| £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | |
| Growth Metrics | 31-Mar-25 | 31-Mar-24 | 31-Mar-23 | 31-Mar-22 | 31-Mar-21 |
| Annualisation Factor | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | n/a |
| Dividend Yield | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| Continuing Operations | |||||
| PE Ratio - Adjusted | 27.4 | 28.7 | 29.2 | 38.3 | 40.5 |
| PE Ratio - Diluted | 33.0 27.5 |
33.4 28.8 |
36.0 34.3 |
39.0 44.3 |
44.3 47.3 |
| PEG - Adjusted | 2.0 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 3.2 | 20.2 |
| PEG - Diluted | 3.3 2.0 |
2.2 1.1 |
n/a 2.3 |
1.9 3.4 |
4.4 n/a |
| Return on Capital Employed | 48.80% 57.71% |
43.17% 49.75% |
36.19% 37.57% |
46.85% 42.05% |
0.52% 0.50% |
| Operating Margin | 18.29% 21.63% |
18.09% 20.84% |
16.19% 16.82% |
20.51% 18.40% |
19.94% 18.97% |
| Continuing & Discontinued Operations | |||||
| PE Ratio - Adjusted | 27.4 | 28.7 | 29.2 | 38.3 | 4,008.7 |
| PE Ratio - Diluted | 33.0 27.5 |
33.4 28.8 |
36.0 34.3 |
39.0 44.3 |
4,387.0 4,689.0 |
| PEG - Adjusted | 2.0 | 3.6 | 1.7 | 0.0 | n/a |
| PEG - Diluted | 3.3 2.0 |
2.2 1.1 |
n/a 2.3 |
0.0 0.0 |
n/a n/a |
| £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | |
| Gearing | 31-Mar-25 | 31-Mar-24 | 31-Mar-23 | 31-Mar-22 | 31-Mar-21 |
| Net Gearing | 37.62% | 37.32% | 37.32% | 19.59% | 21.95% |
| £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | |
| Value Metrics | 31-Mar-25 | 31-Mar-24 | 31-Mar-23 | 31-Mar-22 | 31-Mar-21 |
| Price/Book Value | (224.0) | 1,464.7 | 1,381.3 | 56.2 | 130.3 |
| Price/Tangible Book Value | (224.0) | 1,489.1 | 1,404.3 | 56.3 | 131.4 |
| Price/ Cash Flow | 25.3 | 34.6 | 32.7 | 40.0 | 32.4 |
| Price/Revenue | 4.34 | 4.39 | 4.55 | 6.23 | 676.56 |
| Price/R&D | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Net Asset Value per Share (exc. Intangibles) | (11.52p) | 1.62p | 1.61p | 44.68p | 18.22p |
| Net Cash per Share | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | |
| Annualised Fundamentals | 31-Mar-25 | 31-Mar-24 | 31-Mar-23 | 31-Mar-22 | 31-Mar-21 |
| Continuing Operations | |||||
| Revenue | 2,248.10 | 2,034.10 | 1,852.80 | 1,525.30 | 13.31 |
| EBITDA | 477.70 552.80 |
427.00 483.10 |
409.90 421.70 |
401.40 369.30 |
3.57 3.44 |
| Depreciation | (66.50) (66.50) |
(59.10) (59.10) |
(110.00) (110.00) |
(88.60) (88.60) |
(0.91) (0.91) |
| Net Interest | (26.90) (26.90) |
(27.60) (27.60) |
(16.90) (16.90) |
(8.40) (8.40) |
(0.10) (0.10) |
| Profit Before Tax | 384.30 459.40 |
340.30 396.40 |
291.50 303.30 |
304.40 272.30 |
2.55 2.42 |
| Revenue per Share | 595.37p | 539.12p | 490.16p | 402.77p | 3.51p |
| Pre-Tax Profit per Share | 101.77p 121.66p |
90.19p 105.06p |
77.12p 80.24p |
80.38p 71.90p |
0.67p 0.64p |
