Shares of Manchester-based household and professional cleaning products firm McBride plc rose around 20% on Thursday after it published an AGM trading update and announced a £20 million share buyback programme.
“The group is pleased to confirm that it continues to deliver solid financial and operational performance and currently anticipates that adjusted operating profit for the full year to June 2026 will be in line with analysts’ expectations,” said McBride.
“This will result in a third consecutive year of stable profitability at these levels. The overall market for Private Label Household for the top 5 markets has remained at recent highs, with the most recent quarterly data showing market share at these levels for the 7th consecutive quarter.
“Wave 1 of the SAP S\4 Hana ERP implementation successfully went live at the Middleton production site and Manchester head office on 3 November 2025. The programme focus now moves to Europe, with the next wave of implementations expected later in 2026.
“The group has recently exercised the option to extend by one-year to November 2029 its €175 million multi-currency, sustainability-linked, revolving credit facility agreement. This facility ensures that the group continues to have significant levels of liquidity headroom.”
McBride said current analysts’ expectations refer to a group compiled consensus for adjusted operating profit for FY26 of £64.3 million.
On the share buyback, McBride said: “The board continues to have confidence in the group’s strategy, leading market position, and financial prospects, and will continue to assess future investment opportunities in that light.
“However, the board believes the current market capitalisation fundamentally undervalues the group to a significant degree and therefore views the company’s current share price as presenting a compelling opportunity to create substantial shareholder value through capital returns.
“The board will therefore commence a £20m share buyback programme shortly, utilising the maximum allowance of approximately 10% of outstanding ordinary shares, using the relevant 2025 AGM resolution being passed as expected later today.
“The board intends to pursue buybacks as one of the key priority uses of available capital until the company’s market capitalisation more appropriately reflects the fundamental value of the business.
“Recognising that the scale of undervaluation warrants a more material response – and as long as the current significant undervaluation persists – the board will therefore seek shareholder approval to materially expand, up to 25%, the buyback authorisation from the standard 10% of shares outstanding once the current authority is close to being exhausted.
“In addition, the company has loaned the Employee Benefit Trust £7.5 million in October and November 2025 in aggregate to purchase shares to meet certain future employee share award obligations, thereby offsetting potential future dilution.
“The proposed dividend of 3 pence per ordinary share, to be approved later today, provides an additional £5.2 million return to shareholders.”