Ladies and gentlemen, dear investors, welcome to the Clariane Group 2025 annual results presentation meeting. My name is Sophie Boissard, Chief Executive Officer of the Clariane Group. Together with Grégory Lovichi, Chief Financial Officer of the group, I will present Clariane's results for the 2025 financial year. I will discuss our group's outlook for 2028 as part of our new medium-term plan, Succeeding Together. As you see on the slide number five, there are actually three key highlights for 2025. First, we have delivered a solid operating performance in accordance with our announced targets. Second, we have successfully completed, under excellent conditions, the plan to strengthen the financial position we launched in 2023. Three, we confirm our profitable growth target for 2026 and beyond, looking ahead to 2028. Let's stay a while on the first message.
In 2025, we delivered a solid operational performance, as you see here, with revenue of EUR 5,310 million, representing organic growth of 4.5%. All of the group's geographical areas and activities contributed to the increase in revenue, thanks both to steady volume growth and favorable price effects, particularly in Germany, which once again benefited from a strong repricing effect of around 8%. This positive momentum is reflected in the increase in operating profits, EBITDA, which EUR 594 million, up 3.1% compared to 2024, and the EBITDA margin, which remains stable over the financial year, improved significantly in the second half to 12.5%, up more than 260 basis points compared to the first half of 2025.
Operating cash flow generation also improved significantly with an operating free cash flow amount, EUR 267 million, up 46%, driven by strong operating performance in the second half and the normalization of working capital requirements. In terms of non-financial performance, which makes a lot of sense in our industry, we have once again met and even exceeded our targets. I will come back to this in a few moments. The second highlight of 2025 is about the plan to strengthen our financial position, which we launched in November 2023 in response to inflation and sharp rises in interest rates. This plan has enabled us to regain access to the bond market and be six months ahead of schedule. More specifically, last year, we achieved three major milestones. First, we finalized our EUR 5 billion divestment program with very good valuation terms.
Second, we have been able to extend our syndicated credit facility and to return to the bond market with an initial unrated issue of EUR 500 million last summer. Finally, three, we obtained an inaugural rating from S&P and Moody's at B+ and B2, respectively, rating, which will facilitate our regular access to the bond market in the future. Overall, as expected, we have been able to significantly reduce both our debt and our HoldCo leverage to 5.1x , and we have recovered a strong liquidity position, EUR 1.2 billion at the end of 2025.
Based on this achievement, this is the third message for 2025, we are in position to confirm our announced targets for the 2023-2026 period, namely an average organic growth of around 5% over the period, an improvement in the EBITDA margin of 100-150 basis points compared to 2023, and a HoldCo leverage to be reduced to below 5x at the end of 2026. Beyond 2026, building on the quality of our Pan-European platform on our business portfolio, as well, on the good visibility, we have on our activity load, we are targeting an average revenue growth of around 4% per year, taking into account the expected normalization in price increase in Germany following the strong catch-up cycle that started in 2020.
This momentum, combined with the impact of the productivity plans that we have implemented at headquarters and in shared service as part of our Better support efficiency program, will contribute significantly to the growth of Group's operating margin. We are targeting an average EBITDA growth of between 7% and 9% over the period 2025-2028, and an OpCo EBITDA growth of between 11% and 14% on a pro forma basis. Of course, we will continue to make reducing our leverage a priority in our financial policy, targeting to reach around 4.5% by the end of 2028. I would now like to review the various elements of the 2025 performance. As you see here on slide number six, the main financial aggregates for the year.
First, you see reflected the level of activity already mentioned, EUR 5.3 billion in revenue, up 4.5% organically. In terms of profitability, pro forma IFRS 16 EBITDA reached EUR 1.2 billion, up 3.5%, and the reported pre-IFRS 16 EBITDA amounted to EUR 594 million, up 3.1%. In terms of cash flow generation, as I mentioned a moment ago, operating cash flow went very strong, up 46%. This performance support our debt reduction trajectory. Net financial debt decreased by EUR 390 million compared to December 2024, reaching EUR 3.1 billion. As a result, HoldCo leverage has fallen sharply to 5.1x, compared to 5.8x in 2024.
