PHOTO: Belvoir Group to merge with Bournemouth’s Property Franchise Group
Belvoir Group is poised to join forces with its competitor, The Property Franchise Group, resulting in a unified enterprise boasting a market capitalization exceeding £214 million.
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Pending approval from shareholders, this merger will establish one of the United Kingdom’s most prominent multi-brand letting and estate agency groups, encompassing over 930 property franchise locations and approximately 152,000 tenanted properties nationwide.
In an announcement to shareholders on Wednesday, Belvoir disclosed that the amalgamated entity is projected to transact over 28,000 properties annually, a substantial increase compared to the 10,970 properties sold in 2022 and the 4,177 exchanged in the first half of 2023.
Merger: The combined business will have a market capitalisation of more than £214m ( $439.7m NZD)
The merger will see shareholders of Belvoir receiving 0.806377 new shares of The Property Franchise Group for each of their shares, valuing the shares at 277.4p each—a premium over the Tuesday closing price of 256.5p.
While Belvoir Group specializes in rental properties, particularly in the Midlands and the North, it has diversified into sales and mortgage advice. The company, founded in the 1990s and listed on AIM in 2012, operates numerous estate and letting agencies with a franchise model, boasting 240 franchisees overseeing 335 offices across the country.
Despite challenging market conditions, Belvoir Group’s financial services arm experienced a significant boost in revenues during the half-year results, driven by high demand for mortgage refinancing and product transfers.
The combined revenues of Belvoir and The Property Franchise Group in 2022 amounted to £60 million, with management service fees of approximately £27 million and adjusted earnings before deductions of approximately £22.5 million.
The leadership of the merged group is expected to be helmed by The Property Franchise Group’s CEO Gareth Samples, with David Raggett as the finance head and Paul Latham as the chair. Belvoir’s non-executive director Michelle Brook will also play a role.
Upon completion of the merger, Belvoir shareholders will hold around 48.25% of the combined group, while The Property Franchise Group shareholders will have approximately 51.75%.
The anticipated completion of the deal is set for the first quarter of 2024. Belvoir Group shares saw a 1.8% increase to 261.15p, while The Property Franchise Group shares experienced a 1.3% decline to 339.44p around midday on Wednesday.
Latham expressed optimism about the merger, emphasizing its potential to provide value to all shareholders by leveraging Belvoir’s nationwide network and financial services business in tandem with The Property Franchise Group’s existing offerings.
Jon Di-Stefano, the non-executive chairman of Belvoir, added that the merger would combine two businesses with commonalities, supporting entrepreneurial franchises and creating a robust platform for growth in the multi-brand lettings, estate agency, and financial services sectors.
SOURCE: THE DAILY MAIL