Management has issued Centum profit warning for the financial year ending 31st March 2025, saying net profit will be at least 25% lower than the Ksh 2.6 billion profit posted in the 2024 financial year. “This anticipated decline is primarily attributable to lower fair value gains on investment property recorded in FY (financial year) 2025 relative to the previous year,” Centum Investment Company said in a statement filed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
While the pricing of actual sales transactions within its subsidiaries has remained consistent with the prior year, Centum Investment Company said it has not booked as significant an uplift in revaluation gains as was reported in the financial year 2024.
“It is important to emphasize that these revaluation movements are non-cash in nature and arise from the application of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), which require annual revaluation of investment property,” it said in the statement by Company Secretary, Mr Fred Murimi.
It said such revaluation adjustments can have a material impact on reported profitability without affecting the underlying cash flows or operational performance of the business. “…the Board of Directors of Centum Investment Company Plc (the “Company”) wishes to inform its shareholders, potential investors, and the general public that, based on the preliminary assessment of its projected financial results for the year ended 31 March 2025 (“FY2025”), the consolidated profit after tax is expected to be at least 25% lower than that reported in the prior year ended 31 March 2024 (“FY2024”).”
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In the six months to 30th September 2024, Centum posted a Ksh 347 million after-tax loss, from a Ksh 426 million loss a year earlier. The company remained profitable, earning Ksh 431 million. This was lower than Ksh 1.4 billion in half-year 2024, mostly due to reduced investment income. Group cash from operations was Ksh 842 million. The company reported KSh 2.2 billion, boosted by annuity income, exits, and loan repayments. A portion supported Centum’s share buyback programme.
Mr Murimi said the company continues to execute its Centum 5.0 strategy, focused on value optimisation across the investment portfolio. These initiatives are aimed at delivering sustained, incremental growth in portfolio company performance, which over time is expected to enhance consolidated earnings and shareholder value.
Centum’s profit history shows cycles of strong performance and sharp declines. Between FY2011 and FY2016, profits rose steadily, peaking at Ksh 9.9 billion. Since then, results have been oscillating, with three straight losses from FY 2021 to FY 2023. In FY 2024, it returned to profit, helped by over Ksh 7 billion in revaluation gains.
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