| Market Capitalisation £ (Millions) | 9,798.65 | 8,990.00 | 8,462.29 | 9,529.10 | 9,012.78 |
| Enterprise Value (EV) £ (Millions) | 10,591.25 | 9,753.20 | 9,226.99 | 9,960.60 | 9,398.88 |
| EBITDA/EV | 4.51% 5.22% |
4.38% 4.95% |
4.44% 4.57% |
4.03% 3.71% |
0.04% 0.04% |
| Operating Margin | 18.29% 21.63% |
18.09% 20.84% |
16.19% 16.82% |
20.51% 18.40% |
19.94% 18.97% |
| Capital Employed £ (Millions) | 842.60 | 852.20 | 852.20 | 667.60 | 508.40 |
| Return on Capital Employed | 48.80% 57.71% |
43.17% 49.75% |
36.19% 37.57% |
46.85% 42.05% |
0.52% 0.50% |
| Invested Equity Capital £ (Millions) | 1,826.70 | 1,678.70 | 1,678.70 | 1,468.90 | 1,216.00 |
| Earnings per Share - Basic | 78.49p 94.23p |
71.23p 82.43p |
62.04p 65.16p |
64.54p 56.75p |
53.61p 50.26p |
| Earnings per Share - Diluted | 78.14p 93.83p |
70.96p 82.12p |
61.86p 64.97p |
64.42p 56.64p |
53.61p 50.16p |
| Earnings per Share - Adjusted | 94.23p | 82.40p | 76.34p | 65.48p | 58.67p |
| Earnings per Share Growth - Basic | 10% 14% |
15% 26% |
-4% 15% |
20% 13% |
10% -12% |
| Earnings per Share Growth - Diluted | 10% 14% |
15% 26% |
-4% 15% |
20% 13% |
10% -13% |
| Earnings per Share Growth - Adjusted | 14% | 8% | 17% | 12% | 2% |
| PE Ratio - Diluted | 33.0 27.5 |
33.4 28.8 |
36.0 34.3 |
39.0 44.3 |
44.3 47.3 |
| PEG - Diluted | 3.3 2.0 |
2.2 1.1 |
n/a 2.3 |
1.9 3.4 |
4.4 n/a |
| Tax Rate | 22.87% | 21.01% | 19.62% | 19.78% | 19.61% |
| Dividend Cover | 4.08 4.08 |
3.81 3.81 |
3.78 3.23 |
3.47 3.01 |
3.32 2.85 |
| Interest Cover | 12.54 14.80 |
12.08 13.91 |
16.59 17.22 |
34.82 31.26 |
23.99 22.83 |
| Continuing & Discontinued Operations | |||||
| Earnings per Share - Basic | 78.49p 94.23p |
71.23p 82.43p |
62.04p 65.16p |
64.54p 56.75p |
0.54p 0.51p |
| Earnings per Share - Diluted | 78.14p 93.83p |
70.96p 82.12p |
61.86p 64.97p |
64.42p 56.64p |
0.54p 0.51p |
| Earnings per Share - Adjusted | 94.23p | 82.40p | 76.34p | 65.48p | 0.59p |
| Earnings per Share Growth - Basic | 10% 14% |
15% 26% |
-4% 15% |
11,827% 11,085% |
-99% -99% |
| Earnings per Share Growth - Diluted | 10% 14% |
15% 26% |
-4% 15% |
11,804% 11,088% |
-99% -99% |
| Earnings per Share Growth - Adjusted | 14% | 8% | 17% | 10,957% | -99% |
| PE Ratio - Diluted | 33.0 27.5 |
33.4 28.8 |
36.0 34.3 |
39.0 44.3 |
4,387.0 4,689.0 |
| PEG - Diluted | 3.3 2.0 |
2.2 1.1 |
n/a 2.3 |
0.0 0.0 |
n/a n/a |
| Dividend Cover | 4.08 4.08 |
3.81 3.81 |
3.78 3.23 |
3.47 3.01 |
0.03 0.03 |
| Return on Equity (ROE) | 16.23% 19.48% |
16.01% 18.53% |
13.97% 14.67% |
16.64% 14.63% |
0.17% 0.16% |
| Operating Cash Flow per Share | 101.96p | 68.38p | 68.25p | 62.69p | 73.21p |
| Gross Cash Flow per Share | cn/a | cn/a | cn/a | cn/a | cn/a |
| Cash Incr/Decr per Share | (5.56p) | 2.68p | 2.67p | 5.49p | 0.080p |