Finally, the group's net profit returned to positive territory, EUR 36 million pre-IFRS 16 and +EUR 2 million post-IFRS 16, to be compared with the loss of EUR 55 million in 2024. In terms of real estate, the value of the portfolio of the group stands at EUR 2.5 billion, and the loan-to-value ratio has remained stable at 58% over the year. Let's turn now to the main component of operating performance. First, here, the reflection on the divestment program we initiated two years ago. After this, we see now the new streamlined profile of Clariane. We focused on 6six countries and two complementary lines of business.
First line dedicated to the elderly care under the Korian brand, and the second line dedicated to non-acute mental health and rehabilitation under the brands Inicea, Kormed, and Ita in Spain. With 1,215 facilities in six countries, representing more than 90,000 beds, 65,000 employees and nearly 850,000 patients, we operate one of Europe's leading specialty care networks. In terms of country split, growth accounts for a 43% of revenue, which are shared almost equally between Korian and Inicea, elderly care and post-acute care. Germany is our second largest country, accounting for 25% of revenue under the Korian brand, followed by Belgium and the Netherlands, with 16% of the revenue, Italy with 12%, and Spain with 5% and some room for further growth.
In terms of mix, three quarter of our revenue comes from long-term care, elderly care, and one quarter comes from specialty care, mainly in follow-up care, mental health, and addiction treatment. It should be noted that the latter account for 80% of patients treated due to a very high churn and a strong growth in outpatient care. As you see, on the bottom part of the slide, we are now showing the pro forma financial information, pre 2024, 2025, that forms the basis for our objective in the new format of Clariane post disposal plan. I hope this will help understanding our figures and guidance on an easier basis. Let's move on now to slide number eight. This slide provide a very concrete overview of the major milestones achieved since the end of 2023, of our plan to strengthen our financial position.
As a result of these various milestones, we are already one year ahead of schedule, very close to the target of below 5x leverage by the end of 2026. That was at the core of the plan. Let's move on to slide number nine, which is dedicated to our non-financial performance. 2025 was another very good year in terms of non-financials. This is particularly true when it comes to quality of care, with an NPS measured by Ipsos among 85,000 patients and carers. That has risen again this year to reach an unprecedented level of +45, placing us more than 20 points above industry benchmarks. We have also improved our quality standards, with now 99% of our elderly care homes and clinics that are ISO 9001 certified.
In terms of human, we remain also very focused and quite successful over the years. We were again recognized as a Top Employer Europe for the third consecutive year and for actually, as an exception in our industry. We have also signed a Europe-wide agreement with our unions on health and safety at work, and which support our efforts to continuously reduce frequency of workplace accident and absenteeism. Of course, and this is probably the most important, we continue to invest more than ever in skills development in order to be able to source on very scarce labor market, our own workforce. In 2025, more than 7,700 employees, representing around 12% of Clariane workforce, took one of the qualifying courses offered by our Clariane University. This feeds into our internal promotion policy, with 55% of our facility director position filled internally.
As the strong results show, ESG is more than ever a central part of our business plan, as it is inseparable from our mission and a guarantee of quality, attractiveness, and sustainable performance. I will now hand over to Gregory for the details of our financial performance. Gregory, the floor is yours.
Thank you, Sophie. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We can go on the slide 11. I would like to begin this section by discussing revenue growth. In 2025, we posted organic growth of +4.5%, and this is an important point. All activities in all geographical areas contributed to this growth. With the new segmentation, the long-term care business, which, as Sophie said, accounts for 76% of revenue, grew by 5.4% organically. This momentum was driven by price increases and improved occupancy rates, despite the effect of closures and disposal in several countries. Specialty care business, SMR and mental health, accounts for 24% of revenue and grew by +1.8% organically. Here, too, scope effect is at work with disposal in France and Italy.
