Rockwood Strategic Plc
(“RKW or the “Company”)
Interim results for the six months to 30 September 2024
Rockwood Strategic Plc (LSE: RKW) is pleased to announce its unaudited results for the six months ended 30 September 2024 (the “Period”).
Highlights for the period:
- Net Asset Value (NAV) Total Return in the period of 22.9% to 252.55p/share which compares to a decline in the FTSE AIM All Share Index of -0.4% and an increase in the FTSE Small Cap (ex-ITs) Index of 13.2%. Total Shareholder Return in the Period was 21.7%.
- NAV Total Return performance in the year to 30th September 2024 of 36.7% which compares to the FTSE AIM All Share Index of 2.0% and the FTSE Small Cap (ex-ITs) Index of 17.9%. The Total Shareholder Return in the same one year period was 44.0%.
- NAV Total Return performance in the three years to 30th September 2024 of 48.5% which compares to declines in the FTSE AIM All Share Index of -40.5% and the FTSE Small Cap (ex-ITs) Index of -5.8%. The Total Shareholder Return in the same three-year period was 68.0%.
- No. 1 UK Small Companies fund over the last 1, 3 and 5 years by Net Asset Value Total Return and Total Shareholder Return (‘TSR’) per the association of Investment Companies (UK domiciled) to the end of the period.
- New shares issued via our block listing programme at a small premium to Net Asset Value, growing the shareholder base by 10.4%, raising £8.0m in the period and £16.7m in the last 12 months.
- Net cash of £3.0m at the end of the Period (representing 3.4% of NAV).
- Four new investments were made across a range of industry sectors and two new modest equity investments provided. Post period end Pressure Technologies Plc completed the sale of its PMC division resulting in the payback of our ‘bridging’ loan to the company, delivering an IRR of 20% on the investment.
- Three holdings were exited: Young & Co’s Brewery Plc, the shares having been received as part of the takeover of The City Pub Group Plc, from which a total gain of £2.9m has been realised delivering a money multiple of 2.3x and a 59.4% IRR. Hostmore Plc went into administration resulting in a loss of £1.6m. We also exited a very small position in Dianomi plc, which we were unable to scale, delivering an IRR of 11.4%.
Noel Lamb, Chairman of Rockwood Strategic Plc, commented:
“Performance during the period materially exceeded our target returns and relevant market indices. I am delighted that we have continued to grow and gain further investor support for this differentiated strategy during a period where outflows from UK equities have generally continued. The Board is delighted that Rockwood Strategic has deservedly won the UK Smaller Companies Citywire Investment Trust Award 2024.“
Richard Staveley, Fund Manager, Harwood Capital, commented:
“There is much to distract the modern stock market investor and a ‘wall of worry’ appears to prevail. However, the UK has been one of the clear winners during the last 6 months; quietly, with limited fanfare, ‘the wall’ is being climbed. Stock-picking at Rockwood Strategic remains laser focused on the key drivers of our target returns: undervaluation, material self-help driven profit recovery potential and identifiable catalysts – accompanied by a good dose of patience and some constructive stakeholder engagement. It is paying off as we exceed our target returns and, currently, our relevant peers and indices.“
The full version of the RKW interim report will be available on its website: www.rockwoodstrategic.co.uk