I would now like to hand the conference over to David Macgeorge, Managing Director. Please go ahead.
Thank you, and good morning to everyone, and welcome to our FY25 half-year results call. But before I begin, I really want to acknowledge our people. There'll be many of our people on this call today, and they've done an outstanding job in the first six months in really living and breathing what we stand for as a business: live for the challenge, Smarter Together, never give up, and have each other's backs. And this result's a testament to their leadership and all their work, and I can't thank them enough. I'm incredibly proud to be working with them, so thank you. Might just move now to slide two. I always like to start with a little bit about us, particularly for those that are newer to the story. Who are we?
We're a diversified infrastructure services business, and the key there is the diversity of our business and what we do. And what we do is we bring an engineering mindset to deliver critical services for major industry. And when I talk about an engineering mindset, what I'm talking about is being smart, technical, innovative, and specialist for what is delivering critical services to our clients. It's not about doing the laundry, the catering, the landscaping. It's about delivering critical services for our clients, which makes us critical for them. And we do it across the entire asset life cycle of engineer, construct, and sustain. And what we want to be, our vision, is the most sought after in what we do. Some might say number one, market leader. For us, someone our clients want to have a challenge, a problem, an opportunity.
The first people I want them to think of when they pick up the phone is SRG Global and us making the complex simple for them. We move to slide three. We have two operating segments: Maintenance and Industrial Services, and Engineering and Construction. This really aligns the profile of the business that we are today, which is a good segue into slide four, which provides our profile. Now, nearly 4,500 people across more than 20 industries, revenues of circa AUD 1.3 billion, and a market cap of roughly AUD 900 million. An 80% annuity recurring earnings profile, and you can see the geographic split of the group: 50% East, 45% West, and 5% in New Zealand. It really shows you that presence and the footprint that we've built today. A very, very different business.
So we move now into slide five, which is the executive summary of the results. And really what you're seeing today is evidence, more evidence of us delivering and doing everything that we said we would do. It's a record result. First half EBITDA of AUD 59 million, it's up 31% on FY24. EBIT is up 42.1%, up 48% on first half FY24. Terrific returns to shareholders, earnings per share is up 35%. And one thing we've done really well as a business is really bounce that growth and providing dividends to our shareholders. Our interim fully franked dividends are up 25%, AUD 0.025 per share. And really underpinning that and driving that is our excellent cash generation. EBITDA to cash conversion of 120%.
We've transitioned back to net cash of AUD 9.1 million from net debt pro forma after the Diona acquisition of AUD 38.2 million, which is a phenomenal achievement by the business and really continues our strong track record of cash generation, which has averaged circa 100% over the last four years. We announced in the half the acquisition of Diona. It feels like a long time ago that Diona joined the family, but it's only been since the start of September, and I'll touch a bit more on that throughout the presentation today. And what you're really seeing today is strong evidence of us continuing to win and execute well. We've got record work in hand of AUD 3.4 billion, which is up nearly 80% on this time 12 months ago. We're at that 80% annuity recurring earnings profile, which is very much in line with our strategy.
What that gives us is that platform and visibility into the future. As part of this, we are upgrading our FY25 guidance to an EBITDA range of AUD 125 million-AUD 128 million and an EBIT range of AUD 91 million-AUD 94 million, which really shows the strong growth profile of the business. We're continuing to grow, but it's very much consistent high-quality growth, and you can really see the confidence in the business and where we're going. This is a stellar set of results, a terrific achievement. Again, a shout-out to our people for really driving this performance, but we're in an incredibly strong position as a group. I want to now move into some of the more financial details. We'll move over a couple of slides to slide seven. You can really see that as a company in the first half, really strong on every line.
Revenue up 21%, EBITDA up 31%, EBIT and NPAT up roughly 50%. And look, pleasingly for me, it's a really strong margin percentage performance. In some ways, the numbers don't do justice to the quality of the performance. And then the margin percentage improvement is really a testament to really high-quality growth, and you're really seeing that top-line growth being driven down into bottom-line performance and really the benefits becoming a much more capital-light business. It's a true indication of the quality of the business we have today. As I mentioned before, EPS up 35%. A real highlight, our cash performance. The overall fundamentals of the group are exceptionally strong and gives us that really strong fundamentals to keep driving the business and sustainable growth moving forward.