In France, the reading is impacted by factors related to the implementation of the F-SMR pricing reform, as already mentioned earlier this year. Looking now at the geographical breakdown, Germany, Spain, and Benelux are the main drivers, with organic growth of +8%, 7.8%, and 5% respectively, supported by pricing and occupancy rates. Italy is also growing at +2.4% organically, with pricing on the rise and occupancy rates already at a very high level. In France, organic growth is +2.6%. We were affected at the beginning of the year by the flu outbreak in nursing homes in the first quarter, but we are seeing a rebound in the second half of the year in specialty care, thanks in particular to an improved mix.
Overall, organic growth driven by all activities and geographies, reflecting the Group's relevance and strengths in terms of activities and geographies. Let's take a quick look at the revenue bridge on the slide 12. We start with published revenue for 2024 of EUR 5.3 billion. The impact of the disposal plan is -EUR 125 million, or -2.5%. On a like-for-like basis, this gives us a pro forma base for 2024 of EUR 5.2 billion. On this basis, organic growth is +4.5%, driven mainly by the price and mix effect at +EUR 156 million, or +3.1%. This is mainly due to long-term care, with price effects, particularly in Germany and France.
Volumes also made a positive contribution of EUR 74 million, +1.4%, linked with improved occupancy rates and increased activity in specialty care. Finally, there were two negative items: other effects for -EUR 42 million and portfolio management for -EUR 35 million, mainly related to pricing in France, in specialty care, suspension of real estate development activities, and the effect of M&A and closure, particularly in Germany. This brings us to a 2025 turnover of EUR 5.3 billion, a reported growth of +0.5%, and overall solid organic growth of +4.5%, driven mainly by price and mix, supplemented by volumes. On the slide 13, in our long-term care business, we continue to improve occupancy rates. This is an important point because it has a direct impact on our growth and a positive trend in our margins.
In 2025, the average occupancy rate over the 12 months will reach 91%, up from 2024. The momentum has strengthened over the course of the year, with the rate rising to 91.6% in the fourth quarter after a slightly lower start of the year. Taking a step back, trajectory is very clear. We are moving from 86.6% in 2022 to 88.5% in 2023, 90.6% in 2024, and 91% in 2025. In other words, improvement is steady and ongoing. Finally, we still have significant volume growth potential within our existing capacities. Now I would like to look to the EBITDA performance by geography. First point is that the group's EBITDA margin is stable at 21.8% in 2025, the same level as in 2024.
Behind this stability, we see quite contrasting trend depending on the country. We have seen marked improvements in most regions. Germany is making a significant progress, with its margin rising from 21.3%- 24%, an increase of 260 basis points. Benelux countries are also improving at 23.3%, up 100 basis points. Italy is up slightly at 21.8%, an increase of 30 basis points. Obviously, France declined to 20.2%, down 200 basis points. This change is mainly due to the negative impact of the implementation of pricing reform in specialty care in France, central deployment costs of our Better support program, which will bear full fruits from 2026 onwards. Spain came in twin 19.9%, down 70 basis points.
This is mainly a mix effect linked to the development of asset-light, contract-based activity in social care that does not require capital expenditure. These movements offset each other and explain the stability of the EBITDA margin at group level, with significant improvement in most of countries and two areas of concern identified in France and Spain. I would like now to take a look at the EBITDA bridge for 2025 versus 2024, IFRS 16, to better understand the main drivers. We start with published EBITDA for 2024 of EUR 605 million, with a margin of 11.5%. The scope effect related to the divestment plan represent minus EUR 29 million on a like-for-like basis. Pro forma EBITDA for 2024 is therefore EUR 576 million, with a margin of 11.2%.
This basis, we first have a positive volume effect of EUR 17 million, linked to the growth in activity, which was positive overall in all regions. The price effect is significant, +EUR 156 million, supported in particular by significant revaluation in Germany and a positive effect in France, Benelux, and Italy. Cost inflation, net of our performance measures, represents -EUR 155 million. In other words, the price effect almost offsets cost inflation over the year.
It should be noted that, as mentioned at the end of the first half of the year, pricing anomalies linked to the entry into force of the new SMR financing framework in France, had a negative impact of EUR 23 million on our cost base, and the impact of the cost of deploying our Better support program was around EUR 15 million. These two factors combined had a negative impact of 60 basis points on the annual EBITDA margin, which restated from these two items, would be at 11.8%. In total, EBITDA for 2025 comes to EUR 594 million, with a margin of 11.2%, stable margin on the like-for-like basis, and a growth in value driven by volumes and the ability to pass on cost increase.
