St. Ives PLC Disposal of St Ives Management Services Limited (3218S)

TIDMSIV

RNS Number : 3218S

St. Ives PLC

25 June 2018

25 June 2018

This announcement contains inside information.

St Ives plc

("St Ives" or the "Group")

Disposal of St Ives Management Services Limited ("SIMS")

St Ives, the international marketing services group, today announces that it has completed the disposal of SIMS, its legacy print management business, to Paragon Customer Communications Limited (the "Disposal").

The total consideration for the Disposal, after costs, was GBP9.5 million which was based on an enterprise value of GBP11.0 million (subject to cash, debt and working capital adjustments), and was paid in full in cash on completion.

The net proceeds of the Disposal will be used to further reduce the Group's debt.

SIMS provides print management, procurement and delivery services to UK based customers. For the year ended 28 July 2017, SIMS had gross assets of GBP16.1 million and reported GBP49.5 million of revenue and a profit before tax of GBP5.1 million.

The Disposal strengthens St Ives' balance sheet, resulting in a Group now entirely focused on its Strategic Marketing businesses, consistent with management's long-term growth strategy.

Matt Armitage, Chief Executive of St Ives, said:

"The disposal of SIMS, our last remaining Marketing Activation business, marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for St Ives.

The Group has now transformed from one entirely focussed on print to one exclusively focussed on higher growth, higher margin Strategic Marketing businesses, with a market leading digital proposition at its core. We look forward to the future with confidence.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank our colleagues from SIMS for all their hard work and dedication over the years, and we wish them every success in the future."

- Ends -

For further information please contact:

   St Ives plc                                                      020 7928 8844 

Matt Armitage, Chief Executive

Brad Gray, Chief Financial Officer

   MHP Communications                                 020 3128 8788 

Tim Rowntree / Giles Robinson / Luke Briggs

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact [e-mail] or visit www.rns.com.

END

DISEANKLALEPEFF

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

June 25, 2018 02:00 ET (06:00 GMT)