Look, I always link that back to strategy, and really what you're seeing today is more evidence of us delivering against what's been a very, very clear strategy for a long period of time and us doing everything that we said we would do. And I think most importantly, as we move to slide eight, this is just not a one-off performance. And really what you're seeing, for those that like their visual on slide eight, is year- on- year- on- year- on- year of driving terrific performance. A really strong track record of delivery, profits up, earnings per share up, dividends continuing to grow, and that really positive trend. And when we move to slide nine, for those of the more detailed and numerical-minded, you can really see the performance and just the transformation of the business.
There is not a line on that page that we haven't absolutely belted out of the park, whether it's revenues, profit, margin percentage performance, dividends, earnings per share. For me, we've delivered on every metric, and really, it's again evidence of the transformation of the group. To me, a real highlight is that 80% annuity recurring, but ultimately, you're really seeing that track record of winning and executing, but also that track record of really high generation of cash that's really driving out and funding our growth and providing good dividends to shareholders, and that's a terrific performance as a group, and again, it's another brick in the wall and that ongoing uplift in us doing everything that we said we would do.
I talked already about cash, but you really can see on slide 10 the movement from net debt to net cash and that EBITDA to cash conversion of 120%. Really high free cash flow really continues our really strong track record of performance. You can match profit with good cash, and clearly, you're saying that that's what we're doing as a group. And what that is really providing us as we move to slide 11 is a really robust financial position, available liquidity of AUD 229 million. We've moved back into a net cash position of AUD 9.1 million, which is a terrific performance. And it's really going to give us that funding to really drive the growth of this business moving forward.
And I think the overarching message here is strength and balance sheet strength, but it's really maintaining that flexibility as we move forward to really drive the growth of this business both organically and inorganically. But most importantly for me, as we move to slide 12, which to me is the key slide in the whole deck, it's really underpinned by a really strong foundation as a group. I always say it's not the best widget, it's not the smartest strategy that drives performance, it's culture and people. And it's us living and breathing what we stand for. Live for the challenge, smarter together, never give up and have each other's backs. The reality is life's not perfect, business is not perfect, and when the moment of truth arrives, it's how you live and breathe what you do. These are not words that sit on a page.
For us, it's set on a wall. This is how we live and breathe every single day, and that's really driving our performance, and I always say to investors, that's what you're investing in. You're investing in what we stand for as a business. It's not the service, it's not the strategy, it's our people, it's our culture, and it's what we stand for as a business. As we move to slide 13, which I'll touch on environmental, social, and governance, and for us, the key message here is we keep it real, and it's how we make a difference. Again, we're sharing just some of the examples of what we do in the space. From an environmental perspective, we're key to a carbon software platform, which is really about tracking our emissions and really driving those down. We've got a number of sustainability initiatives.
These are just some of the examples, such as green concrete, local tree planting, solar-powered facilities. But ultimately, it's about smarter designs with our clients and how we really drive their operations, their footprint, and their performance to make a difference. From a social perspective, I'm really proud of the work that we're doing. At Bugarrba Aboriginal Joint Venture, progressing exceptionally well, and I'll touch on that during the presentation. It's all around how we partner at local communities. We've got a number of social partnerships, such as Clontarf, MATES, Shooting Stars, Cancer Council, Telethon, but a lot of other local community initiatives of which we operate and be a good social partner. From a governance perspective, a really robust set of risk management framework. I'm particularly proud of the work that we're doing in the psychosocial space, which is an issue not just in business, but also in society.
I'm really proud of the work we're doing from a safety perspective. I always call it the glass ball in business that you can't afford to drop. Every day is a new day. Our TRIFR is 2.5, which is industry leading. It's the lowest it's ever been, but it's the glass ball. Every day is a new day, and it's something that we don't celebrate because you start every day at zero. But I'm really pleased at the leadership that our people drive about keeping everyone safe and going home at night. I'm now going to switch gears a bit and go into the operating segment, so we might move over a couple of slides to slide 15. You can see from an operating segment perspective, really strong performance across both operating segments. You're really seeing evidence of excellent operational execution along with delivering really consistent margins.
Terrific performance from maintenance industrial services perspective and really driving that consistent targeted performance in the engineering and construction space. So we move to slide 16, which is the maintenance industrial services side of our business. You can sort of see some of the core services that we do today. And look, I think if there's a couple of key takeaways from slide 16, it's the quality of the client base. We very much have a blue chip client base. It's also the diversity of the services and industries on which we play. It's a really, really robust part of our business. It's the largest part of the group with a really terrific client base. So we move to slide 17, which is, I guess, the half in review. You're really seeing evidence of excellent performance and step change growth.