Let us now move on the analysis of the profitability by half year. As you can see, the EBITDA margin is historically higher in the second half of the year. In 2025, the improvement in margin was even more robust, with an increase in the second half to 12.5%, compared to 9.9% in the first half of 2025. This improvement is notably driven by volumes that continue to improve in each of our regions, good control of operating costs and improved rates in the second half in Germany, and a performance that is normalizing in SMR clinics in France. Let's now move on cash and debt. I will start with cash generation presented in accordance with IFRS 16.
In 2025, operating cash flow will increase significantly to EUR 469 million, up EUR 69 million compared to last year. This improvement is due to three factors. Firstly, non-cash and miscellaneous items which remain negative. Secondly, a sharp improvement in working capital requirements, showing a continued improvement in this indicator after a sharp deterioration in 2023. Finally, a level of maintenance CapEx that remains under control at EUR 111 million. In this context, free operating cash flow amounted to EUR 267 million, up EUR 84 million year-on-year. This correspond to an EBITDA conversion rate of approximately 45%. We benefited from lower financial expenses due to lower interest payments.
We are also maintaining strict discipline on CapEx, with maintenance and development CapEx totaling EUR 159 million, compared with EUR 242 million in 2024. Positive impact of disposal, which EUR 368 million, compared with EUR 391 million in 2024, contributing directly to debt reduction. In total, the net debt will increase by EUR 408 million by the end of 2025, including IFRS 17. Excluding IFRS 17, the decrease will be of EUR 390 million, mainly driven by the contribution of disposal, increase in operating cash flow, and the growth in free operational cash flow. It should be noted that excluding disposal, net debt will have decreased over the period, thanks to positive net free cash flow.
I will now move on the debt and liquidity as at 31st of December 2025. The first point is the net debt reduction, excluding the IFRS 16 and IFRS 17, net financial debt fell by nearly EUR 400 million over the year to EUR 355 million, being bit closer to the EUR 3 billion level. This improvement is a result of a combination of cash generation and the contribution from disposal, as we have just seen. Secondly, maturity profile is now better spread out. Maturities are mainly positioned from 2027 onwards, with further maturities in 2029 and 2030, which reduce the risk of short-term refinancing and is in line with the return to normalize aspects to financing. Thirdly, liquidity remains solid.
It stand at around EUR 1.2 billion, including an undrawn revolving credit facility, with cash levels up at the end of 2024. On the real estate side, maturities are spread out over time, which also contributes to visibility on the financing trajectory. On the slide 20, with the strength on financing framework, I would like to move on the performance and the financial trajectory elements. Wholeco leverage ratio stands at 5.1x at the end of December 2025, compared with 5.8x at the end of 2024, and 5.6x at the end of June 2025. This represents a decrease of approximately 1.1 since 2023. This improvement is due to two factors.
Firstly, the finalization of the plan to strengthen the financial structure of the group, and secondly, the increase in cash generation, particularly operating free cash flow. I will now move on to own real estate and the growth value of the portfolio. We are starting from a value of EUR 2.6 billion at the end of 2024. Firstly, there is a perimeter effect linked in particular to the disposal plan, with - EUR 155 million, achieved at market price in a challenging environment, which highlights the value and liquidity of the group's assets. After this disposal, the pro forma value at the end of 2024 is EUR 2.5 billion. From this base, the value is probably stable. Market effects are close to balance, with a net impact of around -EUR 10 million.
Indexation at EUR 29 million, largely offset by a slight change in the capitalization rate, which rises to 6.5% at the end of 2025, from 6.4% at the end of 2024, for an impact of - EUR 38 million. This results in a portfolio value of approximately EUR 2.5 billion at the end of 2025. Excluding scope effects, the value is stable, with cap rates normalizing and the portfolio continuing to benefit from indexation. In real estate, financing structure at the end of 2025 clearly illustrates the asset-smart strategy. The consolidated real estate portfolio is valued at approximately EUR 2.5 billion, as already mentioned. It is now mainly held in the shared equity partnership vehicles, accounting for approximately 77% of the total of EUR 1.9 billion.
