The rapid growth of the private equity-backed group saw it booked a \u00a364m pre-tax loss, double last year\u2019s \u00a331m.<\/p>\n
Red ink was driven by higher interest on \u00a3656m of borrowings, a jump in non-cash goodwill amortisation from acquisitions, and one-off refinancing costs.<\/p>\n
Under the bonnet, trading was strong as adjusted operating profit jumped 69% to \u00a399m with operating margins up to 11.2% from 9.6%. Statutory operating profit after exceptionals was \u00a328.1m.<\/p>\n
Top-line growth blended 11% organic progress with a revenue flows from recently bought civils contractor RJ McLeod, water industry design specialist Purestream and trenchless technology expert McCormack Drilling.<\/p>\n
These firms added scale across energy, water and trenchless delivery, while a post-year end majority stake in Australia\/NZ player AEC opened an foothold further afield in the asia pacific region.<\/p>\n
Chief executive Michael Hughes said: \u201cOCU Group has created a robust capability for sourcing, executing, and integrating strategic acquisitions.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe maintain rigorous standards, engaging only with companies that meet our high criteria for cultural alignment and commercial rigour, completing around one in every twelve potential transactions.\u201d<\/p>\n Hughes added: \u201cThe long-term structural drivers in the UK\u2019s energy transition, digital connectivity, and regulated utilities markets remain clear and compelling.<\/p>\n \u201cOfgem\u2019s RIIO-ED2, Ofwat\u2019s AMP8, Project Gigabit, and Scotland\u2019s ScotWind program each represent multi-billion-pound investment frameworks aligned to OCU\u2019s capabilities.<\/p>\n \u201cThe scale and duration of these programs provide a resilient platform for growth, even in the face of broader macroeconomic volatility.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n![\"-\"](\"https:\/\/www.constructionenquirer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Screenshot-2025-10-09-at-16.00.38.png\")
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