A number of new long-term contracts secured with organizations such as the Department of Climate Change and Energy, SA Water, Fonterra, Transport Victoria, South32, HanRoy, Origin, and Rio Tinto are some of the examples of new contracts secured in the period. You're really seeing the evidence of the geographic spread and the diverse industries on which we play across both Australia and New Zealand. We've had the successful acquisition and integration of Diona, and I'll touch on that a bit more in a moment. And our Bugarrba Aboriginal Joint Venture is really going from strength to strength. It's our Aboriginal Joint Venture in the access services space in the Pilbara, and it's really growing and growing in a very strong, disciplined, and robust way.
On the engineering construction side of the business, again, you can see some of the core services on which we provide for what's very much a specialist business in nature with world-class skills. Again, if there's a couple of key takeaways, it's really the quality of the client base, again, and really the fact that they're all repeat clients. Now, across the entire group, we announced nearly AUD 1 billion of new work in the first half of this year, and the reality is it's all with repeat clients, which to me is really good evidence of delivering for clients and how we take the complex and make it simple for them in driving our performance, so we move to slide 19, which is, I guess, the first half in review for engineering and construction.
Again, really pleased with the strong execution of our first major R5B4 project at Jervis Bay, which is an integrated road and bridge project with Transport for New South Wales, progressing really well. We only recently attained that highest national road and bridge accreditation. What that really allows us to do is to do this in our own right for any sort of key transport project where there's an element of complexity to it that we can provide our specialist skills. Our facades business, again, an exceptionally strong half. We are the absolute market leader in facades across Australia and New Zealand with key repeat clients and really working on a number of iconic structures. Our engineered products business continues to incrementally expand and grow, and it's an area that we like. These are all infrastructure and structural strengthening products.
And underpinning the overall engineering construction business is just a really robust commercial framework. All the early contractor engagement model really well established with our blue chip client base. These are all repeat clients, and it really manages the risk profile and sticking to things that we are world-class at, so we can be very targeted and disciplined on what we do. As I mentioned earlier, we acquired Diona on the 1st of September. It effectively successfully completed. It's now fully integrated into SRG Global from a systems and processes perspective. We've had a number of significant new wins in the first four months, particularly with the Department of Climate Change and Energy and SA Water. Very much delivered to business case in the first four months with a really strong outlook for FY25 and beyond.
And look, most importantly for me is that really strong cultural and client alignment with the numerous cross-selling opportunities. And for those that have heard me speak previously, our focus very much when we acquire a company is really ensuring that the cultural alignment and embedment is super strong. It's terrific people, terrific leadership, and really very much part of the SRG Global family with a number of really strong pipeline of opportunities in what are great growth markets in water security and energy transition. So very much on track, probably exceeding expectations of what we've communicated to the broader market, but with the quality of the people and the quality of the business, it's certainly not a surprise to us internally.
Just to probably refresh people on why we did it as we move to slide 22, it very much strengthens our position in market, our market position in water security and energy transition, which are both growth markets. Really complementary capability and skills, which really enhances the offering to our key clients and that really strong culture of cross-selling. Our high-quality management team with a proven track record over 40-plus years really enhances our annuity recurring earnings profile, very much aligned to our strategy. Really strong work in hand and a terrific growth pipeline and a very financially attractive acquisition, which for numbers that in reality are better than what we communicated to the market previously, combined with a very capital-light investment profile. So we move to slide 23 just to really refresh on what Diona does.
It's very much a full-service program offering everything from early engagement advisory, community engagement, design and engineering, program management, delivery, and asset management, really across two key segments in water and energy transition. And I think in a nutshell, the best way to describe what Diona does is specialist in-ground services, which are critical services to our clients for critical infrastructure, very much aligned to the SRG Global business model and strategy. From a client perspective, very much a low-risk collaborative commercial framework, long-term agreements. We've given some examples of key clients that we have, very, very strong East Coast presence, which really highlights also the very obvious geographic opportunity in WA and New Zealand, but very much deeply embedded with what are common and complementary clients.
Along with, as we move to slide 25, really strong markets with high growth, strong tailwinds, and significant spends coming up, not just in the next three to five years, but in really over the next 20-30 plus years as we move into the future. So we're delighted with the start, really proud of the cultural interaction between the group. It feels like we've been together for four years, not four months, and it's really driving what we expected as a combined group, which is a good segue into the way forward. As we move now a couple of slides to slide 27, we've got a very clear strategy, and really for me, I almost feel boring putting up this slide because this has been a very, very clear strategy for a long period of time.