The balance correspond to the directly held portfolio, representing approximately 23% of the total, or EUR 600 million. On the partnership side, we have four vehicles in place since 2020, with leading and long-term partners. The gross value of the asset in these vehicles amounts to a low EUR 1.9 billion, and client economic share is approximately 52%. This structure allows to share capital on long-term assets while maintaining significant exposure and good visibility on the value creation. At the same time, we maintain a locally held portfolio with a gross value of EUR 600 million. This structure combines the stability of a long-term real estate portfolio with more efficient capital allocation and supports of debt reduction trajectory, while maintaining a solid real estate base.
On that note, I will hand back to Sophie to conclude with our outlook for the current year and the medium term.
Thank you very much, Grégory. Before moving on to the outlook, I would like to take a moment to emphasize what makes the Clariane model so unique compared to its peers, as highlighted in recent discussions with rating agencies. First, our size and the diversity of our business portfolio. We are now positioned as one of the leading Pan-European social infrastructure platform, specializing in care and prevention of frailty. Our network of more than 1,200 facilities gives us a presence in more than 100 catchment areas across Europe, home to 70% of the EU population, aged 65 and over. Second, our strong corporate culture, very much related to the purpose-driven part of the company, and strongly integrated through our European identity and high-quality social dialogue. Three, the quality of the market in which we operate.
We, as you all know, we benefit from the structural growth prospects for local healthcare demand, driven by both demographics and epidemiology. Four, Grégory just explained it, we have a very strong and unique asset-smart real estate strategy that is definitely a key asset and has been developed over nearly 10 years in partnership with leading institutionals, and maximize our flexibility and directly support operational execution while contributing to financial discipline. Five, finally, our most valuable asset is, of course, our people. I've been fortunate to be able to rely for nearly 10 years on remarkable management teams that are both solid and experienced, backed by a robust framework and supported by long-term shareholders committed to the company. All this, of course, reinforces visibility, consistency in execution.
This is why we are now in the best position to focus on two key objectives for the next three years. First, returning to a level of profitability close to that which we enjoyed before COVID and the high inflation wave of 2022. Second, continuing to lead as part of a disciplined financial policy. This is exactly what it is about in our new business plan entitled Succeeding Together. Just a few seconds on the slide you already saw, that illustrates the group's highly effective focusing over the last 24 months. I think, the most important here is to say that we are equally balanced in terms of regulatory risk.
None of our business sub-segments account now for more than 20% of the Group revenue. Definitively, this was a critical dimension and achievement of the plan and the disposal program we have achieved. Slide number 27. You see here the four pillars on which our new midterm plan relies, 4 cross-functional levels that are common to all our activities. The first pillar is the integrated quality and operating model, which ensures that we are the benchmark operator and which allow us to fully utilize our installed capacity. This is definitely a driver for stable and profitable growth. The second pillar is our human resources policy, which guarantees that we can recruit and retain expert employees and committed healthcare teams, even in labor market, under severe strain.
This is probably one of the critical dimensions in our industry across Europe. The third pillar is the expertise we have been developing in geriatrics, in physical medicine and rehabilitation, and in psychiatry, with the support of leading research team we are teaming up with. Finally, the fourth pillar is the digital and tech platform that we have set up with our Clariane Solution internal tech platform, which underpins the Better support efficiency program. Slide number 28. You will see here it reflects the main strategic priorities by segment. On the long-term care, we have identified three priorities. We want to support the increasing need for medical care in our facility, in strong conjunction with hospitals, which are becoming, across Europe, one of our primary sources of referrals everywhere.
Second, we want to be in position to offer tailored support careers in the form of respite stays, sorry. This becomes more and more a very significant part of the local demand. Third, we want to be able to rethink and to redesign our operational structures by fully integrating and leveraging the impact of digital and robotic tools to increase both robustness of our service and efficiency and cost. The medical, the specialty care segment, we have also defined three priorities for our clinic network. First, in our 200 and so facilities for medical, post-acute and rehabilitation, we are focusing more and more on pushing on mixed care pathway, combining full hospitalization on one hand side, with second part, outpatient support in the context of day hospitalization.
