The information contained within
this announcement is deemed to constitute inside information as
stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulation (EU) No. 596/2014 as
amended by The Market Abuse (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.
The person responsible for making this announcement on behalf of
the Company is Rory Mepham.
24 April 2024
Sancus Lending Group
Limited
(the "Group" or the
"Company")
Trading Update and Capital Strengthening
The Board of the Company today
provides an update on the Group's unaudited results for the year
ended 31 December 2023 and announces a strengthening of the Group's
capital position.
At the year-end the Group had
pro-forma loans under management of £208m, an increase of 23% (31
December 2022: £169m). The increase reflects growth in our
Irish loan book, which grew strongly from £21m to £32m as at 31
December 2023 and also the pro-forma impact of the joint venture we
announced with Hawk Lending Limited in Jersey on 5 December 2023.
As at 31 December 2023 the pro-forma Jersey loan book was £114m (31
December 2022: £70.5m). The UK loan book was broadly flat at £63m
(31 December 2022: £65.9m).
During the year the Group increased
its turnover by 24% to c. £12.4m (31 December 2022:
£10.0m). This growth reflects progress in our UK
and Irish businesses in particular. Overall, the Company now
currently estimates that it will report an operating loss of
between £9.5m to £10.0m for the year ended 31 December 2023 (31
December 2022: £(4.7)m). This primarily reflects the estimated
impact of anticipated IFRS9 write-downs on legacy loans written
prior to the current senior management team joining the business.
The Board remains committed to returning the Group to profitability
and is confident in the strategic actions it is taking to achieve
this.
One of these strategic actions
includes ensuring that the Group maintains sufficient financial
strength and liquidity in order that it can execute its strategy.
Sancus Loans Limited ("Sancus Loans") is a wholly-owned subsidiary
of the Group that, as at 31 December 2023, funded £77.75m of its
loans and which is primarily financed by a financing facility
provided by funds managed by Pollen Street Capital. The Group is
pleased to announce that Somerston Fintech Limited ("Somerston
Fintech"), a subsidiary of Somerston Group, the majority
shareholder of the Company, has subscribed for £5,000,000 of
preference shares (the "Preference Shares") in Sancus Loans (the
"Subscription"). The Preference Shares will be issued with a
non-cash, cumulative coupon rate of 15% and a maturity date of 23
November 2026. The proceeds of the Subscription will be used to
strengthen the liquidity of Sancus Loans. The Group also expects
that approximately £4m of these proceeds will be available for
transfer from Sancus Loans to other Group subsidiaries in order to
provide the Group with additional corporate flexibility and working
capital.
Related party transaction
Somerston Fintech is a related party
to the Company in accordance with the AIM Rules, by virtue of
Somerston Fintech's shareholding in the Company. Accordingly, the
issue of the Preference Shares to Somerston Fintech constitutes a
related party transaction for the purposes of AIM Rule 13 of the
AIM Rules for Companies. The independent directors (being the
Company's directors with the exception of Tracy Clarke) consider,
having consulted with the Company's nominated adviser, Liberum
Capital, that the terms of the transaction are fair and reasonable
insofar as its independent shareholders are concerned.
Notice of Annual Results
The Group will release its audited
results for the year ended 31 December 2023 in June
2024.
For further information, please
contact:
Sancus Lending Group Limited
Rory Mepham
Keith Lawrence
+44 (0)1481 708 280
Liberum Capital (Nominated Adviser and Corporate
Broker)
Chris Clarke
William King
+44 (0) 20 3100 2000
Instinctif Partners (PR Adviser)
Tim Linacre
Vivian Lai
+44 (0)207 457 2020
Apex Group Ltd
Matt Falla
Nicola Momberg
+44 (0)1481 755530