And what you're seeing again today is more evidence of us continuing to deliver. The growth phase will very much now morph together with the leadership phase, but it's a very clear strategy. We're very focused on what we do. We're very disciplined in what we do. We don't deviate. I think that's been one of the real strengths of our business over the journey and the way that we've transformed. We know what we want to be. We know what we don't want to be. And for us, post today, it's about getting back to work and continuing to deliver and execute against a very clear and a very simple strategy that's well understood internally. And what that's driving, as we move to slide 28, is really the ability for us to keep delivering sustainable growth. We've got a terrific platform. It's really now about leveraging the footprint.
We've got work in hand of nearly AUD 3.5 billion, a terrific pipeline. We've upgraded guidance. That 80% annuity recurring earnings profile gives us that really strong and stable platform to then be very, very targeted on the sort of more project-based work, and what that's really driving as we move to slide 29 is momentum, a really strong performance. We've upgraded guidance. Work in hand I've talked about. We've got positive exposure to a number of really high-growth sectors such as water, defense, energy, resources, and transport. That sort of 80% annuity recurring profile on FY25 and beyond, and our transformation to a truly diversified infrastructure services business, it's going to keep delivering consistent growth and high-quality returns to our shareholders, so again, for us, it's about continuing to keep doing what we said we would do.
I think that's the ultimate investment proposition of SRG Global as we move into the next slide. We've got end-to-end asset lifecycle capability where we self-perform everything that we do. We play across diverse market sectors and geographies. I always say that gives us a natural hedge. We're not relying on any one sector, one client, one geography. We have a very, very broad platform on which to apply our skills and grow. We've got a very highly scalable business model with people with experience, systems, structure, and processes to be a larger business than we are today. Again, you're seeing evidence of that. We always set ourselves up structurally to be a bigger business than we are today. So when we get there, we execute well, and you're really seeing more evidence of that today. High level of annuity earnings profile.
That really makes us predictable, consistent, and the right risk profile, along with a very capital light investment profile with CapEx, circa 2% of revenue. And we're a very high-yield dividend-paying stock, and I think that's something we've done really well over the journey in terms of being very much a growth stock, but also a good dividend-paying stock as well. The company's in exceptionally strong shape. I really want to thank all our shareholders for their ongoing support. And most importantly, again, really want to thank all our people for continuing to step up. The company's in a very, very exciting position. We've got a very bright future in front of us. It's now getting back to work and continuing to build the business that I know we can be. So thank you.
Great stuff. Well, thanks, David, for the presentation. That's strong and awesome.
So over to the question section. So as Travis mentioned before, feel free to type questions in, of which we already have a few. So the first one I'll cover off is around our cash conversion number of 120%. There's a number of questions on that front. So it's around cash conversion of 120%. Our expectations around the second half and beyond for cash conversion. And maybe I'll start off, and David, you can cover it off. So I think we've obviously demonstrated a really strong track record of cash conversion in the last few years. We're not in the business of providing cash guidance necessarily, but I guess we've always talked about cash being a factor of over a number of years demonstrating really strong cash culture, which is what we've got, demonstrating that circa 100% cash conversion, which is what we've had over the last few years.
And we'll continue to have that focus. For us, what's really important is that we have a cash discipline within our business that's focused on the very basic principles of cash claims, cash certifications, and then cash collections. And I think for us, that's continuing on. And I think we feel the second half will be a continuous strong cash conversion period as well. Yeah, I don't know what you got anything else to add to that perspective. Yeah. The second thing around new road and bridge accreditation, does this open you up to larger contracts in size than before and/or more frequent wins?
Well, I think the reality is it's really no change in strategy, but what it does, it just gives us the flexibility to do things in our own right. We had a high bridge accreditation, but a low road accreditation, and it just really didn't give us the flexibility for some of those really specialist bridge projects where there's a small road component, which is generally the easier work. So it really just gives us access to the whole pie. Whether it opens up to more frequent wins, well, I think that's for us, it's more about being just targeted and focused on what we do. But the reality is the contract sizes will be double because ordinarily we would joint venture.
Yeah, yeah. Terrific. A couple of questions on Diona. So Diona's performance in the first half is obviously strong. And what's your view around Diona's performance into the second half and beyond? Yeah, look, I think ultimately, Diona, we've got a four-month contribution from Diona.