| Capital Expenditure per Share | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Dividend per Share | 23.12p | 21.61p | 20.20p | 18.88p | 17.65p |
| Dividend per Share Growth | 6.99% | 6.98% | 6.99% | 6.97% | 6.97% |
| Dividend Yield | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.8% | 0.7% |
| Shareholders Funds | 1,736.50 | 1,598.80 | 1,598.80 | 1,402.70 | 1,167.00 |
| Net Borrowings £ (Millions) | 653.20 | 596.70 | 596.70 | 274.80 | 256.20 |
| Net Asset Value per Share (inc. Intangibles) | (11.52p) | 1.59p | 1.59p | 44.57p | 18.06p |
| £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | |
| Gearing - inc Intangibles | 31-Mar-25 | 31-Mar-24 | 31-Mar-23 | 31-Mar-22 | 31-Mar-21 |
| Shareholders' Funds inc Intangibles | 1,736.50 | 1,598.80 | 1,598.80 | 1,402.70 | 1,167.00 |
| Net Borrowings £ (Millions) | 653.20 | 596.70 | 596.70 | 274.80 | 256.20 |
| Net Gearing | 37.62% | 37.32% | 37.32% | 19.59% | 21.95% |
| Cash & Near Cash | 142.70 | 169.50 | 169.50 | 157.40 | 134.10 |
| Cash | 8.22% | 10.60% | 10.60% | 11.22% | 11.49% |
| Gross Borrowings | 795.90 | 766.20 | 766.20 | 432.20 | 390.30 |
| Gross Gearing | 45.83% | 47.92% | 47.92% | 30.81% | 33.44% |
| Borrowings Under 5 years | 795.90 | 766.20 | 766.20 | 432.20 | 390.30 |
| Under 5 years | 45.83% | 47.92% | 47.92% | 30.81% | 33.44% |
| Borrowings Under 1 year | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Under 1 year | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | |
| Gearing - exc Intangibles | 31-Mar-25 | 31-Mar-24 | 31-Mar-23 | 31-Mar-22 | 31-Mar-21 |
| Shareholders' Funds exc Intangibles | (43.50) | 6.00 | 6.00 | 168.80 | 68.50 |
| Net Borrowings £ (Millions) | 653.20 | 596.70 | 596.70 | 274.80 | 256.20 |
| Net Gearing | n/a | 9,945.00% | 9,945.00% | 162.80% | 374.01% |
| Cash & Near Cash | 142.70 | 169.50 | 169.50 | 157.40 | 134.10 |
| Cash | (328.05%) | 2,825.00% | 2,825.00% | 93.25% | 195.77% |
| Gross Borrowings | 795.90 | 766.20 | 766.20 | 432.20 | 390.30 |
| Gross Gearing | 1,829.66% | 12,770.00% | 12,770.00% | 256.04% | 569.78% |
| Borrowings Under 5 years | 795.90 | 766.20 | 766.20 | 432.20 | 390.30 |
| Under 5 years | (1,829.66%) | 12,770.00% | 12,770.00% | 256.04% | 569.78% |
| Borrowings Under 1 year | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| Under 1 year | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | £ (Millions) | |
| Cover | 31-Mar-25 | 31-Mar-24 | 31-Mar-23 | 31-Mar-22 | 31-Mar-21 |
| Quick Ratio | 1.63 | 1.71 | 1.71 | 1.33 | 1.64 |
| Current Ratio | 2.45 | 2.62 | 2.62 | 1.96 | 2.31 |
* GAAP
a. Includes discontinued activities
b. Based on operating cash flow before tax
c. Not disclosed under IFRS
d. Includes non-current assets
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