The effectiveness of this pathway, autonomy to chronic patient, is now clearly established and well recognized in terms of pricing by the authorities. This is why, since 2017, we have equipped all our clinic facilities with outpatient units, which are now largely saturated and which we are committed to expanding. The second priority is around the transformation of our multipurpose post-acute facilities into geriatric platforms, that can also offer local medical beds, that can provide primary care to the 1/3 of patients over the age of 75, that do not have a general practitioner in France or in Germany.
Lastly, we are in the process of opening new specialized medical department for the treatment chronic condition in around 20 clinics in Europe, either within existing facilities or in the form of autonomous satellite, and this actually covers selected specialties such as addiction treatment, mood disorders, neurologic disorders, or oncology. On the slide number 29, you now see how we transform those strategic priorities into revenue margin. On the revenue side, the top line side, we expect those various initiatives to fuel profitable growth of around and in each business segment, divided equally between additional volume coming from higher capacity for long-term care, more outpatient development on the specialty care and extended capacities in selected places. The other part, and this is pretty much equally divided, will come from pricing.
Private pay on one hand side, especially for the long-term care, with our value-based approach, is strongly reflected in the high NPS and case mix management for the specialty care side. That is now very much strongly in place with a data-driven approach that enable us to make sure that we really protect the revenue integrity of this activity. Next, you see now how we transform this into a EBITDA growth and actually a pretty strong growth foreseen for the next three years. Again, this will be very much balanced between the contribution of relative top line growth that will transform into a higher EBITDA growth and an efficiency and cost reduction part that is encompassed in our Better support efficiency program. This program covers, as already said, a selected initiatives that are targeting overhead and shared services.
Already started, well started in Germany, in France, with around 200 FTE that will be cut along the next 12 months. With the redesign that is ongoing of operative workflows and automation within the facilities and a strong partnership with our core suppliers in order to reduce the cost of service to facilities. Of course, improving EBITDA means also improving cash flow generation and contributes to further deleveraging of the company. This is clear, the debt reduction over the next three years will now be mainly driven primarily by cash generation.
At the same time, we target to actively managing our debt, to anticipate refinancing 12 - 18 months before maturities, and to work to simplify and optimize the cost of debt as we have already started. This trajectory is supported by a very cautious approach in terms of financial policy. There won't be any dividend distribution in the medium term, given the leverage cap in our financing agreements. In the same vein, external growth operation will only be considered in line with leverage targets, with strict criteria in terms of strategy and risk return profile. Our objective is very clear. We want to generate positive free cash flow from 2026 onwards, and to continue reducing leverage on an ongoing basis. This bring me now to the conclusion, and I would like to reiterate our financial targets with two complementary horizons.
First, this is reflected on the left-hand side of the slide, we confirm our 2023-2026 objective. We are targeting annual average organic revenue growth of around 5% over those three years, and we expect to see an improvement in the EBITDA margin, pre-IFRS 16 and pro forma, of up to 150 basis points, excluding real estate development. We confirm, as already said, our target of Wholeco leverage being brought below 5x at the end of 2026 on a comparable balance sheet basis. Beyond that, this is reflected on the right-hand side of the slide, our plan for 2028 is one of continuity with the growth and profitability trajectory built on the levers I have just detailed, as well as a new indicator known as OPIDA, which allow us to fully assess both operational efficiency and rent control.
In this perspective, we are targeting for the next three years, average annual revenue growth of around 4% and average annual pro forma growth in EBITDA pre-IFRS 16 of between 7%-9%, and in OpCo EBITDA of between 11%-14%. Finally, we are targeting Wholeco leverage of around 4.5% at the end of 2028, again, on a comparable balance sheet basis. These targets reflect a clear trajectory, controlled growth, gradual improved profitability, and continued debt reduction. More than ever, in 2026, we will remain focused on our vision to take care of each person's humanity in times of vulnerability. Thank you very much for your attention. Grégory and I are available to answer any questions you might have.