We were pretty modest in our outlook for Diona when we made the acquisition. The reality is it's growing. It's growing more than that. It's probably more pretty much in line with sort of in that sort of 10% plus range from a growth perspective in FY25, which is, but it'll also be a 10-month contribution in 2025 as well, so not a full year, and look, for us, to me, I get more excited around the cultural integration of the group. Clearly, it's a growth business. We've demonstrated already that it is a growth business, and I guess we're quite conservative in nature, but we made the acquisition. We acquired a business based on what it had done, not what it was necessarily going to do, and that's really always our investment model and thesis in terms of when we look at companies.
Yeah, yeah. Terrific. Question around our SRG performance, ex-Diona, the view around the first half obviously was strong and the view on the ex-Diona contribution for SRG's business going forward in the second half and beyond?
Look, I think we've provided guidance for the full year, which is upgraded guidance. We're continuing to grow exceptionally well. I think the business will continue to grow. We see ourselves as a growth business over the next three to five years, and that will continue. We provide very clear guidance to the market to make their investment decisions. I think we've done that again. We've done that again today.
Yeah. A view around targeted growth of EBITDA growth in FY26 and beyond?
Look, I don't think today is about giving guidance for FY26, but we expect to be a good growth business. If you want to use a proxy, probably 8%-10% would be a good starting point for FY26 and beyond and how we think about the next three to five years. But today is not about guidance for 26. Today is to talk about FY25 and the continuing strong performance of the business.
Yeah. And the current work in hand for Diona from the time we bought it?
It's probably around AUD 1 billion.
Yeah, billion plus mark.
Plus mark, with a couple of the wins there as well. So a really good business, highly creative acquisition. And again, I think what it just shows you is the evidence of us. We've grown exceptionally strongly over the journey organically, and you've really seen again clear evidence of that today. But we've also shown a real track record over the journey of acquiring business as well, but most importantly, integrating them well. I think the key component of that is that really strong cultural integration. That's really what drives the performance and the coming together. And I think you're seeing some really strong evidence of that today.
Okay, terrific. Margins for the MIS, Maintenance and Industrial Services segment, as well as the Engineering and Construction segment, was solid in the first half. Your outlook on margins for the second half and FY26 for each division?
Look, I think our margins will be pretty consistent. I'm really pleased with the margin percentage performance. I think they're really at the top end of industry and one that really highlights, I think, the strong operational execution of the business. So I think margins would be sort of around the mark, while obviously a decent uplift on 24 to 25 in terms of our first half. I think that'll be consistent moving forward.
All right, awesome. Are you able to elaborate on defense opportunities?
Look, I think it's something that, as I sort of said earlier, we play across diverse industries. Defense is a newer sector to us. It's one we've probably been playing in for about 18 months or so. I think we'll turn over sort of circa roughly around that AUD 50 million mark in FY25 in the defense space. It's one that, and clearly there's some significant spend coming up. Everything from, and really what it opens up for us is the ability to provide all parts of our business. So I think a lot of the key spend is more going to be in FY27, FY28 and beyond story. But the hardest part is penetrating that market. We've got a solid footing.
But that's one of the things I like about our business, is that ultimately it's one lever to grow. We've got multiple levers on which to grow the business, both through service, but also sectors on which we play. And in many respects, we're almost sector agnostic in terms of where we can apply our skills. And clearly, defense is just one sector with some really strong tailwinds moving into the future. And we plan to play a part.
Okay. Size and type of acquisitions that SRG are looking at?
Look, we'll continue to grow the business organically, but look at inorganic things that can unlock further value for shareholders. I don't get too hung up on size, which is probably pretty important when you're five foot nine. But to me, it's less around size. It's more about how does it fit with strategy? How does it fit culturally with the business? But you kind of see a pretty good feel for the size of businesses that we've bought in recent times. But again, it's more around the strategy, the service, and the cultural alignment that I look at first and whether it unlocks further value for us as a business. Size to me is really relevant in that regard.
One around dividends. Obviously, you've been a good dividend payer in the first half. Your view on dividends second half going forward?
I'm not going to provide guidance on dividends, but clearly, first half dividend was 25% up on first half last year. We've got a really strong track record of paying dividends and increasing our dividends over the journey. I think slide sort of seven or eight, on slide eight sort of showed the sort of track record of dividend. Certainly, our plan is to be a good growth stock, really fund that growth, but also pay good dividends to shareholders as well.
Yeah. Okay. I think that's the end of our questions. Terrific. I'll end the call here. Thanks very much, everyone, for joining the call. Thanks, David, for the presentation. We will talk later. Thanks, everyone. Bye.