiries      Email: silvia.santoro@3i.com (mailto:silvia.santoro@3i.com)

 Kathryn van der Kroft   Tel: +44 20 7975 3021

 Media enquiries         Email: kathryn.vanderkroft@3i.com (mailto:kathryn.vanderkroft@3i.com)

 

Notes to editors:

 

About 3i Group

3i is a leading international investment manager focused on mid-market Private
Equity and Infrastructure. Our core investment markets are northern Europe and
North America.

 

For further information, please visit: www.3i.com (http://www.3i.com) .

 

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