Gregory, Sophie, thank you for the presentation. We already have some questions on the webcast. The first one is probably for you, Sophie. Do you expect price anomalies due to the reform of SMR in France to be fully recovered?
Yes, definitely. Maybe, a little again, on this price anomaly, what happened? Actually, there has been a new financing framework issued by the government in 2024, and the government has forgotten to take into consideration the facility that had been open between 2020 and 2024. Actually, they've forgotten 20%, 20 facilities, in our 100 facility network in front, present a missing funding of EUR 23 million. This has been recovered for the future, for 2026 onwards. The authorities, and this is a major achievement of 2025, recognized the mistake and agreed to add this missing funding for the future. We haven't been able to cover the missing money for 2025 and 2024.
We are actually claiming that, for the future, the problem is now solved.
Thank you, Sophie. Next question, Did you receive all the cash from the disposal program, or is some expected to be released in 2026?
Almost all cash has been received in 2024, 2025. Some residual payments will be received in the first quarter of 2026.
Thank you, Gregory. We have few questions from the refinancing of the hybrids. Can you elaborate on this subject?
Yea, If you look on the refinancing as I go before a lot has been done by the group, you know change of the refinancing plan has been completed ahead of schedule. What is important to have in mind is that the plan has been setup to re-access to the extent of the capital market. I've been done last summer for EUR 500 million and I already let you know then we start with the tonger liquidity of EUR 1.2 billion at the end of December and we wont the company know and remain opportunistic to refinance [inaudible] and this is what we do. When, specifically to the hybrid instrument, then, that are part of the capital structure.
What we would like to say, is that we don't want to make any comment on the GBP repo, neither the ordinal. As of today, the S&P documentation prevents the group from repaying the hybrid instrument, with cash on end depth. If the Wholeco leverage ratio is above five, that is the case. In that case, we can only repay, with similar instruments, equity or quasi equity. Nevertheless, obviously, we want to be opportunistic and, to treat the capital structure, as a whole. Certainly, as you've seen, and a side command, the group, as mentioned by Sophie, has recently released now, inaugural rating from both agencies, yesterday.
Thank you, Gregory. Sophie, we have a question regarding the cost-cutting plan in France, and where do we stand in the execution of this plan?
The plan has been prepared over 2025 with the launch of a new accounting system, that is now fully working. Based on this, a new, an unified accounting system, we are going to close one of our accounting platforms. This requires a social plan to support our colleagues that work on the platform. The social plan has been announced and is currently under discussion with our unions. We intend to deploy and to merge and to close the platform within the 2026 or the second half of 2026. Part of the savings, to put it short, will be reflected in the PNL this year.
The run rate of this cost reduction plan on overhead and shared services will be fully reflected in 2027. Looking at the EBITDA development for the next three years, half of the EBITDA increase will come from the cost reduction plan and efficiency program. Half of the programs target the central and shared services part, and the rest target productivity within the facilities.
Thank you, Sophie. We have a question regarding the syndicated loan, which to be extended to May 2029, is subject to repayment or refinancing, or extension of the 2027, 2028 maturities. What is the of you on the fulfillment of these subjects?
Okay, yeah. Thanks for the question. We have two steps to confirm the extension. One step for the maturities of 2027, and the second step ratings of 2028. The first step, or the maturity of 2027, have already been extending to 2028, sorry. It was related to the issuance of a bond more than EUR 300 million, with the maturity above 2027. That was the case when we issued the bond last summer, with the maturity of 2030. Not only for the 2028, but for the other maturities, we have our financial policy is to address the debt 12 or 18 months in advance.
We are currently working on various sections to continue to work for the second extension of the maturity of 2028, moving to 2029. This requires or relates to a EUR 480 million social bond and Euro PP that need to be addressed before that date.
Thank you, Grégory. I think we have a live question on the call.
The next question comes from Constantin Guimanida from Keys Capital. Please go ahead.
