REG - Kelso Group Holdings - Portfolio update

Kelso groupAnnouncement

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RNS Number : 1072H  Kelso Group Holdings PLC  05 June 2026

5 June 2026

 

Kelso Group Holdings Plc

("Kelso" or the "Company")

Portfolio Update

 

Kelso, the main market listed investment vehicle, is pleased to provide
shareholders with the following portfolio update.

 

Portfolio performance

 

Kelso's portfolio has continued to strengthen during May 2026, and as close of
business on 29 May 2026 its gross investments stood at approximately £19.4
million, with net assets approximately £14.0 million, equivalent to 3.0 pence
per share. This represents an increase of approximately 35% since the start of
2026. Kelso expects first half pre-tax profit including realised and
unrealised gains and after operating costs to be in the region of £3.0
million. Approximately one third of this profit is from net gains on
realisations in the first five months of the year. The following table sets
out the latest portfolio, as at 29 May 2026:

 

TheWorks.co.uk plc ("The Works")

 

Kelso is pleased with the trading statement and guidance upgrade from The
Works on 21 May 2026, being the third upgrade to market guidance provided in
the last 12 months. Kelso recently increased its holding in The Works to 8% of
the issued share capital, with a holding of approximately 5.2 million ordinary
shares.

 

NCC Group plc ("NCC")

 

Further to Kelso's update on its investment in NCC on 22 January 2026, Kelso
notes that NCC has now completed the sale of its Escode business to TDR
Capital LLP for a total enterprise value of £275.0 million, generating
estimated net proceeds of approximately £253 million, and has confirmed its
intention to return £185 million to shareholders. The method for returning
proceeds to shareholders remains subject to the Board decision and will be
announced in due course following the Cyber review. Kelso continues to hold
2.1 million ordinary shares in NCC at an average price of 133.7 pence per
share, representing approximately 15% of Kelso's gross investments. Kelso
remains encouraged by the Board's focus on disciplined capital allocation and
continues to believe the remaining Cyber Security business is materially
undervalued. Kelso looks forward to NCC's unaudited results for the six months
ended 31 March 2026, due to be announced on 11 June 2026.

 

CVS Group plc ("CVS")

 

In addition, Kelso are also pleased with the recent CVS announcement released
on 26 May 2026 in relation to their recent acquisitions, successful refinance
of its £350m debt facilitates and the launch of a £50 million share buyback
program. Kelso has recently increased its holding in CVS from the original
position, as announced on 17 February 2026, of 130,000 ordinary shares to
approximately 230,000 ordinary shares at an average price of 1,319 pence per
share.

 

New investment in Capita plc ("Capita")

 

Over the past few weeks, Kelso has acquired ordinary shares in Capita, a
UK-based business process outsourcing and professional services company, with
a current market capitalisation of approximately £450 million.

 

Kelso currently holds 400,000 ordinary shares in Capita at an average price of
312 pence per share, with shares currently trading at approximately 368 pence
per share. Following the share acquisitions over the last few weeks, Capita
now accounts for approximately 8% of our gross investments. Kelso believes
that Capita's turnaround strategy is gaining momentum, with Capita now seeing
the benefits from simplifying operations, reducing its debt position, and
divesting non-core assets. Kelso believes there remains further opportunities
for potential disposals which could be value enhancing for shareholders.

 

Filtronic plc ("Filtronic")

 

Kelso has sold its entire Filtronic holding of 500,000 ordinary shares at an
average price of 406 pence per share, compared to the average purchase price
of 185 pence per share as announced on 27 April 2026, representing a realised
gain of approximately 119 per cent.

 

 

 Investment          Portfolio Weight  Share price increase since 31 Dec 2025 (or cost price if FY26 addition)
 TheWorks.co.uk plc  17%               +82%
 NCC Group plc       16%               +4%
 CVS Group plc       15%               (5)%
 Saga plc            13%               +48%
 Capita plc          8%                +27%
 Selkirk Group plc   8%                +5%
 THG plc             7%                (27)%
 Angling Direct plc  6%                (7)%
 Other investment 1  5%                +3%
 Other investment 2  2%                (2)%
 Other investment 3  1%                +39%

 

Approximately 50 per cent of Kelso's gross investments by value are currently
held in constituents of the FTSE 250 and the Board estimates that
approximately 65% of the portfolio could be liquidated within five trading
days.

 

Total Voting Rights

 

Following the recent Placing and Subscription in May 2026, the total number of
ordinary shares and voting rights in the Company is 464,069,995.

 

About Kelso

Kelso Group Holdings Plc ("Kelso") is a main market investment vehicle, backed
by over 75 investors known to the Board alongside a small number of
institutions. The Board own approximately 17 per cent of Kelso and between
them have more than 150 years of experience in UK listed companies, across
fund management, private equity, corporate finance, law and M&A advisory.
Kelso's strategy is to hold a concentrated portfolio of around ten UK
companies, each of which it considers to be among the most attractive
opportunities in the UK small and mid-cap market. Kelso invests only in
established, profitable businesses, predominantly market leaders with strong
balance sheets. Kelso does not invest in early stage, speculative or highly
cyclical businesses and does not seek resources sector exposure.

Kelso's aim is to generate market leading compounded annual returns for
shareholders. The Board is closely aligned with shareholders through its
substantial equity ownership. Kelso was established in January 2023 and has
raised equity at 2p, 2.5p and subsequently at 3p on three occasions.

For further information please contact:

 Kelso Group Holdings plc                   +44 (0) 75 4033 3933
 John Goold, Chief Executive Officer

 Jamie Brooke, Chief Investment Officer

 Ian Selby, Chief Financial Officer
 Zeus (Financial Adviser and Joint Broker)  +44 (0) 20 3829 5000
 Louisa Waddell, John Moran (Investment Banking)

Dominic King (Corporate Broking)
 Cavendish (Joint Broker)
 Stephen Keys, Isaac Hooper                 +44 (0) 20 7220 0500
 Camarco (Financial PR)
 Billy Clegg, Tom Huddart                   +44 (0) 20 3757 4980

 

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