Centum maintains dividend payout following Sh813 million net profit

A file photo of Centum Chief Executive Officer Dr James Mworia. [File, Standard]

Centum Investment Company Plc has maintained its dividend payout after reporting a consolidated net profit of Sh813 million for the financial year ended 31 March 2025.

The Group's total comprehensive income rose by 28 per cent to Sh3.2 billion, up from Sh2.5 billion in the prior year, reflecting continued resilience and progress in implementing the Centum 5.0 strategy.

Centum is a leading investment holding company focused on identifying high-potential opportunities, scaling them through value addition, and monetising at the appropriate time to deliver shareholder returns.

"We have made commendable progress in the first year of our Centum 5.0 strategy, particularly through value creation initiatives at TRIFIC SEZ, Centum Real Estate, and across our broader portfolio. We expect these efforts to translate into sustained revenue growth and performance improvements across our platforms in FY 2026," said Dr James Mworia, Centum Group CEO.

The Board of Directors has proposed a final dividend of Sh0.32 per share (FY 2024: KES 0.32), amounting to Sh210 million, subject to shareholder approval at the upcoming Annual General Meeting.

The consolidated net profit of Sh813 million represents a 69 per cent decrease compared to the prior year, largely due to lower fair value gains from Centum Real Estate and SEZ investment properties and an increase in the deferred tax charge.

Notably, FY 2024 valuations included a one-off transaction that elevated prior-year earnings. However, the current year reflected improved cash profitability across most portfolio segments.

At the Company level, Centum reported a profit after tax of Sh547 million. Profit before tax rose 86 per cent to Sh517 million (FY 2024: Sh278 million), driven by a 17 per cent increase in investment income to Sh1.3 billion (FY 2024: Sh1.1 billion).

Debt reduction remained a key priority. The Company repaid Sh1.2 billion in debt during the year, cutting finance costs by 32 per cent.

Total debt stood at Sh690 million as at 31 March 2025, down from Sh1.9 billion the previous year. Net debt to equity declined to 1.5 per cent.

The Company's total return for the year stood at Sh4.4 billion, representing a 10.7 per cent return on equity (FY 2024: Sh5.5 billion or 15.3 per cent).

Free cash flows generated during the year amounted to Sh3.1 billion (FY 2024: Sh6.6 billion), with the prior year benefiting from the sale of a 43 per cent stake in Sidian Bank.

Cash generated in FY 2025 was primarily deployed toward follow-on investments and debt repayment.

"We are beginning to see the impact of our disciplined execution, with steady improvements in cash performance across the portfolio," added Dr Mworia. "This is a testament to the strength of our investment model and the transformative potential of our strategy."