Centum half-year profit jumps to Sh472m, as debt falls by 12pc

Investment firm Centum has posted a 6.1 per cent rise in half-year after-tax profit, on the back of improved performance in its trading and real estate units and a significant reduction in finance costs.

The Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed company said its profit for the six months ended September 30, 2025, rose to Sh472 million, up from Sh444 million in the same period last year. The Group attributed the improved results to better performance in the trading and real estate businesses and the recognition of a higher tax credit.

It said the period was marked by strong free cash flow generation of Sh703 million, which the company used to pay down debt. Centum’s borrowings consequently fell 12 per cent to Sh605 million in September from Sh690 million in March, helping to slash its finance costs by 66 per cent.

"The first half of the 2026 financial year marks good progress made across the key strategic focus areas in line with our Centum 5.0 strategy," Group Chief Executive James Mworia said in a statement.

The company said it has since reduced its debt further, with total outstanding borrowings standing at Sh440 million after the period ended. This strengthened the company's balance sheet, with its Net Asset Value per share increasing 3 per cent to Sh68.75 from Sh66.93 at the end of March.

Total Company assets decreased marginally by 1 per cent to Sh49.9 billion from Sh50.6 billion, a move attributed to the repayment of shareholder loans. Over the same period, total liabilities declined by a significant 20 per cent, reflecting the repayment of debt and other liabilities, said Centum.

As a Nairobi Securities Exchange-listed investment holding company, Centum says its business model is identifying “compelling investment opportunities, adding value to scale them up and exiting at an appropriate time and price.”

Looking ahead, Mworia said the focus for the second half of the fiscal year would remain on driving cash generation and operating profitability within portfolio companies.

He added that the firm would focus on “monetizing selected investments to recycle capital into high-yielding, liquid assets, disciplined cost management and paying down debt.”

The company also highlighted the progress of its ongoing share buyback programme initiated in October 2024. By June 2025, it had repurchased 150,800 shares at Sh9.51 each, representing 0.23 per cent of the buyback target.

Mworia noted the share price has consistently traded above this buyback threshold since the programme began on December 19, 2024, reflecting the initiative's success.

"We are confident that the Centum 5.0 strategy will continue to deliver improved returns, underpinned by a strong emphasis on value optimization and free cash flow generation," said Mworia. "Centum remains committed to its mission of delivering tangible wealth by building extraordinary enterprises in Africa."