Hi, good afternoon, Sophie, Gregory, and Stéphane. This is Constantin from Kepler Cheuvreux. I've got three questions, and I want to ask them one by one, please. The first question. The second half of 2025 performance shows double-digit recovery in EBITDA, with margins at 12.5%. Applying that 12.5% margin to the full pro forma revenue of EUR 5.2 billion, would imply a sort of run rate EBITDA of EUR 646 million, or almost 515% up on a pro forma basis. On top of that, in 2026, you're expecting probably around 4% organic revenue growth and cost reductions. Is this the right way to think about it?
If so, why is your midterm EBITDA guidance capped at 7%- 9%? Should we read it as an intentionally conservative floor?
maybe two way to look at it, Constantin. It's very important, and you get it right, on the second part of the year, why we have this 12.5% EBITDA margin now, is what we are already mentioned, during the Q3. It shows, you know, the effect of the action plan that has been set up with the price in Germany, cost reduction in some regions, and the normalization of the margin in the clinics in France. Certainly, this is something that we want to settle as the base, from half year basis to the full year basis.
Certainly helps you as well to bridge the gap when we say we confirm the guidance, from an EBITDA margin coming from 10.5% in 2023, with an improvement from 150 basis points, that bring us between 11.5% and 12% margin in 2026.
Got it. Okay, thank you. On the capital structure, if I may so to go a little bit further. The EUR 500 million bond you issued last summer, now trades at 6% yield. At the same time, the small term loan on drawn RCF, they have restrictions on the refinancing of hybrids and the dividends. Given that you have access to the bond and loan markets, which is totally normalized now, are you contemplating an early refinancing of the term loan and RCF in order to remove the restrictions imposed by them, or even perhaps a broader refi along with some of the hybrids?
Yes, Constantin, I think, thanks for the question. As you can see, the group is working on several options to address the capital structure. We want to be as flexible as possible and to keep the advance on the schedule we have already on that topic. What is important to have in mind, I guess, and I will just re-highlight what I've just said, I guess, the issue inaugural rating that we have just received yesterday is as well for the group a good element to have even more optionality when it came to work on the capital structure as well.
Okay, clear. The third question that I had was, you've sort of successfully stabilized the business. You have EUR 800 million of cash on balance sheet. There's EUR 1.2 billion of liquidity. The business does generate positive organic cash flow post-debt service, as you've highlighted. At the same time, the debt trades at 6%, which is pretty healthy yields, but the equity is 25% below the 2025 highs we saw. The question I have is sort of a little bit open-ended, but what are your primary strategic priorities for the success cash? Given the valuation gap between credit and equity, how are you sort of evaluating the relative IRR, perhaps of an equity buyback?
I think this one, you know, if you contemplate what on the plan, and, you know, the plan is for the Clariane Group, is to continue to be the European leading platform on what we do. When it came to the capital structure, the key element when we said to have a conservative or financial policy, is that our objective there is to continuing on the deleveraging. I think this is key as well for us when you, when you look at it.
Constantin , if I may, I mean, we have now the inaugural rating in place, and our aim is definitely to improve the rating looking forward. That is really a critical dimension of sustainable and relative growth for shareholders as of for other stakeholders, and this will be our guidelines for the next three years.
Okay, understood, I just wanted to highlight, given the bonds are yielding 6%, the equity is 25% below the 2025 highs, it seems like the better trade, so to say-
Yeah, they have, I mean-
The more creative trade long term.
Equity market have to digest. Yeah, you're right, but equity market have to digest, the news flow that we just communicated.
Understood. Great. Well, thanks a lot, and congrats again on the strong set of numbers.
Thank you, Constantin.
Thank you.
We have a question regarding when the covenants are being tested. Is it on a yearly basis, especially for the Wholeco leverage?
It's we test covenant on the bi-yearly basis, meaning each individual months.
Thank you, Sophie, Gregory. This is all the questions that we had. Sophie, if you want to have closing remarks.
Yeah. Thank you very much, Stefan. I can just highlight that the company has been a very strong and good way in overcoming the high inflation and interest rate upsurge 2023, and that we are now healthy and best positioned to deliver on our Succeed Together New Midterm Plan. Thank you very much.